Charles Ellicott Commentary Proverbs 11

A false balance is abomination to the Lord. —A similar proverb is found in Proverbs 20:23, and praise of just weights, Proverbs 16:11; Proverbs 20:10. The repetition suggests that this form of cheating had become common in the time of Solomon, when the commerce of Israel began to develop. If so, there would be good reason for these frequent warnings, for it would have been useless to raise the superstructure of a religious life, as is the intention of this book, without first laying the foundation of common honesty between man and man.

A just weight. —Literally, stone, stones having been used for weights from early times. (Compare Leviticus 19:36.) A standard weight, “the king’s stone,” seems to have been kept by David (2 Samuel 14:26).

Then cometh shame. —For they have not the grace of God to keep them from falling. (See above on Proverbs 6:17.)

The perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. —Fraudulent persons (literally, those who “cover” a matter up) pervert the truth, thereby ruining their own characters (since in time they can hardly distinguish right from wrong), and losing the favour of Almighty God.

In the day of wrath.— Riches profit in no day of wrath when God “visits” His people to take account of their evil doings; much less will they avail in “the day” (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Righteousness delivereth from death.— See above on Proverbs 10:2.

Shall direct his way. —Or, make smooth, as Proverbs 3:6. The just man, by his exact performance of all duty both towards God and man, receives more and more light, and therefore continually sees more clearly how to avoid the difficulties that beset his path. The wicked darkens his conscience more and more by the commission of evil, until he stumbles as in the night (John 11:9), and at last falls, and does not rise again.