Bridges on Proverbs 10:14
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 10:14
 
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14.  Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
 
Did not Solomon prove his title as a wise man by his diligence in laying up knowledge? (Ecclesiastes 12:9, 10.) No wonder that wisdom is found in the lips, where “out of the abundance of the good treasure of the heart the mouth speaketh.”† It is “the householder” storing his mind not for selfish gratification, but for liberal and useful distribution. (Matthew 13:52.) If the hoarding wisdom be cultivated in youth (Chapter 6:6; 18:1, 15), what a store of valuable treasure would be laid up! yet all little enough to meet the coming trial. Let every day add something to the stock. So inexhaustible is the treasure, that no doubt, difficulty, temptation, or duty, will be found unprovided for!
Wise men lay up knowledge, for their own use — Fools lay it out. For want of sound wisdom, they only open their mouths for their own mischief, in profane rebellion (Exodus 5:2. Psalm 12:3-5; 52:1-5); groveling selfishness (1 Samuel 25:10, 11, 38); ungodly worldliness (Luke 12:18-20); or hateful pride (Acts 12:21-23) — near to destruction. (Chapter 12:13; 13:3; 18:7. Ecclesiastes 10:12, 13.) How near — who can say? — But if they be not “taken away with a stroke” without remedy (Job 36:18); they only stand out as monuments of the “much long-suffering of God, enduring the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.” (Romans 9:22.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ecclesiastes 12:9, 10
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. {moreover...: or, the more wise the preacher was, etc} 10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. {acceptable...: Heb. words of delight}
 
 
Footnote:
Matthew 12:34. Jerome mentions of his friend Nepotian, that, ‘by daily reading and meditating in the sacred volume, he had made his soul a library of Christ.’ — Letter to Nepotian.
 
 
Matthew 12:34
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
 
 
Matthew 13:52
52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
 
 
Proverbs 6:6
6 ¶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
 
Proverbs 18:1, 15
1 ¶ Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. {Through...: or, He that separateth himself seeketh according to his desire, and intermeddleth in every business} 15 ¶ The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
 
 
Exodus 5:2
2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
 
Psalm 12:3-5
3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: {proud: Heb. great} 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? {are...: Heb. are with us} 5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. {puffeth...: or, would ensnare him}
 
Psalm 52:1-5
1 ¶ {To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.} Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. {Maschil: or, of instruction} 2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. 4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. {O thou...: or, and the deceitful tongue} 5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. {destroy...: Heb. beat thee down}
 
 
1 Samuel 25:10, 11, 38
10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? {flesh: Heb. slaughter} 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.
 
 
Luke 12:18-20
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? {thy...: Gr. do they require thy soul}
 
 
Acts 12:21-23
21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
 
 
Proverbs 12:13
13 ¶ The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. {The wicked...: Heb. The snare of the wicked is in the transgression of lips}
 
Proverbs 13:3
3 ¶ He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
 
Proverbs 18:7
7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
 
Ecclesiastes 10:12, 13
12 ¶ The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. {gracious: Heb. grace} 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. {his talk: Heb. his mouth}
 
 
Job 36:18
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. {deliver...: Heb. turn thee aside}
 
 
Romans 9:22
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: {fitted: or, made up}