(Prov 11:1 NASB) A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight.
Prov 11:1: Improper business dealings are prohibited in Torah (Lev. 19:35-36, Deut. 25:13-16).
(Prov 11:2 NASB) When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.
Prov 11:2: Pride brings dishonor. Yeshua spoke with the wisdom of His Father when He said the same thing (Luke 14:8-11, Prov. 15:33, 18:12, 29:23).
(Prov 11:3 NASB) The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the falseness of the treacherous will destroy them.
Prov 11:3: Integrity guides the upright (Prov. 25:21, 26:1-3).
The falseness of the treacherous will destroy them (Ecc. 7:17, Isa. 1:28, Prov. 28:18).
(Prov 11:4 NASB) Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.
Prov 11:4: Riches will do no good on the day of wrath (Ezek. 7:19, Zeph. 1:18, Matt. 16:26).
(Prov 11:5 NASB) The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
(Prov 11:6 NASB) The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.
(Prov 11:7 NASB) When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of strong men perishes.
(Prov 11:8 NASB) The righteous is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place.
Prov 11:8: These are contrasts between the righteous and the wicked, those who follow the Torah of the Father and those who do not.
(Prov 11:9 NASB) With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
Prov 11:9: The mouth of a godless man will destroy others (Psalm 55:20-23).
(Prov 11:10 NASB) When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is glad shouting.
(Prov 11:11 NASB) By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
Prov 11:11: This is more contrast between those that are righteous and upright and those that are wicked.
(Prov 11:12 NASB) He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent.
(Prov 11:13 NASB) He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.
Prov 11:13: Brothers and sisters should be able to conceal a matter between each other.
(Prov 11:14 NASB) Where there is no guidance, the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.
Prov 11:14: This strongly applies to teaching and learning Scripture. Too many people go with their own ideas instead of counseling with others to seek truth and guidance.
(Prov 11:15 NASB) He who is surety for a stranger will surely suffer for it, But he who hates going surety is safe.
Prov 11:15: Surety is taking responsibility for someone’s debt. It should not be done for strangers.
(Prov 11:16 NASB) A gracious woman attains honor, And violent men attain riches.
Prov 11:16: This is a contrast between a gracious woman who gains honor and violent men whose desire is merely riches.
(Prov 11:17 NASB) The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm.
(Prov 11:18 NASB) The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.
Prov 11:18: Elohim’s men are to be merciful and righteous. But too often men are violent, cruel, and wicked.
(Prov 11:19 NASB) He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.
Prov 11:19: This is a repeated phrase in Proverbs.
(Prov 11:20 NASB) The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their walk are His delight.
Prov 11:20: Those who walk blameless and follow His Torah are a delight to Elohim.
(Prov 11:21 NASB) Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered.
Prov 11:21: The descendants of the righteous is likely a reference to Abraham and others (Gen. 17:7-8, Psalm 112:1-3, Acts 2:39).
(Prov 11:22 NASB) As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
Prov 11:22: A beautiful woman can have a lot of power over men. For her not to use discretion is a complete waste of a life (Prov. 31:30).
(Prov 11:23 NASB) The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
(Prov 11:24 NASB) There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want.
(Prov 11:25 NASB) The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered.
(Prov 11:26 NASB) He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
Prov 11:26: The one who scatters is the one who helps the poor. He will be blessed (Deut. 15:10, Psalm 112:9, Ecc. 11:1-2).
(Prov 11:27 NASB) He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But he who searches after evil, it will come to him.
(Prov 11:28 NASB) He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
Prov 11:28: Riches are a gift from Elohim and should be treated as such.
(Prov 11:29 NASB) He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, And the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.
Prov 11:29: He who troubles his own house is one who doesn’t provide for his own family.
(Prov 11:30 NASB) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.
Prov 11:30: He who is wise (follows Torah) wins the lives of others (Dan. 12:1-3).
(Prov 11:31 NASB) If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner!
Prov 11:31: Paul even applied this to those who were not circumcised to celebrate Passover (1 Cor. 11:30-32).
Patrick McGuire
Copyright 2014 Patrick McGuire and Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly All rights reserved, no portion of this Lesson may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews. Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly Fort Smith, Arkansas