Proverbs 17:13

Pro 17:13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

Ver. 13. Whoso rewardeth evil for good, &c.] Ingratitude is a monster in nature, and doth therefore carry so much more detestation, as it is more odious even to themselves that have blotted out the image of God. {a} Some vices are such as nature smiles upon, though frowned at by divine justice; not so this. Lycurgus would make no law against it, because he thought none could be so absurd as to fall into it. Among the Athenians there was an action, αποστασιου, of a master against a servant ungrateful for his manumission, not doing his duty to his late master: such were again to be made bond-slaves. {b} Who can choose but abhor that abominable act of Michael Balbus, who that night that his prince (Leo Armenius) had pardoned and released him, got out and slew him? {c} And that of Muleasses, king of Tunis, who cruelly tortured to death the manifet and mesner, by whose means especially he had aspired to the kingdom; grieving to see them live to whom he was so much beholden. {d} And that of Dr Watson, bishop of Lincoln in Queen Mary’s days, who, being with Bonnet at the examination of Mr Rough, martyr (a man that had been a means to save Watson’s life in the days of King Edward VI), to requite him that good turn, detected him there to be a pernicious heretic, who did more harm in the northern parts than a hundred more of his opinion. {e} Whereunto may be added that of William Parry, who having been for burglary condemned to die, was saved by Queen Elizabeth’s pardon; but he (ungrateful wretch) sought to requite her by vowing her death, anno dom. 1584. {f} To render good for evil is divine, good for good is human, evil for evil is brutish, evil for good is devilish.

Evil shall not depart from his house,] i.e., From his person and posterity, though haply he may escape the lash of man’s law for such an abhorred villany. See this fulfilled in Saul’s family, for his unworthy dealing with David; in Muleasses, and many others. Jeremiah, in a spirit of prophecy, bitterly curseth such, and foretelleth the utter ruin of them and theirs, {Pro 18:20-21, &c.} "Shall evil be recompensed for good?" saith he. "Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and let their wives be widows. Let a cry be heard from their houses," &c. {Jer 18:20-22}

{a} Nihil est tam inhumanum, &c., quam committere, ut beneficio non dicam indignus sed victus esse videri. - Cic.

{b} Val. Max., lib. ii. cap. 1.

{c} Zonaras, in Annal.

{d} Turk. Hist., 642.

{e} Acts and Mon., fol. 1843.

{f} Speed., fol. 1178.

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.

A malicious mischievous man is here represented, 1. As ungrateful to his friends. He oftentimes is so absurd and insensible of kindnesses done him that he renders evil for good. David met with those that were his adversaries for his love, Psa 109:4. To render evil for evil is brutish, but to render evil for good is devilish. He is an ill-natured man who, because he is resolved not to return a kindness, will revenge it. 2. As therein unkind to his family, for he entails a curse upon it. This is a crime so heinous that it shall be punished, not only in his person, but in his posterity, for whom he thus treasures up wrath. The sword shall not depart from David's house because he rewarded Uriah with evil for his good services. The Jews stoned Christ for his good works; therefore is his blood upon them and upon their children.

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

(Compare Psa 7:4; Psa 35:12).

evil--injury to another (Pro 13:21).

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 13. Whoso rewardeth evil for good] Here is a most awful warning. As many persons are guilty of the sin of ingratitude, and of paying kindness with unkindness, and good with evil, it is no wonder we find so much wretchedness among men; for God's word cannot fail; evil shall not depart from the houses and families of such persons.

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

Whoso rewardeth evil for good,.... As the enemies of David and Christ rewarded them, Psa 35:12; this is base ingratitude, contrary to the law and light of nature; worse than beastly, is really devilish;

evil shall not depart from his house; from him and his family; they shall be continually visited with one disease and calamity or another; so hateful and offensive is the sin of ingratitude to God, and therefore ought to be carefully avoided. This might be illustrated by the judgments of God on the nation of the Jews, for their ingratitude to Christ.

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

From his person and family, because such a man is most hateful to God and to all mankind; God will punish him, and men will not pity nor relieve him.

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

13. Rewardeth evil for good, etc. — This probably implies that the example of ingratitude in the head of a family will be followed by his offspring, and thus be returned upon himself and his household continuously. Compare 1Sa_25:21; 2Sa_3:29; Rom_12:17; 1Th_5:15; 1Pe_3:9.

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

Whoso rewardeth evil for good. This was David"s complaint of the churlish Nabal. (1Sa_25:21) Ingratitude shall surely he punished. Evil shall not depart from his house. Terribly has the ingratitude of the Jews been visited. They cried in their madness, "His blood be on us and on our children!" and their punishment is still going on. Injunctions on this subject are frequent in the New Testament. (see Mat_5:39 Rom_12:17 1Th_5:15 1Pe_3:9) The Talmud says, "Do not throw a stone into the well whose waters you have drunk." The Greeks felt the sting of ingratitude. Thus Leiodes complains to Ulysses ("Od.," 22:319) Wv ouk esti cariv metopisy euergewn. Two sayings of Publius Syrus are quoted ("Sent.," vv. 219, 274): "Ingratus unus omnibus miseris nocet;" "Malignos fieri maxime ingrati docent."

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

13 He that returneth evil for good,

From his house evil shall not depart.

If ingratitude appertains to the sinful manifestations of ignoble selfishness, how much more sinful still is black ingratitude, which recompenses evil for good! (משׁיב, as Sa1 25:21, syn. גּמל, to requite, Pro 3:30; Pro 31:12; שׁלּם, to reimburse, Pro 20:22). Instead of תמישׁ, the Kerı̂ reads תמוּשׁ; but that this verb, with a middle vowel, may be 'י'ע as well as 'ו'ע, Psa 55:2 shows.

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. 13. Whoso rewardeth evil for good, in an excess of ingratitude, evil shall not depart from his house, for misfortune is the penalty of such acts of base ingratitude.

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

evil will never leave his house

Here "evil" is spoken of as if it were a person who would not leave the man's house. Here the word "house" may be taken literally, but it is also a metonym for his family. AT: "bad things will continue to happen to him and his family" or "bad things will never stop happening to him and his family" (See: Personification and Metonymy)

The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere

This compares how easily a conflict spreads to how spilled water flows everywhere. AT: "Starting a conflict is like pumping water and letting it run everywhere" (See: Simile)

has broken out

"starts"or "begins"

translationWords

evil

good

house

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