Proverbs 22 commentary


     1: A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favor rather than silver and gold 2: The rich and poor meet together YHWH [1]is the maker of them all 3: The prudent foresees the evil and hides but the simple pass on and are punished 4: By humility and the fear of YHWH are riches and honor and life 5: Thorns and snares are in the way of the forward [deceitful, false, perverse] they that guard their souls shall be [kept] far from them [far from the thorns and snares] 6: Train up children in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it 7: The rich rules over the poor and the borrower is slave to the lender[2] 8: they that sow iniquity shall reap trouble whatever seeds we plant, germinate and grow and the rod of their anger shall fail 9: They who have bountiful eyes shall be blessed for they give of their bread to the poor Proverbs 19:17, Psalm 41:1-3 10: Cast out the scorner and contention shall go out Yes strife and shame shall cease[3] 11: They that love pureness of heart for the grace of their lips the king shall be their friend 12: The eyes of YHWH preserve knowledge and he overthrows the words of the transgressor 13: The slothful says There is a lion without I shall be slain in the streets makes imaginative excuses for not going out to work? 14: The mouth of strange whorish women is a deep pit He that is abhorred of YHWH shall fall therein[4] 15: Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it far from them 16: They who oppress the poor to increase riches and they that give to the rich shall surely come to lack [5] 17: Bow down your ear and hear the words of the wise and apply your heart to my knowledge 18: For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you they shall withal be fitted in your lips 19: That your trust may be in YHWH I have made known to you this day even to you 20: Have not I written to you excellent things in counsels and knowledge 21: That I might make you know the certainty of the words of truth that you might answer the words of truth to them that send to you 22: Rob not the poor because they are poor neither oppress the afflicted in the gate 23: For YHWH will plead their cause and spoil the souls of those that spoiled them 24: Make no friendship with an angry person and with a furious one you shall not go 25: Lest you learn their ways and get a snare to your soul 26: Be not thou one of them that strike hands [in agreement] or of them that are sureties [stand good] for [other’s] debts 27: If you have nothing to pay why should they take away your bed from under you 28: Remove not the ancient landmark which your fathers have set 29: See those diligent in business they shall stand before kings they shall not stand before the insignificant


[1] YHWH H3068 (Hebrew has no vowels) These four letters are the name of God and are known to scholars as the Tetragrammaton [pronounced, Yahweh or Yahveh] and sometimes translated and pronounced as Jehovah. according to Jewish scholar, Kaufmann Kohler (Jewish Theology page 61), the correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton has never been lost and is pronounced Yahveh. In the HHBC, any use of the Tetragrammaton in the Hebrew Text will be left untranslated, and any New Testament Greek citing of the Tetragrammaton from an Old Covenant source will be treated as Hebrew. The Tetragrammaton, [YHWH], will be used in place of the incorrect “LORD.” … As this commentary is also posted online one chapter at a time, readers may find this definition posted in footnotes for first use of the Tetragrammaton in any given chapter.

[2] This verse is an example of the Bible telling it like it is. Few would misconstrue this consequence as a command for the rich to rule over the poor and for lenders to make slaves of borrowers, but rather as insight into how the kosmos (systems of this present age) works and for everyone [both poor and rich] to heed the warning against going into debt.

[3] Many people have a distorted view of love, which causes vacillating weakness in dealing with sin and strife. Families, groups, business environments, indeed everyone [except the trouble-maker] suffers when decisive action is not taken against contentious persons stealing the peace of everyone around them. The Bible says “Make every effort to be at peace with all people,” but it does not command us to tolerate anything and everything anyone wants to throw at us. There are those who habitually contradict, stir up strife, and shame others. And there is a time to say “Enough!” There is a time to put abusive trouble-makers out of our groups, businesses, and homes. This is a loving response towards all. It is loving towards ourselves and all the others who have been vexed and oppressed by the one who constantly stirs up strife. It is loving towards the trouble-maker, as it does not encourage and enable their contentious abusive ways. Be aware that this can only help these “bad-hats” if they are not already firmly established in their course. If they are, we cannot help them, and the only way to restore the peace of our surroundings is to bid them goodbye—permanently

[4] Biblical definitions of love and hate involve actions—not emotions. Love and hate are verbs (action words) not nouns (things). Understanding this gives understanding into scriptures that deal with hate and love. 

[5] The most common scenario of giving to the rich involves giving to charlatan TV preachers who promise financial blessing for those who send them money. These wealthy persons prey on the compassion's (they themselves have none), greed, lack, and the needs of others to amass fortunes for themselves. The Bible warns against heaping teachers to ourselves—and against and giving our money to those who tickle itching ears.

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