Proverbs 10:9

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Walketh surely.—He has no cause to fear lest anything to his discredit should come out, but can trust quietly in the Lord (Psalm 112:7); while he that goeth by crooked paths will be found out (Matthew 10:26), and the fear of this gives him perpetual uneasiness. Or the meaning may be that he will be “instructed,” i.e., punished by misfortune, as Jeremiah 31:19.

Benson Commentary

Proverbs 10:9. He that walketh uprightly — Who is sincere, and just, and faithful in his dealings with God, and toward men; walketh surely — Hebrew, ילךְ בשׂח, shall walk securely, or confidently, as the word properly signifies; quietly resting upon God’s favour and gracious providence for his protection, being supported by the testimony of a good conscience, and therefore not caring who observes or knows his actions, which he endeavours to approve both to God and men. But he that perverteth his ways — That walks perversely, or in crooked and sinful paths; that acts hypocritically and deceitfully with God, or with men; shall be known — His wickedness shall be publicly discovered, and so he shall be exposed to all that shame and punishment which his sins deserve, and which he thought by his craft and subtlety to avoid.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:7. Both the just and the wicked must die; but between their souls there is a vast difference. 8. The wise in heart puts his knowledge in practice. 9. Dissemblers, after all their shuffling, will be exposed. 10. Trick and artifice will be no excuse for iniquity. 11. The good man's mouth is always open to teach, comfort, and correct others. 12. Where there is hatred, every thing stirs up strife. By bearing with each other, peace and harmony are preserved. 13. Those that foolishly go on in wicked ways, prepare rods for themselves. 14. Whatever knowledge may be useful, we must lay it up, that it may not be to seek when we want it. The wise gain this wisdom by reading, by hearing the word, by meditation, by prayer, by faith in Christ, who is made of God unto us wisdom. 15. This refers to the common mistakes both of rich and poor, as to their outward condition. Rich people's wealth exposes them to many dangers; while a poor man may live comfortably, if he is content, keeps a good conscience, and lives by faith. 16. Perhaps a righteous man has no more than what he works hard for, but that labour tends to life. 17. The traveller that has missed his way, and cannot bear to be told of it, and to be shown the right way, must err still. 18. He is especially a fool who thinks to hide anything from God; and malice is no better. 19. Those that speak much, speak much amiss. He that checks himself is a wise man, and therein consults his own peace. 20,21. The tongue of the just is sincere, freed from the dross of guile and evil design. Pious discourse is spiritual food to the needy. Fools die for want of a heart, so the word is; for want of thought.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shall be known - literally, "shall be made to know" (see Jeremiah 31:19; Judges 8:16 margin) in the sense of exposed.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. perverteth his ways—acts deceitfully.

known—discovered and punished.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He that walketh uprightly; who is sincere, and just, and faithful in his dealings with God and with men.

Surely; or, securely, or confidently, as the word properly signifies, and is here rendered by all the ancient interpreters, and by most of the others; quietly resting upon God’s favour and gracious providence for his protection, and being supported by the testimony of a good conscience, and therefore not fearing nor caring who knows or observes his actions, which he endeavours to approve both to God and to men.

That perverteth his ways; that walks perversely, or frowardly, or in crooked and sinful paths; that dealeth hypocritically and deceitfully with God, or with men, using all possible crafts to conceal his wickedness.

Shall be known; his wickedness shall be publicly discovered, and so he shall be exposed to all that shame and punishment which his sins deserve, and which he thought by his cunning practices to avoid.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely,.... Or, "that walketh in perfection" (c) as the Targum. Not that walks without sin, no man does that; but that walks in the sincerity, integrity, and uprightness of his heart, both before God and men; who worships God in spirit and in truth, and speaks the truth in his heart to his neighbour; who is an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile; who walks uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel; who makes the word of God the rule of his life and actions; who walks by faith on Christ, using him as the way to the Father; believing in him for salvation; walking on in him as he has received him, and especially dealing with his uprightness or righteousness for his justification before God; who walks, as Christ did, in imitation of him; who walks in love, as he did, and in all humility, meekness, patience, and self-denial; who walks in and after the Spirit of Christ; and in the truths of the Gospel, and in all the ordinances thereof; and in all holy conversation and godliness, studying to exercise a conscience void of offence towards God and men. Such a man "walks surely", or securely, safely, confidently, as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, interpret the word. Such an one has nothing to fear in his walk; he walks on "terra firma", on good ground, in a good way, which leads to life eternal: he has a good guide, the Spirit of God, which goes before him, and will be his guide even unto death, and lead him in the way everlasting, unto the land of uprightness; he has a good guard about him, not only the angels of God that encamp around him, but God himself is a wall of fire to him, and his power surrounds and protects him; he has many precious promises to support him; not only that the Lord will be a buckler to him, but will withhold no good thing from him, Proverbs 2:7; he has the gracious and supporting presence of God, when he passes through the fire and water of afflictions, and even through the valley of the shadow of death, so that he has nothing to fear; and has moreover the testimony of a good conscience; and having a good hope through grace, he "walks in hope", as the Targum is; yea, rejoices in hope of the glory of God, and holds fast that rejoicing to the end;

but he that perverteth his ways shall be known; who does not walk in a plain, direct, and even path, according to the rule of the word, as the upright man; but winds about here and there, goes into crooked paths, walks in craftiness as deceitful workers, whose folly shall be made manifest; though they think to hide it, and deceive men, they and their wickedness shall be exposed, their tricks and artful methods shall be laid open, and they be known to be what they are; if not in this life, yet at the last judgment, 1 Timothy 5:24. Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe another sense of the word, "he shall be broken", and compare with it Judges 8:16.

(c) "qui ambulat perfecte", Pagninus, Mercerus, Gejerus.

Geneva Study Bible

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. known] i.e. found out. Comp. 1 Timothy 5:24; 1 Timothy 3:9. Some, however, render, “shall be punished,” shall be taught by bitter experience his folly, comparing Jeremiah 31:19, where the same Heb. word is rendered, “I was instructed.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - He that walketh uprightly (Proverbs 2:7); Vulgate and Septuagint, "in simplicity," having nothing to conceal or to fear. So Christ enjoins his followers to be guileless as children, and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16; Mark 10:15). Surely; equivalent to "securely;" ἀμερίμνως, Aquila, having no fear of inopportune exposure, because he has no secret sin. He that perverteth his ways; deals in crooked practices. Shall be known (Proverbs 12:16). He shall be exposed and punished, and put to open shame. Having this apprehension always present, he cannot walk with confidence as the innocent does. Hence the antithesis in the text. Proverbs 10:9

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The form of this verse is like the eighth, word for word:

He that walketh in innocence walketh securely;

But he that goeth in secret ways is known.

The full form of בּתּום does not, as Hitzig supposes, stand in causal connection with the Dech, for the consonant text lying before us is at least 500 years older than the accentuation. For הלך תּם at Proverbs 2:7, there is here הלך בּתּום equals הלך בּדרך תום; so מעקּשׁ דּרכיו denotes, after Proverbs 2:15, such an one אשׁר דּרכיו עקּשׁים. Expressed in the language of the N.T., תום is the property of the ἁπλοῦς or ἀκέραιος, for the fundamental idea of fulness is here referred to full submission, full integrity. Such an one goes בּטח (Aquila, ἀμερίμνως), for there is nothing designedly concealed by him, of which he has reason to fear that it will come to the light; whoever, on the contrary, makes his ways crooked, i.e., turns into crooked ways, is perceived, or, as we might also explain it (vid., under Genesis 4:15): if one (qui equals si quis) makes his ways crooked, then it is known - nothing, however, stands opposed to the reference of יוּדע to the person: he is finally known, i.e., unmasked (lxx Jerome, γνωσθήσεται, manifestus fiet). Usually it is explained: he is knowing, clever, with the remark that נודע is here the passive of הודיע (Gesen., Ewald, Hitzig); Hiph. to give to feel; Niph. to become to feel, properly to be made to know (Luth.: made wise); but the passive of the Hiph. is the Hoph. Such a Niph. in which the causative (not simply transitive) signification of the Hiph. would be applied passively is without example (vid., Ewald, 133a); the meaning of Jeremiah 31:19 also is: after I have become known, i.e., been made manifest, uncovered, drawn into the light.