Proverbs 20:25

Pro 20:25 [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

Ver. 25. It is a snare to a man who devoureth, &c.] He doeth as a fish that swallows the hook, as the eagle that stole the flesh from the altar with a coal sticking to it, that set the whole nest on fire, &c. What a sad end befell Cardinal Wolsey, while he sought more to please the king than God, as himself said! And what a revenging hand of God pursued his five chief agents that were most instrumental for him in that sacrilegious enterprise! One of them killed his fellow in a duel, and was hanged for it. A third drowned himself in a well. A fourth fell from a great estate to extreme beggary. Dr Allen (the last and chiefest of them) being archbishop of Dublin, was cruelly slain by his enemies. {a} Utinam his et similibus exemplis edocti discant homines res semel Deo consecratas timide attrectare! saith Scultetus, {b} who relates this story; I would men would take heed by these add the like examples how they meddle with things once consecrated to God. If divine justice so severely punished those that converted church goods (though not so well administered) to better uses (doubtless, because they did it out of selfish and sinful principles and intentions), what shall become of such as take all occasions to rob God, that they may enrich themselves? Spoliantur parochiae et scholae non aliter ac si fame necare nos velint, saith Luther; {c} Parishes and schools are polled and robbed of their maintenance, as if they meant to starve us all.

And after vows to make inquiry.] Viz., How he may devour that tit bit without vomiting, and not find it hard meat on his conscience. But a man may easily eat that on earth, that he shall have time enough to digest in hell. The fear of this made Queen Mary restore again all ecclesiastical livings assumed to the crown, saying, that she set more by the salvation of her own soul, than she did by ten kingdoms. {d} And upon the like motive, King Louis of France, about the year 1152, cast the Pope’s bulls, whereby he required the fruits of vacancies of all cathedral churches of France, into the fire, saying, He had rather the Pope’s bulls should roast in the fire, than his own soul should fry in hell. {e}

{a} Acts and Mon.

{b} Scult. Annul., tom. ii. p. 332.

{c} Luth. in Gen. xlvii.

{d} Speed’s Chron., fol. 826.

{e} Ibid., 496.

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_20:25

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy.

Selfishness in religion

There were under the Levitical dispensation certain things prescribed by the law as consecrated to God; such as tithes, first-fruits, firstlings of the herds and the flock. There were also things that were voluntarily consecrated as free-will offerings to Jehovah. It is to these, perhaps, that Solomon here specially refers. The expression, to devour that which is holy, characterises the conduct of those who appropriate that to their own use which had been either by themselves or others consecrated to the service of God. The subject leads us to consider selfishness in religion. Selfishness everywhere is bad, but when selfishness intrudes into the temple of religion, it is peculiarly hideous. It is then the serpent amongst seraphs.

I. The appropriating of the consecrated to personal use. The text speaks of the man who devoureth that which is holy. This was the sin of Achan: he robbed the treasury of the Lord (Jos_6:19; Jos_7:1). Will a man rob God? (Mal_3:8-9). This is done now in England.

1. In the personal appropriations of ecclesiastical endowments.

2. In the assumption of sacred offices for personal ends.

3. In the adoption of the Christian profession from motives of personal interest.

II. The endeavouring to avoid the fulfilment of religious vows. And after vows to make inquiry. There are three ideas that must not be attached to this expression.

1. The idea that it is wrong to make religious vows is not here.

2. The idea that it is wrong to break improper vows is not here.

3. The idea that it is wrong to think upon the vow after it is made is not here. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

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

Pro 20:25. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy — He is insnared in a crime, who takes away, and applies to his own use, any thing consecrated to God, and intended to be used in support of his worship and service; or who alienates any holy thing, and employs it to a secular purpose, which is here called devouring it: and after vows to make inquiry — After a man hath made vows, to consider whether he can possibly, or may lawfully, keep them; or to inquire of others for ways to break them, and to satisfy his conscience in so doing. “There are two pieces of profaneness,” says Bishop Patrick, in his paraphrase on this verse, “which entangle him that is guilty of them in great troubles, nay, often bring ruin upon him: 1st, When he makes no distinction between things holy and common; but converts that which was consecrated to God (the first-fruits, suppose, or such like sacred thing) to his own proper use; and, 2d, When he vows, in his distress, to give something unto God, but having obtained his desires, studies how he may be loosed from his obligations.”

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

CRITICAL NOTES.—

Pro_20:25. The first clause of this verse should be, “It is a snare to a man to cry out hastily ‘holy,’ i.e., to vow without thought and consideration.”

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro_20:25

For the correct rendering of this verse see Critical Notes

RELIGIOUS VOWS

I. A man is under no obligation to vow. While the Scriptures contain many references to vows, whereby certain persons consecrated themselves or their property to God and give laws concerning their fulfilment (Numbers 30), there is no command which requires men to enter into such a solemn engagement. The text refers solely to religious vows—to an act of special consecration to God, such as that of Jacob at Bethel when he dedicated the tenth of all his gains to the service of Jehovah (Gen_28:22), or that of Hannah when she promised that, if God would give her a man-child, she would give him unto the Lord all the days of his life (1Sa_1:11). It is obvious that such special acknowledgements of particular and exceptional blessings must be pleasing to God, but He lays upon men no obligation to render them, seeing that their value consists in their being spontaneous—the overflow of a grateful heart, or the result of a deep conviction of the claims of God, or of the need of Divine help in extraordinary circumstances.

II. A man is bound by the most solemn considerations not to vow thoughtlessly. As an intelligent and moral being he is bound to enter upon no course and to make no engagement without first inquiring whether the motive which prompts him at the outset is strong enough to carry him to the end. It is a snare and a sin to promise to a fellow-man and afterwards, in the words of the proverb, “to make inquiry,” i.e., to ask ourselves whether we are prepared to abide by our promise. The inquiry must even in such a case be made beforehand, or we must be branded with unfaithfulness to our plighted word. (These remarks of course do not apply to vows and promises which are in themselves sinful or unlawful. The proverb does not deal with such). If, then, a man is bound to consider well before he promises to man, how much more so before he vows to God! What must be the harm done to conscience and to character, and how great the insult offered to the Divine Majesty, when vows are made and obligations entered into, and afterwards he who thus bound himself finds that he is not morally prepared for the sacrifice. To such an one we might say, as Peter said to Ananias—“Whiles it remained, was it not thine own?… Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God” (Act_5:4-5). “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow,” says the Preacher, “than that thou shouldest vow and not pay” (Ecc_5:5).

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

It is questionable whether vows, properly so called, are consistent with the genius of the New Testament dispensation. At any rate, of such vows as were common under the Old, we have no recorded examples under the New. Resolutions to serve God we may, nay we must make; there is no getting on in the Divine life and in the zealous promotion of the Divine glory, without them. But the binding of the soul by particular bonds and oaths, whether verbal or written—obligations superinduced upon those of the Divine law—have been “a snare” to many, Weak minds have often felt the obligation of their vow more stringent than that of the Divine authority.—Wardlaw.

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.

20:25 Counting the cost is particularly important when making a promise to God (see Judg 11:29-40; Eccl 5:4-6).

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

That is, to apply it, or take it to his own use, which was appointed to God’s, and then inquire how they may be exempted from the fault.

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

Two things, by which God is greatly affronted, men are here said to be ensnared by, and entangled not only in guilt, but in trouble and ruin at length: - 1. Sacrilege, men's alienating holy things and converting them to their own use, which is here called devouring them. What is devoted in any way to the service and honour of God, for the support of religion and divine worship or the relief of the poor, ought to be conscientiously preserved to the purposes designed; and those that directly or indirectly embezzle it, or defeat the purpose for which it was given, will have a great deal to answer for. Will a man rob God in tithes and offerings? Mal 3:8. Those that hurry over religious offices (their praying and preaching) and huddle them up in haste, as being impatient to get done, may be said to devour that which is holy. 2. Covenant-breaking. It is a snare to a man, after he has made vows to God, to enquire how he may evade them or get dispensed with, and to contrive excuses for the violating of them. If the matter of them was doubtful, and the expressions were ambiguous, that was his fault; he should have made them with more caution and consideration, for it will involve his conscience (if it be tender) in great perplexities, if he be to enquire concerning them afterwards (Ecc 5:6); for, when we have opened our mouth to the Lord, it is too late to think of going back, Act 5:4.

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

devoureth . . . holy--or, better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly vowing.

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 25. Who devoureth that which is holy] It is a sin to take that which belongs to God, his worship, or his work, and devote it to one's own use.

And after vows to make inquiry.] That is, if a man be inwardly making a rash vow, the fitness or unfitness, the necessity, expediency, and propriety of the thing should be first carefully considered. But how foolish to make the vow first, and afterwards to inquire whether it was right in the sight of God to do it! This equally condemns all rash and inconsiderate conduct. My old MS. Bible translates, Falling is of men often to vowen to seyntis, and after, the vouw is agen brawen. Is it possible that Wiclif could have translated this verse thus? as it strongly countenances vows to and invocations of saints.

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

(25) It is a snare to a man who devoureth that which is holy.—Rather, It is a snare for a man (i.e., gets him into trouble) rashly to say, “It is dedicated” (i.e., when he thoughtlessly dedicates anything to God), and after he has vowed to enquire (whether he can keep his word). (Comp. Sir_5:2; Sir_5:4-6.)

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

25. who devoureth that which is holy] This rendering is retained in R.V. marg., as is also another, rashly to utter holy words. But it is better to render, rashly to say, It is holy (R.V. text), i.e. consecrated (comp. Corban, Mar_7:11). The sequence is thus preserved: and after vows (of consecration, thus rashly taken) to make enquiry (as to the wisdom or possibility of keeping them). παγὶς ἀνδρὶ ταχύ τι τῶν ἰδίων ἁγιάσαι, LXX.

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.

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy,.... Which is separated to sacred uses, is devoted to the Lord, as firstfruits, tithes, offerings, &c. which if a man converts to his own use is sacrilege, and this is a sin and a snare, and brings ruin on him; see Mal 3:8;

and after vows to make inquiry: that is a sin and a snare also; a man should first inquire before he vows, whether it is right for him to make a vow, and whether he is able to keep it; it is too late after the vow is made to inquire about the lawfulness or expedience of it, and how to find out ways and means to dissolve it and be clear of it; for it is better not to vow, than to vow and not pay, Ecc 5:4; when a thing is in a man's own hands, he may do what he will; but when he has devoted it to another use, it is no longer in his power; as the case of Ananias and Sapphira shows, Act 5:1.

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

Better, It is a snare to a man to utter a vow (of consecration) rashly, and after vows to inquire whether he can fulfill them. Both clauses are a protest against the besetting sin of rash and hasty vows. Compare the marginal reference.

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

Ones. Hebrew, "the saint or holy thing." (Haydock) --- Chaldean, "to make a vow for the sanctuary, and afterwards repent;" having acted inconsiderately at first. To attack the persons or relics of the saints, or to plunder what is consecrated to pious uses, will bring on destruction; so also to make vows, and then seek to evade them, will not pass unpunished. (Calmet)

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).

It is a snare; it brings guilt and God’s curse and vengeance upon him.

That which is holy, i.e. those meats or drinks which were devoted or consecrated to God; under which one kind he comprehends and forbids all alienation of sacred or dedicated things from God to a man’s private use or benefit; of which see Lev 27:9; Deu 23:21; Mal 3:8,9; Ac 5:1, &c.

After vows to make inquiry; after a man hath made vows to consider whether he can possibly or may lawfullly keep them, and to invent or inquire of others all ways possible to break his vow, and to satisfy or deceive his conscience in so doing; which inquiry is justly censured as a sin and snare, because it is an evidence of a covetous or irreligious mind, and is the ready way and first step towards the open violation of it.

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

25. Devoureth that which is holy — Having become so by its dedication to God. The probability is, that this verse should be rendered thus: “A rash utterance of consecration is a snare unto a man;” that is, may ensnare him, or bring him into difficulty.

After vows to make inquiry — And as a sequence either regret the vow or withhold the thing devoted. A parallel passage is found in Ecc_5:2. Comp. also Num_30:3, on vows. The passage cautions against making rash vows and afterwards inquiring into their lawfulness, convenience, or practicability. Comp. Psa_15:4. All this should be considered first. Compare Mar_7:11. The Geneva Bible reads thus: “It is a destruction for a man to deuoure that which is sanctified, and after the vowes to inquire;” and explains thus: “that is, to applie or take to his owne vse which was appointed to God’s, and then inquire how thei may be exempted from faute,” (fault.)

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

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy. This verse, which is plainly a warning against rash vows, has received more than one interpretation. The Vulgate has, Ruina est homini devorare sanctos, which is explained to mean that it is destruction for a man to persecute the saints of God. But the word devorare is not certain, as the manuscripts vary between this and four other readings, viz. devotares, denotare, devovere, and devocare. The Authorized Version signifies that it is a sin to take for one"s own consumption things dedicated to God, as firstfruits, the priests" portions, etc.: or a man"s snare, i.e. his covetousness, (1Ti_6:9) leads him to commit sacrilege. So Wordsworth. But it is best, with Delitzsch, to take ly (yala) as the abbreviated future of Wl or l, "to speak rashly;" and then kodesh, "holiness," will be an exclamation, like Korban . (Mar_7:11) The clause will then run, "It is a snare to a man rashly to cry, Holiness!" equivalent to "It is holy!" i.e. to use the formula for consecrating something to holy purposes. Septuagint, "It is a snare to a man hastily to consecrate something of his own". (comp. Ecc_5:2, Ecc_5:4, etc.) And after vows to make inquiry; i.e. after he has made his vow, to begin to consider whether he can fulfil it or not. This is a snare to a man, strangles his conscience, and leads him into the grievous sins of perjury and sacrilege. Septuagint, "For after vowing ensueth repentance."

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

A snare - It brings guilt upon him. After - After a man has made vows to inquire for ways to break them.

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

25 It is a snare to a man to cry out hastily "holy;"

And first after vows to investigate.

Two other interpretations of the first line have been proposed. The snare of a man devours, i.e., destroys the holy; but then מוקשׁ אדם must be an expression of an action, instead of an expression of an endurance, which is impossible. The same is true against the explanation: the snare of a man devours, i.e., consumes, eats up the holy, which as such is withdrawn from common use. Jerome with his devotare sanctos, and Luther with his das Heilige lestern [to calumniate the holy], give to לוּע = בּלע a meaning which loses itself in the arbitrary. Accordingly, nothing is to be done with the meaning καταπίεται (Aquila, the Venet.). But ילע will be the abbreviated fut. of לוּע (from ילוּע), or לעע (ילע), Job 6:3 = (Arab.) laghâ temere loqui (proloqui); and קדשׁ (after Hitzig: consecration, which is contrary to usage) is like κορβᾶν, Mar 7:11, the exclamation to which one suddenly gives utterance, thereby meaning that this or that among his possessions henceforth no longer belongs to him, but is consecrated to God, and thus ought to be delivered up to the temple. Such a sudden vow and halting deference to the oath that has been uttered is a snare to a man, for he comes to know that he has injured himself by the alienation of his property, which he has vowed beyond that which was due from him, or that the fulfilling of his vow is connected with difficulties, and perhaps also to others, with regard to whom its disposal was not permitted to him, is of evil consequences, or it may be he is overcome by repentance and is constrained to break his oath. The lxx hits the true meaning of the proverb with rare success: Παγὶς ἀνδρὶ ταχύ τι τῶν ἰδίων ἁγιάσαι, μετὰ δὲ τὸ εὔξασθαι μετανοεῖν γίνεται. נדרים is plur. of the category (cf. 16b Chethı̂b), and בקּר, as Kg2 16:15, Arab. baḳr, examinare, inquirere, means to subject to investigation, viz., whether he ought to observe, and might observe, a vow such as this, or whether he might not and ought not rather to renounce it (Fleischer). Viewed syntactically, 25a is so difficult, that Bertheau, with Hitzig, punctuates ילע; but this substantive must be formed from a verb ילע (cf. Hab 3:13), and this would mean, after (Arab.) wala', "to long eagerly for," which is not suitable here. The punctuation shows ילע as the 3rd fut. What interpreters here say of the doubled accent of the word arises from ignorance: the correct punctuation is ילע, with Gaja to ע, to give the final guttural more force in utterance. The poet appears to place in the foreground: "a snare for a man," as a rubrum; and then continuing the description, he cries out suddenly "holy!" and after the vow, he proceeds to deliberate upon it. Fleischer rightly: post vota inquisiturus est (in ea) = יהיה לבקּר; vid., at Hab 1:17, which passage Hitzig also compares as syntactically very closely related.

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.)

In every path has the great fowler laid his snares. Perhaps, however, the most subtle are reserved for the service of God. Offerings made holy to the Lord often were devoured by the hypocritical worshipper, and sacrilegiously appropriated to his own use. Thus Achan, robbing the treasury of the LORD, found a snare to his ruin. (Jos 6:19 ; Jos 7:1 .) This was the sin of "the whole nation;" and fearful indeed was the judgment — "Ye are cursed with a curse." (Mal 3:8-10 .) Voluntary vows were commonly practised;†1 and often inquiry was made after, which ought to have been made before. They were at full liberty not to vow; but having vowed, they were bound to pay.†2

As the counterpart to this hollow, half-hearted profession — ’a man vows in distress to give something to God: but having obtained his desires,’ devoureth that which is holy, and after vows makes inquiry, ’how he may be loosed from this obligation.’†3 Often too in a moment of excitement — perhaps under the glow of a religious meeting — has a sacrifice been pledged to God; and, the impulse having subsided, after the vow inquiry is made how the bond may be retracted. Such evasions — what a revolting exhibition do they present of man’s deceitfulness! ’He entangleth his soul in the snares of death, who resumeth unto a profane use that which is once consecrated unto God, and who, after he hath vowed aught unto the LORD, argues within himself, how to alter that holy purpose, and to defeat God of his due.’†4 Alienation of the gift proves the prior alienation of the heart. Let Ananias and Sapphira testify that God is a jealous God.†5 Take care of rash — be faithful to upright — engagements. Before entering into the service of God, make inquiry into its full requisitions. Beware of a religion of temporary excitement; far different from deep, solid, permanent principle. And whatever be the cost, be true to the consecration of thyself as "a living sacrifice" (Rom 12:1 ) on the altar of thy God.

Footnotes:

†1 Lev 27:9-10, Lev 27:28-33 .

†2 Deu 23:21-22. Ecc 5:4-6 .

†3 Bishop Patrick.

†4 Bishop Hall.

†5 Act 5:1-10, with Deu 4:24 .

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

v. 25. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, if he is over-hasty in making a vow to the Lord and in devoting some of his substance to the Temple-service, and after vows to make enquiry, that is, when it was too late, the result usually being that the rash vow is broken.

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

It is a snare

This speaks of something being dangerous as if it were a trap or a snare. AT: "It is dangerous" (See: Metaphor)

to say rashly

to say something quickly and without careful consideration of what it might mean

making his vow

The person has made a vow declaring that something is holy and dedicated to Yahweh. AT: "dedicating it to Yahweh" or "declaring it holy" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

winnows the wicked

This speaks of the king separating the wicked people as if they were grain that he was winnowing. AT: "separates the wicked" (See: Metaphor)

the wicked

This refers to wicked people. AT: "those who are wicked" or "the wicked people" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

he turns a threshing wheel over them

This speaks of the king punishing the wicked as if he were driving a threshing wheel over them. AT: "he severely punishes them" (See: Metaphor)

threshing wheel

"threshing cart." This is a tool used to crush grain and help separate it from the chaff.

translationWords

holy

vow

wise

king

winnow

evil

thresh

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

When a man is trapped, he impairs his sanctity Heb. ילע. When a man stumbles and is trapped in sins, he impairs his sanctity, as in (Obadiah verse 16) “and they shall drink and be stunned (ולעו).”

and he must seek vows Man must seek sacrifices to vow and to bring and to beg for his life.

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.