Proverbs 25:8 Commentary and Bible Study

This is about litigation, about going to law against a neighbour. We have come out of the king’s court now. The illustration seems to be about a situation in which my neighbour has offended me. He has moved his fence and that is not where it should be. He has stolen my land, or something along those lines, and foolishly maybe I become furious and inflamed. So I rush to the local court, which was more accessible in those days than today, before the local elder. I then discover when my neighbour is summoned that he has got a piece of paper that I have completely forgotten about, a scroll, of course, in those days, by which I gave him that land ten years ago, and I have to hang my head in shame. So do not act hurriedly because you may think you are in the right; you may have it all wrong. So this is the counsel of this proverb – truth demands humility and care in your approach. ‘Go not forth hastily to strive’ – in the courts we would say – lest you are embarrassed in the end. Verse 9-10 continue the same illustration but takes it even further. Now the over-zealous litigant has divulged the case to others. He is so confident that he is right that even before it has been tried, he has started rehearsing it to others and telling them what the outcome is bound to be: that it will be judged in his favour. Do not talk about the matter to a third party – ‘Discover not a secret to another: lest he that heareth it put thee to shame’, lest he reveal the fact that you have told him these things, that you have gossiped about your neighbour even though you did not know all the facts. You have gone and made these accusations widely public. But after the case goes against you, you are ashamed at what you said and see how hasty you were, and your bad reputation will never go away, you will be stuck with it. So truth means humility. Do I really understand aright my arguments? Am I more interested in being the one who is right than in being on the side of truth?