Deceit [is] in the heart of them that imagine evil,.... That secretly devise mischief in their hearts against their neighbours; that plough evil, as the word signifies, and sow discord among men; and by many artful and deceitful methods promote contention and division, in order to answer some base designs of theirs; but sooner or later they are deceived themselves, are disappointed of their views, the consequence of which is vexation and sorrow;but to the counsellors of peace [is] joy: such who consult the good of others, who advise to peace, concord, and unity; who seek to cultivate it in their families and neighbourhoods, and in the church of God, in which, if they succeed, they have joy and pleasure; if not, they have a satisfaction, in their own minds and consciences that they have done what is right and good; such have a conscience peace now, and an eternal one hereafter; or, as Aben Ezra calls it, the joy of salvation; see Mt 5:9.
Bible Commentary
Proverbs 12:20
Proverbs 12:20
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Proverbs 12 — OverviewProverbs 12 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleAdvantages of the Righteous.Proverbs 12 — OverviewProverbs 12 · Little Bible — for children and parentsProverbs 12 continues Solomon's great gallery of contrasts, holding the righteous and the wicked side by side in every verse. The chapter sweeps across a wide range of life: how we learn, how we speak, how we work, how…Proverbs 12:1-28Proverbs 12:1-28 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITIONProverbs 12:12-22Proverbs 12:12-22 · The Pulpit CommentaryVirtues and vices in civil life
I. SOME VICES OF SOCIETY.
1. Envious greed. (Proverbs 12:12.) The wicked desires the "takings" of the evil. It is a general description of greedy strife and competition, one man trying…Proverbs 12:20Proverbs 12:20 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleNote, 1. Those that devise mischief contrive, for the accomplishing of
it, how to impose upon others; but it will prove, in the end, that they
deceive themselves. Those that imagine evil, under colour of…Proverbs 12:20Proverbs 12:20 · The Pulpit CommentaryDeceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil; i.e. that give evil advice; such are treacherous counsellors, and their advice can only work mischief, not joy and comfort (see on Proverbs 3:29). But to the counsellors…