Proverbs 18:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.
Douay-Rheims

צַדִּ֣יק הָרִאשׁ֣וֹן בְּרִיב֑וֹ יבא־וּבָֽא־רֵ֝עֵ֗הוּ וַחֲקָרֽוֹ׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Nikolaj Velimirovic

20th centuryChurch Father

O how immeasurable is God's love for mankind! Behold, everything you have belongs to God, yet He considers Himself your debtor when you take from Him and give it to the poor, and He will reward you for your good deeds. What kind of mercy can be compared to this?

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

Prov 18:13He that answereth before he heareth, sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.
Acts 24:12And neither in the temple did they find me disputing with any man or causing any concourse of the people: neither in the synagogues, nor in the city.
Acts 24:13Neither can they prove unto thee the things whereof they now accuse me.
2 Sam 16:1And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold Siba the servant of Miphiboseth came to meet him with two asses, laden with two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs, and a vessel of wine.
2 Sam 16:3And the king said: Where is thy master's son? And Siba answered the king: He remained in Jerusalem, saying: To day, will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
Acts 24:5We have found this to be a pestilent man and raising seditions among all the Jews throughout the world: and author of the sedition of the sect of the Nazarenes.
Acts 24:6Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom, we having apprehended, would also have judged according to our law.
2 Sam 19:24And Miphiboseth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard: nor washed his garments from the day that the king went out, until the day of his return in peace.