Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
He who is slow to anger
The Hebrew word for "slow" is "’arek," which conveys the idea of being long-suffering or patient. In the ancient world, patience was a virtue that was often overlooked in favor of immediate action or retribution. The phrase "slow to anger" suggests a deliberate and thoughtful approach to emotions, emphasizing the importance of self-control. This aligns with the biblical teaching that God Himself is "slow to anger" (Exodus 34:6), highlighting the divine nature of patience and the call for believers to emulate this attribute.

is better than a warrior
The term "better" in Hebrew is "tov," which implies something that is good, beneficial, or morally superior. In the context of ancient Israel, warriors were highly esteemed for their strength and bravery. However, this proverb elevates the virtue of patience above physical prowess. The comparison to a "warrior" underscores the idea that true strength lies not in physical might but in the ability to govern one's spirit. This reflects a recurring biblical theme that spiritual virtues surpass worldly achievements.

and he who controls his temper
The phrase "controls his temper" translates from the Hebrew "mashal ruach," meaning to rule or have dominion over one's spirit. This concept of self-mastery is central to biblical wisdom literature, which often contrasts the wise and the foolish based on their ability to exercise self-control. In a historical context, the ability to govern one's emotions was seen as a mark of true leadership and wisdom, qualities that were essential for maintaining peace and order within a community.

is greater than one who captures a city
The imagery of capturing a city evokes the idea of military conquest, a significant achievement in the ancient world. However, the proverb suggests that the internal victory of self-control is "greater" than external conquests. This reflects a profound biblical truth that the battles within the human heart are of utmost importance. The Hebrew word for "greater" is "gadol," indicating something of great magnitude or significance. This comparison challenges believers to prioritize spiritual victories over worldly successes, aligning with Jesus' teaching that the kingdom of God is within (Luke 17:21).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
Traditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. His proverbs often provide practical guidance for living a life that honors God.

2. Ancient Israel
The cultural and historical context of Proverbs is ancient Israel, where wisdom literature was a key component of teaching and moral instruction.

3. Warriors and Cities
The imagery of warriors and cities reflects the ancient Near Eastern context, where military prowess and the conquest of cities were highly esteemed.
Teaching Points
The Value of Self-Control
In a world that often glorifies external achievements, Proverbs 16:32 reminds us that true strength lies in self-control and mastery over one's emotions.

Spiritual Warfare Over Physical Warfare
The verse elevates the spiritual battle over physical conquests, teaching that overcoming personal anger is a greater victory than any military success.

Anger Management as a Christian Virtue
Being slow to anger is not just a personal benefit but a reflection of Christ-like character, essential for maintaining peace and unity within the body of Christ.

The Role of the Holy Spirit
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, and believers are encouraged to rely on the Holy Spirit to cultivate this virtue in their lives.

Practical Steps to Control Anger
Practical applications include prayer, meditation on Scripture, and seeking accountability from fellow believers to help manage and control anger.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the cultural context of ancient Israel enhance our understanding of the value placed on self-control in Proverbs 16:32?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of being "slow to anger" in our daily interactions with others?

3. How does the teaching in Proverbs 16:32 compare to the New Testament teachings on anger and self-control?

4. What practical steps can you take to cultivate self-control in your life, and how can the Holy Spirit aid in this process?

5. How can understanding the original Hebrew words for "slow to anger" and "controls his temper" deepen our appreciation of this proverb's message?
Connections to Other Scriptures
James 1:19-20
This passage emphasizes the importance of being slow to anger, aligning with the wisdom of controlling one's temper as highlighted in Proverbs 16:32.

Galatians 5:22-23
The fruit of the Spirit includes self-control, which is a key theme in Proverbs 16:32, illustrating the spiritual strength required to master one's emotions.

Ephesians 4:26-27
These verses warn against letting anger lead to sin, reinforcing the idea that controlling one's temper is crucial for maintaining righteousness.
Christian HeroismJ. Saurin.Proverbs 16:32
Christian ModerationG. T. Shedd, D.D.Proverbs 16:32
On the Government of the TemperJ. Hewlett, B.D.Proverbs 16:32
Ruling the Spirit the Test of GreatnessHomiletic ReviewProverbs 16:32
Self-Respect and Self-ControlC. H. Payne, D.D., LL.D.Proverbs 16:32
Self-VictoryJ. Vaughan, M.A.Proverbs 16:32
The Command of OurselvesW. Clarkson Proverbs 16:32
The Essentials of Self-ControlBp. Newman, U.S.A.Proverbs 16:32
The Government of Our Passions, Especially AngerGeorge Rouse, D.D.Proverbs 16:32
The Greatness of Self-RuleH. M. Stanley.Proverbs 16:32
The Ruling of the SpiritA. K. H. Boyd.Proverbs 16:32
The Ruling of the SpiritH. Macmillan, D.D.Proverbs 16:32
The Gentle LifeE. Johnson Proverbs 16:31, 32
People
Solomon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Anger, Angry, Better, Captures, Control, Controls, Mighty, Patient, Ruler, Rules, Ruleth, Slow, Spirit, Takes, Taketh, Taking, Temper, Town, War, Warrior
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Proverbs 16:32

     5267   control
     5765   attitudes, to people
     5883   impatience
     5964   temper
     5965   temperament
     8318   patience

Library
April 27. "The Sweetness of the Lips" (Prov. xvi. 21).
"The sweetness of the lips" (Prov. xvi. 21). Spiritual conditions are inseparably connected with our physical life. The flow of the divine life-currents may be interrupted by a little clot of blood; the vital current may leak out through a very trifling wound. If you want to keep the health of Christ, keep from all spiritual sores, from all heart wounds and irritations. One hour of fretting will wear out more vitality than a week of work; and one minute of malignity, or rankling jealousy or envy
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

June 13. "The Sweetness of the Lips Increaseth Learning" (Prov. xvi. 21).
"The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning" (Prov. xvi. 21). Life is very largely made up of words. They are not so emphatic, perhaps, as deeds. Deeds are more deliberate expressions of thought. One of the most remarkable authors of the New Testament has said, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man." It is very often a test of victory in Christian life. Our triumph in this often depends on what we say, or what we do not say. It is said by James of the tongue, "It is set on
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

April 17. "He that Ruleth his Spirit is Better than He that Taketh a City" (Prov. xvi. 32).
"He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city" (Prov. xvi. 32). Temperance is true self-government. It involves the grace of self-denial and the spirit of a sound mind. It is that poise of spirit that holds us quiet, self-possessed, recollected, deliberate, and subject ever to the voice of God and the conviction of duty in every step we take. Many persons have not that poise and recollected spirit. They are drifting at the impulse of their own impressions, moods, the influence of
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

What I Think of Myself and what God Thinks of Me
'All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.'--PROVERBS xvi. 2. 'All the ways of a man'--then there is no such thing as being conscious of having gone wrong, and having got into miry and foul ways? Of course there is; and equally of course a broad statement such as this of my text is not to be pressed into literal accuracy, but is a simple, general assertion of what we all know to be true, that we have a strange power of blinding ourselves as to what is wrong
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Bundle of Proverbs
'Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. 23. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. 24. Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 25. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 26. He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him. 27. An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Unsound Spiritual Trading
A sermon (No. 849) delivered on Lord's Day morning, January 10th, 1869, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits."----Proverbs 16:2. During the last two years some of the most notable commercial reputations have been hopelessly destroyed. Men in the great world of trade who were trusted for hundreds of thousands of pounds, around whose characters there hovered no cloud of suspicion nor even the
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs

Trust in God --True Wisdom
A sermon (No. 392) delivered on Sunday Morning, May 12th, 1861, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he."--Proverbs 16:20. Wisdom is man's true path--that which enables him to accomplish best the end of his being, and which therefore gives to him the richest enjoyment and the fullest play for all his powers. Wisdom is the compass by which man is to steer across the trackless waste
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs

A Wise Desire
I remember once going to a chapel where this happened to be the text, and the good man who occupied the pulpit was more than a little of an Arminian. Therefore, when he commenced, he said, "This passage refers entirely to our temporal inheritance. It has nothing whatever to do with our everlasting destiny: for," said he, "We do not want Christ to choose for us in the matter of heaven or hell. It is so plain and easy that every man who has a grain of common sense will choose heaven; and any person
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Of Predestination
Eph. i. 11.--"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."--Rom. ix. 22, 23.--"What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory." In the creation of the world, it pleased the Lord,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Conflict.
"Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against themselves, that ye
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Of Self-Surrender
Of Self-Surrender We should now begin to abandon and give up our whole existence unto God, from the strong and positive conviction, that the occurrence of every moment is agreeable to His immediate will and permission, and just such as our state requires. This conviction will make us resigned in all things; and accept of all that happens, not as from the creature, but as from God Himself. But I conjure you, my dearly beloved, who sincerely wish to give up yourselves to God, that after you have made
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of Prayer

Abandonment to God --Its Fruit and Its Irrevocability --In what it Consists --God Exhorts us to It.
It is here that true abandonment and consecration to God should commence, by our being deeply convinced that all which happens to us moment by moment is the will of God, and therefore all that is necessary to us. This conviction will render us contented with everything, and will make us see the commonest events in God, and not in the creature. I beg of you, whoever you may be, who are desirous of giving yourselves to God, not to take yourselves back when once you are given to Him, and to remember
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents

The Providence of God
Q-11: WHAT ARE GOD'S WORKS OF PROVIDENCE? A: God's works of providence are the acts of his most holy, wise, and powerful government of his creatures, and of their actions. Of the work of God's providence Christ says, My Father worketh hitherto and I work.' John 5:17. God has rested from the works of creation, he does not create any new species of things. He rested from all his works;' Gen 2:2; and therefore it must needs be meant of his works of providence: My Father worketh and I work.' His kingdom
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Epistle xx. To Mauricius Augustus.
To Mauricius Augustus. Gregory to Mauricius, &c. Our most pious and God-appointed lord, among his other august cares and burdens, watches also in the uprightness of spiritual zeal over the preservation of peace among the priesthood, inasmuch as he piously and truly considers that no one can govern earthly things aright unless he knows how to deal with divine things, and that the peace of the republic hangs on the peace of the universal Church. For, most serene Lord, what human power, and what strength
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Sovereignty of God in Reprobation
"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God" (Rom. 11:22). In the last chapter when treating of the Sovereignty of God the Father in Salvation, we examined seven passages which represent Him as making a choice from among the children of men, and predestinating certain ones to be conformed to the image of His Son. The thoughtful reader will naturally ask, And what of those who were not "ordained to eternal life?" The answer which is usually returned to this question, even by those who profess
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

God's Glory the Chief End of Man's Being
Rom. xi. 36.--"Of him and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever." And 1 Cor. x. 31--"Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." All that men have to know, may be comprised under these two heads,--What their end is, and What is the right way to attain to that end? And all that we have to do, is by any means to seek to compass that end. These are the two cardinal points of a man's knowledge and exercise. Quo et qua eundum est,--Whither to go, and what way to go.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Reprobation.
In discussing this subject I shall endeavor to show, I. What the true doctrine of reprobation is not. 1. It is not that the ultimate end of God in the creation of any was their damnation. Neither reason nor revelation confirms, but both contradict the assumption, that God has created or can create any being for the purpose of rendering him miserable as an ultimate end. God is love, or he is benevolent, and cannot therefore will the misery of any being as an ultimate end, or for its own sake. It is
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

How the Rude in Sacred Learning, and those who are Learned but not Humble, are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 25.) Differently to be admonished are those who do not understand aright the words of the sacred Law, and those who understand them indeed aright, but speak them not humbly. For those who understand not aright the words of sacred Law are to be admonished to consider that they turn for themselves a most wholesome drought of wine into a cup of poison, and with a medicinal knife inflict on themselves a mortal wound, when they destroy in themselves what was sound by that whereby they ought,
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

The Consolation
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received at the LORD 's hand double for all her sins. T he particulars of the great "mystery of godliness," as enumerated by the Apostle Paul, constitute the grand and inexhaustible theme of the Gospel ministry, "God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Epistle ii. To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch.
To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch. Gregory to Anastasius, Patriarch of Antioch. I have received the letters of your most sweet Blessedness, which flowed with tears for words. For I saw in them a cloud flying aloft as clouds do; but, though it carried with it a darkness of sorrow, I could not easily discover at its commencement whence it came or whither it was going, since by reason of the darkness I speak of I did not fully understand its origin. Yet it becomes you, most holy ones, ever to recall
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

How the Impatient and the Patient are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 10.) Differently to be admonished are the impatient and the patient. For the impatient are to be told that, while they neglect to bridle their spirit, they are hurried through many steep places of iniquity which they seek not after, inasmuch as fury drives the mind whither desire draws it not, and, when perturbed, it does, not knowing, what it afterwards grieves for when it knows. The impatient are also to be told that, when carried headlong by the impulse of emotion, they act in some
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Effects of Messiah's Appearance
The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped: Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. H ow beautiful and magnificent is the imagery, by which the Prophet, in this chapter, represents the effects of MESSIAH'S appearance! The scene, proposed to our view, is a barren and desolate wilderness. But when He, who in the beginning said, Let there be light, and there was light, condescends to visit this wilderness, the face of nature is
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

A Preliminary Discourse to Catechising
'If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.' - Col 1:23. Intending next Lord's day to enter upon the work of catechising, it will not be amiss to give you a preliminary discourse, to show you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the grounds of religion. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.' I. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith. II. The best way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded. I. It is the duty of Christians
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

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