| Barnes' Notes on the Bible Sacrifices - The feast accompanied the offerings Proverbs 7:14. Part of the victims were burned upon the altar, the rest was consumed by the worshipper and his friends. The "house full of sacrifices" was therefore one abounding in sumptuous feasts.
Clarke's Commentary on the BibleBetter is a dry morsel - Peace and contentment, and especially domestic peace, are beyond all other blessings. A house full of sacrifices - A Hindoo priest, who officiates at a festival, sometimes receives so many offeringss that his house is filled with them, so that many of them are damaged before they can be used - Ward.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBetter is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith,.... A small quantity of bread; a broken piece of bread, as the word (w) signifies; which has been long broken off, and become "dry" (x); a dry crust of bread; old bread, as the Arabic version; an old, mouldy, dry piece of bread: and the word used has the signification of destruction in it: bread that has lost its taste and virtue; or, however, a mere piece of bread is meant, without anything to eat with it, as Gersom, butter, cheese, or flesh: this, with quietness and peace among those that partake of it, peace in the family, in a man's own mind, especially if he has the peace of God, which passeth all understanding; this is better than a house full of sacrifices with strife; than a house ever so well furnished with good cheer, or a table ever so richly spread; or where there is plenty of slain beasts for food, or for sacrifice, which were usually the best, and part of which the people had to eat, and at which times feasts used to be made; but the meanest food, with tranquillity and contentment, is preferable to the richest entertainment where there is nothing but strife and contention among the guests; for, where that is, there is confusion and every evil work: peace and joy in the Holy Ghost are better than meats and drinks. Mr. Dod used to say, "brown bread and the Gospel are good fare;'' see Proverbs 15:17. (w) "frustrum", a "fregit", Gejerus. (x) "siccum frustum panis", Tigurine version; "cibi sicci" Junius & Tremellius; "brucella sicca", V. L. Mercerus, Piscator; "buccea sicca", Cocceuis; "frustum sicci, sc. cibi", Michaelis, "frustum siccae buccellae, Schultens, so Ben Melech.
Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old TestamentA comparative proverb with טוב, pairing with Proverbs 16:32 : Better a dry piece of bread, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of slain beasts with unquietness. Similar to this in form and contents are Proverbs 15:16. and Proverbs 16:8. פּת חרבה is a piece of bread (פת, fem., as Proverbs 23:8) without savoury drink (Theodotion, καθ ̓ ἑαυτόν, i.e., nothing with it), cf. Leviticus 7:10, a meat-offering without the pouring out of oil. זבחים are not sacrificial gifts (Hitzig), but, as always, slain animals, i.e., either offerings or banquets of slain beasts; it is the old name of the שׁלמים (cf. Exodus 18:12; Exodus 24:5; Proverbs 7:14), part of which only were offered on the altar, and part presented as a banquet; and זבח (in contradist. to טבח, Leviticus 9:2; Leviticus 43:16) denotes generally any kind of consecrated festival in connection with the worship of God, 1 Samuel 20:29; cf. Genesis 31:54. "Festivals of hatred" are festivals with hatred. מלא is part. with object.-accus.; in general מלא forms a constructive, מלא occurs only once (Jeremiah 6:11), and מלאי not at all. We have already, Proverbs 7:14, remarked on the degenerating of the shelamı̂m feasts; from this proverb it is to be concluded that the merriment and the excitement bordering on intoxication (cf. with Hitzig, 1 Samuel 1:13 and 1 Samuel 1:3), such as frequently at the Kirmsen merry-makings, brought quarrels and strife, so that the poor who ate his dry bread in quiet peace could look on all this noise and tumult without envy.
Geneva Study BibleBetter is a dry morsel, and quietness with it, than an house full of {a} sacrifices with strife. (a) For where there were many sacrifices, there were many portions given to the people, with which they feasted.
King James Translators' Notessacrifices: or, good cheer
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible CommentaryCHAPTER 17 Pr 17:1-28. 1. sacrifices-or, "feasts" made with part of them (compare Pr 7:14; Le 2:3; 7:31). with-literally, "of." strife-its product, or attendant.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary17:1 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 CommentaryChapter 17 Verse 1 These words recommend family-love and peace, as conducing very much to the comfort of human life. 1. Those that live in unity and quietness, not only free from jealousies and animosities, but vying in mutual endearments, and obliging to one another, live very comfortably, though they are low in the world, work hard and fare hard, though they have but each of them a morsel, and that a dry morsel. There may be peace and quietness where there are not three meals a day, provided there by a joint satisfaction in God's providence and a mutual satisfaction in each other's prudence. Holy love may be found in a cottage. 2. Those that live in contention, that are always jarring and brawling, and reflecting upon one another, though they have plenty of dainties, a house full of sacrifices, live uncomfortably; they cannot expect the blessing of God upon them and what they have, nor can they have any true relish of their enjoyments, much less any peace in their own consciences. Love will sweeten a dry morsel, but strife will sour and embitter a house full of sacrifices. A little of the leaven of malice will leaven all the enjoyments. | 
