Proverbs 17:19 Commentary and Bible Study

The KJV makes the first part of this proverb teach that the strife lover is a lover of transgression, but other versions turn it the other way around and make the one who loves transgression to also be a lover of strife. This second rendering is more natural and treats both parts of the proverb in the same way grammatically. Understood this way, the phrase ‘he that loves transgression’ must not be taken too widely but must be interpreted in the restricted sense implied by the second part of the proverb – he that is guilty of the sin of pride and self-exaltation. The second part of the proverb describes one who exalts or enlarges his gate or his door. He does so because he wants to broadcast his strength and his prominence to all around. It is a challenge to any who would like to bring him down, and it is a mark of pride. ‘My gate is greater and higher than the gates of all others because I am a correspondingly more important person.’ Of course he enlarges more than just his gate, for his whole house is also proportionately grand and ostentatious. The gate stands for the gate of the man’s entire being. He takes pride maybe in his appearance, or in his wealth, or his status among his neighbours. He exalts his gate so that everyone knows what a great person he is. A man as great as he is deserves a correspondingly large door to his house or gate to his palace. But that large gate stirs up jealousy and invites the attention of enemies who conclude, ‘This man thinks too highly of himself, we must bring him down.’ By this move he therefore stirs up strife, for there are bound to be those who are jealous of such a self-promoter and will be determined to take his wealth from him. God will also act against him for, though he may not intend this, he provokes God’s providence to discipline him. God will not allow the proud to exalt themselves for long.Someone who tries to build up a fine image will be destroyed. If someone is too busy preening themselves, then this very act is a separating act, so if in any sense I like to be esteemed for my substance or knowledge, I shall only separate myself and afterwards suffer terribly. All self-promotion is bound to lead to strife and a man who exalts himself does not care that this leads inevitably to strife, and that strife will end with his destruction.