Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 17:13
Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Verse 13. Whoso rewardeth evil for good] Here is a most awful warning. As many persons are guilty of the sin of ingratitude, and of paying kindness with unkindness, and good with evil, it is no wonder we find so much wretchedness among men; for God’s word cannot fail; evil shall not depart from the houses and families of such persons.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
From his person and family, because such a man is most hateful to God and to all mankind; God will punish him, and men will not pity nor relieve him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. (Compare Psa 7:4;Psa 35:12).
evilinjury to another(Pr 13:21).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Whoso rewardeth evil for good,…. As the enemies of David and Christ rewarded them, Ps 35:12; this is base ingratitude, contrary to the law and light of nature; worse than beastly, is really devilish;
evil shall not depart from his house; from him and his family; they shall be continually visited with one disease and calamity or another; so hateful and offensive is the sin of ingratitude to God, and therefore ought to be carefully avoided. This might be illustrated by the judgments of God on the nation of the Jews, for their ingratitude to Christ.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
13 He that returneth evil for good,
From his house evil shall not depart.
If ingratitude appertains to the sinful manifestations of ignoble selfishness, how much more sinful still is black ingratitude, which recompenses evil for good! ( , as 1Sa 25:21, syn. , to requite, Pro 3:30; Pro 31:12; , to reimburse, Pro 20:22). Instead of , the Ker reads ; but that this verb, with a middle vowel, may be ‘ ‘ as well as ‘ ‘ , Psa 55:2 shows.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
A malicious mischievous man is here represented, 1. As ungrateful to his friends. He oftentimes is so absurd and insensible of kindnesses done him that he renders evil for good. David met with those that were his adversaries for his love, Ps. cix. 4. To render evil for evil is brutish, but to render evil for good is devilish. He is an ill-natured man who, because he is resolved not to return a kindness, will revenge it. 2. As therein unkind to his family, for he entails a curse upon it. This is a crime so heinous that it shall be punished, not only in his person, but in his posterity, for whom he thus treasures up wrath. The sword shall not depart from David’s house because he rewarded Uriah with evil for his good services. The Jews stoned Christ for his good works; therefore is his blood upon them and upon their children.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
The Harvest of Evil
Verse 13 declares that repaying good with evil is a grievous offense with continuing consequences that extend beyond the offender to his posterity, 2 Samuel 12; 2 Samuel 9-12; 1Ki 21:17-22.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13. Rewardeth evil for good, etc. This probably implies that the example of ingratitude in the head of a family will be followed by his offspring, and thus be returned upon himself and his household continuously. Compare 1Sa 25:21; 2Sa 3:29; Rom 12:17; 1Th 5:15; 1Pe 3:9.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 13. Whoso rewardeth evil for good,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 17:13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Ver. 13. Whoso rewardeth evil for good, &c. ] Ingratitude is a monster in nature, and doth therefore carry so much more detestation, as it is more odious even to themselves that have blotted out the image of God. a Some vices are such as nature smiles upon, though frowned at by divine justice; not so this. Lycurgus would make no law against it, because he thought none could be so absurd as to fall into it. Among the Athenians there was an action, , of a master against a servant ungrateful for his manumission, not doing his duty to his late master: such were again to be made bond-slaves. b Who can choose but abhor that abominable act of Michael Balbus, who that night that his prince (Leo Armenius) had pardoned and released him, got out and slew him? c And that of Muleasses, king of Tunis, who cruelly tortured to death the manifet and mesner, by whose means especially he had aspired to the kingdom; grieving to see them live to whom he was so much beholden. d And that of Dr Watson, bishop of Lincoln in Queen Mary’s days, who, being with Bonnet at the examination of Mr Rough, martyr (a man that had been a means to save Watson’s life in the days of King Edward VI), to requite him that good turn, detected him there to be a pernicious heretic, who did more harm in the northern parts than a hundred more of his opinion. e Whereunto may be added that of William Parry, who having been for burglary condemned to die, was saved by Queen Elizabeth’s pardon; but he (ungrateful wretch) sought to requite her by vowing her death, anno dom. 1584. f To render good for evil is divine, good for good is human, evil for evil is brutish, evil for good is devilish.
Evil shall not depart from his house,
a Nihil est tam inhumanum, &c., quam committere, ut beneficio non dicam indignus sed victus esse videri. – Cic.
b Val. Max., lib. ii. cap. 1.
c Zonaras, in Annal.
d Turk. Hist., 642.
e Acts and Mon., fol. 1843.
f Speed., fol. 1178.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 17:13
Pro 17:13
“Whoso rewardeth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house.”
“If a man repays evil for good, evil will never quit his house. This warning frequently expressed in Proverbs simply means, “You reap what you sow, a principle strongly reiterated in the New Testament (Gal 6:7-8).
Pro 17:13. It is contrary to nature (an extreme wrong) to reward evil for good. It is bad enough not to receive thanks from those helped, but it is even worse for the blessed to repay evil to the giver of good. When this occurs, the promise is that evil will abide upon such a one and his house. Instances of repaying good with evil: 1Sa 25:21; Psa 109:4-5; Jer 18:20.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
1Sa 24:17, 1Sa 31:2, 1Sa 31:3, 2Sa 21:1-14, Psa 35:12, Psa 38:20, Psa 55:12-15, Psa 109:4-13, Jer 18:20, Jer 18:21, Mat 27:5, Mat 27:25, Rom 12:17, 1Th 5:15, 1Pe 3:9
Reciprocal: Gen 44:4 – Wherefore 1Sa 19:4 – because his works 1Sa 25:21 – he hath requited 1Ch 10:14 – he slew 2Ch 20:11 – how they reward us 2Ch 24:22 – but slew his son Psa 109:5 – they Pro 20:22 – I Jer 37:18 – General