Proverbs 20:17

Bread of deceit is sweet to a man,.... Which may be understood of sin in general, which is bread to the sinner, he eats it: it is called "the bread of wickedness", Pro 4:17; but it is but poor bread,…

“To eat gravel” was a Hebrew Lam 3:16, and is an Arabic, phrase for getting into trouble. So “bread,” got by deceit, tastes sweet at first, but ends by leaving the hunger of the soul unsatisfied.…

Note, 1. Sin may possibly be pleasant in the commission: Bread of deceit, wealth gotten by fraud, by lying and oppression, may be sweet to a man, and the more sweet for its being ill-gotten, such…

Bread of deceit or of falsehood, R.V., i.e. bread (or whatever else that word represents) gotten by dishonest and deceitful methods.

with gravel Comp. Lam 3:16.