Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 15:17

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Proverbs 15:17. Better is a dinner of herbs — Great numbers of indigent Hindoos subsist wholly on herbs, fried in oil, and mixed with their rice.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Bringing joy to others (15:1-33)

Words can easily cheer others or enrage them, help them or hinder them. Therefore, people should think carefully about what they say (15:1-5). In addition to being wise in their speech, they must be honest in the way they earn their income (6-7). In fact, they must be upright in all aspects of their daily lives. Only then will God, from whom nothing can be hidden, accept their sacrifices and prayers (8-11). Another matter concerning habits of speech is that those who readily criticize others are usually offended when others criticize them (12).
Inner joy enables believers to be outwardly cheerful, even amid afflictions. Because they fear God and love others, they are truly contented even though not wealthy (13-17). A series of warnings shows that wrongdoing creates its own hardships: bad temper causes arguments (18); laziness means harder work in the long run (19); folly creates family tensions (20); ignorance results in plans going wrong (21-22).
Those who bring joy to others can be assured of God’s goodness to them (23-24), but God opposes those who plot evil and use their positions of power to exploit the poor and the defenceless (25-29). A cheerful face, like good news, brings refreshment to others (30). Again the book records that to gain wisdom, people must be willing to learn, reverent towards God and humble in spirit (31-33).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.”

Who could miss the point here? “Better a dish of vegetables with love, than the best beef served with hatred.”Moffatt’s translation. A preacher said, “It’s better to have a hamburger at McDonalds with somone who loves you than to be entertained at the Waldorf by someone who hates you.”

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

A dinner of herbs - The meals of the poor and the abstemious. The “stalled ox,” like the “fatted calf” of Luke 15:23, would indicate a stately magnificence.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 15

Fifteen. I love this first one here.

A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger ( Proverbs 15:1 ).

How oftentimes a person comes just raging and a soft answer turns away wrath. If you rage back at them, then get out the gloves, you know, because you're soon going to be going at it. But a soft answer, how it can just mellow out a situation. Oh God, help us to respond with soft answers rather than with grievous words which only tend to stir up the whole scene.

The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools just pours out foolishness. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding evil and the good ( Proverbs 15:2-3 ).

Yikes. The Bible says that everything is open and naked before Him with whom we have to do. The eyes of the Lord are everywhere. You cannot hide from God. It is folly to think that you can hide any action from God. I think that we need to have a greater consciousness of, "Thou Lord seest me" ( Genesis 16:13 ). That we do not hide anything from God. The eyes of the Lord are everywhere. You say, "Oh, I thought that God was too holy as to behold evil. Or to look upon evil." God cannot look upon sin. That word look upon is an implication. To look upon it with favor or condoning it, He cannot do that. But He surely sees it. He's not blind. The eyes of the Lord are in every place. He's beholding the evil and the good.

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. A fool despises his father's instruction: but he that regards reproof is prudent. In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish does not so. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD ( Proverbs 15:4-8 ):

Now we got another that's an abomination to the Lord--the sacrifice of the wicked. God isn't interested in any sacrifices that the wicked might offer to Him. I think that it is a tragedy when the church goes public to collect funds. Solicit funds from the public, from wicked people. Accepts the gifts of wicked people, because it's an abomination to the Lord, the sacrifice of the wicked. God doesn't need it. He doesn't care for it.

but the prayer of the upright is his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD ( Proverbs 15:8-9 ):

So the sacrifice of the wicked. Now the way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord,

but he loves him that follows after righteousness ( Proverbs 15:9 ).

Oh, how God loves to see you doing the right thing. How God loves to see you make the right decision. How God loves to see you doing righteousness.

Correction is grievous to him who forsakes the way: and he that hates reproof shall die. Now hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? ( Proverbs 15:10-11 )

In other words, it goes back to God. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good." "Hell and destruction are before the Lord." He understands it. "How much more the hearts of the children of men?" How God understands us. That's not the wonder. The fact that understanding us as He does He still loves us, that's the wonder.

A scorner loves not one that reproves him: neither will he go to the wise. A merry heart will make a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him that has understanding seeks knowledge: but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil: and he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Better is little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of vegetables with love, than a barbecued ox with hatred. A wrathful man stirs up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. The way of the lazy man is as a hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain. A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish man despises his mother ( Proverbs 15:12-20 ).

Now again, Solomon equates, "My son, he's a wise boy." Foolish, "Oh, it's his mother's son, you know. "A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish man despises his mother."

Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom ( Proverbs 15:21 ):

When foolishness is a person's joy, folly is a person's joy, the guy is just destitute of wisdom.

but a man of understanding walks uprightly. Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established ( Proverbs 15:21-22 ).

You can establish the purposes. You can figure the way to go.

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good it is! ( Proverbs 15:23 )

Oh, that word. Just, you know, so appropriate. Oh, it's so right. How good it is. The word spoken in due season.

The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD ( Proverbs 15:24-26 ):

Now here again, you got to look up all these things that are abomination to God. "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord."

but the words of the pure are pleasant. He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; but he that hates gifts shall live. The heart of the righteous studies before he answers: but the mouth of the wicked just pours out evil things. The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous. The light of the eyes rejoices the heart: and a good report makes the bones fat. The ear that hears the reproof of life abides among the wise. He that refuses instruction despises his own soul: but he that hears reproof gets understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility ( Proverbs 15:26-33 ).

"He that exalteth himself shall be abased; he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" ( Matthew 23:12 ). "Before honor is humility."

Solomon tells us the purpose of a proverb is, "To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, and justice, and judgment, and fairness; to give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and increase his learning" ( Proverbs 1:2-5 ). So it's good. Listen, hear, and increase your learning and understanding of the ways of the Lord, the path of the just.

Father, we thank You for the instruction and the wisdom and the learning that we can receive. Incline our hearts towards wisdom. Let us seek instruction in Thy way. Let us follow after it. Help us, Lord, to avoid the path of the foolish or of the slothful or of the wicked. That we might walk in the pathway of righteousness and truth, following after Thee, serving Thee, knowing Thee, loving Thee. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Shall we stand.

Your next assignment will be the next five chapters, sixteen through twenty. And three weeks hence, the Lord willing, we will get into the Proverbs from chapter 16-20. So it gives you plenty of opportunity to really study them and to take them to heart and to learn. And I would exhort you as did James, "Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" ( James 1:22 ). It isn't enough to know. It's important that we follow, that we practice, that we put it into practice in our lives. And in those areas where we're having difficulty in putting it into practice, then let us seek the Lord. If one of these really speaks to you, say, "Wow, that cuts." Oh, rejoice. God is dealing with you. Now, don't just pass over and say, "Man, I was really cut last night by that proverb. Oh boy, really got me, you know." And then you forget about it. That's foolishness.

But when the Holy Spirit begins to deal with you and say, "Hey, you're walking in the way of perversity. You're walking in the way of wickedness. You're walking in the way of death." Then listen and turn and say, "Oh God, help me. I don't want to perish with the wicked. I don't want to be destroyed with the unrighteous. I want to be with You, Lord, in Your eternal kingdom. I need Your help. I need Your strength, Lord, that I might live righteously. That I might walk in the path of the wise and the just." And seek God's help and seek God's strength and seek God's guidance. And let God deal with the issues of your life. Don't hate reproof. Don't scorn instruction. But receive it, that it might be to you the fountain of life to bring you into His eternal habitations. God bless you and God keep you, and God watch over you.

We covet your prayers, even as we will be praying for you and remembering you daily. Holding you up before God. That the God of all wisdom might grant unto you wisdom and understanding, that you might walk in His way of truth and righteousness. That you might be built up in your relationship with Jesus Christ until you come into that same image according to His Spirit in the power of His Spirit working in your life as He conforms you into the image of Jesus Christ. And thus, may you grow up into that fullness that God would have you to experience and to know of His grace and of His love and of His truth. In Jesus' name. "

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Better [is] a dinner of herbs, where love is,.... What Plautus i calls "asperam et terrestrem caenam", "a harsh and earthly supper", made of what grows out of the earth; which is got without much cost or care, and dressed with little trouble; a traveller's dinner, as the word k signifies, and a poor one too to travel upon, such as is easily obtained, and presently cooked, and comes cheap. Now, where there are love and good nature in the host that prepares this dinner; or in a family that partakes of such an one, having no better; or among guests invited, who eat friendly together; or in the person that invites them, who receives them cheerfully, and heartily bids them welcome: such a dinner, with such circumstances, is better

than a stalled ox, and hatred therewith; than an ox kept up in the stall for fattening; or than a fatted one, which with the ancients was the principal in a grand entertainment; hence the allusion in Matthew 22:4. In the times of Homer, an ox was in high esteem at their festivals; at the feasts made by his heroes, Agamemnon, Menelaus, and Ajax, an ox was a principal part of them, if not the whole; the back of a fat ox, or a sirloin of beef, was a favourite dish l. Indeed in some ages, both among Greeks and Romans, an ox was abstained from, through a superstitious regard to it, because so useful a creature in ploughing of the land; and it was carried so far as to suppose it to be as sinful to slay an ox as to kill a man m: and Aratus n represents it as not done, neither in the golden nor silver age, but that in the brasen age men first began to kill and eat oxen; but this is to be confuted by the laws of God, Genesis 9:3; and by the examples of Abraham and others. Now if there is hatred, either in the host, or in the guests among themselves, or in a family, it must stir up strifes and contentions, and render all enjoyments unpleasant and uncomfortable; see Proverbs 17:1; but where the love of God is, which is better than life, and the richest enjoyments of it; which sweetens every mercy, and cannot be purchased with money; and secures the best of blessings, the riches of grace and glory, and itself can never be lost; where this is, the meanest diet is preferable to the richest and most costly banquets of wicked men; who are hated and abhorred by the Lord, for their oppression and injustice, their luxury, or their covetousness; for poor men may be loved of God, and the rich be abhorred by him, Psalms 10:4.

i Capteivei, Act. 1. Sc. 2. v. 80. . 3. Sc. 1. v. 37. k ארחת "viaticum", Montanus, Amama "commeatus", Cocceius. l Iliad. 7. v. 320, 321. Odyss. 4. v. 65. & 8. v. 60. Vid. Suidam in voce ομηρος. Virgil. Aeneid. 8. v. 182. m Aelian. l. 5. c. 14. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 45. n Phoenomena, v. 132.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.   17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

      Solomon had said in the foregoing verse that he who has not a large estate, or a great income, but a cheerful spirit, has a continual feast; Christian contentment, and joy in God, make the life easy and pleasant; now here he tells us what is necessary to that cheerfulness of spirit which will furnish a man with a continual feast, though he has but little in the world--holiness and love.

      I. Holiness. A little, if we manage it and enjoy it in the fear of the Lord, if we keep a good conscience and go on in the way of duty, and serve God faithfully with the little we have, will be more comfortable, and turn to a better account, than great treasure and trouble therewith. Observe here, 1. It is often the lot of those that fear God to have but a little of this world. The poor receive the gospel, and poor they still are, James 2:5. 2. Those that have great treasure have often great trouble therewith; it is so far from making them easy that it increases their care and hurry. The abundance of the rich will not suffer them to sleep. 3. If great treasure bring trouble with it, it is for want of the fear of God. If those that have great estates would do their duty with them, and then trust God with them, their treasure would not have so much trouble attending it. 4. It is therefore far better, and more desirable, to have but a little of the world and to have it with a good conscience, to keep up communion with God, and enjoy him in it, and live by faith, than to have the greatest plenty and live without God in the world.

      II. Love. Next to the fear of God, peace with all men is necessary to the comfort of this life. 1. If brethren dwell together in unity, if they are friendly, and hearty, and pleasant, both in their daily meals and in more solemn entertainments, that will make a dinner of herbs a feast sufficient; though the fare be coarse, and the estate so small that they can afford no better, yet love will sweeten it and they may be as merry over it as if they had all dainties. 2. If there be mutual enmity and strife, though there be a whole ox for dinner, a fat ox, there can be no comfort in it; the leaven of malice, of hating and being hated, is enough to sour it all. Some refer it to him that makes the entertainment; better have a slender dinner and be heartily welcome than a table richly spread with a grudging evil eye.