Proverbs 11:15

Pro 11:15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it]: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

Ver. 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it.] Heb., Shall break - prove a bankrupt. {See Trapp on "Pro 6:1"} {See Trapp on "Pro 6:2"} {See Trapp on "Pro 6:3"} &c

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.

Pro 11:15. He that is surety for a stranger, &c. — “He is in great danger to be undone, who stands bound to pay the debts of another man, especially of a stranger, whose ability and honesty are unknown to him; and the way to be secure from it, is not only to avoid such engagements one’s self, but to dislike to see other men enter into them.” — Bishop Patrick.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:15 This message is repeated in 6:1-5; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26; 27:13.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He that doeth not without judgment and consideration of the circumstances, puts himself in danger, as Prov. 6:1.

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

Here we are taught, 1. In general, that we may not use our estates as we will (he that gave them to us has reserved to himself a power to direct us how we shall use them, for they are not our own; we are but stewards), and further that God in his law consults our interests and teaches us that charity which begins at home, as well as that which must not end there. There is a good husbandry which is good divinity, and a discretion in ordering our affairs which is part of the character of a good man, Psa 112:5. Every man must be just to his family, else he is not true to his stewardship. 2. In particular, that we must not enter rashly into suretiship, (1.) Because there is danger of bringing ourselves into trouble by it, and our families too when we are gone: He that is surety for a stranger, for any one that asks him and promises him to be bound for him another time, for one whose person perhaps he knows, and thinks he knows his circumstances, but is mistaken, he shall smart for it. Contritione conteretur - he shall be certainly and sadly crushed and broken by it, and perhaps become a bankrupt. Our Lord Jesus was surety for us when we were strangers, nay, enemies, and he smarted for it; it pleased the Lord to bruise him. (2.) Because he that resolves against all such suretiship keeps upon sure grounds, which a man may do if he take care not to launch out any further into business than his own credit will carry him, so that he needs not ask others to be bound for him.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(Compare Pro 6:1).

suretiship--(Compare Margin), the actors put for the action, which may be lawfully hated.

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

Verse 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it] He shall find evil upon evil in it. See on Pr 6:1.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) He that is surety for a stranger.—Rather, for another, as Pro_6:1.

Is sure.—Rather, is in quiet, undisturbed by the anxieties described in Pro_6:3-5.

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

15. smart for it] Both A.V. and R.V. add in the marg. “Heb. shall be sore broken.”

suretiship] Three entirely different Heb. words in this verse are rendered “surety,” “suretiship,” “sure.” The first denotes exchanging with another, taking his place, becoming bail for him; the second, striking hands (“Heb. those that strike hands,” A.V. and R.V. marg.), as a token of the suretiship; the third, safe, secure.

See on this verse Pro_6:1 note.

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.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it,.... Or in "breaking shall be broken" (q), ruined and undone; he engaging or becoming a bondsman for one whose circumstances he knew not; and these being bad bring a load upon him, such an heavy debt as crushes him to pieces. Mr. Henry observes that our Lord Jesus Christ became a surety for us when we were strangers, and he smarted for it, he was bruised and wounded for our sins; but then he knew our circumstances, and what the consequence would be, and became a surety on purpose to pay the whole debt and set us free; which he was capable of doing: without being broken or becoming a bankrupt himself; for he was not broken, nor did he fail, Isa 42:4. Jarchi's note is,

"the wicked shall be broken, to whose heart idolatry is sweet;''

and he that hateth suretyship is sure; or those "that strike" (r), that is, with the hand, used in suretyship; see Pro 6:1; such an one is safe from coming into trouble by such means. The Targum is,

"and hates those that place their hope in God.''

(q) "frangendo frangetur", Michaelis; so Pagninus and others. (r) "complodentes", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius; "defigentes", Mercerus.

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

See the marginal reference. The play upon “sure” and “suretiship” in the the King James Version (though each word is rightly rendered) has nothing corresponding to it in the Hebrew, and seems to have originated in a desire to give point to the proverb.

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

That is. Hebrew, "that hateth those who make agreements is secure." (Mont.[Montanus?])

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).

A stranger; whose condition he doth not thoroughly understand, and therefore knows not his own danger.

Suretiship; of which See Poole "Pro 6:1".

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

15. He… shall smart for it — רע ירועa paronomasia, and difficult of interpretation. Various renderings are given by the critics: our common version is, however, sufficiently expressive and spirited. Comp. Pro_6:1; Pro_27:13.

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

He that is surety for a stranger; or, for another. (see Pro_6:1) Shall smart for it. "Evil shall fall on him evilly who is surety." He that hateth suretyship; guaranteed, as the word implies, by the striking of hands in public. (Pro_17:18) Vulgate, "who is cautious of snares," especially of the insidious dangers that lurk in suretyship. Is sure; is at rest and has nothing to fear. There is no paronomasia in the Hebrew. The play on "suretyship" and "sure" in the Authorized Version is either accidental or was introduced with the idea of giving point to the sentence. The Septuagint translates differently, "A wicked man doeth evil when he mixes with the righteous; he hateth the sound of safety (hcon asfaleiav )." This perhaps means that the fraudulent creditor deceives the good man who has stood security for him; and henceforward the good man cannot bear to hear immunity and safety spoken of. (see note on Pro_20:16)

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

There follow now two proverbs regarding kindness which brings injury and which brings honour:

It fares ill, nothing but ill, with one who is surety for another;

But he who hateth suretyship remaineth in quietness.

More closely to the original: It goes ill with him; for the proverb is composed as if the writer had before his eyes a definite person, whom one assails when he for whom he became security has not kept within the limits of the performance that was due. Regarding ערב with the accus. of the person: to represent one as a surety for him, and זר as denoting the other (the stranger), vid., at Pro 6:1. The meaning of רע ירוע is seen from Pro 20:16. ירוע is, like Pro 13:20, the fut. Niph. of רעע, or of רוּע = רעע, after the forms ימּול, יעור (Olsh. 265e). The added רעע has, like עריה, Hab 3:9, the same function as the inf. absol. (intensivus); but as the infin. form רע could only be inf. constru. after the form שׁך, Jer 5:26, the infinitive absol. must be רוע: Thus רע is an accus., or what is the same, an adverbial adj.: he is badly treated (maltreated) in a bad way, for one holds him to his words and, when he cannot or will not accomplish that which is due in the room of him for whom he is bail, arrests him. He, on the contrary, who hates תוקעים has good rest. The persons of such as become surety by striking the hands cannot be meant, but perhaps people thus becoming surety by a hand-stroke - such sureties, and thus such suretyship, he cannot suffer; תוקעים approaches an abstract "striking hands," instead of "those who strike hands" in connection with this שׂנא, expressing only a strong impossibility, as חבלים, Zac 2:7, 14, means uniting together in the sense of combination.

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.)

This repeated warning against suretyship (Pro 6:1-5 ) is intended to inculcate considerateness; not to excuse selfishness, or to dry up the sources of helpful sympathy. It must not be for a stranger (Pro 27:13 ), whose character and responsibilities are unknown to us. For such incautious kindness, too often done to the injury of our family, we shall smart, if not be sore broken. To hate such engagements is therefore our prudent security.

But one exception we can never forget. The blessed Jesus, from his free grace — unsought, unasked (Joh 10:15, Joh 10:17-18 . Php 2:6-8 ) — became surety — not for a friend (in which case we should have had no interest), but for a stranger. He became One with us in nature, that he might be One with us in law. He took our place under the curse of the broken law. (Gal 3:13 .) He put his soul to the fullest extent in our soul’s place; and then made our nature pay the debt, which all the angels of heaven could never have discharged. Oh! this was a smart indeed. Yea — sore broken was he under the stroke of his Father’s hand.†1 The Upholder of the universe was prostrate in the dust (Mar 14:35, with Heb 1:3 ); his own creature strengthening his sinking frame. (Luk 22:43 .) Had he hated suretyship, he would have been sure; (for what could have disturbed his self-existent happiness?) but we should have perished. Glory to his name! Though from all eternity he knew the bitterness of the smart, instead of hating, he "rejoiced and delighted" in his work. (Pro 8:31 . Heb 10:7 . Psa 40:6-8 .) His was no rash engagement. For it was the arrangement of the everlasting covenant. (Isa 53:10-12 . 1Pe 1:20 .) Every way it was lawful. There was an infinite treasure to discharge the liabilities. The claims of justice were fully satisfied. (Isa 1:27 ; Isa 42:21 . Rom 3:26 .) Sin was as thoroughly punished, as it was thoroughly pardoned. There was no injury, but rather direct benefit to the family of God. (Eph 1:10 . Col 1:20 .) What then remains for us, but to fall down before this grace, and to spend our days, as we shall spend our eternity, in adoring this wondrous manifestation of Divine glory! (Rev 1:5-6 ; Rev 5:12 .)

Footnotes:

†1 Isa 53:5, Isa 53:10 — bruised - sore broken.

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

v. 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it, be will fare extremely ill on account of his rash act; and he that hateth suretyship, avoiding both the persons who are too ready to give their hands in pledge and the methods lightly adopted by them, is sure, he places himself beyond danger.

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

one who hates giving

"one who refuses to give"

ruthless people

people without pity or compassion; cruel people

grasp for wealth

"are greedy for wealth"

translationWords

suffer

pledge

promise

grace

honor

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

will be broken by it The wicked man who gave his heart as surety to idolatry.

but he who hates hand-claspers Those who clasp hands with the enticers to follow their counsel. But our Rabbis expounded this in regard to surety in monetary matters.

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.