Proverbs 24:23

These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

6.SECOND APPENDIX TO “THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON,” CONTAINING PROVERBS OF VARIOUS LENGTHS, RESEMBLING Proverbs 1:7—9:18, AND THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES (Proverbs 24:23-34).

(23) These things also belong to the wise—i.e., have the wise for their authors. (Comp. Proverbs 1:6; Proverbs 22:17.)

Benson Commentary

Proverbs 24:23-26. These things also, &c. — These words seem to be a new title to the proverbs which follow to the end of the chapter, and Calmet, Grotius, Grey, and some others, are of opinion the meaning is, that these proverbs were selected from the books of the wise men who lived after Solomon, to the time of Hezekiah. But it seems more probable that this short preface is only and simply intended to signify that the proverbs or counsels here following, no less than those before mentioned, are worthy of the consideration and fit for the use of those who are or would be wise; or, that they belong to the wise and virtuous conduct of life. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment — This is the first of these counsels; which expresses that it is a very evil thing for judges to determine controversies by partiality, according to the quality of the persons, and not according to the merits of the cause. He that saith unto the wicked — Namely, publicly and in judgment; Thou art righteous — That is, he that justifies wicked men in their unrighteous practices; nations shall abhor him — Partly for the grossness and odiousness of the crime; and partly for the great and general mischief which such proceedings bring on civil societies. But to them that rebuke him — That publicly and judicially rebuke and condemn the wicked; shall be delight — The peace of a good conscience; and a good blessing shall come upon them — Which the people shall wish, and by their prayers obtain from God for them. This is fitly opposed to the people’s curse in the last verse. Every man shall kiss his lips — Shall respect and love him, of which kissing the lips was a sign. That giveth a right answer — That speaks pertinently, and plainly, and truly, to the conviction and satisfaction of the hearers.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

24:17,18. The pleasure we are apt to take in the troubles of an enemy is forbidden. 19,20. Envy not the wicked their prosperity; be sure there is no true happiness in it. 21,22. The godly in the land, will be quiet in the land. There may be cause to change for the better, but have nothing to do with them that are given change. 23-26. The wisdom God giveth, renders a man fit for his station. Every one who finds the benefit of the right answer, will be attached to him that gave it. 27. We must prefer necessaries before conveniences, and not go in debt.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Belong to the wise - Either "are fitting for the wise, addressed to them," or (as in the superscriptions of many of the Psalms) "are written by the wise." Most recent commentators take it in the latter sense, and look on it as indicating the beginning of a fresh section, containing proverbs not ascribed to Solomon's authorship. Compare the introduction to Proverbs.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

23. These … wise—literally, "are of the wise," as authors (compare "Psalms of David," Hebrew). "These" refers to the verses following, Pr 24:24-34.

to have respect—literally, "to discern faces," show partiality,

Matthew Poole's Commentary

These things also, these proverbs or counsels here following to the end of the chapter, no less than those hitherto mentioned,

belong to the wise; are worthy of the consideration, and fit for the use, of them who are or would be wise; for only such are capable of understanding and improving these proverbs, as was noted, Proverbs 1:5-7, and elsewhere. To have respect of persons in judgment; for judges to determine controversies partially, according to the quality of the persons, and not according to the merits of the cause.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

These things also belong to the wise,.... Both what is said before concerning fearing God and the king; these belong to the wise and unwise, rich and poor, great and small; particularly judges and civil magistrates, and all subordinate governors, who have, or ought to have, a competency of wisdom; these ought to fear God and the king, as well as private subjects; and also what follows after, especially in this verse and Proverbs 24:24. Some render the words, "these things also are the sayings of wise men" (u); not of Solomon, but of other wise men in his time, or who lived after him, and before the men of Hezekiah copied out the proverbs in the following chapters; see Proverbs 25:1; but it seems more than probable that what follows to the end of the chapter are the words of Solomon, as Proverbs 24:33 most clearly are, compared with Proverbs 6:10;

it is not good to have respect of persons in judgment; in trying causes in a court of judicature, no regard should be had to the persons of men by the judge on the bench, as the rich more than to the poor; or to a relation, a friend, an intimate acquaintance, more than to a stranger; but the justice of the cause ought to be attended to, and sentence given according to it, let it fall as it will: God does not accept persons, nor regard the rich more than the poor; nor should they that stand in his stead, and who in some sense represent him, Leviticus 19:15, Deuteronomy 1:17; nor should Christians in their communities act such a partial part, James 2:1.

(u) "haec quoqne sapientum sunt", Tigurine version; "etiam haec sapientibus profecta sunt", Piscator; "etiam haecce sapientum", Cocceius, Schultens, so Grotius.

Geneva Study Bible

These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

IV. Third Collection of Proverbs. Chap. Proverbs 24:23-34A short Collection resembling in character the Second Collection, to which it forms a kind of Appendix.

23. These things also belong to] Rather, These also are sayings of, R.V. Comp. Proverbs 22:17. The Heb. preposition is the same as indicates authorship in the Titles of many of the Psalms.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 23-34. - Part V. A SECOND COLLECTION, forming a second supplement to the first Solomonic book, and containing further "words of the wise." Verses 23-25. - Partiality and impartiality a hexastich. Verse 23. - These things also belong to the wise; are the sayings of wise men. The following proverbs, as well as the preceding, are derived from wise men. Mistaking this superscription, the LXX. makes it a personal address: "This I say to you who are wise, so that ye may learn." The first line is not a proverb, but the introduction to the ensuing collection. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment (see Proverbs 18:5, and note there; and Proverbs 28:21, where the expression is the same as here). To regard one person before another is to be partial and unjust. To say this error is "not good" is a meiosis, the meaning being that it is very evil and sinful (comp. Proverbs 20:23). The statement is developed and confirmed in the next two verses, which show the results of partiality and its opposite. Proverbs 24:23

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The curse of partiality and the blessing of impartiality:

     Respect of persons in judgment is by no means good:

24 He that saith to the guilty, "Thou art in the right,"

     Him the people curse, nations detest.

25 But to them who rightly decide, it is well,

     And upon them cometh blessing with good.

Partiality is either called שׂאת פנים, Proverbs 18:5, respect to the person, for the partisan looks with pleasure on the פני, the countenance, appearance, personality of one, by way of preference; or הכּר־פּנים, as here and at Proverbs 28:21, for he places one person before another in his sight, or, as we say, has a regard to him; the latter expression is found in Deuteronomy 1:17; Deuteronomy 16:19. הכּיר (vid., Proverbs 20:11) means to regard sharply, whether from interest in the object, or because it is strange. בּל Heidenheim regards as weaker than לא; but the reverse is the case (vid., vol. i. p. 204), as is seen from the derivation of this negative ( equals balj, from בּלה, to melt, to decay); thus it does not occur anywhere else than here with the pred. adj. The two supplements delight in this בל, Deuteronomy 22:29; Deuteronomy 23:7, 35. The thesis 23b is now confirmed in Proverbs 24:24 and Proverbs 24:25, from the consequences of this partiality and its opposite: He that saith (אמר, with Mehuppach Legarmeh from the last syllable, as rightly by Athias, Nissel, and Michaelis, vid., Thorath Emeth, p. 32) to the guilty: thou art right, i.e., he who sets the guilty free (for רשׁע and צדּיק have here the forensic sense of the post-bibl. חיּב and זכּי), him they curse, etc.; cf. the shorter proverb, Proverbs 17:15, according to which a partial, unjust judge is an abomination to God. Regarding נקב (קבב) here and at Proverbs 11:26, Schultens, under Job 3:8, is right; the word signifies figere, and hence to distinguish and make prominent by distinguishing as well as by branding; cf. defigere, to curse, properly, to pierce through. Regarding זעם, vid., at Proverbs 22:14. עמּים and לאמּים (from עמם and לאם, which both mean to bind and combine) are plur. of categ.: not merely individuals, not merely families, curse such an unrighteous judge and abhor him, but the whole people in all conditions and ranks of society; for even though such an unjust judge bring himself and his favourites to external honour, yet among no people is conscience so blunted, that he who absolves the crime and ennobles the miscarriage of justice shall escape the vox populi. On the contrary, it goes well (ינעם, like Proverbs 2:10; Proverbs 9:17, but here with neut. indef. subj. as ייטב, Genesis 12:13, and frequently) with those who place the right, and particularly the wrong, fully to view; מוכיח is he who mediates the right, Job 9:33, and particularly who proves, censures, punishes the wrong, Proverbs 9:7, and in the character of a judge as here, Amos 5:10; Isaiah 29:21. The genitive connection ברכּת־טוב is not altogether of the same signification as יין הטּוב, wine of a good sort, Sol 7:10, and אושׁת רע, a woman of a bad kind, Proverbs 6:24, for every blessing is of a good kind; the gen. טוב thus, as at Psalm 21:4, denotes the contents of the blessing; cf. Ephesians 1:3, "with all spiritual blessings," in which the manifoldness of the blessing is presupposed.