17:1 Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
It is better to eat lightly in quietness than to feast in strife.
17:2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over an heir who behaves shamefully, and will share the inheritance along with the relatives.
A servant with strong Bible doctrine will rule wisely over an heir with weak or no Bible doctrine.
17:3 The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the Lord tests hearts.
Gold and silver are purified under intense heat. The heart is purified by the fiery trials of God.
17:4 One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel; a liar listens to a malicious tongue.
Evil people can easily be influenced by liars and gossipers.
17:5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.
The poor are made in God’s image. He decided their social class before the foundations of the world were even created. When one mocks the poor, he is mocking the one who was made in God’s image.
A person who gloats over the destruction of another person will, himself, receive misfortune.
17:6 Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.
Godly children are a crown to their parents and grandparents.
17:7 Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!
The Hebrew word for “fool” is נָבָל (nabal), meaning one who lacks spiritual perception. One who says too much is a fool. He does not have enough Bible doctrine to know what he is saying. He needs to be quiet, because he seldom knows what he is talking about. A political leader who tells lies is a fool. Most politicians today are fools without Bible doctrine who are elected by other fools without Bible doctrine. God gives nations the kinds of leaders which they deserve.
17:8 A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds.
Bribes are effective in the satanic world system, because they appeal to man’s sin nature. Man is so totally depraved and evil, that he values money over knowing the mind of Christ. Bribery was a violation of the Mosaic Law. Solomon is not approving of bribes; he is just stating that they are effective, because of man’s sin nature.
17:9 The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.
Those who possess strong Bible doctrine also possess divine love. They are willing to forgive, because of the divine love which is inside of them. Those without strong Bible doctrine will spread gossip which will injure their friends.
17:10 A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool.
A person who possesses strong Bible doctrine will learn more from one mere rebuke than the fool who receives 100 lashes. Since only 40 lashes were allowed by the Mosaic Law, then this teaching was a hyperbole.
17:11 An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
An evil person insists upon rebellion. He will not learn from correction. Eventually, he will be caught and punished by a merciless official.
17:12 It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs, than to encounter a fool in his folly.
A mother bear who is robbed of her cubs is one of the most dangerous animals on the planet. However, the fool without Bible doctrine is even more dangerous than the mother bear. The fool without bible doctrine has nothing valuable to say. His words are seductive and dangerous.
17:13 As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house.
If a person receives good and pays back evil, then God will make sure that calamity stays in his house.
17:14 Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out!
Starting a quarrel is like a small crack in a dam. It starts out small, but then its size begins to get out of control. The dam breaks and many are killed.
17:15 The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent— both of them are an abomination to the Lord.
God hates corrupt judges who acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent.
17:16 Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?
A fool thinks that he can buy wisdom with money. The best universities in the world all teach secular humanism, which is nothing but satanism. True wisdom comes from the deep study of the entire counsel of the Word of God.
17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity.
Friends and relatives should always be available to help each other in need. This verse is not talking about social welfare. Believers are commanded to help out other believers. They are not to feed other people of the satanic world system.
17:18 The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge, and puts up financial security for his neighbor.
The one who lacks Bible doctrine will sign a security note with high interest for his neighbor. According to the Mosaic Law, the one in debt was to either go into slavery to the debtor for seven years, or he was to be bought out of slavery by a near kinsman redeemer. The kinsman redeemer had to be a close relative, able to pay the debt, and willing to pay the debt.
The Lord Jesus Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer. We owed a debt that we cannot pay. We are enslaved to sin. The Lord Jesus Christ had the means to pay the debt. He was willing to pay the debt. The price was His own blood.
17:19 The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression; whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction.
Those who lack Bible doctrine love to quarrel with others. They love to sin. They love to build a high gate in order to show off their wealth.
17:20 The one who has a perverse heart does not find good, and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble.
A perverse person is one who is twisted and distorted. He is not normal. Bible doctrine can fix this problem, but the perverse person is not interested in learning Bible doctrine. He is satisfied with his sin. He enjoys his sin. He cannot perform any divine good works which benefit the Kingdom of God. He is deceitful in his speech. This type of speech will cause him troubles in life.
17:21 Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy.
A fool is one who lacks Bible doctrine. If a parent does not teach his child Bible doctrine, then that child will bring him no joy.
17:22 A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
A person who studies and applies strong Bible doctrine will be healthier than those who do not. They will have less worry and strife in their life. Depression sets in upon those who lack strong Bible doctrine. They are out of the will of God. This lack of Bible doctrine causes mental stress which affects their physical body.
17:23 A wicked person receives a bribe secretly to pervert the ways of justice.
Solomon earlier mentioned that bribes are effective. He added that bribes are evil. Their purpose is to pervert justice. Judges are supposed to be standing and judging in the place of God. They are to judge a person on earth just as they think that God would judge that same person on earth. God would never accept a bribe. God will judge these wicked judges who condemn the innocent for money.
17:24 Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.
A person with strong Bible doctrine can quickly make divine-viewpoint decisions. The answer is right in front of their eyes. Those who lack Bible doctrine will look with their eyes all over the world, but they will never make a divine-viewpoint decision.
17:25 A foolish child is a grief to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
If parents do not teach their children strong Bible doctrine, then the child will cause them grief and bitterness.
17:26 It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong.
Only kings and judges could order a flogging. It is a terrible sin for kings and judges to punish innocent men for a bribe.
17:27 The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning.
The person who possesses strong Bible doctrine is cautious in what he says. He thinks before he talks. When pressured, he stays calm and discerning.
17:28 Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.
A fool is one who lacks Bible doctrine. He is not a very wise person, but he seems very wise when he is silent. The best thing that a fool can do is to keep his mouth shut. Then, people may at least think that he is wise.