Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 20:11

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Proverbs 20:11. Even a child is known by his doings — That is, in general terms, the effect shows the nature of the cause. "A childe is known by his conversation," says Coverdale. A child is easily detected when he has done evil; he immediately begins to excuse and vindicate himself, and profess his innocence, almost before accusation takes place. Some think the words should be understood, every child will dissemble; this amounts nearly to the meaning given above, But probably the principal this intended by the wise man is, that we may easily learn from the child what the man will be. In general, they give indications of those trades and callings for which they are adapted by nature. And, on the whole, we cannot go by a surer guide in preparing our children for future life, than by observing their early propensities. The future engineer is seen in the little handicraftsman of two years old. Many children are crossed in these early propensities to a particular calling, to their great prejudice, and the loss of their parents, as they seldom settle at, or succeed in, the business to which they are tied, and to which nature has given them no tendency. These infantine predilections to particular callings, we should consider as indications of Divine Providence, and its calling of them to that work for which they are peculiarly fitted.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Honesty (20:1-30)

Wise people will not become drunkards, will not needlessly anger those in authority, will avoid quarrelling and will work to support themselves (20:1-4). They will also have the ability to draw out the deepest feelings and intentions of those with whom they deal (5). Many people boast of their loyalty but few practise it. To live honestly is the best way to guarantee a good future for one’s children (6-7). A king learns by experience to discern between right and wrong in cases brought before him for a decision; yet he knows that he, like anyone else, has a sinful heart (8-9).
God hates cheating. If ordinary people can, to some extent, know the state of other people’s hearts by what they see them do, how much more can God who made them (10-12). Conscientious workers are satisfied in the knowledge that they make a living honestly. Shrewd buyers may boast that they have obtained a good article cheaply by complaining about it, but they may find that their boasting is shortlived (13-17). Wise people will listen to advice, beware of gossip and give to their parents the honour due to them (18-20).
Impatience can lead to wrongdoing, whether in obtaining a coveted inheritance, in wanting to see an offender punished, or in offering a gift in a rash vow. Patience will enable a person to wait for God; he will direct in the way that is right (21-25). A king’s punishments may be severe but they must be just (26). A sensitive conscience should show people their faults so that they can correct them. But if the conscience becomes dulled, more painful action may be needed to correct faults (27-30).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."

"By his actions a youth makes it clear whether what he is doing is honest and upright."The Anchor Bible (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1982). "Even a child is known by what he does, as he behaves well or ill."James Moffatt's Translation of the Bible, 1929. James Moffatt's Translation is preferable here. A well-disciplined, well-behaved child is already far along on the road to becoming an honorable and upright person.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The graces or the faults of children are not trifles. “The child is father of the man;” and the earliest actions are prophecies of the future, whether it will be pure and right, or unclean and evil.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 20

Into chapter 20.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise ( Proverbs 20:1 ).

He will have more to say about wine as we move along in our study next week, chapter 23. "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has babblings? Who has wounds without cause? Who has red eyes? They that tarry long at wine; and those that go to seek mixed wine," and so foRuth ( Proverbs 23:29-30 ). It talks about them in chapter 23. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging. Whoever is deceived thereby is not wise."

In the New Testament we are told that in choosing those as overseers in the church, they are not to be given to wine. In the Old Testament, there were two sons of Aaron who, when they had built the altar and were ready to offer sacrifices, the fire of God came down and kindled the altar and Aaron's two sons grabbed their little incense burners and put coals in them and started in to offer incense before the Lord, and the fire of God came from the altar and consumed the two sons of Aaron. And when this happened, the Lord said unto Moses, "Speak unto Aaron and his sons and tell them that they are not to be drinking wine when they come in to offer sacrifices before Me." For God does not want service from any kind of a false stimulation.

So there are people today that feel a freedom and a liberty to drink wine, and again, it's a thing where you say, "Well, Jesus turned the water," and all this kind of stuff, and you can rationalize and all. But yet, "Wine is a mocker." Better that you didn't. The thing is, again, not is it right, is it wrong? Is it pleasing? Is this what God wants? "Strong drink is raging. Whoever is deceived by them is not wise."

Paul said, "All things are lawful for me." So you can prove that it's lawful. But he said, "I will not be brought under the power of any" ( 1 Corinthians 6:12 ). Does it affect my judgment at all? Does it affect my attitudes? Then I'm being brought under its power.

The fear of the king is as a roaring of a lion: whoso provokes him to anger sins against his own soul ( Proverbs 20:2 ).

You provoke a king, provoke a lion, you're in trouble.

It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will just keep on meddling ( Proverbs 20:3 ).

You know there are some times you just don't want to get into trouble. You don't want to get in a brawl, but the guy just keeps needling. Just keeps going and going and going. The fool will just keep on meddling.

We used to have a great big old English setter, Duke. And he's the kind of dog every boy should have to grow up with. Of course, we didn't have leash laws in those days, and everywhere I went Duke was with me. Ride my bike; he would be alongside. Go to school; create worst havoc in school. Through the hallways looking for me and all. And he was big. He could jump up and his feet would be on my shoulders, he could lick my face. And he was just a boy's dog. Great dog. Those English setters are very independent dogs, and they're sort of a one-owner type of a dog. In other words, you call them, you try and pet them and they're very independent. Have nothing to do with you. But their master, you know, they're just devoted. And Duke was just devoted to me. I was his master and just, you know, I could whistle anything else, and man, he would come charging. He was just my dog.

We went up to Bass Lake one summer and took Duke with us. And he created quite a bit of havoc there at Bass Lake. One evening we were sitting down to eat dinner, and of course, campfire and so forth. Cooked the food and fixing dinner. And he looked sort of longingly at our food. And then he went over and began to dig in the dirt and pulled up a whole string of sausages that he had ripped off from some camp somewhere. And there was this little Terrier dog that was in a camp next to us, and here Duke, big old thing, and this little Terrier was always yipping. And whenever Duke would go running along the lake, this little dog would be nipping at him and yipping, and he just ignored him. You know, just like a little mouse, and you know, "Go away you little runt, you know, you're... and just leave me alone." But this little dog kept persisting, and one day Duke was running along the lake and this little dog was along, yipping and nipping, and evidently clipped him and made him mad. And he turned around and picked up this little dog in his mouth and just flung him on out into the lake. But it reminded me of this proverb. "It is an honor for a man to cease from strife, but the fool will just keep on meddling." Until he's into trouble, you know.

Now we deal with the sluggard or the slothful, the lazy man again.

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold ( Proverbs 20:4 );

Oh, it's too cold to go out and plow today.

therefore he'll be begging in the time of harvest, and have nothing. Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water ( Proverbs 20:4-5 );

This is beautiful.

but a man of understanding will draw it out ( Proverbs 20:5 ).

Now a really good counselor will be able to draw you out. Deep within you know the answer; you know what's right. You know what you should be doing. And a counselor really isn't there to tell you what to do. He's there to help you understand yourself. Now it's like a well of deep waters. Down inside you know basically what you should be doing. And a man of understanding, a good counselor, can draw it out of you. And that's what wise counseling really is. It's drawing out the answers within the person. I'm not a good counselor so don't come to me. But I would just know what they should be doing.

Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness ( Proverbs 20:6 ):

Ain't that the truth?

but a faithful man who can find? The just man walks in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. A king that sits in the throne of judgment scatters away all of the evil with his eyes ( Proverbs 20:6-8 ).

He looks around.

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? ( Proverbs 20:9 )

Can any of you say that? I've made my... I'm pure. Who can say it?

Now here's the thing again on the balances, the weights.

Divers weights, and divers measures ( Proverbs 20:10 ),

This is, you know, as I said, one to buy them, one to sell.

both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD ( Proverbs 20:10 ).

If you have different sizes of cups, different weights, they're an abomination to God.

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right ( Proverbs 20:11 ).

You begin to see that even in the child.

The hearing ear, the seeing eye, the LORD hath made both of them. Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread ( Proverbs 20:12-13 ).

Get up. Now this one is so typical.

It is nothing, it is nothing, says the buyer: but when he is gone his way, he boasts ( Proverbs 20:14 ).

"Man, what a deal I got," you know. Yet when you're looking at it, "Oh, it's an old dog. It's not worth anything. It's nothing."

There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are like a precious jewel. Take his garment that is a surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. The bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel ( Proverbs 20:15-17 ).

Deceitfulness. You may think it's smart, but man, you're going to grind.

Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war. He that goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets: and therefore meddle not with him that is flattering with his lips. Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in obscure darkness. An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed. Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee ( Proverbs 20:18-22 ).

"Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" ( Romans 12:19 ). And so don't you go around saying, "I'm going to get even. I'll recompense him or get even for his evil." Just give it to the Lord.

Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good. Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? ( Proverbs 20:23-24 )

Isn't that interesting? Man's goings are of the Lord. God guides my path. How then can I understand my own way?

It is a snare to a man who devours that which is holy, and after vows to make an inquiry ( Proverbs 20:25 ).

In other words, if you make a vow to God then don't modify it, just keep it.

A wise king scatters the wicked, and brings the wheel over them. The spirit of a man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of his life ( Proverbs 20:26-27 ).

Spirit of man. God's candle searching within.

Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upheld by mercy. And the glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is their gray head ( Proverbs 20:28-29 ).

I don't know where that leaves me.

The blueness of a wound cleanses away evil: so do stripes in the inward parts of the life ( Proverbs 20:30 ).

Proverbs, interesting little bits of instruction and wisdom. A wise man will take heed to them and will gain in knowledge.

Father, we thank You for the instructions in the way of righteousness and truth. That which is good. That which is wholesome. That which is honest. Help us, Lord, to take to heart these words of instruction. Help us, Lord, to walk in righteousness before Thee. Help us to seek peace and to pursue it. Oh God, keep us from the wicked way. From the false lips. From the talebearing. May we in love relate to each other. Committing, Lord, ourselves, the issues of our lives unto Thee. Knowing, Lord, that You are the judge who will make the final disposition of all things. And thus, may we rest in Thy justice and in Thy truth. In Jesus' name. Amen. "

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Even a child is known by his doings,.... As well as a man; "ye shall know them by their fruits", Matthew 7:16; professors and profane. So a child soon discovers its genius by its actions; it soon shows its inclination and disposition; and some shrewd guesses may be made how it will turn out, a wise man or a fool, a virtuous or a vicious man; though this does not always hold good, yet something may be observed, which may be a direction to parents in the education of their children, and placing them out to what is proper and suitable for them. Some observe, that the word has a quite contrary meaning, that "a child carries himself a stranger by his doings" e; so that he is not known by them: he so conceals and disguises himself, he acts so fraudulently and deceitfully, and plays the hypocrite, and puts the cheat on men, that they cannot tell what he is, nor what he will be; and if children can thus dissemble, as not to be known by their actions, then much more grown persons;

whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right; not what his present work is, or actions are, but what his later life and conversation will be; which in some measure may be judged of, though not with certainty and exactness; see Proverbs 22:6; especially when he acts a covert and deceitful part.

e יתנכר "ignotus erit", i.e. "non facile cognoscitur", Vatablus; so R. Joseph Kimchi; "simulat se alium esse", Gussetius, p. 413. "dissimulatorem agit", Schultens.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

      The tree is known by its fruits, a man by his doings, even a young tree by its first fruits, a child by his childish things, whether his work be clean only, appearing good (the word is used Proverbs 16:2; Proverbs 16:2), or whether it be right, that is, really good. This intimates, 1. That children will discover themselves. One may soon see what their temper is, and which way their inclination leads them, according as their constitution is. Children have not learned the art of dissembling and concealing their bent as grown people have. 2. That parents should observe their children, that they may discover their disposition and genius, and both manage and dispose of them accordingly, drive the nail that will go and draw out that which goes amiss. Wisdom is herein profitable to direct.