Original Meaning
CHAPTER 16 MARKS a shift from a collection of contrasting proverbs (10:1–15:33) to one comprised mostly of synonymous sayings (16:1–22:16). There is no subheading to distinguish a separate section, but the Masoretic scribes of the eleventh century did place a note marking 16:7 as the center of the book. Of the 375 sayings in Proverbs 10:1–22:16, there are fifty-five (just under 15 percent) that name “the LORD” (yhwh). The greatest concentration of these Yahweh proverbs falls in this transition from one collection to the next—nine such proverbs in chapter 15 and eleven in chapter 16. Moreover, nine of ten verses in 15:33–16:9 are Yahweh proverbs, a subunit that Whybray calls a “theological kernel.” The statements about the king that follow are interpreted through this focus on Yahweh’s righteous character and rule.1
Yahweh sayings (16:1–9)
King sayings (16:10–15)
Wisdom better than gold (16:16–19)
Wisdom sweet on the lips (16:20–24)
Evil fire on the lips (16:25–30)
Patience, reverence, and endurance (16:31–33)
This outline points up an example of dove-tailing: Verses 1–9 include one non-Yahweh proverb about riches and “injustice” (loʾ mišpaṭ, v. 8), while verses 10–15 have one nonroyal proverb about Yahweh’s justice (mišpaṭ, v. 11 [NIV “honest”]).2 The key image of the “way” appears in all but one of the clusters (derek, vv. 9, 17, 25, 31).
Yahweh Sayings (16:1–9)
EACH OF THE Yahweh sayings in this cluster probes a little more deeply into his sovereign involvement in human affairs; that which was only suggested in the previous chapters is here brought into better view. Therefore, careful readers will look for new insights into the mystery of God’s ways as they come to terms with each new saying.
16:1. The chapter begins in the same way as the one before, with a saying about an “answer” (maʿ eneh, 15:1). Whereas the earlier proverb stressed the responsibility of speakers for their answers, this proverb takes a wider view. Human hearts (the seat of intentions) plan, but the words that come forth are somehow from Yahweh.3 If his wide-ranging sight and knowledge are repeated and emphasized in chapter 15, here a greater truth is presented, and it is confounding: Humans act according to their intentions, but God is somehow at work in those acts of word and deed.4 The saying tantalizes, leaving the reader looking for more proverbs on the theme.
16:2. The second Yahweh saying again contrasts human and divine perspectives. Human assessments are limited and often distorted. The capacity for self-deception comes through in the image of one’s ways being “innocent” (zak, “pure”; cf. 21:8; 20:11)5 in one’s own eyes. “Motives” (ruḥot, “spirits”) are “weighed,” presumably by Yahweh (21:2; 24:12; cf. 1 Sam. 2:3). The shift in metaphor reminds the reader of the famous phrase “weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Dan. 5:27). Egyptian tombs often sketched a life history in pictures, culminating in the weighing of the heart. If the heart was lighter than a feather, the individual was allowed into the next life. The interaction of the two lines in this proverb suggests that Yahweh is better able to discern our motivations than we are, hence the need for wisdom and instruction in standards outside of ourselves.
16:3. Again intention and deed are juxtaposed (as in v. 1). Here deeds are (lit.) “rolled over” toward Yahweh in trust (cf. Ps. 22:8; 37:5). As a result, plans and intentions are “made solid” (Prov. 4:26; 12:3); so also Yahweh makes steps “firm” (16:9). Recognizing his presence in everyday affairs, we might paraphrase: “Plan, pray, then act.”
16:4. Like verse 2, the Hebrew begins with “all” (kol). Just as Yahweh weighs motives and plans, his purposes are established while those of the wicked fail in disaster. A counterpoint to the previous verse, this proverb reminds us that trust in God’s plan is no guarantee for our desires but rather a reciprocal relationship between God’s intentions and our own. Ultimately, Yahweh does what he purposes (or “answers”),6 even while there are those who seek to work out their purposes, purposes that are contrary to Yahweh’s.
16:5. Repeating and extending the thought of verse 4, the wicked meet disaster because they are proud of heart (cf. 15:25) and detestable (11:20–21). Once again, what has been hinted at earlier now comes to full light. The wicked do not undo God’s intentions for the world by opposing his intentions; rather, God opposes them because they are an abomination to him. Kidner reminds us that the sage lets the proud lead the seven abominations of 6:17, “in the very worst company . . . whom he doubtless thanks God he does not resemble.”7
16:6. “Love and faithfulness” are the classic pair that describe Yahweh’s relation to us. Both terms refer to steadfast love that does not forget to do kindness. It weathers hard times. It is a quality of human character in 3:3 and a reward in 14:22. Yet this quality always shows itself in action, in doing love and faithfulness to another (cf. Gen. 47:29; Josh. 2:14).8
The contrast of punished pride is sin atoned (lit., “removed by exchange”). The word is not used in its typical ritual sense here (cf. Gen. 32:20; Isa. 28:18), although the ancients probably heard some reference to the sacrificial system (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22), following on the ideas of abomination and acquittal in Proverbs 16:5. “Fear of the LORD,” the key theme of the book, takes on new significance here as both motivation and means for avoiding moral evil (cf. 16:17).
16:7. Friendship with Yahweh spills over into friendship with others. It is not stated whether this is an instance of cause and effect, as though peace with enemies is a reward, or whether the goodness of one’s ways works like the words of the wise, which create calm instead of turmoil. “Peace with God, peace with others” might be a paraphrase of the proverb that stands in the very center of the book (cf. 16:2).
16:8. Tucked within the series of Yahweh proverbs is this “better than” saying similar to those found in the middle of the previous chapter (15:16–17; cf. 17:1). As part of a pair with verse 7, this saying makes clear that ways that please Yahweh may or may not bring great gain with them, but they will be accompanied by righteousness and justice (two of the cardinal virtues of 1:3). The point is not to glorify poverty but to deal with life’s complexities. Because interests sometimes conflict, one should learn to choose righteousness and justice over profit—certainly because it is better but ultimately because it pleases Yahweh. Dare we go on to say that this implies that we care about justice, even for those who are not in our immediate circle?
16:9. A variation on the theme of 16:1–3 and using similar vocabulary, this saying compares the “heart” that plans a person’s way to the work of Yahweh, who confirms or establishes the steps (the same Heb. words are used for “succeed” in 16:3 and “way” in 16:2). A person makes plans, and if the wisdom of the previous sayings has been heard, then there is a wonderful balance between human plans and God’s oversight of the outcome. With a wisdom perspective, the two are in cooperation, not conflict.9
King Sayings (16:10–15)
A SERIES OF PROVERBS about the king upholds the virtues of honest speaking and just dealing. Four of these sayings alternate between the king’s displeasure (16:12, 14) and pleasure (16:13, 15).
16:10. The first of the royal proverbs is followed by a Yahweh saying. Just as one overlaps pieces of cloth before sewing a seam, so this section inserts one of the royal proverbs before concluding the series of Yahweh sayings in verses 1–11. Likewise, a Yahweh saying stands in this section of royal sayings. The overlap reflects the biblical view that kings discharged their duties as appointed representatives of God’s rule on earth. Lips and mouth are frequently paired; here they point to the king’s responsibility to speak judgments that enact “justice” (a play on two meanings of mišpaṭ; cf. 16:8).10 In this context, the witness to God’s rule may be taken as an ideal picture of divine guidance (cf. 2 Sam. 14:17, 20; 1 Kings 3:9), and so the king’s decisions can rightly be called “inspired” (lit., an “oracle”).
16:11. As the king’s just decisions are inspired, so also “honest” (or “just,” mišpaṭ; cf. 16:8, 10) balances and scales are of Yahweh (11:1; 20:10, 23; cf. Deut. 25:13; Mic. 6:11). The figurative language of the second line relies on the common understanding that some merchants used two sets of weight stones, one for buying and one for selling. By stating that all honest weights are Yahweh’s work, the proverb suggests that even when there is human intent to deceive, God’s justice will eventually win out (cf. Prov. 16:1–2).
16:12. Connecting verses 11 and 12 are the similarities between the Hebrew spellings of “bag” (kis) and “throne” (kisseʾ ). This righteous/wicked saying also juxtaposes the “detestable” with that which establishes or makes sure. Through a subtle use of vocabulary, the work of the king and Yahweh are intertwined. As the king shares Yahweh’s abhorrence to the deeds of the wicked, the throne is established (25:5; see also 14:34; cf. Ps. 89:14; 97:2). Righteousness and justice are the only foundations for a stable government; a corrupt one will eventually fall.
16:13. This saying is connected to the previous one by the word “righteous” (ṣedeq, trans. “honest”). If the throne is established through righteousness, then kings will want to surround themselves with persons who speak that way. Just as kings detest the wrong, they love those who do right (12:2). Taken together, verses 12 and 13 hold up the virtues of speaking honestly.
16:14. Verses 14 and 15 work together to give poetic expression to the king’s power over life and death. The wise take this knowledge to heart and extend the analogy to their relationship with the heavenly king. Just as kings find pleasure in honesty, they also hate its opposite. The stimulus of the king’s anger is not mentioned, only its result—death. Wise persons know how to assuage anger (cf. 15:1, 18), and they know how to speak the truth so that it need not be aroused. Wise people like Joseph (Gen. 41), Daniel (Dan. 2), and Abigail (1 Sam. 25) knew how to speak in the presence of a king. The word for “appease” (kpr) appears in Proverbs 16:6 as “atone.” Again, while the context is not that of the religious cult, readers would likely hear the overtones.
16:15. In contrast with wrath that brings death (16:14), here two weather metaphors describe the life-giving powers of the king. The juxtaposition of opposites—the sun that shines brightly and a dark rain cloud—surprise the reader with their similarity; both are welcome and necessary for a good crop.11 “Favor” (cf. 17:7; also 8:35; 10:32; 11:27; 12:2; 14:9, 35; 18:2) and the image of a bright face (Ps. 4:6; 44:3; 89:15; cf. Num. 6:25) often are used of Yahweh.
Wisdom Better Than Gold (16:16–19)
TWO “BETTER THAN” sayings (16:16 and 19) hold up wisdom and humility as more valuable than riches. While some see common emphases on gaining and teaching wisdom throughout 16:16–23,12 there does seem to be some distinction as the section moves from the motivations for acquiring wisdom (16:16–19) to the process of transmitting it (16:20–24).
16:16. Not much has been said in this chapter about wisdom apart from the calming influence of a wise one (16:14). Yet everything that has been said about Yahweh and the king is now taken as evidence for the supreme value of wisdom. Because it is a currency of life and death (16:4–5, 14–15), wisdom is to be desired above wealth. The form is not quite that of a “better than” saying (cf. 16:8, 19), but it does share its theme that gain without the integrity of wisdom loses its value, a theme also heard in the instructions (3:14; 8:10–11).
16:17. Another motif from the instructions is the highway by which one walks “straight” (yašar, “upright”), but this straight way also turns away from evil (cf. 16:6). A person guards the way and in so doing watches over life as well (“way,” derek; cf. 16:9, 25, 31). While some interpreters take the “evil” to refer to evil deeds and others misfortune, in either case the promise of “life” brings the point home. Echoes of wisdom’s promises to protect the traveler come to mind here (2:11–12; 3:21–24; 4:10–13).
16:18. Continuing the theme of road travel, this saying depicts one who does not watch the way out of arrogance (cf. 16:5, where “lifted” or “exalted” is used). “Spirits” or “motivations” (ruaḥ for both) are weighed by Yahweh. The terse Hebrew of this saying could read, “Before destruction, pride, and before stumbling, a haughty spirit.” The synonymous lines repeat the picture of arrogant people raising themselves up, only to trip and fall low.
16:19. This “better than” saying continues the theme of treasures worth more than gold (cf. 16:16). A companion to verse 18, the saying is linked by the repetition of the words “pride” and “spirit” and the contrast between the high and lowly. How can we imagine it is better to be humble and poor than proud and rich? The answer is in the quality of the communities that are contrasted here. We can imagine the two gatherings: one in which goods are divided, but with gloating and perhaps even a hint of resentment at having to share; the other where there is no wealth to divide, only joyful sharing of the meager provisions and company. Certainly one community is false while the other is real.
Wisdom Sweet on the Lips (16:20–24)
RELATED TO 16:16–19 on virtues that accompany wisdom, this cluster stresses matters of giving and accepting wisdom teaching. Two of the proverbs recommend “pleasant words” (16:21, 24).
16:20. One solitary Yahweh saying stands among these wisdom proverbs of speaking and listening. The happiness of trusting in Yahweh stands in clear contrast with pride and plundering (16:19; cf. Prov. 1; also Ps. 1).13 The word translated “gives heed” (root śkl) appears also in Proverbs 16:22 (“understanding”) and 23 (“guides”). “Trust” (cf. 3:5) is an active confidence; more than believing in God’s protection and provision, trust believes that God’s way is the best way and so gladly follows it. Murphy translates the conjunction as “but” and makes this a “how much more” saying: “Whoever ponders a word will find good, but whoever trusts in Yahweh, happiness!”14
16:21. This proverb begins a series on wisdom and speaking. The connection between heart and lips is made once again, here to demonstrate how reputation can also enhance teaching. If the first line stresses the fruits for the wise one, the second stresses the effect on others. Once again, the charge to gain wisdom carries with it a second charge to pass it on to others by means of persuasive teaching (lit., “sweetness of lips”; NIV “pleasant words”).
Coming on the heels of Yahweh and king sayings, is this verse a suggestion that the king should also be a teacher? Perhaps the figure of Solomon is in view here, a model for all wise persons—if he had just stayed on course! The proverbs on teaching then speak both to rulers and those who serve them. The NIV text note shows that the Hebrew can be translated two ways (cf. 16:23; also 1:5; 4:21; 7:21; 9:9; Deut. 32:2; Isa. 29:24).
16:22. In the last of the “fountain of life” sayings (10:11; 13:14; 14:27; 16:22), the contrast is between “understanding” and “folly” along with each one’s results, “life” and “punishment.” The word for “punishment” (musar) is typically used for instruction or discipline; punishment is a rare meaning of this word (13:24; 22:15). Is the sense of the proverb that the fool is chastised, or that folly is the only instruction they know, so don’t bother to teach them (cf. 26:4–5)? Both are possible, but the contrast with the fountain of life lends weight to the first interpretation.15
16:23. Repetition of the words from verse 21 (“wise,” “heart,” and “pleasant words promote instruction”) signals the connection with this saying about wise hearts and pleasant words, good for body and soul (cf. 16:24). The “understanding” (śkl) of verse 22 is here used by the heart that imparts understanding or “guides” (śkl) the mouth. The first line presents the conclusion, the second line the evidence. The second line could be translated “adds learning to the lips,”16 perhaps a reference to the ongoing learning of the wise (cf. 1:5).
16:24. Honey is the subject of a number of sayings (24:13; 27:7). Expanding the idea of “sweet words” from verse 21, these pleasant words are also sweet to the soul or “palate” (so NJB; nepeš can mean throat, desire, or taste) and healing to the bones. “Appetite” in 16:26 (also nepeš) connects the goodness of honey with satisfaction of hunger, while honey itself is the symbol for the teaching that brings life (cf. 16:17), a sign that all is well.
Evil Fire on the Lips (16:25–30)
NEGATIVE IMAGES DOMINATE this cluster, particularly the villainous person. Note that many key words from 16:20–24 recur but as a mirror image of evil (“way,” “mouth,” “lips”), especially the reversal of “finds good” (ṭob, “prospers”) in 16:20 to “not good” (loʾ ṭob) in 16:29.
16:25. A verbatim repetition of 14:12, this verse also echoes the theme stated in 16:1–9. One can choose the way that seems right or straight to the eye, but such vision is often impaired (16:2). Only by choosing Yahweh’s ways (16:7) can we be sure we are on the right path (cf. derek, “way,” in 16:9, 17; “life” in 16:31). Following the proverbs on teaching, this saying also states our need for an external reference point by which we set our course.
16:26. Because this proverb makes an observation without judgment, it is difficult to understand. However, the repetition of the word nepeš (“appetite”) from 16:24 (where it is translated “soul”) suggests that we compare the overflowing sweetness of the honeycomb with the intense hunger that motivates a worker. A similar intensity of motivation should drive the quest for wisdom. If there is a way that leads to death (16:25), there is a course of action that leads to life. While some scholars look for help in the toil passages of Ecclesiastes 3:9; 4:7–8; 6:7, the reverse picture of the sluggard of Proverbs 6:6–11 may be in view, for it too is followed by the portrait of the scoundrel (6:12–19).
16:27. Verses 27–29 each begin with the Hebrew word for man (ʾiš) and add a new description; the “scoundrel,” “perverse,” and “violent” man are all the same person. Like the portrait of the scoundrel in 6:12–19, this evil person’s thoughts, words, and actions are intent on hurting others. If a laborer toils to feed self and family (16:26), a scoundrel “plots” (lit., “digs a pit”) to entrap the unsuspecting, working not to provide for himself but to take what others have. The second line likens evil speech to this action, adding that it also burns like fire. A “scorching fire” quickly spreads, destroying everything in its path as it burns out of control. On a trip taken ten years after the great fire in Yellowstone National Park, I was surprised that one could still see the sprawling graveyards of fallen trees.
16:28. The second description of the evil man names him as “perverse,” turning to his speech that stirs up strife and alienates friends. The similarity between the two lines is the absence of goodwill and unity. The difference is that one can do it loudly as one stirs up dissension or quietly and secretly through gossip and tale-bearing. Both are equally devastating to community (cf. 26:20 and 22; also 18:8).
16:29. This saying and its images of seduction, enticing (with overtones of “making simple”), and leading victims down a bad path remind the reader of 1:10–19. Yet the seduction is that of violence! Perhaps this description of the scoundrel has saved the memory of the violent gang for last, pulling the trump card of this archenemy of community. A strong contrast stands here between the teacher who spreads health and peace and the “teacher” who spreads division and finally violence by word and example (cf. 4:14–17). The phrase “not good” may point to the antithesis of choosing wisdom; every other occurrence of the word “good” (ṭob) associates it with wisdom’s way (16:8, 16, 19, 20, 32). Enticement is ultimately deception that pretends to be speaking good when in fact it is “not good.”
16:30. The last description of the wicked man gets to the heart of the chapter’s theme, summing up the intentions that motivate all these behaviors. It is not clear whether the nonverbal signals are meant for evil colleagues or as friendly but deceptive signs; perhaps they are a form of the enticement mentioned in verse 29. The image of pressing both the eyes and lips seems to be a common act of “perversity,” linking this verse with the dissension and gossip of verse 28. In the instructions of chapters 1–9, such a person was dangerous to the health of the community. Here, this person may also be a menace to the working of justice in the court (cf. 16:13).
Patience, Reverence, and Endurance (16:31–33)
FOLLOWING THE REVOLTING portrait of the evil person, these verses return to the way of wisdom, highlighting the values of righteous living, patience, and, by implication, fear of Yahweh.
16:31. The young man of 4:9 was told to honor wisdom and expect the reward of a “crown of splendor”; here the crown is shown to be the gray head that comes with long life, itself a sign of honor (Lev. 19:32). The point is that long life is a reward for walking the righteous way (derek; cf. Prov. 16:9, 17, 25) even when one wants to quit. The only other choice is the way that seems right but really leads to death (16:25).
16:32. The last of the “better than” sayings in this chapter does not speak directly of material gains (cf. 15:16–17), although taking a city may involve some sharing of plunder (16:19). If humility in peace is better than pride in conquest, then patience is better than strength, for patience and self-control are their own forms of power (14:29; 15:18). Better to exhibit self-control than to control others. In an age when kings used stone reliefs to depict their prowess in war, this praise of the patience that maintains social order may have been shaped to surprise hearers with its common sense.
16:33. The last proverb in the chapter once again contrasts divine and human perspectives (cf. 16:1–5). People cast lots in order to discern Yahweh’s will and so hope to find success. Most likely, “lot” refers to the use of Urim and Thummim (Ex. 28:30–31; Lev. 8:8; 16:8–10); among other uses, lots were used to make decisions about going to war (cf. Num. 27:21; 1 Sam. 23:9–12).17 The “decision” (mišpaṭ) is a judgment, and Yahweh’s judgments are for justice (mišpaṭ, Prov. 16:8) and honesty (16:11). A “lap” (ḥeq) is formed by the folds of one’s garment. Thus, both lots cast into the folds and weight stones drawn out of the bag point to Yahweh’s desire for decisions that reflect his will (cf. 16:11). Like the opening proverbs, however, the role of human planning in the final outworking of God’s plans is left in mysterious tension.
Bridging Contexts
COMING AT THE MIDPOINT of the book, the proverbs of chapter 16 draw composite portraits of scoundrels and fools but also of wise teachers and rulers who recognize the strong presence of Yahweh in everyday affairs. Like the medieval diptych, these figures are juxtaposed like pictures in a hinged frame: Yahweh and the king in verses 1–15 and the wise teacher and scoundrel in verses 20–30. Thus, we must look to see how these portraits illuminate one another.
God and king. The first distinguishing feature of the chapter is the concentration of Yahweh sayings, the strongest in the entire book. These proverbs draw a portrait of a God whose intentions for good cannot and will not be thwarted. The proverbs of verse 1 and those that follow are often taken as a negation or minimization of human intentions, as in the motto “a person proposes, God disposes.” Yet the reverse is the case; somehow human initiative and divine purposes work together in a way that does not diminish either. How else can human actions have real consequences such as success and punishment, as these sayings show?
The sages lived, as Klyne Snodgrass suggests, between two truths,18 and this observation seems consistent with the strategy of the proverbs. Between two sayings a truth comes forth that is greater than the sum of its parts. Interpreters differ on the significance of this binocular view of life, some suggesting that our plans must depend on God if they are to succeed,19 others that God’s purposes are accomplished in the end even when ours are not in line.20 To an extent, both can be faithfully drawn from these sayings, but what comes through most clearly is Yahweh’s passion for righteousness and justice and his commitment to realize those desires. Verse 8 makes the statement most clearly, even though it is the one proverb in the series that does not name “the LORD.” We will see that its claim, “better a little with righteousness,” sums up the mind of God.
We are to share this mind of God, thinking like him and sharing his desires. “Fear of the LORD” becomes both the motivation and the means to turn from evil, as does Yahweh’s commitment to “love and faithfulness” (cf. Ex. 34:5–7).21 Fear of Yahweh and trust in God’s forgiveness go hand in hand, saying, “Has no one condemned you? . . . Then neither do I condemn you. . . . Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:10–11). Here again, God’s intentions are fulfilled as we renounce sin and walk in ways that please him (Prov. 16:7).
The “better than” saying of 16:8 and its companions in 16:16 and 19 serve as qualifiers for the promises of health, wealth, and honor we find throughout the book. Wisdom has its rewards but also its requirements, and so we need these qualifiers when we listen to preachers of prosperity and victory. The “better than” proverbs teach us that if we have to choose (as is often the case in real life), we ought to choose “fear of the LORD” (15:16), love (15:17), righteousness, and justice (16:8). Paradoxically, we choose for God, betting with our lives that we will not lose in ways the wicked do, and in so doing we find that our choices are not as stark as we imagined.
The math of the proverbs shows that wise living adds a great deal to even modest amounts. While the choices between good and evil are sharply contrasted in the proverbs, they are not necessarily choices between our desires and God’s. Instead, we find that our deepest desires are met, or transformed or redirected, as we grow in our understanding of God and want what God wants. The theme is carried through in the portrait of the just king, a harmonic counterpoint to this picture of God.
We have seen that Yahweh sayings and the royal sayings overlap in what seems to be an intentional design. The only saying that does not name Yahweh in 16:1–9 is about righteousness and justice (16:8), and the only saying that does not name the king in 16:10–15 is a Yahweh saying about honest scales (16:11), a symbol of the king’s righteousness (16:12) and justice (16:10). Setting the proverbs of Yahweh and the king side by side, we see a number of parallels signaled by catchwords:
• Yahweh weighs motives and intentions (16:2), and a just set of weights and scales are his doing (16:11).
• Yahweh establishes human plans (16:3, 9) even as the king’s throne is established through righteousness (16:12).
• Human pride is detestable to Yahweh and brings punishment (16:5), just as kings detest wrongdoing with a wrath that brings death (16:12).
• Human ways can be pleasing to Yahweh (16:7) just as kings take pleasure in honest lips (16:13).
• Loyalty and faithfulness atone for evil (16:6) while wisdom knows how to appease (= atone) the king’s wrath (16:14).
• Most important, the repetition of work (maʾ ašeh) is used for human plans submitted to Yahweh (16:3) as well as the human decision to carry a bag of honest weights (16:11).
The king is identified with Yahweh as an authority, one who holds life and death in hand; he must ensure that justice is done on this earth. In this way, the king is the right hand of God. The juxtaposition of the portraits of divine and human rule suggests that Yahweh’s purposes are carried out whenever human authorities decide to value what God values. If those rulers and authorities fail, Yahweh will still see that justice is done, but his first choice is kings and subjects who share God’s desire for goodness. Using a common form of the proverb, we might paraphrase, “Better a good king who establishes right dealings throughout the land than a bad king who makes the LORD establish justice and righteousness.”
In Israel’s history, the story of the kings and the eventual conquest of the land show how painful this work of Yahweh can be. Yet the delightful story of Joseph and his brothers (Gen. 37–50) shows another outcome as human intentions for evil are taken up into the greater work of God. Both pictures of God’s work in human history affirm that his intentions will be established, even though the way it works out may not be known in advance or evident for quite some time. The two portraits of God and king work together like a diptych; together the proverbs of 16:1–15 affirm the principle that godly authority not only establishes God’s purposes on earth, it establishes our purposes, bringing success and prosperity to a community.
Wisdom and humility. Following the twofold portrait of God’s will done “on earth as it is in heaven,” a smaller section is framed by sayings that hold wisdom and its accompanying humility to be “better than” any form of riches or wealth (16:16–19). The echo of “better a little with righteousness” in 16:8 indicates the importance of a theme we have also heard repeated throughout the book. Between these two comparisons, a pair of proverbs about traveling draw a contrast between the one whose way avoids evil and the one who stumbles over the sin of pride. The juxtaposition of pride and the temptations of wealth is not surprising, for we who use the sociologist’s term “status symbols” know that every age has used wealth and its appointments to signify superior strength and intelligence.
Yet here is the rub, for people in every age can and will be tempted to choose the power of gold over wisdom and its responsibilities. So also the pride that comes with it can move us to plunder others, to take what they have as spoils of war, even if it is done via corporate means and its false rhetoric. Remember the “greed is good” speech from the movie Wall Street? The associations of wealth, arrogance, and evil in these proverbs let the reader draw the rest of the picture of destruction, making humble identification with the oppressed all the more attractive.
Just as the earlier chapters of Proverbs laid out luxuries associated with robbery and adultery (1:10–19; 7:14–20), so here those riches are associated with arrogant pride, urging us again to choose wisdom over gold or jewels (2:4; 3:13–15). However, in these proverbs we find temptations that are close to home, temptations to financial gain as a source of pride. That pride can be seen as arrogance that leaves God out of the picture, trust in our own capacities to make our way, and pride in the power we can exercise over others in order to get what we want. As we make progress through Proverbs, then, we find the problems associated with illegitimate use of wealth speaking more and more to our daily lives.
The wise teacher and the scoundrel. Another pair of portraits takes shape as the image of the scoundrel in 16:25–30 helps us look back and recognize the figure of a wise teacher in 16:20–24. The teacher is also a learner, one who “seeks to understand a matter,” one who find what is “good.” This person stands in strong contrast with the violent man, who leads others down a way that is “not good” (16:29). Wise in heart, this teacher speaks pleasant words that increase learning (16:21, 23) and bring healing, sweetness like a flowing honeycomb (16:24). Readers imagine a person whose openness to learning and correction make that one a good teacher, one who is convinced of the life-giving power of good words.
Is not a teacher one who passes on what has been learned so that we may learn it also? Not so for the one who takes the way that merely “seems right” (16:25; cf. v. 2). Guided only by principles generated by the self and its interests, this person speaks fire that stirs up conflict and alienates friends (16:28). Perverse and twisted (16:28, 30), this person walks a crooked path that is “not good” and ends in death (16:25). Scoundrels speak, not to spread knowledge but to conceal their own evil thoughts and plans.
Set in the context of the chapter, it seems that the king is confronted with the choice to be a teacher or a thief. Certainly the Old and New Testaments present many examples of both kinds of rulers. The principle at the heart of the contrast is the connection between openness to learning and speech that teaches, that is, speaking that imparts life to others. The exaggeration of the contrast shows us how our lives can major on giving or taking, on loving others or abusing them. The proverbs ask us to choose the overall course of direction for our lives so that we can bring the everyday decisions into line. Hunger motivates action (16:26); the question is what sort of action will we choose?
Final victory. The final three verses of this chapter hardly seem related to one another, yet there is a common thread of final victory. The virtues of a lifelong commitment to righteousness yield a long life (16:31), the one who commands control of self is the true conqueror (16:32), and lots of chance point to the final decision of Yahweh (16:33). Human will can be directed toward faithfulness, longsuffering, and a determined openness to God’s will.
The sages of Israel did not choose to engage in disputes over free will and sovereignty but rather set the two truths side by side and left it for us to reflect on the nexus. Perhaps freedom is a better word for the two sides of this coin, for there is a human freedom that plans, decides, initiates, and responds, but there is a divine freedom that has its say in the outcome of events. An increasing awareness of God’s freedom to fulfill his intentions can move us to bring our intentions into alignment with God’s.
The final proverb brings together the element of chance in the casting of lots with the sure execution of Yahweh’s purposes. Human choices are not made less important by considering the sovereignty of God; rather, their true importance is shown. Perhaps in reading the proverbs of this chapter, we are to recall that the evil men at the start of the book hoped to entice a young learner down the wrong path (16:29; cf. 1:10, 15), saying, “Throw in your lot with us” (1:14). If ever there were a statement of foolish pride (16:5, 18–19), it is this one, claiming to hold the future in its hands, yet completely unaware that the decisions of the lot are “from the LORD.”
Contemporary Significance
THE CONCENTRATION OF Yahweh sayings in this chapter brings us face to face with the mysteries of freedom; humans who are free to make plans and execute them may or may not recognize that God is also free to accomplish his will, yet both are nonnegotiable facts of life. To ignore either is to live an unbalanced life, for too great an emphasis on God’s freedom may lead to passivity while too great an emphasis on human freedom may lead to pride. In ways that are left for the reader to discern, the overlap of the Yahweh and king sayings in this chapter becomes a model for wisdom in the lives of all readers.
Yahweh and authority. In this series of proverbs, the king is identified with Yahweh as an authority, one who holds life and death in hand. As we have seen, the king is also the right hand of God, responsible to his subjects, to make sure that justice is done on this earth. But, like every subject, the king is responsible to God, and to exercise God’s authority, the king must also demonstrate godly character shaped after God’s hatred of evil and his unrelenting opposition to those who practice it. As a subject himself, the king must practice honesty in speech and conduct. To betray that charge, then, is to fail in the duties as ruler and subject both.22 Authority looks two ways, to the purposes of God and to the welfare of those ruled. When the look turns toward self and its gains and security, responsibility is betrayed and disaster follows.
The view of royal authority in Proverbs, therefore, suggests that every person must learn to be second in command if he or she is to exercise leadership well. The sin of pride rears its head when one rejects responsibility for others as a responsibility before God. It is arrogant to assume that one rules but is not ruled, or that one answers to no one but oneself. The biblical story of Joseph and his family offers one example of a boy who dreamed of others bowing before him but finally bowed before his father. As second in command to Pharaoh, he also learned that he was second in command to God and eventually said so to his brothers (Gen. 45:8–9; 50:18–19). So too the centurion in the Gospel story spoke of his own authority while deferring to the greater authority of Jesus (Luke 7:1–8). For this reason, the identification of wisdom with humility and lowliness comes out in many of the proverbs in this chapter.
Readers will recognize their own situations of responsibility and temptations to serve the interests of self. We recognize that nearly everyone is granted some authority in life, some responsibility for leadership. Parents, church committee chairs, elected officials, managers, and pastors all exercise authority that is to work for the good of those being served.23 Here in this set of Proverbs is the servant leadership that Jesus had in mind when, after washing his disciples’ feet, he said in John 13:13–17:
You call me “Teacher” and “Lord,” and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Leadership of this sort thinks of its work as serving both the heavenly king and his subjects. Authority like this never thinks of power as something we hold over people and use to get things done, but rather as that which gets underneath and lifts up those who need support and encouragement.
To speak of the God-given responsibilities of leadership is not to say that the king’s decisions are infallible (16:10); rather, like the cast of the lot, the king’s words are to indicate the will of God. Therefore, in this ideal statement of the king’s role, those lips and mouth will not betray justice. For this reason the army of Israel vetoed Saul’s decision to put Jonathan to death. Saul had decreed that no soldier could eat before the battle was won, and Jonathan’s reversal of that command came to light when Saul cast lots. But Saul’s decree and the lot were overturned as the men recognized the hand of God in Jonathan’s victory (1 Sam. 14:1–48).
Implications of leadership. If the first fifteen proverbs of the chapter present a picture of leadership exercised in full recognition of God’s authority over human history, the second half of the chapter offers a series of implications. (1) This servant leadership rejects pride in favor of humble identification with the lowly and oppressed (16:18–19). More than a simple and superficial acknowledgment that God loves one and all, this work of leadership actually foregoes personal gains when the needs of others require it. In this way, one holds wisdom as more valuable than gold (16:16).
The journalist and television personality Malcolm Muggeridge spent half a lifetime ridiculing the pretenses of political power and pride before he came to see that the real danger of the age of modernity was materialism, calling its neon signs for “Gas, Drugs, Beauty, Food . . . the logos of our time, presented in sublime simplicity.” A series of interviews with Mother Theresa and witnessing her humble identification with the poor of India finally convinced him to embrace the Christian faith he had kept at bay since boyhood. According to one of his biographers, “the more he thought about the moral decay of the West the more he agonized about his own recalcitrant sins. ‘The only wish I have left in this life,’ he confided in his diary, ‘is that there should be burnt out of me all egotism, all pride, all lechery, all greed. . . . I want my being’s dwindling flame to burn clearly and steadily, with no smoky spurts, until it flickers out.’ ”24 Here Muggeridge saw in his own life the link between pride and greed that so worried the sages of Proverbs.
(2) Servant leadership listens, learns, and teaches, using “pleasant words” to bring both instruction and encouragement. Such leadership never rules by fiat but rather hopes to share insights and discoveries to persuade, not coerce. A commitment to do everything possible to help others see one’s reasons brings a sweetness to a leader’s words. Likewise, a commitment to listen and stay open to new information and insights makes the words that are finally spoken that much more persuasive.
Most of us are familiar with the survey that ranked personal integrity and the ministry of preaching as the two most important roles of a minister.25 Would parishioners know that by watching us work? Proverbs’ emphasis on speaking can apply to all, for at least in theory, all can speak out for justice in a participatory democracy. This vision of a fair and equitable society is as challenging as it is exciting, for one can sense that these sages knew about backroom deals and greased palms that appear in every form of government. Thus, ministers and members of congregations can consider how they may lend their voices when a just word is needed. Sadly the same survey of parishioners ranked “leader for social justice” eighteen out of twenty-one! Pastors and teachers of the church can also take the challenge of these proverbs to help the members of their congregations “preach good news to the poor . . . bind up the brokenhearted . . . proclaim freedom for captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Isa. 61:1; cf. Luke 4:18–19). It takes a lot of work to inform, teach, and persuade in leadership, but the results are worth it.
(3) The virtues of patience and endurance proves that leadership is really about servanthood, for if it were not, we would all quit whenever our needs go unmet or our plans are frustrated (16:31–32). We demonstrate patience when we keep at our work even when it seems unrewarding or unproductive, or when we hold on to the principles of servanthood even though we know some good old-fashioned authoritarianism would do the trick. We all face the human desire to hold power over our environment and other people so that they may serve our desires.
Some years ago, a pop group had a hit with the title “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” In one way or another we all wish to set up petty kingdoms (esp. in churches); the mark of leadership is recognizing that tendency and taking steps to manage it. If not, we can imagine that the kingdom really is ours and react terribly when it is threatened. Even with the best of intentions we can make the mistake of assuming that what we want is what is really best; we are really in trouble when we are willing to go to war over it.
The military imagery of the final proverbs may be more appropriate to our situations than we think, identifying the competitive spirit that crops up so easily. One way to counteract our tendencies toward building up kingdoms of self is to yield up our Palm Pilot calendars and five-year plans to God. We can examine them closely, recognizing that our plans may reflect more of our own desires than God’s. At the same time, we can trust that God will take our prayers seriously when we ask, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
The proverbs of this chapter are realistic. They acknowledge the temptations to evil and recognize that some people will give in to them, but they are also realistic in their optimism. They confidently assert that Yahweh will have his way with this earth he has made, even when some would head off on their own. As symbols of this confidence, two proverbs about scales and lot-casting ask us to look closely at two hand-held bits of technology, one to ensure fair dealing between humans, the other to determine a future course of events. The scale can be perverted and the decision of the lot misinterpreted or ignored, but if Yahweh is behind the weighing of stones and the weighing of spirits, there can be no final deception or perversion.