Proverbs 12:5 Commentary and Bible Study

Now the word translated ‘thoughts’ is literally the Hebrew ‘to plait’ or ‘to weave’, and the allusion is to the plaiting and weaving of thoughts, not just passing thoughts, but plans and carefully worked out ideas. The thoughts, the plans of the righteous are compared to the counsels of the wicked, and here is something very interesting, because the word translated counsels is the word for steering a boat, or an ass by ropes. You steer the creature or the boat in olden times, not by a wooden tiller, but by pulling ropes which affect the rudder, and these are the steerings of the wicked. What is in mind here is manipulation, the steering around of people by the wicked. It is almost the same idea as our modern word ‘pulling strings’. So the thoughts, the constructive plaiting, weaving thoughts, of the righteous are just. But on the other hand, the manipulative pullings and influencings of the wicked are deceit. Furthermore, one man’s thoughts are compared with another man’s counsels; the first are completely hidden in the privacy of his own heart, while the second are his spoken advice to others. The righteous are righteous through and through, not just on the outside; even when they are thinking in the secrecy of their own hearts, they honour integrity. In their private meditations they are not accountable to any other man, but they make themselves accountable to the Lord who sees all. But the wicked take advantage of the secret place to plot and scheme, and this appears in all they do. If they are consulted about a matter, their inner scheming concocts deceit and there is concealed wickedness behind their answer, for they seek some hidden advantage for themselves at the expense of the one they advise. This scheming is a result of what takes place deep within them, for their inner thoughts are deceit and therefore the fruit of their hearts is inevitably deceit also. But if the righteous have integrity even when no one observes them, then this integrity follows through in all their dealings with others.