Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 11:9
A hypocrite with [his] mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
9. be delivered ] i.e. from the destruction wrought by the “mouth of the hypocrite, (or godless man R.V.)”. His knowledge will enable him to see and avoid the snare ( , LXX.).
Some, however, would render, “through the knowledge of the righteous shall they (i.e. the neighbour of the first clause, which as a noun of multitude may have a plural verb) be delivered.” This may be intended by the LXX.: , (sc. ).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Through knowledge – Better, By the knowledge of the just, shall they (i. e., the neighbors) be delivered.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 11:9
An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Hypocrisy and knowledge
The hypocrite is one who feigns to be what he is not–one whose life is a lie. Selfish, he wears the costume of benevolence; false, he speaks the language of sincerity and truth.
I. Hypocrisy is destructive. The hypocrite, by his deception, has often destroyed the reputation, the peace, end the soul of his neighbour. Hypocrisy–
1. Implies the pernicious. A consciousness of wrongness within is the cause of all hypocrisy.
2. Employs the pernicious. Misrepresentations are its instruments.
II. Knowledge is restorative. Knowledge here is in antithesis with hypocrisy. Real knowledge is truth, reality. It scatters the clouds of ignorance and error, and raises the soul to light, freedom, purity and blessedness. (D. Thomas, D.D.)
The insincere
This verse may be understood with a reference to all insincere professions of friendship and good intentions–to all insinuating and flattering pretensions, adopted for the purpose of affecting a particular end. How many are there who, for objects of their own deceive others; no matter what the result may be to the deceived, provided the deceiver but accomplish his selfish aim. In religion, the hypocrite has a purpose. His religion is not real. He assumes the cloak to cover some secret design. The verse itself suggests the design–the undermining of the principles of others. He insinuates himself into confidence. The confidence increasing, he becomes by degrees more and more bold, till, by slow steps, he unsettles the principles, shakes the faith, dissipates the seriousness, and ruins the souls of others. Hypocrites are awful stumbling blocks. (R. Wardlaw.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. A hypocrite with his mouth] chaneph might be better translated infidel than hypocrite. The latter is one that pretends to religion; that uses it for secular purposes. The former is one who disbelieves Divine revelation, and accordingly is polluted, and lives in pollution. This is properly the force of the original word. Such persons deal in calumny and lies, and often thus destroy the character of their neighbour. Besides, they are very zealous in propagating their own infidel notions; and thus, by this means, destroy their neighbour; but the experimental knowledge which the just have of God and his salvation prevents them from being ensnared.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
With his mouth; by his corrupt communication, whereby he endeavours to draw him to error or wickedness.
Through knowledge, to wit, of God, and of his word, which makes men wise, and discovers, and so prevents, the frauds of deceivers.
Be delivered from the infection of the hypocrites evil and crafty counsel.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. (Compare Psa 35:16;Dan 11:32). The just is saved bysuperior discernment.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
An hypocrite with [his] mouth destroyeth his neighbour,…. Deceives him with his flatteries and lies, and draws him into destructive schemes and practices; or “corrupts” him, as the word i signifies, and as the Targum renders it, with false doctrines; so, with fair words and good speeches, such who lie in wait to deceive impose upon the simple and credulous; and false teachers, with their damnable heresies, bring swift destruction on men; and particularly antichrist and his emissaries, through speaking lies in hypocrisy, corrupt and destroy many, 1Ti 4:1;
but through knowledge shall the just be delivered; from the hypocrite and deceitful worker, and from being corrupted and destroyed by the words of his mouth: Jarchi says, through the knowledge of the law, which warns against him; but rather through the knowledge of the Gospel, which the just man has; for as by this such escape the pollutions of the world, so likewise they are delivered, are kept and secured, from the error of the wicked: through a man’s knowledge of himself, of his descent from Adam, of the corruption of his nature, of the plague of his heart, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin; of his lost and undone state; of his impotency to that which is good, of his incapacity to fulfil the law, and atone for sin; and of the insufficiency of his own righteousness to justify him before God; he is delivered and preserved from giving into the notions of the purity of human nature, the power of free will, and the doctrine of justification by works: through his knowledge of the person of Christ; of his offices and relations; of him as a Saviour; of the efficacy of his blood, the excellency of his righteousness, and the completeness of his sacrifice; and through the knowledge of God in Christ, and of the Spirit and of his operations of grace, as well as of the sacred Scriptures in general; he is safe from being carried away with any errors concerning any of the divine Persons, particularly concerning the deity, sonship, and satisfaction of Christ; in short, as ignorance is the mother of devotion, superstition, and error, in the church of Rome, spiritual experimental knowledge of the above things is the best preservative from all errors and heresies which corrupt and destroy the souls of men, to be found in that apostate church, or elsewhere.
i “corrumpet”, Schultens; so Pagninus, Montanus; “corrumpit”, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9 The wicked with his mouth prepareth destruction for his neighbour;
But by knowledge the righteous are delivered from it.
The lxx translate, ( ?) , , ( ). There is no reason for changing (with Hitzig and Ewald) the text, which in the form in which it is here translated was before all other translators (Aq., Symmachus, Theodotion, Syr., Targ., Jerome). The accentuation, which separates the two instrumental statements by greater disjunctives from that which follows, is correct. The “three” Greek versions viz. of Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus translate by , which it means in the modern idiom; but in the ancient Hebr. it signifies, him who is resolved upon evil, as in Arab. hanyf , him who is resolved upon that which is right: he who turns aside to evil enters on a path far removed from that which is right. In one is reminded (without any etymological reason) of (pit), and so in of (Psa 107:20) or a similar word; but contains the reference, in this connection not easy to be mistaken, to the hostile purposes of the wicked masked by the words of the mouth, which are seen through by the righteous by virtue of knowledge which makes them acquainted with men. This penetrating look is their means of deliverance.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Common Truths. | |
9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Here is, 1. Hypocrisy designing ill. It is not only the murderer with his sword, but the hypocrite with his mouth, that destroys his neighbour, decoying him into sin, or into mischief, by the specious pretences of kindness and good-will. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, but no tongue more fatal than the flattering tongue. 2. Honesty defeating the design and escaping the snare: Through knowledge of the devices of Satan shall the just be delivered from the snares which the hypocrite has laid for him; seducers shall not deceive the elect. By the knowledge of God, and the scriptures, and their own hearts, shall the just be delivered from those that lie in wait to deceive, and so to destroy, Rom 16:18; Rom 16:19.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Destructive Talk (Pro 11:9)
Verse 9 is not clear. The first line refers to a godless (RV) man who through his mouth destroys his neighbor. The second line may indicate that the destructive effort is aimed at undermining the righteous person by distortions and false statements which can be overcome with knowledge of truth, Pro 12:19; Pro 16:6; Psa 91:4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 11:9. Zckler here reads, The hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour, but by the knowledge of the righteous shall they (the neighbours) be delivered.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 11:9
THE JUST MAN DELIVERED FROM THE MOUTH OF THE HYPOCRITE
I. We have here
1. A character most difficult to maintain. The actor cannot always be playing his part, he must have times when his own individuality asserts itselfwhen he appears the man he really is. The man most in love with the dramatic art finds a few hours practice at a time enough for him, and feels it a relief to throw off his stage character and be himself again. He cannot, if he would, be ever trying to live in an experience that does not belong to himbe ever assuming an individuality which is not his own property. It would be an intolerable burden to be always endeavouring to sustain a part. A hypocrite has set himself a hard task. He has undertaken to pretend to be living a life which he knows does not belong to him, and which he never can possess unless his whole nature is regenerated. Now to keep up the deportment and to use the language that belong to a true nature must be as difficult as for a professional actor always to be playing the part of a king. The hypocrite must sometimes feel that his life is a sort of treadmill, and must sometimes be overcome by his real self in spite of all efforts to prevent nature from asserting her rights. No hypocrite can be always in his stage dress. The character is difficult to sustain.
2. A character most injurious to mankind and most miserable for the man who owns it. The actor plays his part by assuming the character of another man, but he does this without necessarily injuring himself or any of his fellow-creatures. But it is not so with the hypocrite. If a bad man assumes the garb of a good man he tends to lessen the estimation of real goodness in the minds of men. The existence of false coin makes us suspicious of genuine gold. The hypocrite must be conscious that he is a living lie, and so a living curse to his fellow-creatures, and this consciousness can but make him miserable.
3. A character in danger of becoming irreclaimable. A man who tries to pass for a scholar when he is utterly ignorant is the most difficult person to change into a scholar. The man who desires to be always first among his fellows is the least likely to become a qualified leader of men. We have it on the best authority that whatever such a man may desire, that whosoever will be chief shall be a servant (Mat. 20:27). He is only fit for a low position who is ever straining every nerve after a high one. The hypocrite is ever desiring to pass for what he is nothe is ever desiring to fill a place for which he is utterly unfit. He is less likely than the most openly vicious man ever to become in reality that which he is ever seeming to be. This was the judgment of the Son of God concerning the hypocrites of His day: Verily I say unto you that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you (Mat. 21:31).
4. A character most hateful to God and to man. A hypocrite must be disliked by those whose character he endeavours to personify. The good must hate hypocrisy because, as we said before, it lessens the power of goodness in the world by making men suspect the really good. A hypocrite is hated by other hypocrites. If a man wants to utter false coin himself, he prefers to enjoy a monopoly of the business. The more of it there is in circulation the less likely people are to be deceived by it. A hypocrite is hateful to God. No sin is so denounced under both the old and new dispensations as the sin of hypocrisy. Incense is an abomination unto Me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with it. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth (Isa. 1:13-14). The God of Israel reserves these burning words for His own people, who were drawing near to Him with their lips, while their hearts were far from Him. The most terrible denunciations of the Son of God were uttered against those who were guilty of this sin. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, is repeated again and again in one discourse (Matthew 23).
II. The chief instrument used by the hypocrite. The mouth. The power of speech is a most precious gift of God, and is intended by Him to be an instrument of blessing to the human race. It is this most precious instrument of good that the hypocrite is here represented as turning into an all-devouring weapon of destruction. He is like a man who gives potent poison for healing medicine. He may have disguised its deadly nature under an unknown and high-sounding name, but this will not lessen its deadly effects. The hypocrite is the man who above all others is skilful in making words the means of concealing thoughtswho speaks so plausibly that men believe they are drinking a healthful draught when they are imbibing a deadly poison. The tongue of the hypocrite destroys his neighbour because he makes him believe that he has his welfare at heart when he is really plotting his destruction. He makes him believe that some utterly worthless commercial speculation is sound and profitable, and so involves him in material destruction. Or he persuades him that a certain course of dishonest conduct is without moral danger, and so brings him into spiritual destruction. His neighbours destruction is certain in proportion to the strength of his confidence in the words of the hypocrite.
III. The means of deliverance from the hypocrites mouth. Through knowledge shall the just be delivered. The just man possesses a knowledge of God, and thus has a correct standard of character by which to judge men. If a man walks in the light of the sun he will be able to avoid pitfalls and open graves. A just man has an acquaintance with the character and the laws of God. He walks in the light (1Jn. 1:7). And this gives him an insight into characterthis furnishes him with a test to try the spirits whether they are of God (1Jn. 4:1). The more men come into contact with reality the more quick will they be to detect unreality. The more men know God the more correct will be the estimate they form of their fellow-men. The Spirit of wisdom is a Spirit of enlightenment on this point as on all others (Eph. 1:18). The law of the Lord makes wise the simple or the unwary (Psa. 19:7). That scripture which is the inspiration of God furnishes the man of God with a means of escape from the snare of the hypocrites mouth (2Ti. 3:16). The knowledge which is derived from its study is a foil for the attacks of the most subtle seducer.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Haman, under the pretence of loyalty, would have destroyed a whole nation (Est. 3:8; Est. 3:13). Ziba, under the same false cover, would have destroyed his neighbour (2Sa. 16:1; 2Sa. 16:4). The lying prophet, from mere wilfulness, ruined his brother (1 Kings 13).
Then look at the hypocrite in the churcha ravening wolf in sheeps clothing, devouring the flock (Mat. 7:15); making merchandise with feigned words (2Pe. 2:1; 2Pe. 2:3); an apostle of Satan, so diligent is he in his masters work of destruction (2Co. 11:3; 2Co. 11:13). These false Christs, we are warned, deceive many, if it were possible the very elect (Mat. 24:24). Learn the value of solid knowledge. Feeling, excitement, imagination, expose us to an unsteady profession. (Such as Eph. 4:14) Knowledge supplies principle and steadfastness. Add to your faith knowledge (2Pe. 1:5).Bridges.
Hypocrites are awful stumbling blocks. Full many has the detection of their true character hardened in sin and worldliness, and established in infidelity. Full many have they thus destroyed.Wardlaw.
When God converts a soul, He gives it light. That light makes it invulnerable. All things afterward help it. Virtue may be assailed, but never hurt. Satan is one of the blessings of a Christian.Miller.
It was an ordinary prayer of King Antigonus, Deliver me from the hands of my friends. When asked why he did not rather pray for preservation from his enemies, he answered, That he guarded against his enemies, but could not guard against false friends.Lawson.
How to detect a hypocrite. To make a man a good man all parts of goodness must concur, but any one way of wickedness is sufficient to denominate a bad man.Tillotson.
A hypocrite is hated of the world for seeming to be a Christian, and hated of God for not being one.Mason.
The meaning of the verse as a whole is, By the protective power of that knowledge that serves righteousness, they are delivered who were endangered by the artifices of that shrewdness which is the instrument of wickedness.Elster.
The just man is too wise to be flattered, and too knowing to be plucked away with the error of the wicked (1Pe. 3:17-18).Trapp.
Beware of carrying deadly weapons. An untrue man is a moral murderer, his mouth the lethal weapon, and his neighbour the victim.Arnot.
Neither man nor angels can discern
Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks
Invisible, except to God alone,
By His permissive will, thro heaven and earth:
And oft though Wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps
At Wisdoms gate, and to simplicity
Resigns her charge, while goodness
Thinks no ill
Where no ill seems.
Paradise Lost. Book iii.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(9) An hypocrite.Rather, the impure, profane.
Through knowledge.The just, by the knowledge given them by God, shall see through the fraud.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. A hypocrite Literally, a profane, or godless man.
Neighbour By the mouth of an impure wretch his neighbour is (often) destroyed; but by the intelligence of the righteous he the neighbour shall be delivered; that is, from his calamities. Another construction of the latter clause is, By the knowledge of the just shall he (the neighbour) be delivered.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Pro 11:9
The Hebrew word “hypocrite” ( ) comes from the primitive root ( ) (H2610), which means, “to soil, especially in a moral sense.” The Enhanced Strong says this Hebrew word is used 11 times in the Old Testament. being translated in the KJV as, “pollute 4, defile 4, greatly 1, corrupt 1, profane 1.”
Adam Clarke tells us that this word is better translated, “infidel” than “hypocrite.” [83] The ASV and RSV translated it as “godless man.” It is also translated “impious man” ( JPS) The word does not imply one who is pretending, but one who is filthy within.
[83] Adam Clarke, Proverbs, in Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Electronic Database (Seattle, WA: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 1996), in P.C. Study Bible, v. 3.1 [CD-ROM] (Seattle, WA: Biblesoft Inc., 1993-2000), notes on Proverbs 11:8.
Pro 11:9 “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour” Comments – The book of Hebrews tells us to be careful not to allow the root of bitterness enter our hearts and thus defile many others.
Heb 12:15, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”
Paul tells the Romans that those who cause divisions within their church use words of deceit and hypocrisy to deceive the hearts of the simple.
Rom 16:17-18, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
Scripture References – Note a similar verse:
Pro 16:29, “A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.”
Pro 11:9 Comments – Pro 11:9 contrasts destruction with deliverance. The ungodly have the ability to destroy those around him because they do not know how to discern between good and evil. But because of the knowledge of God’s ways, the righteous are able to find deliverance from such destructive ways of the wicked. Even through the deception of hypocrisy, the righteous find deliverance.
While the neighbour listens to the lies and deceit of the hypocrite, the righteous listens to the Words of God. Therefore, the words that we believe lead us into a path of deliverance or destruction.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
v. 9. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 11:9 An hypocrite with [his] mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Ver. 9. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth. ] That is, The flatterer, slanderer, evil counsellor, but especially the heretic, as the Valentinians, qui artificium habuerunt, quo prius persuaderent quam docerent, a by their Pythanology. “By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple.” Rom 16:18 They bring men into the lion’s mouth, as that old seducer did, by telling them of an angel that spoke to them, and so make prize of them, Col 2:8 and “drag disciples after them.” Act 20:30
But through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
a Tertullian.
b Zanch., Misc.
mouth. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for what is said by it.
the just = righteous ones.
Pro 11:9
Pro 11:9
“With his mouth the godless man destroyeth his neighbor; But through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered.”
This knowledge by which the righteous man is delivered from the enmity of an evil neighbor was called by Keil, “That knowledge which makes them acquainted with men. One must always suspect and reject the proposals and suggestions of men who are recognized as wicked.
Pro 11:9. This verse well fits a court scene where the false witness can destroy his neighbor and where the faithful witness can deliver the innocent. Naboth was destroyed through false witnesses (1Ki 21:1-13).
An hypocrite: Or rather, as chanaiph properly signifies, a wicked, profligate person, an infidel. 1Ki 13:18-22, 1Ki 22:6, 1Ki 22:20-23, Job 8:13, Job 34:30, Psa 55:12, Psa 55:20, Psa 55:21, Mat 7:15, Mat 15:5-14, Act 20:30, 2Co 11:13-15, 2Th 2:8-10, 1Ti 4:1-3, 2Pe 2:1-3
through: Pro 2:10-16, Pro 4:5, Pro 4:6, Pro 6:23, Pro 6:24, Mar 13:14, Mar 13:22, Mar 13:23, Eph 4:13, Eph 4:14, 2Pe 3:16-18, 1Jo 2:21, 1Jo 2:27
Reciprocal: 1Sa 14:24 – Cursed 2Sa 15:6 – stole Neh 6:10 – Shemaiah Psa 120:4 – Sharp Luk 13:15 – Thou hypocrite
Pro 11:9. A hypocrite with his mouth By his corrupt communication; destroyeth his neighbour Draws him into error or sin; but through knowledge Namely, of God and of his word, which, making men wise, discovers and so prevents the frauds of deceivers; shall the just be delivered From the infection of the evil and crafty counsel of hypocrites.
11:9 An {d} hypocrite with [his] mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
(d) A deceiver who pretends friendship, but privately is an enemy.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes