With 1,000 first- and second-class wives, Solomon must have had some recent problems when he wrote this chapter. In verse 9, he wrote, “It is better to live in the corner of an attic than with a crabby woman in a lovely home.” Then in verse 19, he wrote, “Better to live in the desert than with a quarrelsome complaining woman.” Then maybe he had a new thought and in verse 23, he wrote, “Keep your mouth closed and you’ll stay out of trouble.” Maybe that is why the early church has so many men willing to live a celibate life.
In verse 1, Solomon turns to politics. “Just as water is turned into irrigation ditches, so the Lord directs the king’s thoughts. He turns them wherever He wants to.” We would think that when good rulers do good things God is behind it, but we would not think God is coaxing evil rulers to do evil things. I don’t think God is behind the evil, but we read in Job that Satan had to get permission from God to harm Job. There are questions we will never understand, and that is why Solomon wrote in Proverbs 20:24, “Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to understand everything that happens along the way?”
Solomon then lists the things we should strive for:
- God is more pleased when we are just and fair than when we give Him gifts, (verse 3).
- Steady plodding brings prosperity, (verse 5).
- A man is known by his actions. . .A good man lives a godly life, (verse 8).
- The wise man learns by listening, (verse 11).
- A good man loves justice, (verse 15).
- A wise man saves for the future, (verse 20).
- A man who tries to be good, loving, and kind finds life, righteousness, and honor, (verse 21).
- The godly love to give, (verse 26).
- Everyone respects the words of an honest man, (verse 28).
Solomon sums up this chapter in verse 18. “The wicked will finally lose; the righteous will finally win.” Heaven or hell, the choice is ours.