Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 11:15
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it]: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
15. smart for it] Both A.V. and R.V. add in the marg. “Heb. shall be sore broken.”
suretiship ] Three entirely different Heb. words in this verse are rendered “surety,” “suretiship,” “sure.” The first denotes exchanging with another, taking his place, becoming bail for him; the second, striking hands (“Heb. those that strike hands,” A.V. and R.V. marg.), as a token of the suretiship; the third, safe, secure.
See on this verse Pro 6:1 note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See the marginal reference. The play upon sure and suretiship in the the King James Version (though each word is rightly rendered) has nothing corresponding to it in the Hebrew, and seems to have originated in a desire to give point to the proverb.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it] He shall find evil upon evil in it. See on Pr 6:1.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A stranger; whose condition he doth not thoroughly understand, and therefore knows not his own danger.
Suretiship; of which See Poole “Pro 6:1“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. (Compare Pr6:1).
suretiship(CompareMargin), the actors put for the action, which may be lawfullyhated.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it],…. Or in “breaking shall be broken” q, ruined and undone; he engaging or becoming a bondsman for one whose circumstances he knew not; and these being bad bring a load upon him, such an heavy debt as crushes him to pieces. Mr. Henry observes that our Lord Jesus Christ became a surety for us when we were strangers, and he smarted for it, he was bruised and wounded for our sins; but then he knew our circumstances, and what the consequence would be, and became a surety on purpose to pay the whole debt and set us free; which he was capable of doing: without being broken or becoming a bankrupt himself; for he was not broken, nor did he fail, Isa 42:4. Jarchi’s note is,
“the wicked shall be broken, to whose heart idolatry is sweet;”
and he that hateth suretyship is sure; or those “that strike” r, that is, with the hand, used in suretyship; see Pr 6:1; such an one is safe from coming into trouble by such means. The Targum is,
“and hates those that place their hope in God.”
q “frangendo frangetur”, Michaelis; so Pagninus and others. r “complodentes”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius “defigentes”, Mercerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
There follow now two proverbs regarding kindness which brings injury and which brings honour:
It fares ill, nothing but ill, with one who is surety for another;
But he who hateth suretyship remaineth in quietness.
More closely to the original: It goes ill with him; for the proverb is composed as if the writer had before his eyes a definite person, whom one assails when he for whom he became security has not kept within the limits of the performance that was due. Regarding with the accus. of the person: to represent one as a surety for him, and as denoting the other (the stranger), vid., at Pro 6:1. The meaning of is seen from Pro 20:16. is, like Pro 13:20, the fut. Niph. of , or of = , after the forms , (Olsh. 265e). The added has, like , Hab 3:9, the same function as the inf. absol. ( intensivus); but as the infin. form could only be inf. constru. after the form , Jer 5:26, the infinitive absol. must be : Thus is an accus., or what is the same, an adverbial adj.: he is badly treated (maltreated) in a bad way, for one holds him to his words and, when he cannot or will not accomplish that which is due in the room of him for whom he is bail, arrests him. He, on the contrary, who hates has good rest. The persons of such as become surety by striking the hands cannot be meant, but perhaps people thus becoming surety by a hand-stroke – such sureties, and thus such suretyship, he cannot suffer; approaches an abstract “striking hands,” instead of “those who strike hands” in connection with this , expressing only a strong impossibility, as , Zec 2:7, 14, means uniting together in the sense of combination.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Rewards of Righteousness. | |
15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
Here we are taught, 1. In general, that we may not use our estates as we will (he that gave them to us has reserved to himself a power to direct us how we shall use them, for they are not our own; we are but stewards), and further that God in his law consults our interests and teaches us that charity which begins at home, as well as that which must not end there. There is a good husbandry which is good divinity, and a discretion in ordering our affairs which is part of the character of a good man, Ps. cxii. 5. Every man must be just to his family, else he is not true to his stewardship. 2. In particular, that we must not enter rashly into suretiship, (1.) Because there is danger of bringing ourselves into trouble by it, and our families too when we are gone: He that is surety for a stranger, for any one that asks him and promises him to be bound for him another time, for one whose person perhaps he knows, and thinks he knows his circumstances, but is mistaken, he shall smart for it. Contritione conteretur–he shall be certainly and sadly crushed and broken by it, and perhaps become a bankrupt. Our Lord Jesus was surety for us when we were strangers, nay, enemies, and he smarted for it; it pleased the Lord to bruise him. (2.) Because he that resolves against all such suretiship keeps upon sure grounds, which a man may do if he take care not to launch out any further into business than his own credit will carry him, so that he needs not ask others to be bound for him.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Pro 11:15
Verse 15 deals with suretyship. See comments on 5:1-5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(15) He that is surety for a stranger.Rather, for another, as Pro. 6:1.
Is sure.Rather, is in quiet, undisturbed by the anxieties described in Pro. 6:3-5.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. He shall smart for it a paronomasia, and difficult of interpretation. Various renderings are given by the critics: our common version is, however, sufficiently expressive and spirited. Comp. Pro 6:1; Pro 27:13.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Further Contrasts Between The Righteous And The Unrighteous ( Pro 11:15-23 ).
In this subsection we again have the continual contrast between the righteous, the gracious, the merciful and the blameless on the one hand, and the unrighteous, the violent, the perverse and the indiscreet on the other.
The righteous hates suretyship (Pro 11:15), obtains honour (Pro 11:16), does good to his own inner self (Pro 11:17), sows righteousness and has a sure reward (Pro 11:18), will attain to life (Pro 11:19), is a delight to YHWH (Pro 11:20), will be delivered (Pro 11:21), and desires only good (Pro 11:23). The unrighteous acts as a surety and will smart for it (Pro 11:15), obtains ill-gotten riches (Pro 11:16), troubles his own flesh (Pro 11:17), earns deceitful wages (Pro 11:18), pursues evil to his own death (Pro 11:19), is an abomination to YHWH (Pro 11:20), will be suitably punished (Pro 11:21), and can only expect wrath (Pro 11:23).
Note that for the first time since Pro 10:1 women are directly brought into the equation (Pro 11:16; Pro 11:22). We must, however, recognise that, whilst Solomon appears to direct his word towards men as those most directly involved in life and politics, he would also include women as having a responsibility to respond to wisdom. Both ‘man’ and ‘he’ can regularly include both sexes. (In Gen 1:27 ‘man’ (adam) included both male and female). Indeed, he depicted Wisdom as a woman. Consider, for example, how he firmly sees the wise mother as having responsibility alongside the wise father (Pro 1:8-9; Pro 4:3), which could only be because she had absorbed wisdom and the Torah.
The subsection can be seen chiastically:
A He who is surety for a stranger will smart for it, but he who hates suretyship is secure (Pro 11:15).
B A gracious woman obtains honour, and violent men obtain riches (Pro 11:16).
C The merciful man does good to his own inner self, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh (Pro 11:17).
D The wicked earns deceitful wages, but he who sows righteousness has a sure reward (Pro 11:18).
D He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, and he who pursues evil does it to his own death (Pro 11:19).
C Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to YHWH, but such as are blameless in their way are his delight. Though hand join in hand, the evil man will not be unpunished, but the seed of the righteous will be delivered (Pro 11:20-21).
B As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman who is without discretion (Pro 11:22).
A The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the wicked is wrath (Pro 11:23).
As Pro 6:1-5 has suggested Solomon saw suretyship as an evil. This was because in the Torah (Law of Moses) God had exhorted that loans be given freely to the poor without strings attached (Deu 15:7-8). Thus as with the payment of interest (Exo 22:25; Lev 25:36-37), to take commission from either an Israelite or a stranger dwelling in the land (Lev 19:34), for acting as a surety, was frowned on. The one who gives surety for a stranger would only do so for reward, thus Solomon sees him as a fool, because of the risk he takes, and unrighteous, because it went against God’s requirements. In contrast those who hated suretyship were the righteous and upright. So in A the unrighteous will smart for what they have done (they will in the parallel come under God’s wrath), whilst the righteous, who hate suretyship, are secure. In the parallel the desire of the righteous is only for good (they thus reject suretyship), while the wicked expect wrath. In B the gracious woman who obtains honour is contrasted with the fair woman who is without discretion. In C the merciful man thereby does good to himself, whilst the cruel are headed for trouble, and in the parallel the seed of the righteous will be delivered, (because their father is merciful and has done good to himself) whilst the evil man will not be unpunished. Centrally in D are three verses which demonstrate that the righteous and upright will gain by it for they are a delight to YHWH, whilst the unrighteous, the pursuer of evil and the perverse in heart will receive their reward.
Pro 11:15
‘He who is surety for a stranger will smart for it,
But he who hates suretyship is secure.’
The one who acts as surety for a stranger, that is, someone who was not related, ‘will smart for it’. He will come under God’s judgment and be punished. For the righteous man hates suretyship and he will thereby be kept secure by God. Note that the one who acts as surety is paralleled with ‘violent men’ (Pro 11:16 b), ‘one who is cruel’ (Pro 11:17 b), and ‘the unrighteous’ (Pro 11:18 a). In contrast the one who hates suretyship is paralleled with ‘a gracious woman’ (Pro 11:16 a), ‘the merciful man’ (Pro 11:17 a), and ‘the one who sows righteousness’ (Pro 11:18 b).
It is quite clear from Proverbs that Solomon saw suretyship as something disapproved of by God, although not as putting the surety beyond the pale (he provides a way out for him). In Pro 6:1-5 he had urged ‘his son’ not to act as a surety, and to have himself released from its obligations at all costs. Now he makes clear that to act as surety for a stranger will have bad consequences, presumably because God frowns on it, whilst the one who hates suretyship is secure. He is doing what is pleasing to God.
This is only understandable in the light of the teaching of the Torah (the Law of Moses). There loans were to be made on compassionate grounds (Deu 15:7-8) and without charging interest (Exo 22:25; Lev 25:35-37). Offering suretyship for a commission would therefore have been frowned on. Apparently it was acceptable for a poor man to offer his cloak as security, but that was seemingly short term so that he could buy food, for it had to be restored at sunset so he could sleep in it (Exo 22:26). Presumably he could by that time have worked the debt off. This last, however, was not what was in Solomon’s mind for he was thinking of suretyship that could ruin a man.
And these instructions were not only as regards Israelites, but were equally to be applied to strangers living among them (Lev 19:34). The only distinction was that the stranger did not benefit by the seven year release (Deu 15:3). He was not a holder of land in perpetuity. In Solomon’s day his whole kingdom may well have been seen as the area in which the laws applied, although in some matters he did distinguish between Israelites and non-Israelites (1Ki 9:20-22).
So being a surety is here seen as the act of an unrighteous man, a fool, whilst refusing to act as a surety was seen as the act of a wise man, a righteous man. It is paralleled in the chiasmus with the desire of the righteous man which is good (among other things he does not act as surety), and the expectation of the unrighteous which is wrath. He can expect to smart for what he has done.
Pro 11:16
‘A gracious woman obtains honour,
And violent men obtain riches.’
Women are not prominent in the Book of Proverbs, but nor are they excluded, a balance which we might have expected in those days. In the Prologue Wisdom was regularly depicted as a woman, and the influence of the mother was seen as important (Pro 1:8; Pro 4:3; Pro 6:20), whilst the faithful wife was to be enjoyed and treasured (Pro 5:15-20). And this continues to be the case (Pro 10:1; Pro 12:4; Pro 14:1 a; Pro 18:22). It may well have been his acknowledgement of the influence of good women on growing children (experienced by him as a child – Pro 4:3 b), which made him depict wisdom as a woman. This counters the fact that adulterous and immoral women were regularly depicted as a source of men’s downfall (Pro 2:16-20; Pro 5:3-14; Pro 7:5-27; Pro 9:13-18), and that foolish and contentious women were seen as able to destroy a home (Pro 14:1 b; Pro 21:9). He saw both sides of the question.
Here in this subsection we have a contrast between such women. On the one hand there is ‘a gracious woman’ (Pro 11:16 a) and on the other ‘a fair woman who is without discretion’ (Pro 11:22 b). The former resembles the wise mother and good wife, the latter the indiscreet, foolish and contentious woman who simply stirs up trouble. Solomon is bringing out that in women graciousness is more important than beauty (compare Pro 31:30). The distinction in the context of Proverbs reminds us of Paul’s exhortations in 1Ti 2:9-10; 1Ti 3:11; 1Ti 5:13-14 ; 2Ti 3:6; Tit 2:4-5.
The woman who is gracious is honoured by all who know her, and is well thought of in society. She is well valued, and is of those who are righteous and wise. She is gracious and gentle and clearly depicted in Pro 31:10-31. In direct contrast are violent and forceful men. They may become wealthy, but they do so at the expense of honour and reputation. They are of those who are unrighteous and foolish. Their riches will not profit them in the day of wrath (Pro 11:4), and meanwhile they are dissatisfied within themselves (Pro 11:17 b). Macho man is as nothing compared with virtuous woman.
The same contrast was found in Pro 1:11-33 between violent men, who sought to entice the naive into sin, and woman Wisdom who guided the naive in the right way. Solomon lays great emphasis on the influence of good women. Whilst the violent and forceful often shape society from the outside, to its detriment, gracious women shape society from the inside. It is, of course, ironic that Solomon was the perfect example of the former with his forced levees and high taxes which would have caused hardship to many families.
Pro 11:17
‘The merciful man does good to his own inner self,
But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.’
In contrast to the violent and forceful in Pro 11:16 is the merciful and kind man (so not all men are to be written off). He is the man of chesed (‘covenant love’). He not only benefits others by his compassion, but he also does himself a great deal of good. ‘He does good to his own inner self’. He enjoys peace and contentment and a sense of wellbeing.
The cruel man, on the other hand, may, like the violent, become wealthy, but he does so at the expense of his own inner peace. He ‘troubles (disturbs) his own flesh’, making himself uneasy and dissatisfied and morally discontent. The contrast with ‘does good to his own self’ suggests that ‘troubling his own flesh’ also refers to his own personal inner experience. But it may also be seen as including the fact that he can bring violent repercussions on himself and on his family.
For the idea of ‘troubling his own flesh’ compare Ahab’s words to Elijah, ‘Is it you, you troubler (disturber) of Israel’, to which Elijah replied, ‘it is not I who have troubled Israel, but you –’ (1Ki 18:17-18). Achan had also troubled Israel (Jos 7:25). In these cases to ‘trouble’ meant to bring devastating repercussions on.
The contrast between the inner self and the flesh used in the same context is interesting, suggesting a significant difference spiritually between the truly righteous and the unrighteous, indeed almost, but not quite, in terms of spirit and flesh. One is ruled by his inner self which is at peace, the other by his outer flesh which is ever discontented. That we are not to apply the terms too literally comes out in the next verse. Solomon is dealing in metaphors.
Pro 11:18
‘The wicked earns deceitful wages,
But he who sows righteousness has a sure reward.’
The violent, the cruel, and the unrighteous not only ‘trouble their own flesh’, but they also earn for themselves ‘deceitful wages’. They gain nowhere. They may appear to be achieving value, but in the end their ‘wages’ are revealed as unsatisfying and not worth what they have cost. The deceitful wages are, of course, representative of all that the unrighteous obtain for themselves. They may think that they are doing well by their behaviour, but they will learn that it has all been an illusion. The deceivers are deceived about what they will receive.
Meanwhile the merciful man sows righteousness, and eventually receives a sure reward. Sowing involves scattering widely, it depends on God for increase, and where successful it achieves great returns. So does the man of righteousness sow his righteous acts and behaviour widely, look to God for any increase, and have confidence that he will have great returns.
Note the interesting contrast between the quick returns coming to the unrighteous, ‘wages’ which would be paid at once by men, and the slower but more certain returns of the righteous who sow and then wait for God to give the increase, an increase which may be slow, but is sure and well founded. Man looks at the short term. God looks at the long term.
Pro 11:19
‘He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life,
And he who pursues evil does it to his own death.’
And in the end those issues are ones of life and death. The one who is steadfast in righteousness attains to life (compare Pro 3:16; Pro 4:4; Pro 10:16-17; Pro 10:27). He finds prosperity, peace, wellbeing and security (Pro 1:33; Pro 3:2; Pro 3:16-18; Pro 3:35; Pro 4:18; etc.). And the continual contrast with death suggests that Solomon saw life as going on beyond the grave (compare Pro 15:24; Psa 16:11; Psa 17:15; Psa 23:6). In the words of Jesus, those who believe in Him will obtain good things in this life, and will inherit eternal life (Mat 19:29).
In contrast those who pursue evil do so ‘to their own death’. They ‘die’ in this life, losing the wholesomeness of life (Pro 11:17 b, 18 a), and then finally sink to the world of the grave, to eternal death (Pro 2:18-19; Pro 5:5; Pro 7:27; Pro 9:18); Pro 10:2; Pro 11:7).
An alternative translation is, ‘Behold the righteous attain life.’ But it makes little difference to the sense.
Pro 11:20-21
‘Those who are perverse (twisted) in heart are an abomination to YHWH,
But such as are blameless (straight) in their way are his delight.
Though hand join in hand (literally ‘hand to hand’), the evil man will not be unpunished,
But the seed of the righteous will be delivered.’
These two proverbs are to be seen together. The perverse (twisted) in heart are an abomination to YHWH and will not go unpunished, those who walk blamelessly (straightly) are His delight, and their seed will be delivered. Thus as so often in Proverbs God is seen to divide mankind into two. On the one hand are the perverse in heart, always at cross-purposes with God and His ways, and seeking to please themselves. And it is not a temporary blip, but an attitude of heart. On the other are the blameless, those who walk in His wisdom and seek to please Him. They walk in a way that fills Him with delight. What they are comes out in their walk. So the one are a hateful thing to Him, the others are His delight.
Note also how the unrighteous go on their way ‘hand to hand’. They are all in agreement about their attitude towards God’s wisdom. They combine their forces against God. They are all in it together (compare Pro 1:11-19). And they will all be punished together. In contrast the blameless saves not only himself but his seed. His whole family will be blessed. Godly families have always been the foundation on which godliness has flourished. They perpetuate godliness from one generation to another even when times are evil (although, of course, not unfailingly). The evil man finds his ‘family’ in terms of those who unite with him in evil. In contrast the family of the righteous (his seed) are close knit and support each other in godliness.
Pro 11:22
‘As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,
So is a fair woman who is without discretion.’
The ring of gold was a nose ring of a kind regularly worn by women in the Ancient Near East. Eliezer, Abraham’s steward, gave one to Rebekah (Gen 24:22). The ring would have a small breach in it with two pointed ends, and would fit on the nose. It was a sign of wealth. The pig, of course, was seen as an ‘unclean’ animal. And the point is that you can put such an expensive gold ring in a pig’s snout, but it is totally incompatible. It will not remedy the pig’s defects or make it clean. You cannot turn a pig into a beauty. What could have been so beautiful in the right surroundings (for example on the woman’s nose) has been debased. No one will stop to admire it. People will only wonder at the waste. (Incongruously there are some today who would put a gold ring in a pet pig’s snout, but that simply reveals their extravagance. The pig does not appreciate it in the least).
In the same way a beautiful woman is a contradiction to herself if she is not beautiful at heart. If she is ‘without discretion’, in other words does not behave wisely, her beauty counts for nothing. Her outward form is like the gold ring, but her inward heart is like the pig’s snout. The two are incongruous. Many a beautiful woman has spoiled herself by her bad temper, her wilfulness, and her total selfishness. Not all the beauty in the world can make up for such traits. In the end they will only disgust. What a contrast this woman is with the gracious woman of Pro 11:16 a who is honoured by all.
Pro 11:23
‘The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
This verse parallels to some extent Pro 10:28, ‘the hope of the righteous will be joyfulness, and the expectation of the wicked will perish,’ but now instead of expressing the hope of joyfulness to come, it expresses the desire for what is good, and instead of expectation perishing, it results in wrath (compare Pro 11:4).
So this subsection comes to an end with a summary of the situation for the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous desire only what is good. Their hearts are set on goodness. In consequence their expectation is also good. They are honoured by men (Pro 11:16 a), satisfied at heart (Pro 11:17 a), will receive a sure and abundant reward (Pro 11:18 b), attain to life (Pro 11:19 a), and are a delight to God (Pro 11:20 b). They know that they will finally be delivered (saved), along with their families (Pro 11:21 b).
In contrast are the unrighteous. Their only expectation is the wrath of God (compare Pro 11:4). They may obtain riches (Pro 11:16 b), but these will bring them no lasting joy (Pro 11:17 b). What they will earn by their ways is in fact deceptive, it is not as good as it at first seems (Pro 11:18 a), whilst the consequence of their behaviour is death (Pro 11:19 b). Indeed, they are an abomination to YHWH (Pro 11:20 a), are destined for punishment (Pro 11:21 a), and are like a gold ring in a pig’s snout (Pro 11:22 a), which is where they belong. They are ostentatious and misplaced. Their expectation can only be wrath, in other words, the wrath of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
v. 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 11:15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it]: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
Ver. 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it. ] Heb., Shall break – prove a bankrupt. See Trapp on “ Pro 6:1 “ See Trapp on “ Pro 6:2 “ See Trapp on “ Pro 6:3 “ &c
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
for a stranger, &c. Christ became surety for His People, and they were “strangers” (Eph 2:12); and He smarted for it, blessed be His Name! Hebrew. zur, an apostate. See note on Pro 5:3.
smart for it = be sore broken. See Psa 38:8; Psa 69:20.
is sure = is secure. Hebrew. batah. App-69.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 11:15
Pro 11:15
“He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; But he that hateth securityship is secure.”
“If you promise to pay a stranger’s debt, you will regret it. You are better off if you don’t get involved.
Pro 11:15. Suretyship is when one promises to stand good for the obligation of another if he cannot pay. How many people have smarted for co-signing notes of others!
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
that is surety: Pro 6:1-5, Pro 17:18, Pro 20:16, Pro 22:26, Pro 22:27
smart: Heb. be sore broken
suretiship: Heb. those that strike hands
Reciprocal: Job 17:3 – put me
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 11:15. He that is surety for a stranger, &c. He is in great danger to be undone, who stands bound to pay the debts of another man, especially of a stranger, whose ability and honesty are unknown to him; and the way to be secure from it, is not only to avoid such engagements ones self, but to dislike to see other men enter into them. Bishop Patrick.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:15 He that is surety for a {h} stranger shall smart [for it]: and he {i} that hateth suretiship is secure.
(h) He who does not without judgment and consideration of the circumstances put himself in danger, as in Pro 6:1.
(i) He who does not co-sign loans for others is very wise.