Proverbs 25:8

Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame. GO NOT FORTH HASTILY TO STRIVE, LEST (THOU KNOW NOT) WHAT TO DO IN THE END - (.) Amaziah did not anticipate the shameful "end," or he would not have gone forth hastily to strive with Joash (2 Kings 14:8). So Josiah as to Pharaoh ()....

Verse Proverbs 25:8. _GO NOT FORTH HASTILY TO STRIVE_] לרב _lerib_, to enter into a _lawsuit_. Keep from this _pit of the bottomless deep_, unless urged by the direst necessity....

The general meaning is: It is dangerous to plunge into litigation. At all times, there is the risk of failure, and, if we fail, of being at the mercy of an irritated adversary. Without the italics, the clause may be rendered, “lest thou do something (i. e., something humiliating and vexatious) at the end thereof.”...

EXPOSITION VERSE 1-29:27 PART VI. SECOND GREAT COLLECTION OF SOLOMONIC PROVERBS, gathered by "the men of Hezekiah," in which wisdom is set forth as the greatest blessing to the king and his subjects. PROVERBS 25:1 _The_ _superscription: _THESE ARE ALSO PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, WHICH THE MEN OF HEZEKIAH KING OF JUDAH COPIED OUT. The word "also" implies that a previous collection was known to the compiler of the present book—probably the one which we have in Pr 10-22:16, of which nine proverbs are inserted here. But there was still a large number of proverbial sayings attributed to Solomon, and preserved partly by oral tradition and partly in writing, which it was advisable to colle

GO NOT FORTH HASTILY TO STRIVE,.... To go to law with a neighbour; think well of it beforehand; consider the nature of the cause, whether right or wrong; or whether it is a matter of such moment as to go to law about; whether it will not be deemed a frivolous and vexatious suit; whether able to bear the expenses of it, and what may probably be the success of it; LEST [THOU KNOW NOT] WHAT TO DO IN THE END THEREOF; for a livelihood, having spent all thy substance in the lawsuit, and so reduced to poverty as not to know how to live, or how and where to show thy face, through the disgrace that shall fall upon time by losing the cause; WHEN THAT NEIGHBOUR HATH PUT THEE TO SHAME; in open court, and proved himself to be in the right, and that thou art in the wrong; himself an honest man, and thee a litigious person....

IV. THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON COLLECTED BY THE MEN OF HEZEKIAH CHAPTER 25 Here begin the proverbs which the good king Hezekiah, under the guidance of the Spirit of God, added to this book. “This title is interesting as affording a proof that a revival of literary activity accompanied the revival of religion and of national prosperity which marked the reign of Hezekiah. The men of Hezekiah were doubtless a body of scribes engaged under the direction of the king in literary labors.” Very fittingly the opening verses of this collected portion of proverbs relate to the king. While it is the glory of God to conceal a thing, the glory of kings is to search out a matter. God has many things concealed as to Himself, the great universe, creation and His ways in providence; but kings should inquire diligently into the matters brought before them and search them out in their administration of justi...

FIRST DIVISION. In general character this division shows a resemblance to the Sayings of the Wise, containing a number of quatrains and synthetic couplets, and but few antithetic couplets. PROVERBS 25:2 B. A series of three quatrains relating to kings. Proverbs 25:4 b. Very obscure. Refining silver does not produce a vessel, and the parallelism with Proverbs 25:5 b is unsatisfactory. LXX it will be wholly purified probably represents the original text. Proverbs 25:6 f. _cf._ Luke 14:8....

GO NOT FORTH, &C. Illustrations: Gaal (Judges 9:26); the ten tribes (Joshua 22:12); Abner(2 Samuel 2:14; 2 Samuel 2:17); Asahel (2 Samuel 2:18); Amaziah (2 Kings 14:8); Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:20)....

thou know not] These words are also inserted in R.V. text, with the alternative in the margin, _Lest_it be said _in the end thereof, What wilt thou do? when_&c. The Heb. as it stands is forcible in its abruptness: LEST WHAT WILT THOU DO IN THE END THEREOF? &c....

CHAPTER 25 TEXT Proverbs 25:1-10 1. These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. 2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. 3. As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable, 4. Take away the dross from the silver, And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner: 5. Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne shall be established in righteousness. 6. Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king, And stand not in the place of great men: 7. For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom thine eyes have seen.