Chapter Overview
Summary
Proverbs 21 concentrates on divine-sovereignty-over-human-hearts (v. 1) and sacrifice-vs-justice theology (vv. 3, 27). Verse 3 — 'to do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice' — joins the prophetic-ethical-critique-of-sacrifice family (1 Sam 15:22, Ps 40:6, Ps 51:16, Hos 6:6, Mic 6:6–8, Isa 1:11–17).
Notable Variants
21:1 'the king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD' divine-sovereignty over rulers; 21:3 'righteousness and justice more acceptable than sacrifice' — prophetic-ethical tradition; 21:9 'better to live in a corner of the housetop than with a quarrelsome wife.'
Structural Notes
MT Prov 21 = LXX Prov 21. 31 verses.
The king's heart is a water channel in the LORD's hand — He directs it wherever He pleases.
'The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will' tracks MT. KING'S-HEART-IN-GOD'S-HAND — divine-sovereignty even over rulers. Romans 13:1 ('the authorities have been instituted by God') extends.
Every path a person takes looks right to him, but the LORD weighs hearts.
'Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart' tracks MT. // Prov 16:2.
Practicing righteousness and justice is preferred by the LORD over sacrifice.
'To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice' tracks MT. RIGHTEOUSNESS-OVER-SACRIFICE. Joins 1 Sam 15:22, Ps 40:6, 51:16, Hos 6:6, Mic 6:6–8 tradition. Jesus' 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice' (Matt 9:13, 12:7, citing Hos 6:6) extends.
Haughty eyes and an inflated heart — the lamp of the wicked is sin.
'Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin' tracks MT.
The plans of the diligent lead only to abundance, but everyone who rushes ends only in lack.
'The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty' tracks MT.
Gaining wealth by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor — those who chase it chase death.
'The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death' tracks MT.
The violence of the wicked drags them away, because they refuse to practice justice.
'The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just' tracks MT.
Crooked is the path of a guilty person, but the conduct of the pure is upright.
'The way of the guilty is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright' tracks MT.
Better to sit on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome woman.
'It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife' tracks MT. // Prov 21:19, 25:24.
The appetite of the wicked craves what is harmful; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
'The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes' tracks MT.
When a scoffer is punished, the naive become wise; when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.
'When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge' tracks MT.
The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked; He overturns the wicked to ruin.
'The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked; he throws the wicked down to ruin' tracks MT.
Whoever blocks his ear from the cry of the poor — he too will cry out and not be answered.
'Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered' tracks MT. Reciprocal-justice — failure-to-hear-the-poor brings unanswered-prayer.
A gift given in secret calms anger, and a concealed bribe subdues fierce rage.
'A gift in secret averts anger, and a concealed bribe, strong wrath' tracks MT.
Doing justice is a joy to the righteous but a terror to those who practice wickedness.
'When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers' tracks MT.
A person who strays from the path of insight will rest in the assembly of the dead.
'One who wanders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead' tracks MT.
Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never grow rich.
'Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich' tracks MT.
The wicked becomes a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous takes the place of the upright.
'The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous for the upright' tracks MT. RANSOM-SUBSTITUTION theology — the wicked pays-the-price for the righteous. Proto-substitutionary-atonement vocabulary.
Better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and irritable woman.
'It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman' tracks MT. // v. 9 variant.
Precious treasure and oil fill the home of the wise, but a fool swallows them up.
'Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it' tracks MT.
Whoever pursues righteousness and faithful love finds life, righteousness, and honor.
'Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor' tracks MT.
A wise person can scale a city of warriors and bring down the stronghold they trusted in.
'A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust' tracks MT.
Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue guards his life from troubles.
'Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble' tracks MT.
The proud and arrogant — 'Scoffer' is his name — he acts with overflowing contempt.
'Scoffer is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride' tracks MT.
The craving of the lazy person kills him, because his hands refuse to work.
'The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor' tracks MT.
All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives without holding back.
'All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back' tracks MT. GIVES-AND-DOES-NOT-HOLD-BACK — generosity-as-diagnostic.
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable — how much more when offered with evil intent!
'The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent' tracks MT.
A lying witness will perish, but the person who listens will speak with lasting authority.
'A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure' tracks MT.
A wicked person puts on a bold face, but the upright considers his way carefully.
'A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright gives thought to his ways' tracks MT.
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can stand against the LORD.
'No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD' tracks MT. NOTHING-AVAILS-AGAINST-THE-LORD. 1 Corinthians 1:19–20 ('where is the wise one? where is the scribe? … has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?') extends the divine-sovereignty-over-wisdom theology.
The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD.
'The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD' tracks MT. HORSE-PREPARED / VICTORY-BELONGS-TO-LORD. Ps 20:7, 33:17 echo the anti-military-confidence tradition.