Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament
Proverbs 11
Proverbs 11: the false balance, the city and the righteous, and the liberal soul
General context
The chapter opens with a false balance, which is abomination to the Lord, set against a just weight, which is his delight. Pride brings shame, and wisdom is with the lowly. The integrity of the upright guides them; riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death; the wicked fall by their own wickedness. When a wicked man dies his expectation perishes; the righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked comes in his stead. A hypocrite destroys his neighbour with his mouth. When it goes well with the righteous the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there is shouting; the city is exalted by the blessing of the upright and overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. A talebearer reveals secrets, where no counsel is the people fall, and he that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it. A gracious woman retains honour, the merciful man does good to his own soul. Though hand join in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished. A fair woman without discretion is as a jewel of gold in a swine's snout. There is one that scatters and yet increases, and one that withholds more than is meet and tends to poverty; the liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that withholds corn shall be cursed by the people. He that trusts in his riches shall fall, he that troubles his own house shall inherit the wind, the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that wins souls is wise. The chapter closes by saying the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the wicked and the sinner.
Cited passages: Proverbs 11:1, Proverbs 11:2, Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 11:4, Proverbs 11:6, Proverbs 11:7, Proverbs 11:8, Proverbs 11:9, Proverbs 11:10, Proverbs 11:11, Proverbs 11:13, Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 11:15, Proverbs 11:16, Proverbs 11:17, Proverbs 11:21, Proverbs 11:22, Proverbs 11:24, Proverbs 11:25, Proverbs 11:26, Proverbs 11:28, Proverbs 11:29, Proverbs 11:30, Proverbs 11:31
Proverbs 11 (KJV)
1A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.
2When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
3The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
4Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
6The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
7When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
8The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
9An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
13A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
14Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
15He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
16A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.
17The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
18The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
19As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
20They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
21Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
22As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
23The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
24There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
25The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
26He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
27He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
28He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
29He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
31Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.
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Historical context
There is no new heading; the chapter continues the collection begun at 10:1. No person, city or nation is named. The Lord is named twice, in verse 1 over the false balance and in verse 20 over the froward heart, and both verses use the same pair of words, "abomination" and "delight". "The city" of verses 10 and 11 is any city; the text does not identify it. The phrase "the day of wrath" in verse 4 is not explained, and the half-line "righteousness delivereth from death" repeats 10:2 exactly. "Though hand join in hand" in verse 21 is an expression the text does not gloss, and it recurs at 16:5. The saying about suretyship for a stranger in verse 15 states the same danger that 6:1 warned the son about at length. Two sayings concern women, the gracious woman who retains honour and the fair woman without discretion; neither is a particular person. "He that winneth souls" in verse 30 is not defined further by the chapter. The closing verse says the righteous are recompensed "in the earth" and does not say by whom.
Cited passages: Proverbs 11:1, Proverbs 11:20, Proverbs 11:10, Proverbs 11:4, Proverbs 10:2, Proverbs 11:21, Proverbs 16:5, Proverbs 11:15, Proverbs 6:1, Proverbs 11:16, Proverbs 11:30, Proverbs 11:31
Literary context
Antithetic pairs on "but" remain the main form, but this chapter loosens it more often than chapter 10. Verses 7, 8, 16, 19, 22, 25, 29, 30 and 31 have no "but", and some of them pair two like statements instead ("The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead"). Verse 22 is a picture-comparison, "As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout", and verse 24 is a paradox, scattering that increases and withholding that impoverishes. Adjacent verses form small clusters on one subject: 10 and 11 on the city, 24 to 26 on giving and withholding, 5 and 6 on righteousness as a guide and deliverer. The chapter is framed by two verses that share the words "abomination to the Lord" and "his delight", verse 1 about weights and verse 20 about hearts. Several sayings turn on the wicked being caught by their own doing: "fall by his own wickedness", "taken in their own naughtiness", "troubleth his own house". The tree of life image in verse 30 was last used at 3:18 for wisdom itself. The final verse opens with "Behold" and argues from the lesser to the greater, "much more", a form the collection uses again at 15:11.
Cited passages: Proverbs 11:8, Proverbs 11:22, Proverbs 11:24, Proverbs 11:11, Proverbs 11:26, Proverbs 11:1, Proverbs 11:20, Proverbs 11:5, Proverbs 11:6, Proverbs 11:29, Proverbs 11:30, Proverbs 3:18, Proverbs 11:31, Proverbs 15:11
Key moments
- A false balance (Proverbs 11:1). A false balance is abomination to the Lord and a just weight his delight.
- Riches in the day of wrath (Proverbs 11:4). Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
- The city rejoiceth (Proverbs 11:10). The city rejoices when it goes well with the righteous and shouts when the wicked perish.
- A multitude of counsellors (Proverbs 11:14). Where there is no counsel the people fall, but many counsellors bring safety.
- A jewel in a swine's snout (Proverbs 11:22). A fair woman without discretion is compared to a gold jewel in a swine's snout.
- The liberal soul (Proverbs 11:25). The liberal soul is made fat and the one who waters is watered.
- A tree of life (Proverbs 11:30). The fruit of the righteous is called a tree of life.
For reflection
Verse 24 says there is one who scatters and yet increases, and one who withholds more than is fitting and tends to poverty. What kind of accounting would make that saying come out true, and does the chapter show it anywhere else?