Proverbs 20:23

Pro 20:23 Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.

Ver. 23. Divers weights are an abomination.] In righting and revenging themselves men are apt to weigh things in an uneven balance, to be overpartial in their own cause, and to judge that a heinous offence in another, that is scarce blameworthy in themselves. It is best, therefore, to lay down all injuries at God’s feet, who will be sure to give a "just recompense to every transgression," {Heb 2:2} and will else turn his wrath from our enemies to us, for our diverse weights and false balances. {See Trapp on "Pro 20:10"}

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_20:23

And a false balance is not good.

False balance applied to providences

We may apply a false balance to the providences which make up our life. What skill some people have in dealing only in dark things, black aspects, wintry phases, deprivations, bereavements, losses! They are eloquent when they tell you what they have parted with. Who can be equally eloquent in numbering mercies? Who ever gets beyond the outside of things, the mere rim, the palpable environment? Who gets into the soul, and who says, I have reason, how can I be poor? I have health, how can I fail? I have home, how can I be desolate? In balancing life take in all these reasons and thoughts and considerations, and so doing you will see that all the while God has been making you rich, or giving you the possibilitity and opportunity of acquiring and enjoying the true wealth. Who is there that keeps a right balance when he has to weigh the present and the future? The unsteady hand can never get an equipoise; the palsied fingers cannot hold the scales. The present is here, the future is yonder; and when did here fail to carry the war against yonder? We have even formed little foolish proverbs about this; we have gone so far as to tell the lie that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Whoever says that is guilty of a palpable sophism. He seems to be speaking truth, he forgets that everything depends on the bird that is in the bush, and all the possibilities and contingencies and promises which relate to the possibility and certainty of its capture if the right way be pursued. We are the victims of the present. It would seem impossible for some men to do justice to spirituality. Spiritual teaching goes for nothing. If you deal in clothing for the head you will get your money; there is a county court to support you--but if you give a man ideas, if you pray him into heaven, if you lift up his soul into a new selfhood, the county court would smile at you if you made application for assistance in any direction that you might think honest and equitable. And the very best of men play at that game. They cannot help it. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here let us search into the mind of God. Thrice does he bring home one point of practical detail. (Pro 20:10, Pro 20:14, Pro 20:23 .) Yet doubtless this is not a "vain repetition." (Mat 6:7 .) There is a "needs-be" for it. Instead of "precept upon precept, and line upon line" (Isa 28:10 ), the infinite "treasures of wisdom and knowledge" might have poured forth endless variety of instruction. We wonder not to see the apostolic ministry once and again upon the same argument of a sinner’s justification before God.†1 And we gather from this repetition the primary importance, and the peculiarly offensive character of the doctrine. (Rom 10:2-3 .) Does not then this continuous inculcation similarly teach the great weight of the principle involved, and the innate resistance to its full operation? If we feel, that we cannot be too often gladdened with the manifestation of the grace of God; and yet shrink from a frequent and probing application of practical obligation; if we love to be told, what we owe to God on the Sabbath, but revolt from the minute detail of a week, the market and the shop; we do not receive the whole revelation of God, and therefore do not savingly receive any part of it. Ours is not "the wisdom that is from above, without partiality and without hypocrisy." (Jas 3:17 .)

Most palpable is the need for this particular illustration. The evil runs throughout our commercial system. The divers weights, though continually declared to be abominable — yea, an abomination (Pro 11:1 . Mic 6:10-11 ) — to God, yet how often are they palliated, as of daily occurrence, perhaps even of necessity! But ’the scant measure will fill up a full measure of guilt, and the light weights bring upon the soul an heavy weight of judgment.’†2 If Job was fearful, lest his "land and furrows cry against him" (Job 31:38 ), let the trader beware, lest his weights and measures bear witness against him. Cause, indeed, have we for watchfulness! What means this cumbrous and expensive machinery of administration, with all its checks and counter-checks, its fearful multiplication of oaths, but the humiliating declaration, that man cannot trust his fellow-man? Oh! let me not forget, that of all this deceit my heart is the native soil; that nothing but the culture of Divine principle keeps down these poisonous weeds, and nourishes in their room "the fruits of righteousness to the praise and glory of my God." (Php 1:11 .) ’The love of God constrains his servant. God is true to him; and he will not be false to others. God is merciful to him, and he will not be unjust to others.’†3 This is the practical influence of the Gospel.

Footnotes:

†1 See Epistles to the Romans and the Galatians.

†2 Bp. Reynolds’ Sermon on Mic 6:6-8 .

†3 Polhill’s Speculum Theologiæ, p. 438.

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

20:23 The message of this proverb is presented in three other proverbs (cp. 11:1; 16:11; 20:10).

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

This is to the same purport with what was said Pro 20:20. 1. It is here repeated, because it is a sin that God doubly hates (as lying, which is of the same nature with this sin, is mentioned twice among the seven things that God hates, Pro 6:17, Pro 6:19), and because it was probably a sin very much practised at that time in Israel, and therefore made light of as if there were no harm in it, under pretence that, being commonly used, there was no trading without it. 2. It is here added, A false balance is not good, to intimate that it is not only abominable to God, but unprofitable to the sinner himself; there is really no good to be got by it, no, not a good bargain, for a bargain made by fraud will prove a losing bargain in the end.

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

(Compare Pro 20:10; Pro 11:1).

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

23. See Pro_20:10, 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.

Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord,.... See Gill on Pro 20:10; which is here repeated for the further confirmation of it, and that it might be taken notice of and avoided; and perhaps this sin of using false weights and measures was common with the Jews;

and a false balance is not good; in the sight of God; but an abomination, as in Pro 11:1; nor is it good for men in the issue; for though they may gain by it at present, it will prove a loss to them in the end, since it will bring a curse on all they get.

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

Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; of which See Poole "Pro 20:10".

Is not good; is very wicked and hateful to God and men.

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

23. Divers weights… abomination — Compare Pro_20:10, and Pro_11:1. For the expression not good, (a litotes,) comp. Pro_17:26; Pro_18:5.

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

This is a repetition, with a slight variation, of ver. 10 and Pro_11:1 (where see notes). Is not good. A litotes, equivalent to "is very evil," answering to "abomination" in the first member. Septuagint, "is not good before him". (comp. Pro_24:23)

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

23 An abomination to Jahve are two kinds of weights;

And deceitful balances are not good.

A variant to Pro 20:10, Pro 11:1. The pred. לא־טוב (Pro 17:26; Pro 18:5; Pro 19:3) is conceived of as neut.; they are not good, much rather bad and pernicious, for the deceiver succeeds only in appearance; in reality he fails.

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. 23. Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord, and a false balance is not good. Cf v. 10.

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

Yahweh hates unequal weights and dishonest scales are not good

These two phrases basically mean the same thing and are combined to emphasize how bad this is. (See: Parallelism)

A person's steps are directed by Yahweh

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Yahweh directs a person's steps" (See: Active or Passive)

A person's steps

This refers to the various things a person does. AT: "A person's actions" (See: Synecdoche)

how then can he understand his way?

The implicit answer is that he cannot understand it. This rhetorical question may be written as a statement. AT: "therefore, a person cannot understand his way" (See: Rhetorical Question)

understand his way

This is an idiom. The phrase "his way" refers to the person's life. AT: "understand why some things happen in his life" (See: Idiom)

translationWords

Yahweh

good

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