Proverbs 12:9
BETTER . . . THAN PROVERBS
People all over the world are constantly looking for a better item, whether buying fruit in a market or choosing a place to live. We examine, ponder, compare, and finally make a choice based on what we believe is better. I can’t imagine anyone saying, "I’m convinced this one is worse, so I’ll take it."
The book of Proverbs is filled comparisons that point us toward the right pathway in life. Because the book’s purpose is to give the reader knowledge and wisdom based on the fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:2, 7), it’s not surprising to find that these better than [comparative] statements challenge and modify the wisdom of the world.
Wisdom can be presented by comparing one person or situation to another. A contrast is presented by the words better (Heb. towb) and than instead of "but." There are 19 verses in Proverbs that use the "better . . . than" formula [12:9; 15:16-17; 16:8, 16, 19, 32; 17:1, 12; 19:1, 22; 21:9, 19; 22:1; 25:7, 24; 27:5, 10; 28:6].
Since there are so many, we will not look at them all but reserve some of these verses for another study(ies).
So let’s study these distinguishing comparisons and become wiser still.
The first better ... than proverb is Proverbs 12:9. Proverbs 12:9 contrasts a modest social status with a pretentious person who is living beyond his means. "Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant than he who honors himself and lacks bread "(NASB).
[The first phrase of verse 9 could be translated, "He that is despised and is a servant.…" In other words, the one who’s willing to take on hard work is better than the one who refuses to stoop down to do such work.]
It is preferable to be unknown (be or pretend to be a nobody) and yet be self-supporting (able to hire or be a servant) than it is to boast that you are somebody and yet be not making ends meet. What good is such a claim if one cannot put food on the table?
Proverbs 15:16 & 17 modifies the wisdom that says that riches are always better than poverty. "Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it."
Generally a person would choose wealth (abundance) over poverty, but not at any price. If a person has poverty (a little; 16:8) and the fear of the Lord (1:7) that combination (1 Tim. 6:6) is certainly preferable to wealth if the money brings with it turmoil (mehûmâh; Isa. 22:5, "tumult"; Deut. 7:23, "confusion"; 1 Sam. 14:20; Ezek. 7:7, "panic"; Zech. 14:13). The statement in Proverbs 15:16 suggests that the wealth mentioned here is not possessed by one who fears the Lord and that fearing God gives peace, not confusion. [Walvoord, John & Zuck, Roy; The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 938.]
Like Proverbs 15:16, verse 17 contrasts poverty with prosperity. "Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred" (NASB).
It’s better to have a few vegetables in an atmosphere of love than to have prime rib (a fattened calf) where there’s hatred and tension.
Normally people would choose luxury over privation, but what is more important is love. Many people have found that a home where material possessions are few but love for each other is present is far better than a house of great opulence where people hate each other (17:1). Love makes one’s difficult circumstances endurable, whereas hatred undoes all the enjoyments that good food might otherwise bring. [Walvoord & Zuck, Vol. 1. p. 938.]
In Proverbs chapter 16, are several better than statements. Proverbs 16:8 also teaches us what is better that wealth. "Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice." 16:8 is similar to 15:16 except that here righteousness is substituted for "the fear of the Lord, " much gain replaces "great wealth, " and injustice is used instead of "turmoil." One who amasses revenue (the meaning of the word for "gain, " which is also used in 10:16, "income"; and in 15:16, "great wealth") dishonestly (10:2, 16; 13:11; 15:27) eventually will be punished. So righteous living-even if it means having little-is certainly better. [Walvoord & Zuck, Vol. 1. p. 940.]
"All I want is a little peace and quiet," says the weary worker at the end of the day, perhaps envisioning a carefree week or two lying on the sand in Tahiti. But our collective experience tells us that even the most expensive and best-planned vacation we can afford often results in other kinds of stress and tension. Where, then, do peace and quiet come from? They don’t come from a change of scenery or a change of income but rather from a change of heart…
"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32:17).
Better is a little righteousness than ill-gotten gain, for righteousness brings with it peace and quiet. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson’s Application Commentary : Vol 2. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2006, S. 226.]
Proverbs 16:16 is a recurring theme of the Book of Proverbs, that it is better to get wisdom than wealth, voiced by a man singularly qualified to say it. "How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver."
Wisdom is more desirable than gold, and understanding . . . than silver (3:13-15; 8:10-11, 19). [This verse is the halfway point in the book of Proverbs.] Some people have the ability to be both wise and wealthy. But when faced with a choice between the two, Proverbs says wisdom is the better alternative. A little wisdom is better than a lot of wealth.
Proverbs 16:19 teaches us that being with the lowly is better than dividing the take with the haughty. "It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud."
Pride leads to one’s downfall (18:12; 29:23). Pride is so despicable that a person should avoid it even if it means being economically oppressed. One may share plunder (acquired through violent or dishonest means) with the proud but such dishonesty will not go unpunished (15:25).
Pride, masquerading as self-confidence, is lauded in our culture, while humility is stepped over if not stepped on. But the story isn’t over, gang, for Peter tells us that the humble will be exalted in due time (1 Peter 5:6) and that it is the meek who are the true "beautiful people" (Psalm 149:4). [Courson, p. 226.]
In the better ... than Proverb in 16:32 having patience and a controlled temper is honored above being a great warrior. "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city."
In a land where safety depended on might and skill in warfare, this statement may seem surprising. Yet conquering oneself (14:17, 29; 25:28; 29:11) is of greater virtue than conquering a city.
If you’re slow to anger, or are self-controlled, you possess an ability so great in God’s eyes that it’s more valuable than the ability to defeat an entire city.
Proverbs17:1 teaches that it’s better to have a dry biscuit in a quiet house than to have steaks with strife. "Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife."
[As stated in the similar better . . . than proverbs of 15:16-17,] having a peaceful and quiet though spartan meal (dry crust) is far better than having a lot to eat (a house full of feasting, "sacrifices, " full of meat from animals sacrificed to the Lord; 7:14) in a house where there is strife.
The idea of sacrifice here comes from Leviticus 7:11–36, where we read of the peace offering in which God’s people were to offer meat to the Lord and also to partake of some themselves. We are here reminded that we can have all kinds of meat, and yet if we’re not right with the Lord, it won’t be satisfying. Harmony in one’s relationships is to be desired over a sumptuous supply of food.
Proverbs 17:12 compares what truly is extremely dangerous to your life. "Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly."
A mother bear whose cubs have been robbed is angry and therefore dangerous (Hosea 13:8). But it’s better to come face to face with a mother bear than with a fool (kesîl; Prov. 17:10, 16) who’s out of control.
Think of Herod who was so incensed that the wise men didn’t report back to him concerning the newborn King that he ordered the extermination of every boy child younger than two years old born in Bethlehem. Think of Nebuchadnezzar who stoked the furnace seven times hotter than normal rather than bow to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Think of Saul who killed eighty-five innocent priests because they had unknowingly helped David. It is certainly better to meet up with a mother bear than any of these fools.
Not all fools are equally dangerous but, as Robert L. Alden suggests, "Consider meeting a fool with a knife, or gun, or even behind the wheel of a car; a mother bear could be less dangerous" (Proverbs: A Commentary on an Ancient Book of Timeless Advice, p. 134).
Proverbs19:1 compares the upright in character and the perverse in speech. "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool."
[The first line of this verse is the same as the first line of 28:6.] It is better to be poor and honest (19:22b; blameless means morally whole; 2:7, 21; 11:5; 28:10, 18; Job 1:1) than to be a fool (kesîl, "dull, thickheaded") who speaks words that are perverse (‘iqq š; "twisted"; 2:15). The word for "poor" (r š) means destitute or hungry; it is not a dishonorable term suggesting poverty from laziness. A fool may try to get rich by devious means, but honesty is still a better policy, even if it means going hungry. [Walvoord & Zuck, Vol. 1. p. 945]
It’s better to be honest and to retain your integrity even though it might lead to poverty than it is to compromise your convictions even if doing so would lead to riches. Many people think that if a person is poor, it’s due to sin in his life or a lack of faith in his heart. But that’s not necessarily so.
To the church at Smyrna, Jesus said, "I know you’re poor financially, but in reality, you’re rich because you’re walking with Me" (see Revelation 2:8, 9). Contrast that with what He said to the church at Laodicea: "Your monetary blessing isn’t at all indicative of My blessing because, spiritually, you’re lukewarm" (see Revelation 3:14–18).
The wealthy person who got his wealth through dishonesty might enjoy it for a season, but he has no assurance of what the next day will bring. We who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, we who have been adopted into God’s family, however, know He’ll provide for us day by day (Matthew 6:11). [Courson, p. 238.]
Proverbs 19:22 implies that the productivity of kindness is better than lying even if it means poverty. "What is desirable in a man is his kindness, and it is better to be a poor man than a liar."
Loyalty or kindness (hese, unfailing love) is a virtue people desire (find attractive) in others. But lying, an evidence of the absence of loyalty, is so despicable that poverty is preferred to it (v. 1).
If you want to be attractive, be like Jesus, for He is the essence of kindness. Our culture emphasizes outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the inward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). And, as life goes on, we begin to realize that it is the kind person who is also the most attractive.
Proverbs 21:9 contrasts an uncomfortable dwelling and a quarrelsome woman. "It is better to live in a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman."
If a man is living with a contentious woman, who promotes tensions and arguments, he would be better off living in an attic. This isn’t an indictment against women. It could be a warning against being discontent in your single state, thinking marriage is the ultimate solution. [With 1,000 wives and concubines, Solomon could speak with authority about women.]
[The statement about a quarrelsome wife is repeated in 25:24. Similar thoughts are stated in 19:13; 21:19; 27:15-16.]. The point made in 21:9, 19 is the preference of living in cramped quarters (on a corner of a flat roof, v. 9) or in a desolate area ("a desert, " v. 19) where one can at least have peace and quiet rather than in a spacious house with an argumentative, contentious wife. A wife who causes strife makes a home unpleasant and undesirable. [Walvoord & Zuck, Vol. 1. p. 951.]
Proverbs 21:19 advises that a desolate place is a better companion that a contentious woman. "It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and vexing woman." (See 19:13; 25:24; 27:15)
Proverbs 22:1 promotes the true value of a good name. "A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold."
When Solomon said a good name is more important than wealth, he knew what he was talking about, for no man has been wealthier than he. Having a good name (3:4; Ecc. 7:1), that is, an honorable reputation because of good character, is to be valued far above having much wealth. Riches are useless (Prov. 1:19; 10:2, 13:11) if in gaining them one ruins his character.
The story is told that, as ALEXANDER THE GREAT reviewed his troops one day. One of his soldiers slouched a bit.
"What’s your problem?" Alexander asked him. The soldier explained that he had been out on the town the night before.
"What’s your name?" Alexander asked. "Alexander," the soldier answered.
The general said, "Either change your conduct or change your name."
We have a good name because we carry the Lord’s name. It’s an important responsibility and a tremendous privilege.
[Proverbs 25:7, "For it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen."]
Proverbs 25: 24; "It is better to live in a corner of the roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman."
Solitude in cramped quarters with peace is better . . . than living in a spacious house with a cantankerous, contentious wife. [This verse is identical to 21:9 and similar to 21:19].
Again, it seems that this is not an indictment against women, but against thinking that marriage will automatically solve all problems. Only the Lord can do that.
Proverbs 27:5 teaches that love which refuses to speak out is not helpful. "Open rebuke is better than secret love (KJV). "Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed (NASB).
If a person’s love is genuine, he will not fear to tell his friend about a fault or correct him. Rebuking (1:23) is to be preferred to hidden ( "closed up, withdrawn") love . In other words correcting a person’s fault is an evidence of love, but failing to correct him shows one’s love is withdrawn. [Walvoord & Zuck, Vol. 1. p. 963.]
If I truly care about you, I will encourage you in your strong points, but I will also, in love, deal with the areas that are weak, wanting to see them corrected in your life.
[Proverbs 27:10; "Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away."]
Proverbs 28:6 is the last of the 19 better . . . than proverbs. It indicates that integrity is far more important that riches or poverty. "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than he who is crooked [perverse] though he be rich" (NASB).
It’s better to be poor and upright than rich and perverse. Jesus taught us this in the story of an unnamed rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich man robed himself in regal garments and dined sumptuously while Lazarus begged for crumbs. The true difference between them, however, was not their financial status but their spiritual state. The rich man was evil; Lazarus, righteous. When the rich man died, he went to the place of the dead. When Lazarus died, he went to paradise. Seeing Lazarus across the great gulf that separated them, the rich man said, "Dip your finger in the water and cool my tongue. I’m tormented in the flame." But Lazarus was not allowed to cross the gulf (Luke 16).
Who was better off—the rich man who dined sumptuously on earth, but lived in torment eternally, or Lazarus, who begged for crumbs on earth, but dines at the King’s table even now? [Courson, Vol. 2. p. 261.]
In Closing,
When God’s Word shapes our thinking and guides our choices, we’ll discover that His way is always better than the way of the world.
