Proverbs 20:5 Commentary and Bible Study

At face value you could take this proverb to mean there is a man who is deep, and he has got something to say but he is humble and he is quiet. He has a wealth of advice for you, but he is not going to press it on you, you have to seek for it. Some people interpret the proverb in that way.Now that may well be true, but it is not the sense. This counsel is something which a man draws out of his own heart, not out of the heart of others. The sense is more about dreams and plans deep within the person which are potentially a very deceptive influence. The Hebrew word for counsel strictly means advice, but here it is more your hopes, your dreams, your desires, and your vague ambitions. They are like deep water, and the idea here is undoubtedly a well. The well is deep, not in the sense that there is a great column of water there, but in the sense that the top water is very far down. Remember what the woman of the well said to the Lord – ‘Sir, the well is deep, and thou hast nothing to draw with.’ That is exactly the idea here; there is water down the bottom of a deep well within you.Now look at the second part – ‘A man of understanding’ – intelligence if you like – a man who weighs things, ‘will draw it out.’ Here is the sense – do not have vague dreams that are untested, vague hopes and aspirations. They may only be shadowy and vague, but they are powerful in your life, and you will be very disappointed if you cannot honour them. Christ on earth worked to an eternal plan (you see it constantly in the gospels), whether it was his time or not. The apostle Paul speaks of proving, testing all things. So do not be driven by deep, inner desires that you do not understand, and you have never really tested and proved. Know where you are going.