Proverbs 20:17

“Bread . . . sweet--either as unlawfully (Pro 9:17) or easily obtained. mouth . . . gravel--well expresses the pain and grief given at last.”

““To eat gravel” was a Hebrew Lamentations 3:16, and is an Arabic, phrase for getting into trouble. So “bread,” got by deceit, tastes sweet at first, but ends by leaving the hunger of the soul unsatisfied. There is a pleasure in the sense of cleverness felt after a hard bargain or a successful fraud, which must be met by bidding men look on the after consequences. return to 'Top of Page'”

“deceit: Heb. lying, or falsehood, Pro 4:17 is sweet: Pro 9:17, Pro 9:18; Gen 3:6, Gen 3:7; Job 20:12-20; Ecc 11:9; Heb 11:25 his: Lam 3:15, Lam 3:16 Proverbs 20:18”

“17 Sweet to a man is the bread of deceit; Yet at last his mouth is full of gravel. "Bread of deceit" is not deceit itself, as that after which the desire of a man goes forth, and that for which he has a relish (thus, e.g., Immanuel and Hitzig); but that which is not gained by labour, and is not merited. Possession (vid., Pro 4:17) or enjoyment ( Pro 9:17) obtained by deceit is thus called, as לחם כּזבים, Pro 23:3, denotes bread; but for him who has a relish for it, it is connected with deceit. Such bread of lies is sweet to a man, because it has come to him without effort, but in the end not only will he have nothing to eat, but his tongue, teeth, and mouth will be injured by small stones;…”