Proverbs 10:21

Pro 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

Ver. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many.] A great housekeeper he is, hath his doors ever open, and, though himself be poor, yet he "maketh many rich." {2Co 6:10} He well knows that to this end God put "honey and milk under his tongue," {Son 4:11} that he might look to this spiritual lip feeding. To this end hath he communicated to him those "rivers of water," {Joh 7:38} that they may flow from him, to quench that world of wickedness that, being "set on fire of hell, would set on fire the whole course of nature." {Jas 3:6} They are "empty vines that bear fruit to themselves." {Hos 10:1} Those are void houses, we say, where the doors daily open not. The people hung upon - εξεκρεματο - our Saviour’s lips as the young bird doth on the dam’s bill. {Luk 19:48} Bishop Ridley preached every Lord’s day and holiday, except letted by some weighty business, to whose sermons the people resorted, saith Master Foxe, {a} swarming about him like bees, and coveting the sweet juice of his gracious discourses. Look how Joseph nourished his father’s household with bread, "according to their families," or "according to the mouths of their families" {b} {Gen 47:12} So doth the righteous man those of his own charge especially. Welfare Popery for that, saith a grave divine. {c} I have heard old folks talk, that when in those days they had holy bread, as they called it, given them at church, they would bear a part of it to those that did abide at home. So should heads of families carry home the bread of life to their households.

But fools die for want of wisdom.] By their either refusing or abusing the food of their souls As the Pharisees, they "pine away in their iniquities." {Lev 26:39}

{a} Acts and Mon., fol. 1559.

{b} Chepi tappam.

{c} Mr Sam. Hier.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For they speak truth, and edify many by exhortations, admonition, and counsel.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Fools not only fail to benefit others, as do the righteous, but procure their own ruin (compare Pro 10:11, Pro 10:17; Hos 4:6).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(21) The lips of the righteous feed many—i.e., sustain them by words of counsel, encouragement, and comfort, giving to each one his “meat in due season “(Mat_24:45).

Fools.—Headstrong, obstinate persons (Pro_1:7).

For want of wisdom.—Or it may be translated, “Through one who is destitute of wisdom.” As one righteous man will guide many aright, so one unwise man will lead many fools to ruin.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. feed] In the wider sense perhaps which the word commonly has, supply the wants of, as a shepherd does.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The lips of the righteous feed many,.... Not their bodies; words are but wind, and will not feed; it is not enough to say to the distressed, "be ye warmed and filled", and give nothing; unless this can be understood of obtaining food for others by their prayers, as Jarchi interprets it: but the souls of many; these the righteous feed, by communicating the spiritual knowledge and understanding of divine things they are partakers of; by setting before them the bread of life, the honey and milk of the Gospel, they have under their tongue; and by the good counsel and advice, comforts and admonitions, they give them; see Jer 3:15;

but fools die for want of wisdom: not a corporeal death, which is common to men of every rank and quality; wise men die even as fools; but they continue under the power of a spiritual death, for want of enlightening and quickening grace, and so die an eternal death: not for want of natural wisdom, which they may have a greater share of than those who live spiritually and eternally; but for want of spiritual wisdom and knowledge; the knowledge of Christ, and the way of life and salvation by him, and the knowledge of God in Christ; and not always for the want of the means of such wisdom and knowledge; as the Scriptures, which are able to make a man wise unto salvation; and the Gospel, which is the wisdom of God in a mystery; but through the neglect and contempt of them: though sometimes men perish through want of the means of knowledge, and the neglect of those who should instruct them, Hos 4:6.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Feed - The Hebrew word, like ποιμαίνειν poimainein, includes the idea of guiding as well as nourishing; doing a shepherd’s work in both.

For want of wisdom - Some prefer, through him who wanteth understanding, referring to a person. The wise guides others to safety; the fool, empty-headed, and empty-hearted, involves others like himself in destruction.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Understanding. Literally, "hear." (Haydock) (Ver. 13.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Feed many, by their wise and pious discourses, counsels, and comforts, which are so many evidences of their wisdom.

Die for want of wisdom; they have not wisdom to feed or preserve themselves, much less to feed others.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. Feed many — Instruct them with their wisdom and guiding counsels.

But fools — The unwise. With the wise there is abundance, with the unwise, famine. The antithesis lies between that which is implied in the first member, plenty, and that which is expressed in the second, “want,” lack, poverty. Compare Pro_10:11; Pro_10:17.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Feed many. The righteous by wise counsel teach, support, and guide others. (Ecc_12:11 Jer_3:15) So the clergy are the shepherds of their flocks. (Joh_21:15 Act_20:28 1Pe_5:2) The LXX has a different reading, "know high things." Fools die for want of wisdom. Far from "feeding" others, they bring ruin on themselves. (Pro_5:23) Others translate, "die through one who wanteth understanding;" but if the Hebrew will bear this rendering, it is obvious that fools need no guide to their fall; their fate is a natural result. In this case the meaning must be that the foolish man involves others in destruction. But it is best to translate as the Authorized Version.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Feed - By their wise discourses and counsels. Die - They have not wisdom to preserve themselves, much less to feed others.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

21 The lips of the righteous edify many;

But fools die through want of understanding.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

v. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many, the counsel of their wholesome instruction serving as nourishment for heart and intellect; but fools die for want of wisdom, bringing misfortune and destruction upon themselves by their persistent rejection of true understanding.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The lips of the righteous will feed many, etc. Many eat in his merit and because of his prayer.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.