Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 11:16
A gracious woman retaineth honor: and strong [men] retain riches.
16. retaineth ] i.e. acquires and keeps. Comp. Pro 29:23. In Gen 48:17 we read: Joseph held up (same Heb. word), i.e. took and kept hold of, and so raised, his father’s hand.
and ]=as. We have a similar virtual comparison by juxtaposition of clauses in Pro 26:9; Pro 26:11.
strong ] Rather violent, R.V., the reference being to such lawless action as is described in Pro 1:13.
The grace of true womanhood wins and retains honour not less securely than the violence of the freebooter holds fast his spoil.
The LXX. have for this proverb:
“A gracious woman brings glory to her husband,
But a throne of dishonour is a woman who hateth righteousness;”
and add:
“They who deal slothfully with riches become poor,
But the diligent stay themselves upon their wealth.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Or, The gracious woman wins and keeps honor, as (the conjunction may be so rendered) strong men win riches.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 11:16
A gracious woman retaineth honour.
The honour of woman
Here the sexes are put in beautiful apposition: woman is gracious, man is strong. Graciousness dissociated from strength has indeed an influence all its own; strength dissociated from graciousness is mere strength, and is wanting in all those attributes which excite and satisfy the deepest confidences of the world. A woman can work miracles by her graciousness. She knows how to enter the sick chamber noiselessly. She knows how to enter the room without violence, ostentation, or impressiveness, which signifies vanity and display. Woman can speak the gentle word, and look the gracious look, and use the magical touch of friendship and trust, and, in short, can carry her own way without appearing to do so by the very force of tenderness, sympathy, and persuasiveness. Who would raise the foolish question whether grace or strength is the more desirable attribute? Each is desirable in its own way; a combination that is the very perfection of character. Strength and beauty are in the house of the Lord. The great column looks all the better for the beautiful capital which crowns and enriches it. Men should endeavour to cultivate grace, tenderness, all that is charmful in spirit, disposition, and action. This cannot be done by mere mimicry; it is to be done by living continually with Christ, studying His spirit, entering into all His purposes, and reproducing, not mechanically, but spiritually, as much as possible of all that was distinctive of His infinite character. The Bible has ever given honour to woman. He is a fool and an unjust man who wishes to keep women in silence, obscurity, and in a state of unimportance; and she is a foolish woman who imagines that she cannot be gracious without being strong, and who wishes to sacrifice her graciousness to some empty reputation for worthless energy. It is not good for the man to be alone, for he is without grace; it is not good for the woman to be alone, for she is without strength; when men and women stand to one another in the right Christian relation they will complete one another, and together constitute the Divine idea of humanity. (J..Parker, D.D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 16. A gracious woman retaineth honor] Instead of this clause, the Septuagint have, , “A gracious woman raiseth up honor to the man;” , “But she that hateth righteous things is a throne of dishonour.” A good wife is an honour to her husband; and a bad wife is her husband’s reproach: if this be so, how careful should a man be whom he marries!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A gracious woman, Heb. a woman of grace and favour, i.e. one who by her meekness, and modesty, and prudence, and other virtues, renders herself acceptable and amiable to God and to men.
Retaineth honour, or holdeth fast her honour or good reputation, with no less care and resolution than strong men do riches, as it here follows.
And strong men retain riches; or, as strong men, &c.; for so this conjunction is oft used in this book, of which we have seen some, and may afterwards see more instances.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. retainethor literally,”lay hold of as a support.” Honor is to a feeble woman thusas valuable as riches to men.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
A gracious woman retaineth honour,…. Or “a woman of grace” s one that has the grace of God in her heart, and is of a virtuous conversation, and by both amiable and lovely to others; as she receives honour or glory from them, which she deserves, so she retains the same. The Targum is,
“a gracious woman divides glory;”
that is, between herself and her husband; to which the Arabic version agrees, which renders it,
“a gracious woman raises up glory to her husband.”
Jarchi interprets it of the congregation of Israel; his note is,
“the congregation of Israel continually draws nigh to the glory of God and his law;”
and it may be applied to the true church of Christ, which seeks the glory of Christ, and retains the glory of Gospel doctrines, of Gospel ordinances, of Gospel discipline, and of Gospel conversation, when the harlot, the apostate church, has lost all honour of these things;
and strong [men] retain riches: some render it, “as strong men retain riches” t; as they, when they have got them into their possession, keep them, it being in the power of their hands so to do, against all that would take them from them; so a gracious woman is as tenacious of her honour for chastity, modesty, wisdom, and conduct: or by those “strong men”, or “terrible [and] violent” ones, as the word u signifies, may be meant the beast of Rome and his followers, cruel persecutors; whose principal care it is to amass the riches and wealth of others, which, when they have got, they hold fast.
s “mulier gratiae”, Montanus, Baynus, Gejerus, Michaelis; “quae gratia praedita est”, Tigurine version; “uxor gratia pollens”, Schultens. t “ut”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Schultens. u “violenti”, Piscator, Schultens “formidabiles”, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
16 A gracious woman retaineth honour,
And strong men retain riches.
The lxx had (not ton( ) in view: , – this is an interpolation inserted for the sake of the added line, . The proverb thus expanded is on both sides true: an amiable woman ( gratiosa ) brings honour to her husband, gives him relief, while one who hates the right (that which is good, gentle) is a disgraceful vessel (opp. , Isa 22:23), which disfigures the household, makes the family unloved, and lowers it. But the commencing line, by which 16b is raised to an independent distich, is so much the more imperfect: ; for that the negligent (idle) bring it not to riches, is, as they are wont in Swabia to call such truisms, a Binsenwahrheit . But it is important that the translation of 16b, (the Syr. has “knowledge” for riches), presupposes the phrase (cf. Pro 10:4, lxx), and along with it this, that is so rendered as if the words were , is to be regarded as unhistorical. If we now take the one proverb as it is found in the Hebr. text, then the repetition of the in the two lines excites a prejudice in favour of it. The meaning of this otherwise difficult is missed by Lwenstein and Zckler: a gracious woman retaineth honour (Symm. ); for (1) would better agree with this predicate, and (2) it is evident from Pro 29:23 that is not to be understood in the sense of firmiter tenere , but in the inchoative sense of consequi honorem , whence also the of the lxx. It is true that Pro 31:30 states that “grace ( ) is nothing,” and that all depends on the fear of God; but here the poet thinks on “grace” along with the fear of God, or he thinks on them as not separated from each other; and since it is boldly true, which is moreover besides this true, that a wife of gracious outward appearance and demeanour obtains honour, her company is sought, she finds her way into the best society, they praise her attractive, pleasant appearance, and that the husband also of such a wife participates to some extent in this honour. Experience also confirms it, that the , strong men, obtain riches (cf. Isa 49:25); and this statement regarding the fits better as a contrast to 16a, as a like statement regarding the , diligent, for the (from , to place in terror, Psa 10:18), whose power consists in terrorism or violence, is the most direct contrast of a wife, this , who by heart-winning attraction makes yet better conquests: she thereby obtains a higher good, viz., honour, while the former gains only riches, for “a name” (viz., a good one) “is better than great riches,” Pro 22:1. If we read , this thoughtful contrast is lost.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
16 A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.
Here, 1. It is allowed that strong men retain riches, that those who bustle in the world, who are men of spirit and interest, and are able to make their part good against all who stand in their way, are likely to keep what they have and to get more, while those who are weak are preyed upon by all about them. 2. It is taken for granted that a gracious woman is as solicitous to preserve her reputation for wisdom and modesty, humility and courtesy, and all those other graces that are the true ornaments of her sex, as strong men are to secure their estates; and those women who are truly gracious will, in like manner, effectually secure their honour by their prudence and good conduct. A gracious woman is as honourable as a valiant man and her honour is as sure.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Grace Or Greed
(Pro 11:16)
Verse 16 contrasts honor and wealth and the ways such are attained. A gracious woman such as described in Pro 31:25-31 wins honor and respect; tight-fisted men motivated by greed achieve only material wealth, Luk 12:15-21; Jas 5:1-3.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 11:16. Last clause as strong men retain, or grasp at riches.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 11:16
A GRACIOUS WOMAN
I. What is a gracious woman?
1. She is one who stands in right relations to God. Everything depends upon right relationship. Upon the right relationship of the earth to the great centre of the solar system depends all that makes the earth of worth to usall its glorious fruitfulness and beauty. If there was not this adjustment of relationship between the earth and the sun, our planet would not only be an unfit abode for man, but would be a positive blot upon Gods universe. This is true also of mens relations to each other, and is specially so in respect to our relationship to God. Nothing but a right relationship to Him can develope those moral beauties which alone make a true woman. She is accepted or justified by Gods most gracious favour on Gods own conditions. She lives in the eternal sunlight of His gracious influence, and is held to the most Blessed Being in the universe, by the sweet persuasiveness which flows from His blessed character. The thoughts of the Eternal God are the food of her spirit, and from this relationship to Him comes all the grace of her character. Is there any other relationship which can make such a woman? There is none, not only so, the absence of it may end in making even a woman a blot, a positive evil, in the moral universe. There can be no true graciousness where there is no union with Him whose most attractive attribute is His graciousness, who makes Himself known, as the Lord God, merciful and gracious. (Exo. 34:6). A gracious woman must be in right relationship with a gracious God.
2. In consequence of this, a gracious woman is right in her human relationships. Being right in the greater matter, she must be in that which is less. The earth, because she preserves her right relation to the sun, is right in her relationship to the other planets, that is, her path in the heavens is just that which is best for the whole planetary systemthat which enables them also to keep their orbits, and prevents one of them from exercising a baleful influence over another. A woman whose spirit is under the influence of a gracious God will be a gracious daughter, a gracious wife, a gracious mother, a gracious friend and neighbourthat is, all her doings and sayings will be irradiated and warmed by that holiness and love which is the essence of the character of God Himself. In the summing up of the Divine law, Christ makes the right human relation depend upon a right Divine relation. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (Luk. 10:27), and He repeats this foundation principle in His last discourse with His disciples before His death, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (Joh. 13:35).
II. A woman with such a character wins honour. The strong men to whom she is compared (see critical notes) are warriors who take the spoil by strength of hand, such men as Othniel, the son of Kenaz, who took Kirjath-sepher by reason of his strength and military skill. For the strong men must gain their spoil before they can retain it. So with a gracious woman. She must win honour before she can retain it, and this she most certainly will do. She will be honoured by God because she is fulfilling His purpose in sending her into the worldbecause she is bringing glory to Him by showing to the world what He meant a woman to be. And as a necessity she will be honoured. Those in nearest relation to her will honour her. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praiseth her. But she is honoured in a wider sphere by a larger circleher own works praise her in the gates. (chap. Pro. 31:28; Pro. 31:31).
III. What she has won she will retain. Strong men, when they have won their prize, hold it fast. It is more difficult to obtain wealth than to retain it. Having done the first by reason of their strength, it is comparatively easy to do the second by the same means. So with a gracious woman. Honour is the guerdon of her gracious character, this she has won without any striving. Her character is that for which she has striven, and this it is which is the strength by which she retains her riches, viz., her honour.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Albeit the woman is the weaker vessel, yet when she is gracious, that is to say, graced, not so much with beauty, as with wisdom and virtue, she keepeth honour, that is, maintaineth her credit and preserveth her chastity. It were a hard thing to rob or spoil a strong man of his goods; but to take away the chastity of an honest matron, be she never so weak, it is impossible, who will rather die a thousand deaths than to be stained with the least speck of dishonesty.Muffet.
A woman is powerful by her grace as the mighty are by their strength. In grace there lies as great force as in the imposing nature of the mighty; nay, the power of the strength of the latter gains only more property, while the woman gains honour and esteem, which are of more worth.Rueetschi, from Langes Commentary.
Thus Deborah retained honour as a mother in Israel, the counsellor and stay of a sinking people. (Jdg. 4:4; Jdg. 5:7.) Esther retained her influence over her heathen husband for the good of her nation (Est. 9:12-13; Est. 9:25). And still the gracious woman retaineth honour long after she has mingled with the dust. Sarah, the obedient wife (1Pe. 3:5-6); Hannah, the consecrating mother (1Sa. 1:28); Lois, Eunice, and the elect lady (2Ti. 1:5; 2Ti. 3:15; 2Jn. 1:1-4), in the family sphere; Phbe and her companions in the annals of the Church (Rom. 16:2-6; Php. 4:3); the rich contributor to the temple (Mar. 12:42-44); the self-denying lover of her Lord (Mar. 14:3-9); Mary in contemplative retirement (Luk. 10:39); Dorcas in active usefulness (Act. 9:36):Are not these good names still had in honourable remembrance? (Psa. 112:6).Bridges.
It is true of both sexes, which Solomon here affirms of women only, that gracious persons, they who are in the grace and favour of God, and are strengthened by His gracious assistance, shall from the generality of men gain an inward esteem and, for the most part, an outward respect. There are many instances in which virtue has been rather contemned and ridiculed,and I will mention none other than the most signal of all, God Incarnatebut goodness has an inseparable splendour which can never suffer a total eclipse, and when it is most reviled and persecuted, it then shines brightest out of the cloud. So that all who are not wilfully blind, who will but make use of their eyes to see, must acknowledge the force of its rays. But why does Solomon here instance the woman rather than the man? Either this, that as vice is more odious and more detested, so on the other hand, virtue is more attractive, and looks more lovely in women than it usually does in men. Or it is, because men have more advantages of aspiring to honour in all public stations than women have, and the only way for a woman to gain honour, is an exemplary holiness. Or it is, because women are made of a temper more soft and frail, are more endangered by snares and temptations, and more inclinable to extremes of good and bad than men, and generally speaking, goodness is a tender thing, more hazardous and brittle in the former than in the latter, and consequently a firm and steady virtue is more to be valued in the weaker sex than in the stronger; so that a gracious woman is most worthy to receive and to retain honour. Or it is, because women in all ages, have given so many heroic examples of sanctity, that there is that peculiar to the sex which naturally renders them more pliable to the Divine grace than men.Bp. Ken.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(16) A gracious woman retaineth honour . . .Each sex has its own power. A woman by her attractiveness wins and retains favour, a man by his strength and riches.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. A gracious woman , ( esheth hhen,) a woman of grace, gracefulness, beauty, loveliness: (it may mean any of these, and more:) the word is very indefinite.
Retaineth Seizes, obtains, grasps, holds fast.
Strong men Formidable or violent men; or, better, energetic men. The meaning may possibly be that the desire of glory, applause, fame, is as strong in a woman of beauty as the desire of spoil and acquisition of riches is in strong-willed men. The qualities of heart and mind which render her lovely are as sure of conquest as the physical force and energy of will which are the strength of men.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 11:16 A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.
Pro 11:16
Comments – This word is descriptive of the way the humble are exalted and given honor by God and man.
Pro 1:9, “For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.”
Pro 3:4, “So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.”
Pro 3:22, “So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.”
Pro 3:34, “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.”
Pro 4:9, “She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace : a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.”
Pro 11:16 Word Study on “retainethretain” Strong says the Hebrew word “retaineth..retain” ( ) (H8551), which is used twice in this verse, means, “to sustain, to obtain, to keep fast.”
Pro 11:16 Word Study on “strong men” – Strong says the Hebrew word “strong men” ( ) (H6184) means, “fearful, powerful, tyrannical,” it comes from the verb ( ) (H6206), which means, “to awe, to dread,” thus, “to harass.” The Enhanced Strong says this Hebrew word is used 20 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, “ terrible 8, terrible one 5, oppressor 3, mighty 1, power 1, strong 1, violent 1.”
Pro 11:16 Comments – While a “gracious” person is given honor and exaltation, the Old Testament gives a negative description of the Hebrew word translated “strong men.” Isaiah uses this same word to say that the haughtiness of the terrible ones, or “strong ones,” will lay them low.
Isa 13:11, “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible .
Note how this same Hebrew word is used in the following verses to refer to people who exalt themselves being brought low by God.
Psa 86:14, “O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.”
Isa 25:5, “Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.”
Isa 29:20, “For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:”
The contrast of Pro 11:16 can be seen in the fact that gracious and humble people see honor, while strong, violent people seek worldly riches. A gracious woman seeks to preserve her reputation, her modesty, her dignity and respect, but a strong, aggressive person of the world will use his strength to seek the wealth of this world.
This sense of honor would follow the same meaning as found in Pro 29:23.
Pro 29:23, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”
We would also see the same sense in the honor given to the virtuous woman.
Pro 31:28-30, “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”
John Gill notes an addition way to interpret Pro 11:16. He says that some would read the verse, “A gracious woman retains honor as strong men retain riches.” [86] In other words, a gracious woman holds on to honor with the same tenacity as a strong man does to his riches. As a strong man has the power to keep his riches, so does a gracious woman have the power to retain her honor without losing it.
[86] John Gill, Proverbs, in John Gill’s Expositor, in e-Sword, v. 7.7.7 [CD-ROM] (Franklin, Tennessee: e-Sword, 2000-2005), comments on Proverbs 11:16.
Illustration – Pro 11:16 can be illustrated in the story of Nabal and his wife Abigail. When David sought assistance from Nabal, he refused out of a heart of pride. Nevertheless, his wife Abigail humbled herself before David and spared the life of her husband (1Sa 25:2-42).
We also see this graciousness in the life of Ruth. Her humble and gracious character gained her honor in a foreign land and she was rewarded with a godly husband.
Pro 11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Pro 11:17
Comments – It carries the sense that a merciful man “repays” himself by his gracious deeds.
Pro 11:17 Word Study on “troubleth” Strong says the Hebrew word “troubleth” ( ) (H5916) is a primitive root literally meaning, “to roil (water),” and figuratively, “to disturb, to afflict.” The Enhanced Strong says this Hebrew word is used 14 times in the Old Testament. being translated in the KJV as, “trouble 12, stirred 1, troubler 1.”
Comments – Note other uses of this same Hebrew word. Simeon and Levi troubled their father Israel because of their cruelty.
Gen 34:30, “And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.”
Achan troubled Israel during the Joshua’s conquest of Canaan.
Jos 6:18, “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.”
Jos 7:25, “And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.”
1Ch 2:7, “And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.”
King Saul had troubled the land of Israel.
1Sa 14:29, “Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.”
King Ahab had troubled the land of Israel.
1Ki 18:17-18, “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.”
Note other uses of this same Hebrew word in the book of Proverbs.
Pro 11:29, “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.”
Pro 15:6, “In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble .”
Pro 15:27, “He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.”
Pro 11:17 Comments – The heart and attitude of a man will affect his own physical health. This has even been shown to be the case from medical science. A happy heart brings healing to the physical body.
Pro 14:30, “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”
Pro 15:13, “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
Pro 17:22, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
Pro 18:14, “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?”
God will even reach down and heal the one who has shown mercy to others. God always considers the merciful.
Psa 41:1-4, “(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.”
Isa 58:7-8, “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.”
Mat 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
I have learned from being a manger for ten years that it does more harm to myself than to any other person when I get upset or angry at someone or at a situation. It is exhausting physically and mentally to be upset. It eventually brings ill health. Note these insightful words from Frances J. Roberts regarding sin and sickness:
“How can I give you healing for your body whilst there is anxiety in thy mind? So long as there is dis-ease in thy thoughts, there shall be disease in thy body. Ye have need of many things, but one thing in particular ye must develop for thine own preservation, and that is an absolute confidence in My loving care.
“‘Come unto Me’, it is written, ‘all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Mat 11:28) Only when your mind is at rest can your body build health. Worry is an actively destructive force. Anxiety produces tension, and tension is the road to pain. Anger throws poison into the system that no anti-biotic ever can counter.
“‘Be sure your sin will find you out’, the Bible states. One of the most common ways that hidden sin is revealed is through the maladies of the body. More arthritis is brought about by resentments and r than is caused by wrong diet. Moe asthma is caused by repressed fury than by pollen or cat fur.
“There was no illness in the body of Jesus because there was no sin in His soul. There was weariness as a natural result of labor and sacrificial service, but there was no undue fatigue and exhaustion brought on by anxiety.” [87]
[87] Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved (Ojai, California: King’s Farspan, Inc., 1973), 92-3.
The cruel person is someone who cannot control his temper. He is always angry and thus behaves himself cruelly towards others. This constant expression of cruelty will eventually cause him relationships and bring him into trouble. Note:
Jas 2:13, “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”
Jas 5:1-5 tells us of the miseries of the rich for treating the poor cruel by holding back their wages.
Pro 11:17 also tells us that the remedy for a cruel person is to begin to show mercy towards others.
The contrast in Pro 11:17 is seen in the fact that a merciful man does good to others, while a cruel man does evil to others. Each one has their reward. Cornelius is an example of a man who was repaid with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ because of his almsgiving (Acts 10). Judas Iscariot is an example of a man whose cruelty and greed cost him his own soul (Act 1:15-20). We also see this divine truth in the eternal rewards as seen in the Parable of the Judgment of the Nations in Mat 25:31-46. In this parable, we see that God will one day separate the sheep from the goats and give each one their eternal rewards.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
v. 16. A gracious woman retaineth honor,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 11:16. A gracious woman retaineth honour The LXX, Syriac, and Arabic versions have two hemistichs which are here omitted; namely, the second of this, and the first of the next verse. They read, A gracious woman raiseth honour to her husband; but a woman who hateth righteousness is a throne of disgrace. The slothful, though rich, shall come to poverty; but the laborious shall retain their riches. See Wall, and Kennicott’s Dissert. vol. 1: The words may be read, obtaineth and obtain. The greater number of the additions of the LXX, says Calmet, are only glosses, or frigid and useless repetitions.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
I wish that this last verse, and the great truth contained in it, was but better understood, and better put in practice by my poor heart. Jesus, I am sure, taught it in his whole life and glorious example. How hath he scattered grace, mercy, peace, and pardon, among the unworthiest of creatures. And how hath he increased in bringing forth to himself an everlasting revenue of praise and glory, from the millions, which he hath thereby snatched from hell. My Brother! how are we following the plan of Jesus, when we withhold, and in our scanty souls, so far from scattering, are living but to ourselves; and our own enjoyments. Reader! pray turn to that sweet portion of Jesus’s sermon, which may be construed in a general way, both for spirituals and temporals; as a gracious direction on this point. Mat 5:44-48 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 11:16 A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong [men] retain riches.
Ver. 16. A gracious woman retaineth honour. ] Such a one as is set forth in Lemuel’s lesson, Pro 31:10-31 such as was Sarah, Deborah, Abigail, Esther, Queen Elizabeth, of whom a great French princess gave this eulogium, that she was gloriosissima, et omnium quae unquam sceptrum gesserunt felicissima femina, the bravest and happiest woman that ever swayed sceptre. a Piety, sobriety, purity, charity, and chastity – maugre the venomous tongues of all hell born slanderers, such as Sanders, Rhiston, and other Romish railers, and dead dogs that barked against her b – were her inseparable companions; never suffering any lady to approach her sacred presence of whose stain she had but the least suspicion.
And strong men retain riches.
“ Protlnus ad censum: de moribus ultima fiat
Quaestio. ” – Juvenal.
“Good enough, if goods enough.”
a Thuan. Hist., lib. cxxiv.
b Sanderus Lupam Anglicanam appellat. Rhistonus Nostram Leoenam, &c. Speed, 1236.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
gracious woman. Compare the woman of Folly (Pro 9:13).
And strong men, &c. Septuagint and Syriac read, “but the diligent”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 11:16
Pro 11:16
“A gracious woman obtaineth honor; And violent men obtain riches.”
Cook has a rendition here which clears up what otherwise seems to be two unrelated clauses. “A gracious woman obtains honor, As violent men obtain riches. The meaning would then be that it is just as likely that a gracious woman will be honored as it is that violent men will get rich.
Pro 11:16. A triple contrast; gracious vs. violent; woman vs. men; and honor vs. riches. A gracious woman prefers honor to riches, but violent men sacrifice honor to gain riches.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
gracious: Pro 31:30, Pro 31:31, 1Sa 25:32, 1Sa 25:33, 2Sa 20:16-22, Est 9:25, Mat 26:13, Luk 8:3, Luk 10:42, Luk 21:2-4, Act 9:39, Act 16:14, Act 16:15, Rom 16:2-4, Rom 16:6, 2Jo 1:1
and: Luk 11:21, Luk 11:22
Reciprocal: Pro 4:23 – with all diligence
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 11:16. A gracious woman Hebrew, , a woman of grace; one endued with the saving grace of God, and who, by humility, meekness, modesty, prudence, and other virtues, renders herself acceptable and amiable to God and men; retaineth honour Holdeth fast her honour, or good reputation, with no less care and resolution than strong men do riches, as it follows.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4. Wise investments 11:16-31