Matthew Henry on Proverbs 17:13
A malicious mischievous man is here represented, 1. As ungrateful to his friends. He oftentimes is so absurd and insensible of kindnesses done him that he renders evil for good. David met with those that were his adversaries for his love, Psa 109:4. To render evil for evil is brutish, but to render evil for good is devilish. He is an ill-natured man who, because he is resolved not to return a kindness, will revenge it. 2. As therein unkind to his family, for he entails a curse upon it. This is a crime so heinous that it shall be punished, not only in his person, but in his posterity, for whom he thus treasures up wrath. The sword shall not depart from David's house because he rewarded Uriah…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 17:13
(Compare Psa 7:4; Psa 35:12).
evil--injury to another (Pro 13:21).
John Gill on Proverbs 17:13
Whoso rewardeth evil for good,.... As the enemies of David and Christ rewarded them, Psalm 35:12; this is base ingratitude, contrary to the law and light of nature; worse than beastly, is really devilish;
evil shall not depart from his house; from him and his family; they shall be continually visited with one disease and calamity or another; so hateful and offensive is the sin of ingratitude to God, and therefore ought to be carefully avoided. This might be illustrated by the judgments of God on the nation of the Jews, for their ingratitude to Christ.
Keil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 17:13
13 He that returneth evil for good,
From his house evil shall not depart.
If ingratitude appertains to the sinful manifestations of ignoble selfishness, how much more sinful still is black ingratitude, which recompenses evil for good! (משׁיב, as Sa1 25:21, syn. גּמל, to requite, Pro 3:30; Pro 31:12; שׁלּם, to reimburse, Pro 20:22). Instead of תמישׁ, the Kerı̂ reads תמוּשׁ; but that this verb, with a middle vowel, may be 'י'ע as well as 'ו'ע, Psa 55:2 shows.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
