Proverbs 15:27

Pro 15:27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

Ver. 27. He that is greedy of gain, troubleth his own house.] Fires his own nest while he thinks to feather it; fingers that which will burn in his purse, will prove lucrum in arca, damnum in conscientia, {a} gain to his purse, but loss to his conscience. Add hereunto, that the covetous man’s house is continually on a tumult of haste and hurry, "up, up, up," saith he; "to bed, to bed"; "quick at meat, quick at work," &c.; what with labour, and what with passion and contention, he and his household never live at heart’s ease and rest. Thus it was in the houses of Laban and Nabal.

But he that hateth gifts shall live.] Viz., Gifts given to pervert or buy justice. The "fire of God shall devour the tabernacles" of such corrupt judges. {Job 15:34}

So for those that are bribed out of their religion, Stratagema nunc est Pontificium, ditare multos, ut pii esse desinant. {b} The Papists propose rewards to such as shall relinquish the Protestant religion and turn to them, as in Ansburgh, where, they say, there is a known price for it of ten florins a year; and in France, where the clergy have made contributions for the maintenance of renegade ministers. Thus they tempted Luther, but he would not be hired to go to hell; and thus they tempted that noble Marquis of Vicum, nephew to Pope Paul V, who left all for Christ and fled to Geneva, but he cried out, Let their money perish with them that prefer all the world’s wealth before one day’s communion with Jesus Christ and his despised people. {c}

{a} Augustine.

{b} Joh. Egnat. Gelli dial. v.

{c} Specul. Europ. " Germana illa bestia non curat aurum."

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 15:27. He that is greedy of gain — That seeketh wealth by unjust practices, which the opposite clause shows to be the sense intended; troubleth his own house — Bringeth God’s displeasure and destruction upon himself and his family, whom he designed to enrich, honour, and establish; but he that hateth gifts — Bribes given to pervert judgment; he who refuses them, not with dissimulation, nor only from prudential considerations, but from a hearty abhorrence of all unrighteousness; shall live — Shall preserve himself and (which may be understood out of the former clause) his family from ruin.

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

CRITICAL NOTES.—

Pro_15:27. Gifts, i.e., “bribes.”

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro_15:27

THE CURSE OF COVETOUSNESS

I. A definition of a covetous man. “He that is greedy of gain.” He desires more than enough, and he desires it to the exclusion of the rights of others. It is lawful and right to desire to possess some amount of substance in the world; he who was without such a desire would be hardly a man. It is good to ask for neither poverty nor riches, but for such an amount of the world’s wealth as will prevent us from being harassed with care, and at the same time keep us free from the temptations and anxieties which accompany great riches. But when a man is consumed with a desire for more than sufficient for his necessities, he is “greedy of gain,” and is in moral danger. If a vessel finds enough water in the river to carry her on her voyage, all bids fair to be safe and prosperous; but if the water is so high that it pours over her deck and gets into the hold, she is in great danger of sinking. So a moderate desire after worldly gain is an impetus to a man’s activity, and is a blessing both to himself and to the community; but an inordinate desire after riches is a dead weight upon his spiritual progress, and is often the cause of his going down in the moral scale. Desiring more than enough often leads to using unlawful means of satisfying the desire. The second clause of the verse seems to refer to the temptation of a judge to accept bribes. Men holding such an office, and possessed by this greed of gain, have been known, under its influence, to commit the enormous crime of knowingly acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent; and in all positions and stations of life the sin of covetousness is a fruitful source of other crimes. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1Ti_6:9-10).

II. The evil effect of covetousness is not confined to the covetous man himself. “He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house.” Many men try to excuse their covetousness by the plea that they only desire to make ample provision for their family, but it is upon the family that the curse of greediness falls most heavily. If the head is diseased the members must suffer. A covetous man is a selfish man, and those who are most nearly related to a man who is eaten up with a desire to grow rich feel most keenly the blighting influence of the passion upon all the joys of family life. And a man who is thus greedy of gain brings trouble upon his house by involving them in the curse of his sin. Those whom he has wronged by his injustice hate his children for the father’s sin, and as we have before seen—“the wealth of the sinner”—of him who has grown rich by unfair dealing—is “laid up for the just” and his own children inherit only the misery of having had such a father. (See Homiletics on chap. Pro_13:11-22, pages 307–332.)

III. The man of opposite character, “the hater of gifts,” shall live.

1. He does live now. Life and death are in a man’s character. A leaf that has lost all its beauty and greenness is dead although it still exists. The leaf is there—the shape and outline exist—but all that made it lovely is gone, because all vitality is gone. A flower may still have all its petals upon the stalk, but if all fragrance and colour are gone we know that life is gone. The life or the death of the leaf or flower are states or conditions of its existence, and not the simple adherence or separation of its particles. So is it with a man. His life or his death is not existence or non-existence, but the condition of his spiritual nature. If he is destitute of righteousness he is dead—if he is a man of true integrity—such a man as is described in chap. Pro_11:3 (see on that verse) he is alive. God is the “living God” not simply because He has an eternal existence, but because He possesses moral life—in other words, because He is perfectly holy, just, and true. Now the man who “hates gifts”—who abhors every kind of unfair dealing—gives proof by his hatred that he is morally alive.

2. He shall live in the esteem of posterity. Nothing lasts like a good character. The memory of the just man is embalmed in the hearts of men long after his body is gone to dust. (See chap. Pro_10:7.)

3. He shall live in the esteem of God. We are naturally disposed to regard with favour those who show us honour and endeavour to further our purposes and desires. The “just God” is a lover of those who strive to “do justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with him” (Mic_6:8.), and such men shall live in the sunshine of His eternal favour. (Psa_30:5.)

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

A man may be said to be covetous when he takes more pains for the getting of earth than for the getting of heaven. He will turn every stone, break his sleep, take many a weary step for the world; but will take no pains for Christ or heaven. The Gauls, after they had tasted the sweet wine of the Italian grape, inquired after the country, and never rested till they had arrived at it; so a covetous man, having had a relish of the world, pursues after it, and never leaves it till he hath got it; but he neglects the things of eternity. He could be content if salvation would drop into his mouth, as a ripe fig drops into the mouth of the eater (Nah_3:12). But he is loth to put himself to too much sweat or trouble to obtain Christ or salvation. He hunts for the world, he wisheth only for heaven.… Covetousness is

(1) a subtle sin, a sin that men do not so well discern in themselves. This sin can dress itself in the attire of virtue. It is called the “cloke of covetousness” (1Th_2:5). It is a sin that wears a cloke; it clokes itself under the name of frugality and good husbandry. It hath more pleas and excuses for itself than any other sin.

(2) It is a dangerous sin. It damps good affections, as the earth puts out the fire. The hedgehog in the fable came to the coney-burrows in stormy weather, and desired harbour, but when once he had gotten entertainment he set up his prickles, and did never cease till he had thrust the poor coneys out of their burrows; so covetousnes, by fair pretences, wins itself into the heart; but as soon as you have let it in it will never leave till it hath thrust all religion out of your hearts.… Covetousness chains men to the earth, and makes them like the woman which Satan had bound together that she could not lift up herself (Luk_13:11). You may as well bid an elephant fly in the air as a covetous man live by faith. We preach to men to give freely to Christ’s poor; but covetousness makes them to be like him in the Gospel who had a withered hand (Mar_3:1).… Covetousness shuts men out of heaven (Eph_5:5). What should a covetousness man do in heaven?.… Like a bee that gets into a barrel of honey, and there drowns himself, like a ferryman that takes in so many passengers to increase his fare that he sinks his boat, so a covetous man takes in more gold to the increasing of his estate that he damns himself in perdition.—Watson.

It is not enough to abstain from evil, we must also hate it.—Fausset.

Who is ignorant of the woeful success which Achan found in coveting unlawfully the gold and silver in Jericho? He hoped to get more there than any man in Israel; but no man in Israel lost so much as he.—Dod.

He that maketh gain to be the gain that he looketh for in all things, he may hope to fill his house with wealth, but he shall be sure to fill it with trouble. He that is given to gain, and hath made himself the prey as it were and gain of gain, he may have his hand open to take gifts, but with the same hand taketh in disquietness into his heart.… Now, because such are often crying—How shall I live? therefore the wise man telleth them he that hateth such things shall live.—Jermin.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

Note, 1. Those that are covetous entail trouble upon their families: He that is greedy of gain, and therefore makes himself a slave to the world, rises up early, sits up late, and eats the bread of carefulness, in pursuit of it - he that hurries, and puts himself and all about him upon the stretch, in business, frets and vexes at every loss and disappointment, and quarrels with every body that stands in the way of his profit - he troubles his own house, is a burden and vexation to his children and servants. He that, in his greediness of gain, takes bribes, and uses unlawful ways of getting money, leaves a curse with what he gets to those that come after him, which sooner or later will bring trouble into the house, Hab 2:9, Hab 2:10. 2. Those that are generous as well as righteous entail a blessing upon their families: He that hates gifts, that shakes his hands from holding the bribes that are thrust into his hand to pervert justice and abhors all sinful indirect ways of getting money - that hates to be paltry and mercenary, and is willing, if there be occasion, to do good gratis - he shall live; he shall have the comfort of life, shall live in prosperity and reputation; his name and family shall live and continue.

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

(Compare Pro 11:17). Avarice brings trouble to him and his.

hateth gifts--or, "bribes" (Exo 23:8; Psa 15:5), and is not avaricious.

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 27. He that is greedy of gain] He who will be rich; troubleth his own house-he is a torment to himself and his family by his avariciousness and penury, and a curse to those with whom he deals.

But he that hateth gifts] Whatever is given to pervert judgment.

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

(27) He that is greedy of gain.—Ill-gotten gain, especially bribes, as is seen in the next line.

Troubleth his own house.—The word used of Achan (Jos_7:25).

Gifts.—Bribes taken by a judge. (Ecc_7:7.)

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

27. gifts] The proverb, though universal in its moral, is Oriental in its form. Gifts “play a very important part in the social life of the East” (see Smith’s Dict. of Bible, Gift). Hence they form at once the bait by which “he that is greedy of gain” is lured, as Gehazi was, to the “troubling of his own house,” and the test, in the lofty disregard of them, of incorruptible honour and integrity.

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 greedy of gain troubleth his own house,.... Or "that covets a covetousness" (t), an evil one, as in Hab 2:9; that seeks riches by unlawful means, that gathers the mammon of falsehood, or unrighteousness, as the Targum; he entails a curse and brings ruin and destruction upon his family; the Septuagint and Arabic versions are, he "destroys himself"; or "his own soul", as the Syriac version; it may be understood of a man that is over anxious and eager to be rich, and hurries on business, and gives his servants no proper time for food and rest; See Gill on Pro 11:29;

but he that hateth gifts shall live; that rejects them with abhorrence, when offered to bribe him to pervert judgment, or to do an unjust thing; otherwise gifts may be lawfully received from one friend by another; the sin is when they are given and taken for the sake of doing what is base and sinful; and a man that shakes his hand from receiving gifts on such a basis, he and his family shall prosper and increase in worldly things; and, doing this from a right principle of grace, shall live comfortably in a spiritual sense, and thrive and flourish in his soul, and live an eternal life hereafter; see Psa 16:5.

(t) "appetens concupiscentiam", Montanus; "qui avaritiam inhiat" Tigurine version; "concupiscens concupiscentiam", Vatablus.

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

Gifts - There is a special application to the office of the judge. The Aramaic Targum paraphrases the first words of this passage as: “he who gathers the mammon of unrighteousness,” using the words with special reference to wealth obtained by unjust judgments. May we infer that Christ’s adoption of that phrase Luk 16:9 had a point of contact with this proverb, through the version then popularly used in the synagogues of Palestine?

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

Troubleth. With all sorts of temporal misfortunes. A judge who receives bribes, is accursed, Exodus xxiii. 8. --- By, &c., is not here in Hebrew, but [in] chap. xvi. 6. St. Cyprian (3 Test.) found it in his copy. --- Faith, or fidelity and truth, as it is elsewhere expressed, chap. iii. 3. These virtues move God to pardon.

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).

He that is greedy of gain, that seeketh wealth by unjust courses, as appears from the opposite clause,

troubleth his own house; bringeth God’s curse and destruction upon himself and his family, whom he designed to enrich and establish.

That hateth; who refuseth them not with dissimulation, nor only from prudential reasons, but from a hearty abhorrency of all unrighteousness. Gifts, i.e. bribes given to corrupt judgment. See Exo 18:21; 23:8; Deu 16:19.

Shall live; shall preserve himself and (which is understood out of the former clause) his family from ruin.

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

27. Greedy of gain — בוצע בצע, (botsea’h batsa’h.) We have no English phrase exactly equivalent. See note on Pro_1:19. It is applied to the extortion of kings and nobles who. despoil a people, (Jer_22:17; Eze_22:13;) to robbery by freebooters, (Pro_1:19;) and also and especially to the gain from bribes and other unlawful means. Bribery, direct and indirect, is the bane of public men and the curse of a country. But let those who thus make the most of their position for their own pockets — who make laws and administer them for their own selfish ends — remember the words of Jehovah, that they are laying up trouble for their own families. It is the hater of iniquitous gain that shall live in fame, and his family after him. The proverb has had some remarkable illustrations in our own time and land. Compare Pro_1:19; Pro_11:29; Pro_20:21; Pro_28:16.

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 greedy of gain troubleth his own house. (Pro_11:29) The special reference is doubtless to venal judges, who wrested judgment for lucre. Such malefactors were often reproved by the prophets. (see Isa_1:23 Isa_10:1, etc.; Mic_3:11 Mic_7:3) But all ill-gotten gain brings sure retribution. The Greeks have many maxims to this effect. Thus Kerdh pomhra zhmian aei ferei.

And again Ta d aiscra kerdh sumforazetai. "Riches ill won bring ruin in their train.

An avaricious man troubles his house in another sense. He harasses his family by niggardly economies and his domestics by overwork and underfeeding, deprives his household of all comfort, and loses the blessing of God upon a righteous use of earthly wealth. The word "troubleth" (akar, "to trouble") reminds one of the story of Achan, who, in his greed, appropriated some of the spoil of the banned city Jericho, and brought destruction upon himself and his family, when, in punishment of the crime, he and all his were stoned in the Valley of Achor. (Jos_7:25) So the covetousness of Gehazi caused the infliction of the penalty of leprosy upon himself and his children. (2Ki_5:27) Professor Plumptre ("Speaker"s Commentary," in loc. ) notes that the Chaldee Targum paraphrases this clause, referring especially to lucre gained by unrighteous judgments, thus: "He who gathers the mammon of unrighteousness destroys his house;" and he suggests that Christ"s use of that phrase (Luk_16:9) may have had some connection with this proverb through the version then popularly used in the Palestinian synagogues. He that hateth gifts shall live. (comp. Ecc_7:7) Primarily this refers to the judge or magistrate who is incorruptible, and gives just judgment, and dispenses his patronage without fear or favour; he shall "prolong his days", (Pro_28:16) And in all cases a man free from covetousness, who takes no bribes to blind his eyes withal, who makes no unjust gains, shall pass a long and happy life undisturbed by care. We see here a hope of immortality, to which integrity leads. The LXX, with the view of making the two clauses more marked in antithesis, restricts the application thus: "The receiver of gifts destroyeth himself; but he who hateth the receiving of gifts liveth." The Vulgate and Septuagint, after this verse, introduce a distich which recurs in Pro_16:6. The Septuagint transposes many of the verses at the end of this chapter and the beginning of the next.

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

Troubleth - Brings God's curse upon himself and family. Gifts - Bribes given to corrupt judgment. Live - Shall preserve himself and family from ruin.

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

27 Whoever does service to [servit] avarice troubleth his own house;

But he that hateth gifts shall live.

Regarding בּצע בּצע, vid., at Pro 1:19, and regarding עכר בּיתו, Pro 11:29, where it is subject, but here object.; Pro 28:16 is a variation of 27b. מתּנות are here gifts in the sense of Ecc 7:7, which pervert judgment, and cause respect of persons. The lxx from this point mingles together a series of proverbs with those of the following chapter.

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.)

What an awful stamp has God fixed upon covetousness! Idolatry;†1 abomination;†2 an evil eye: the cause of poverty;†3 "the root of all evil!"†4 Not only is it a curse to the sinner, but often a trouble to his house. So did Lot,†5 Achan,†6 Saul,†7 Ahab,†8 Gehazi,†9 Jehoiakim,†10 and the Jews,†11 find it. And often in our own day, has greediness of gain plunged whole families into misery by ruinous speculations!†12 For where the enriching blessing of God is not desired or sought, we cannot wonder that it is withheld!

Can the man of God do so? Not only would he refuse, but he hateth gifts, not only in the corruption of bribes,†13 but in any case, that would bring dishonour upon his God. Abraham refused the gifts of the king of Sodom,†14 and Peter the enticement of Simon.†15 The man who thus walks in integrity, lives on high in the special favor of his God.†16 He, who hateth this world’s gifts for the affliction of the cross, "shall receive an hundred-fold recompense in this life, and in the world to come, everlasting life." (Heb 11:24-26 . Mat 19:29-30 .) ’Let their money perish with them’ (was the noble confession of the Marquis of Vico, nephew to Paul V.) ’that prefer all the world’s wealth before one day’s communion with Jesus Christ, and his despised people.’†17

Footnotes:

†1 Eph 5:5. Col 3:5 . Job 31:24 .

†2 Psa 10:3.

†3 Pro 28:22.

†4 1Ti 6:9-10 .

†5 Gen 13:10-11; Gen 14:12 ; Gen 19:14, Gen 19:30 .

†6 Jos 7:1, Jos 7:15, Jos 7:24 . Deu 7:26 .

†7 1Sa 15:19-26 .

†8 1Ki 21:1-14, 1Ki 21:19-22 . 2Ki 9:24-26 .

†9 2Ki 5:20-27 .

†10 Jer 22:13, Jer 22:18-30 .

†11 Jer 6:12-13; Jer 8:10 .

†12 Hab 2:9-10.

†13 Exo 18:21; Exo 23:8 . Deu 16:19 .

†14 Gen 14:22-23.

†15 Act 8:18-20.

†16 Psa 15:5. Isa 33:15-16 . Eze 18:5-9 .

†17 See his interesting history in Dr. M’Crie’s Reformation in Spain.

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

v. 27. He that is greedy of gain, his covetousness causing him to seek unjust gain, troubleth his own house, for his actions are bound to bring unpleasant consequences to his own family; but he that hateth gifts, being above the meanness of bribery, shall live, enjoying life and prosperity.

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

The heart of the righteous person ponders before it answers

Here the word "heart" is a metonym for the mind and thoughts. This represents the person who thinks. AT: "The person who does right ponders what to say before he answers" (See: Metonymy and Synecdoche)

the mouth of wicked people pours out all its evil

The writer speaks of wicked people's mouths as if they were containers and speaks of evil as if it were the liquid that filled them. When wicked people speak, their mouths pour out the liquid. The word "mouths" represents those who speak. AT: "wicked people are always saying evil things" (See: Metaphor and Synecdoche)

the mouth of wicked people pours out all its evil

It may be more natural in you language to translate all these words as either singular or plural. AT: "the mouth of the wicked person pours out all its evil" or "the mouths of wicked people pour out all their evil"

translationWords

trouble

family

bribe

life

heart

evil

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

troubles his own house he who is greedy of gain.

but he who hates gifts will live Since he hates gifts, he surely hates robbery.

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.