BOOK 20 OF 66 · WISDOM & POETRY · KING JAMES BIBLE

Proverbs 17

Proverbs book home•Chapter 17 of 31•28 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Proverbs 17 Overview

The chapter values peace over abundance with strife, sees God testing hearts, warns against mocking the poor and rewarding evil, praises a friend who loves at all times, and repeatedly commends restrained speech.

ProverbsBook

17Chapter

28Verses

PoetryDivision

Before you read Proverbs 17

Coming from

Proverbs 16 emphasized human plans operate under god's sovereign rule. Because many proverbs are individual sayings rather than a continuous argument, the chapter-to-chapter connection is thematic rather than narrative.

In this chapter

Leads into

Proverbs 18 turns to speech can destroy or strengthen, and wise relationships require humility, expanding wisdom into another set of choices, contrasts, and observations.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Individual proverbs present general wisdom; for example, a loving friend is not required to approve wrongdoing in order to remain faithful. Proverbs uses compact wisdom sayings to train judgment. Its normal patterns describe how God’s moral order ordinarily works; they are not mechanical guarantees that remove human freedom, suffering, or providence.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Central truth

Wisdom in conflict, family, friendship, and speech.

Wisdom truth

In Proverbs 17, wisdom is moral skill under the fear of the LORD, not merely intelligence or practical cleverness.

Relationships truth

In Proverbs 17, wise relationships require truth, restraint, loyalty, correction, and discernment rather than mere friendliness.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Wisdom connection

James 3:13-18 distinguishes heavenly wisdom from envy-driven earthly wisdom. This connection helps frame Proverbs 17.

Relationships connection

John 15:13 describes costly love between friends. This connection helps frame Proverbs 17.

Speech connection

Ephesians 4:29 calls for speech that builds and ministers grace to hearers. This connection helps frame Proverbs 17.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep wisdom in context

Do not read Proverbs 17 as a set of magic formulas. Proverbs trains wise judgment in the ordinary moral order God established.

Keep relationships in context

Wise loyalty in Proverbs 17 does not require enabling sin, remaining in danger, or refusing necessary boundaries.

Read Proverbs 17 watching for…

dry morsel peace.

LORD tries hearts.

beginning strife.

friend loveth always.

few words.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-7Peace, wise servants, God’s testing, wicked speech, and the honor of family 8-14Bribes, forgiveness, wise rebuke, rebellion, repaying evil, and stopping strife early 15-21False judgment, foolish spending, faithful friendship, and the grief caused by folly 22-28A merry heart, corrupt gifts, focused wisdom, and restrained speech

Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.

An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Proverbs 17:13

Back to verse ↑

Cross References

Cross-reference storage is active. This passage does not yet have curated references loaded.

Related TWBC Resources

The Scripture resource graph is active. Sermons, Bible Overviews, courses, questions, and studies can attach here without changing the Bible text.