Proverbs 27

Proverbs 25:1 introduces chapters 25–29 as proverbs of Solomon "which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out," and chapter 27 belongs to this collection. Following Proverbs 26, which deals with fools, sluggards, and those who harm others with their words, chapter 27 presents a series of short maxims and closes with a comparatively long passage on caring for livestock (vv. 23–27).

Structure

• Verses 1–2: Do not boast about tomorrow, and do not praise yourself with your own mouth.
• Verses 3–4: A fool's wrath is heavier than stone and sand, and no one can stand before envy.
• Verses 5–10: Open rebuke and the faithful counsel of a friend are highly valued, while the kisses of an enemy are to be guarded against. The hungry soul and a bird wandering from its nest serve as illustrations, and a neighbor who is near is said to be better than a brother far off.
• Verses 11–14: Addressing "my son," the teacher urges wisdom and addresses the prudence that foresees and avoids evil, the matter of becoming surety for a stranger, and blessing at an inappropriate time.
• Verses 15–16: A contentious woman is likened to a continual dropping on a very rainy day.
• Verses 17–22: These verses speak of iron sharpening iron, the one who keeps the fig tree, a face reflected in water, the insatiable hell (Sheol) and the never-satisfied eyes of man, the testing that comes through praise, and folly that does not depart from a fool even when he is brayed in a mortar.
• Verses 23–27: The reader is told to know diligently the state of the flocks and herds. Riches and the crown do not endure forever, but the grass, the lambs' wool, and the goats and their milk provide food for the household.

Key Verses

• Proverbs 27:1 "Boast not thyself of to morrow" – a representative verse reminding the reader that no one can know what lies ahead.
• Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" – teaches that painful rebuke springs from genuine friendship.
• Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron" – widely cited as an image of people influencing and refining one another.

People and Places

No individuals or places are named. The address "my son" in verse 11 is the customary form in Proverbs by which a wisdom teacher or parent speaks to a disciple or child. "Destruction" in verse 20 denotes the place of ruin and is understood to be related to the Hebrew word Abaddon.

Points for Reflection

• Verse 1 is often read alongside James 4:13–15, which instructs believers to say "If the Lord will" concerning tomorrow.
• Some sermons connect the "kisses of an enemy" in verse 6 with the kiss of Judas Iscariot. This, however, is a later application and not what the text itself states.
• Verse 12 is nearly identical to 22:3, and verse 13 to 20:16. Verse 15, concerning the contentious woman, likewise resembles 19:13 and 25:24. These are examples of the same maxim recurring in several collections within Proverbs.
• Verses 23–27 are read as a teaching to tend faithfully to the livelihood entrusted to one's own hands rather than to rely on royal power or wealth.

In the Korean Church

Verse 17 is reportedly cited often in settings that emphasize small groups, fellowship, and partnership in faith.