Pro 17:19 | KingComments | STEP | We can “get caught in a transgression” ( ) without loving that transgression. Someone else can then restore us. But “he who loves transgression” ( ) possesses a depraved mind. His actions show that he loves strife. A transgression affects mutual relationships. He who loves to transgress prefers to quarrel. By his pernicious talk, he constantly puts pressure on good relationships. The meaning of “he who raises his door” is not entirely clear. In the context in which this expression is used, the door here seems to represent “the mouth”. The meaning then may be ‘having a big mouth’ (cf. ; ; ). He who loves argument has a big mouth to heaven, to God, and also to his fellow man ( ). He does not seek someone’s prosperity, but someone’s “destruction”. shows the origin of . He who loves transgression shows that he “has a crooked mind”. He who has a crooked mind not only seeks the destruction of others, but will himself “find no good”. By “good” are meant the blessings of God that He gives to all who serve Him. He who has a crooked mind seeks what is good in his own eyes. He strives for possession at the expense of others. He is “perverted in his language”, the words he speaks are false. He speaks falsity, which shows that he is averse to the truth. He pursues the downfall of others, but will himself fall into evil and work his own downfall. Instead of finding true good, he faces a life of calamity. The prosperity he seeks for himself ends in his fall into evil.

‏ Proverbs 17:19

To Love Strife Comes From a Crooked Mind

We can “get caught in a transgression” (Gal 6:1) without loving that transgression. Someone else can then restore us. But “he who loves transgression” (Pro 17:19) possesses a depraved mind. His actions show that he loves strife. A transgression affects mutual relationships. He who loves to transgress prefers to quarrel. By his pernicious talk, he constantly puts pressure on good relationships.

The meaning of “he who raises his door” is not entirely clear. In the context in which this expression is used, the door here seems to represent “the mouth”. The meaning then may be ‘having a big mouth’ (cf. 1Sam 2:3; Psa 141:3; Mic 7:5). He who loves argument has a big mouth to heaven, to God, and also to his fellow man (Psa 73:8-9). He does not seek someone’s prosperity, but someone’s “destruction”.

Pro 17:20 shows the origin of Pro 17:19. He who loves transgression shows that he “has a crooked mind”. He who has a crooked mind not only seeks the destruction of others, but will himself “find no good”. By “good” are meant the blessings of God that He gives to all who serve Him. He who has a crooked mind seeks what is good in his own eyes. He strives for possession at the expense of others.

He is “perverted in his language”, the words he speaks are false. He speaks falsity, which shows that he is averse to the truth. He pursues the downfall of others, but will himself fall into evil and work his own downfall. Instead of finding true good, he faces a life of calamity. The prosperity he seeks for himself ends in his fall into evil.