Pro 24:23-34 | KingComments | STEP | Here a new section begins, but clearly in close connection with the preceding one (Proverbs 22:17-24:22). This is evident from the words “these also are sayings” ( ). The now following sayings or proverbs – in – are “of” or “for the wise”. They are meant for those who are already wise, but who want to become even wiser. Wisdom is demonstrated precisely by a person’s desire to grow in wisdom. This section begins by condemning partiality in judgment ( ). The point is that a judge must clearly distinguish between righteousness and evil ( ; ; ). He must not confuse the two and apply them to the wrong person out of partiality. For example, he must not say to a wicked person: “You are righteous” ( ). If he does, not only will God judge him, but he will also bring upon himself the curse of the peoples and the abhorrence of the nations. This is not just any opinion, nor is it just anyone saying this. Here is someone speaking who speaks justice in public and does so in the Name of God. This is a gross violation of justice and also a great dishonor to the Judge of the whole earth. A judge who is so partial as to pronounce such a verdict is cursed and abhorred by everyone everywhere on earth. When justice is done by condemning the wicked and acquitting the righteous, it is a delight to those “who rebuke” ( ). Over judges who uphold justice and over those who rejoice in it will come a good blessing. God finds in them the characteristics of Himself. There is always blessing associated with doing and standing up for justice. In order for justice to be upheld and for a judge to make the right judgment in a case, it is important for a witness to give “a right answer” ( ). It may also be about the judge making a proper decision in a case. A right answer is a valuable contribution to peace and rest in the land, which we may apply to the local church. He who does this does not receive curses ( ), but expressions of love. Kissing the lips is a recognition of the value of the right answers given. Such words do not bring separation, but connect in love. A kiss is also a sign of reconciliation ( ). One who gives a right answers works reconciliation.

‏ Proverbs 24:23-34

No Partiality in Judgment

Here a new section begins, but clearly in close connection with the preceding one (Proverbs 22:17-24:22). This is evident from the words “these also are sayings” (Pro 24:23a). The now following sayings or proverbs – in Pro 24:23-34 – are “of” or “for the wise”. They are meant for those who are already wise, but who want to become even wiser. Wisdom is demonstrated precisely by a person’s desire to grow in wisdom.

This section begins by condemning partiality in judgment (Pro 24:23b). The point is that a judge must clearly distinguish between righteousness and evil (Pro 18:5; Lev 19:15; Deu 16:19). He must not confuse the two and apply them to the wrong person out of partiality.

For example, he must not say to a wicked person: “You are righteous” (Pro 24:24). If he does, not only will God judge him, but he will also bring upon himself the curse of the peoples and the abhorrence of the nations. This is not just any opinion, nor is it just anyone saying this. Here is someone speaking who speaks justice in public and does so in the Name of God. This is a gross violation of justice and also a great dishonor to the Judge of the whole earth. A judge who is so partial as to pronounce such a verdict is cursed and abhorred by everyone everywhere on earth.

When justice is done by condemning the wicked and acquitting the righteous, it is a delight to those “who rebuke” (Pro 24:25). Over judges who uphold justice and over those who rejoice in it will come a good blessing. God finds in them the characteristics of Himself. There is always blessing associated with doing and standing up for justice.

In order for justice to be upheld and for a judge to make the right judgment in a case, it is important for a witness to give “a right answer” (Pro 24:26). It may also be about the judge making a proper decision in a case. A right answer is a valuable contribution to peace and rest in the land, which we may apply to the local church. He who does this does not receive curses (Pro 24:24), but expressions of love.

Kissing the lips is a recognition of the value of the right answers given. Such words do not bring separation, but connect in love. A kiss is also a sign of reconciliation (Psa 2:12). One who gives a right answers works reconciliation.

Financial Independency

This verse is about setting the right priorities in life. It tells us to do the things that need to be done first. First one thing, “afterwards” the other. We must keep the right order in our pursuits. If we do not, our life becomes chaos and ends in failure.

The application can be made to forming a family. Before a person can begin that, he must be able to support his family. Therefore, he must first have an income. He can get that by working for it. From what he earns by working, he can start building his house, that is, forming a family and also maintaining it.

A False Witness and Revenge

Pro 24:28 is a warning not to be tempted to testify against a neighbor without a clear reason. We may find ourselves in circumstances where colleagues or people close to us ask our opinion about the behavior of someone with whom we work or who lives in our neighborhood, with the intention of denouncing such a person. If we personally have not had a particular experience with the person in question, we should not let ourselves be misled and not be a witness in that matter. The message is that there must be very solid reasons before anyone should ever go against a neighbor as a witness.

Nor should feelings of revenge play any role in a lawsuit (Pro 24:29). Still less should anyone take the law into his own hands. If someone has wronged us, we might use either option, but they are both wrong. We must not repay someone for the evil he has done to us. We may not even say it, out loud or in our hearts.

To have this mind requires that we trust God. It does not escape Him that evil has been done to us. Nor does our reaction to it escape Him. He knows how we may react. If we want to repay someone, we take the place of God as Judge (Rom 12:19). Injustice done to us, we may, as the Lord Jesus did, surrender “to Him who judges righteously” (1Pet 2:23). This was also the attitude David took toward Saul. He did not want to be his own judge, but surrendered Saul to God and waited to see what He would do with Saul. In doing so, he did not come out of that ashamed.

Lesson of the Sluggard

In these verses, the wise Solomon tells of a walk he took and what he noticed. To this he connects a lesson for himself and for his son. It happened that he “passed by the field of the sluggard” (Pro 24:30). He did not seek out that field, but simply passed by it. Yes, that field had been a vineyard, at least he got that impression, but there was nothing left of it.

That was because its management lay in the hands “of the man lacking sense”. Only such a man, without the slightest sense of responsibility, could let his vineyard run wild like this. This is not someone without a spine, but someone without a brain, without a mind, literally without a heart. He lacked not the strength, but the will.

“And behold” (Pro 24:31), as he walked by there, he observed some things. The wise man was not daydreaming or sleepwalking, but taking in the situation around him. In the field there were not just a few weeds here and there, no, “it was completely overgrown with thistles”. There was no longer a patch of soil to be seen, for “its surface was covered with nettles”. Where grapes should have grown, there was an abundance of thistles and nettles. These do not appear overnight. No work had been done here for a long time.

Thus a similar situation can arise in the life of a believer who is unfaithful to the Lord and forgets Him more and more. The good fruits of faith that gladden the heart (the vineyard speaks of joy) disappear and in their place come nettles and thistles that hurt and injure. The consequences of sin in creation have made their way into the believer’s sphere of life.

The wise man also saw that “his stone wall had broken down”. All protection was gone. The property could be entered by anyone. If the house of the sluggard were also located there, any burglar could reach it with the greatest ease.

We are talking about a field that was previously a vineyard. Israel is compared to a vineyard (Isa 5:1-7). The vineyard is to yield wine. Wine is a picture of joy (Jdg 9:13; Psa 104:15). God wanted to rejoice in His people, but His people did not bring Him that joy. The vineyard had become a field through laziness, on which the symbols of sin (Gen 3:18), the works of the flesh, were rampant.

We can make an application here. If we are spiritually lazy, “nettles” and “thistles”, that is, sinful things, will overgrow the vineyard of our life. God cannot then rejoice over our life, for nothing in it reminds Him of the life of the Lord Jesus. And if we allow the wall of separation from the world to crumble, the world and worldly thinking gain entrance into our lives and we will become victims of destruction.

After the observation in Pro 24:30-31, the wise man draws a lesson for himself and shares it with us (Pro 24:32-34). What he saw, he reflected upon in his heart. It held an instruction, an instruction without words. One of the best learning methods is to behold something, that is, to look at something with intense attention, and take it to heart. Then we really learn from it. If we see the evil consequences of an act or attitude, it will warn us not to do such acts nor adopt such an attitude.

What Solomon saw, which was an instruction to him, will keep him from laziness. It starts with a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. It is all just “a little”, but all those little bits are like the robber who also does not run fast, but steadily continues his way. And all those little bits together are like an armed man. All the bits sleeping and slumbering and lying with folded hands result in poverty and lack (Pro 6:10-11).