Counsellors - The Hebrew word, used almost as an official title 1-Chronicles 27:32; Isaiah 1:26; Isaiah 19:11, brings before us the picture of the council-chamber of Eastern countries, arranged for a solemn conference of the wise.

But in the multitude of counsellors - See note on Proverbs 11:13 (note). But רב יועצים rob yoatsim might be translated, chief or master of the council, the prime minister.

Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but (f) in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
(f) Read (Proverbs 11:14).

Without counsel purposes are disappointed,.... If a man determines and resolves upon a matter, and at once hastily and precipitately goes about it, without mature deliberation, without consulting with himself, and taking the advice of others in forming a scheme to bring about his designs, it generally comes to nothing; see Luke 14:28; or "without a secret" (s) without keeping one; if a man divulges his intentions, it is much if they are not frustrated; so the Targum,
"vain are the thoughts (or designs) where there is no secret;''
if a man makes no secret of what he designs to do, he is easily counterworked, and his purposes disappointed;
but in the multitude of counsellors they are established; his purposes are, as in Proverbs 20:18; having the advice of others, and these many, he is confirmed that he is right in what he has thought of and purposed to do; and therefore goes about it with the greater spirit and cheerfulness, and is most likely to succeed, and generally does; see Proverbs 11:14.
(s) "in non secreto", Montanus; "cum non sit secretum", Baynus; "quum nullum est arcanum", Schultens; "ubi non est secretum", Cocceius.

If men will not take time and pains to deliberate, they are not likely to bring any thing to pass.

Without counsel--or, "deliberation," implying a wise deference to the opinions of the wise and good, contrasted with rashness.

22 A breaking of plans where no counsel is;
But where many counsellors are they come to pass.
On the other side it is also true according to the proverbs, "so viel Kpfe so viel Sinne" [quot homines, tot sententiae], and "viel Rath ist Unrath" [ne quid nimis], and the like. But it cannot become a rule of morals not to accept of counsel that we may not go astray; on the contrary, it is and remains a rule of morals: not stubbornly to follow one's own heart (head), and not obstinately to carry out one's own will, and not in the darkness of wisdom to regard one's own plans as unimproveable, and not needing to be examined; but to listen to the counsel of intelligent and honest friends, and, especially where weighty matters are in hand, not affecting one's own person, but the common good, not to listen merely to one counsellor, but to many. Not merely the organism of the modern state, but also of old the Mosaic arrangement of the Israelitish community, with its representative organization, its courts and councils, rested on the acknowledged justice and importance of the saying uttered in Proverbs 11:14, and here generalized. הפר, infin. abs. Hiph. of פּרר, to break, with the accus. following, stands here, like הפוך, Proverbs 12:7, instead of the finite: the thoughts come to a fracture (failure), irrita fiunt consilia. סוד (= יסוד, cf. נוסד Psalm 2:2) means properly the being brought close together for the purpose of secret communication and counsel (cf. Arab. sâwada, to press close together = to walk with one privately). The lxx: their plans are unexecuted, οἱ μὴ τιμῶντες συνέδρια, literally Symmachus, διασκεδάζονται λογισμοὶ μὴ ὄντος συμβουλίου. תּקוּם has, after Jeremiah 4:14; Jeremiah 51:29, מחשׁבות as subject. The lxx (besides perverting ברב [by a multitude] into בלב ἐν καρδίαις]), the Syr. and Targ. introduce עצה (Proverbs 19:21) as subject.

Counsel - When men do not seek, or will not receive advice from others.