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Proverbs Chapter 24

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry 34 Verses

What is Proverbs 24 about?

Practical wisdom for daily life, family, work, and worship, all rooted in the fear of the LORD. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:
2For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.
3Through wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established;
4And by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches.
5A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might
6For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.
9The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.
11Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this; Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
13My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:
14So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, And thy hope shall not be cut off.
15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:
16For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
18Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.
19Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; [And] company not with them that are given to change:
22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?
23These also are [sayings] of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:
25But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come upon them.
26He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.
27Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.
28Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.
29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.
30I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, The face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction:
33[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep;
34So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“Be not thou envious against evil men, etc.] Or, “men of evil”f652. Such who are addicted to evil, and given up to it, whose principles and practices are bad; such as are before described in the preceding chapter; gluttons and drunkards, men given to women and wine: envy not their present prosperity, or seeming pleasure they have in the gratification of their sensual appetites; since woe and sorrow, wounds and strife, now attend them, and poverty and want will follow them; as well as everlasting ruin and destruction will be their portion hereafter; (see Gill on “<202317>Proverbs 23:17”); and compare with this…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“(Pro. 24:1-34) (Compare Pro 23:3, Pro 23:17; Psa 37:1).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“A lesson given before, now combined with another. True followers after wisdom will admit neither envy of evil on the one hand, nor admiration or fellowship with it on the other. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 2
“Destruction - How they may oppress and destroy others. Proverbs 24:3”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“24:1-2 Saying 19: See 1:8-19.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“not: Pro 24:19, Pro 3:31, Pro 23:17; Psa 37:1, Psa 37:7, Psa 73:3; Gal 5:19-21; Jam 4:5, Jam 4:6 neither: Pro 1:11-15, Pro 13:20; Gen 13:10-13, Gen 19:1-11; Psa 26:9 Proverbs 24:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“After this divergence (in Pro 23:29-35) from the usual form of the proverb, there is now a return to the tetrastich: 1 Envy not evil men, And desire not to have intercourse with them. 2 For their heart thinketh of violence, And their lips speak mischief. The warning, not to envy the godless, is also found at Pro 3:31; Pro 23:17; Pro 24:19, but is differently constructed in each of these passages. Regarding תּתאו with Pathach, vid., at Pro 23:3. אנשׁי רעה (cf. רע, Pro 28:5) are the wicked, i.e., such as cleave to evil, and to whom evil clings. The warning is grounded in this, that whoever have intercourse with…”
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