A friend loves at all times
Proverbs 17:17 - Human relatives and friends may not always come to our aid, but Jesus always will.
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“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17 NIV
Do you have a true friend? In today’s proverb, Solomon examines the depths of friendship and contrasts friends with relatives.
A true friendship lasts for a long time — perhaps even a lifetime — and that friend is someone you can always rely on. The original Hebrew word for friend is רֵעַ (rēaʿ), and expands the relationship beyond just a couple of buddies. Strong’s Concordance, a compendium of Hebrew and Greek words used in the Bible, uses רֵעַ most in the sense of “neighbor”. The word is also defined as “companion” or “intimate friend”, and it’s in that sense that it is used in this proverb to describe a close bond that is well beyond just knowing someone.
When Solomon says “loves at all times”, he’s referring to a steadfast love that never wavers. The New Living Translation (NLT) substitutes the phrase “A friend is always loyal” here, implying someone who is always at your side and willing to stand up for you. This steadfast love is the kind that Jesus speaks of in John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Being a true friend is a reflection of God’s enduring love for His people.
The second part of this proverb is stated somewhat differently in other Bible translations:
NIV - a brother is born for a time of adversity
NLT - a brother is born to help in time of need
Contemporary English Version - relatives are born to share our troubles
Good News Translation - What are relatives for if not to share trouble?
Brenton Septuagint Translation - let brethren be useful in distress; for on this account are they born
All of the translations have a common theme, highlighting the role of family in times of trouble. At the time the Proverbs were written, having ties to relatives was crucial for support and survival, particularly during hard times. Although the term “brother” or “brethren” is used in many of the translations, the idea here goes beyond a sibling to anyone who shows the loyalty or support that one would expect from a family.
Remember the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis? Sure, the brothers betrayed Joseph and sold him into slavery, but later the familial connection led to reconciliation of the family and much-needed support during the famine. That’s the type of “brother” Solomon is talking about, one who is willing to forgive even the worst offenses and help out in times of need.
Many times, Old Testament verses such as this can be interpreted as depicting the attributes of Jesus. In Hebrews 2:11 (“Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters”), we see that Jesus was born as a sibling to the faithful, to share our suffering and help us in times of need.
Human relatives and friends may not always come to our aid, but Jesus always will.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear God, I thank You for the friends and relatives You have blessed me with during my life, and for the comfort and love I have received from them. I pray that I can be a genuine friend to others, and that You will use me to be a source of support for others when they are in need. I am comforted by the eternal truth that even though human friends may come and go, Jesus is always with me for comfort and assistance. AMEN.