A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the {b} inheritance among the brethren.

(b) That is, will be made governor over the children.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. (Compare Pr 14:35).

causeth shame-(Pr 10:5).

shall . inheritance-that is, share a brother's part (compare Nu 27:4, 7).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:1 These words recommend family love and peace, as needful for the comfort of human life. 2. The wise servant is more deserving, and more likely to appear one of the family, than a profligate son. 3. God tries the heart by affliction. He thus has often shown the sin remaining in the heart of the believer.

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Verse 2

Note, 1. True merit does not go by dignity. All agree that the son in the family is more worthy than the servant (Jn. 8:35), and yet sometimes it so happens that the servant is wise, and a blessing and credit to the family, when the son is a fool, and a burden and shame to the family. Eliezer of Damascus, though Abram could not bear to think that he should be his heir, was a stay to the family, when he obtained a wife for Isaac; whereas Ishmael, a son, was a shame to it, when he mocked Isaac. 2. True dignity will go by merit. If a servant be wise, and manage things well, he shall be further trusted, and not only have rule with, but rule over a son that causes shame; for God and nature have designed that the fool shall be servant to the wise in heart. Nay, a prudent servant may perhaps come to have such an interest in his master as to be taken in for a child's share of the estate and to have part of the inheritance among the brethren.