Proverbs 27:4 Commentary and Bible Study

Envy and anger form a pair in that both have an enormous capacity to do evil. But if wrath and anger have a way of searching out how to do harm and cause the maximum hurt, there is something extra about envy that makes it even more troubling. Envy has an inventiveness which restlessly searches how to get revenge. Anger is terrible and is capable of doing shocking things to an enemy which exceed all proper bounds. Anger can cause a person to disregard normal reserves which would keep them in check, and wrath amazes us at how heartless it can be, but both of these tend to come in spasms and after they have burst forth from us, their strength is sapped and gives way to calmer modes of expression. It is hard for anyone to maintain anger at white hot heat for long. But envy can fester away in a person’s heart indefinitely, always coming up with new ways of causing grief. It is not satisfied with what it has already done, but eats up the heart of a man so that no amount of kindness or generosity shown towards it can pacify it. Who is able to stand before it? Of course it eats away the heart of the person who is consumed by it, but that is not the focus of the proverb. Who can cope with the terrible things that come out of a heart gripped by envy? It is extremely devious and it is very difficult to predict what it will do next. A person can take reasonable precautions against it, but it is so inventive that they will always be troubled by doubt about what it is going to do next. Has it thought of some new way of getting round all the defences already put in place? There is a genius about envy that is almost supernatural; indeed it is inspired by hell so that every plain man becomes a master of revenge and backstabbing. If it cannot make a direct attack, it will subvert others to suit its purpose, even working on friends and seeking to undermine long-standing friendships to cause more pain.