Commentaries on Proverbs 21:14

John Gill - Exposition

John Gill

A gift in secret pacifieth anger,.... Appeases an angry man; humbles and "brings [his anger] down" (y), as Aben Ezra and Gersom observe the word signifies; which before rose very high, and showed itself in big words and disdainful looks, as proud wrath does; or extinguishes it, as the Targum and Vulgate Latin version render it, and very fitly. Anger is a fire in the breast; and a restraining or...

Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary

Matthew Henry

1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord , as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Note, 1. Even the hearts of men are in God's hand, and not only their goings, as he had said, ch. xx. 24. God can change men's minds, can, by a powerful insensible operation under their spirits, turn them from that which they seemed most intent upon, and incline them to that which they...