42 The Proverbs Of Solomon
; ; ;
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.
being of the ungodly (therefore a Theodini),— [Arnot :— Here it is not the first and direct, but the secondary and circuitous effect of bad example, that is prominently brought into view.
Some who are in no danger of falling in love with their neighbor's sin, may be chafed by it into a hatred of their neighbor].
Melanththcn (on ver. 21):—God has given to men authority because He would have men hear and know His law, and thereby Himself, and also for this reason, because He would preserve human society from dissolution through endless disquiets and controversies.
He has, however, ordained that we hearken to human governors for His sake, and th.at we must know that He punishes the into calamity are two different things.
Beware of the former, aud the Lord will not forsake thee in the latter.
Cramer:
Whosoever rejoices in others' adversity, his own calamity stands already outside the door.
[T.Adams:
Let us beware that we do not slide ; if slide, that we do not fall if fall, that we fall forward, not backward.
Be hold thy Saviour calling, thy Father blessing, the Spirit assisting, the angels comforting, the Word directing, the glory waiting, good men associating.
Flavel : Though repeated spiritual falling shows the foulness it does not always prove the falseness of the heart.
Bridqes (on ver.
17):
—What has grace done for us, if it has not overcome nature by a holier and happier principle?
To rejoice in the fall of an enemy would be to rebellious.— [Bp. Sherlock:—The only lasting foundation of civil obedience is the fear of God; and the truest interest of princes is to maintain the honor of religion, by which they secure their own.
Arnot ;—Take away godliness, and your loyalty without being increased in aniounl. is seriously deteriorated in kind ; take away loyfall deeper than himself; lo fall not into trouble, hut into sin.
Trapp (on ver. 18):—Think thus with thyself. Either I am like my enemy, or else I am better or worse than he.
If like him, why may I not look for the like misery?
If belter, who made me to differ?
If worse, what reason have I then to insult?] alty, and you run great risk of spoiling the purity of the remanent godliness.
In the Scriptures the feebler force is made fast to the stronger, and .so carried through in trying times.
Loyalty Vers. 19-22. Starke (on vers.
19, 20) :—He that would look on the prosperity of ungodly men without envy and offence need only make a comparison between the brief instant of their joy and the unending eternity of their pain and punishment.
Zolliicofer (Serm. on vers.
19, 20) :—Nullifying the objection against the divine government of the world, which is made on account of the unequal distribution of external prosperity among men, and the earthly wellis most secure where it has godliness to lean upon].
Geier (on ver. 22) :—Certain as death in itself is, although we cannot know the lime aud manner of it, so surely does God's punishment follow ungodliness and rebellion, but its time and form remain uncertain.
Second Supplement:
Chap. XXIV. 23-34. o) Various admonitions to good conduct toward one's neighbors.
Vers. 23-29.
These also are from wise men.
To be partial in judgment is not good.
24 He that saith to the wicked, " thou art righteous," him tlie people curse, (and) nations execrate;
25 but to them that rebuke (iniquity) it is well, and upon them shall come a rich blessing.
26 He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
Set in order thy work without, and make it ready for thyself in the field afterward build thine house.
28 Be not witness against thy neighbor without cause and wilt thou deceive with thy lips?
29 Say not: "As he hath done to me so will I do to him:
I will requite the man according to his work."
CHAP. XXIV.
23-54.
b) Warning against indolence and its evil consequences.
Vbbs. 30-34.
30 By the field of a slothful man I passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding.
31 And, lo ! it was all grown over with thorns, briars covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I looked and fixed my attention I saw and took (to myself) instruction.
" A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep ; "
34 then cometh thy poverty apace, and thy want a.s an armed man
GRAMMATICAL AND CETTICAL.
Ver. 23. 73 is equivalent to K7. as in xxii. 29; xxiii. 7, etc.
Ver. 27. [The Perf. with
consfr. n^33^ is used, as this tense bo constrned not unfrequently is, in the sense of an ImT
T perative : and afterward thou hast huili, rtc.: predictions and i^jonctions sometimes talcinf; this way of expressing an assurance that what should be will be.
See BiiTr. JJ977, 3 ; aSl, 3: Gbeen, J '265, (< ; Hyi /a,l>, Lehrb. 332, b.—>i.] Ver. 28. [A Perf. with
cnnsec. to express what oiigfit to be,—a suggestion rather than a precept, Bottoher's Piens dcfctium. § 981, B.
-y.J n^plSni.
Because the interrogative particle occurs only in this instance immediately after the T .
-; copula, EWALD proposes to change the form to riT^Sni, "and thou wilt open wide," i. e. betray (comp. xx.
19), {so T :
; Fuerst] ; HITZIG, however, into ninSni. " and thou wilt whisper," t. e. speak with subdued voice (from a form nSH, to be explained in accordance with the Arabic) ; [so BoTT., making it a Hiph. from nflS and not a Piel from ni"13].
- T T T Both are .alike arbitrary and unnecessary.
[K., Bertheau, S. and M. take our author*8 view].
Ver. 31. [^D^, a Pual with Eamets Hhatuph; see Qreen, g 9 ,a; 0^7^71 one of two examples in which ^ in the T *.. -: ultima gives place in forming the plural to - with a doubled vowel.
Green, 291, c.—A.] Ver.
2.5. But to them that rebuke (iniquity) it is w^ell ; i. c. upright judges who punish evil-doers according to their desert (not merely with words but also with stringent disciplinary enactments), instead of the cnrse of men, obtain as a reward nothing but blessing and welfare from God.
EXEGETICAL.
Vers. 23-25. Warning .against a p.trtial administration of justice —These also are from ^ise men.
According to the LXX, Vulg., MiCHAELI9, Umbeeit, Elster, etc., tlie D"D3n7 2.
Vera.
26-29.
Four additional admonitions should be understood " for the wise."
[So the to righteous conduct toward one's neighbors.
He kissetb the lips that giveth a right answer;/.
€. faithful aud truthful answers, especially before a court of justice, affect one as favorably as the most agreeable caress, or a sweet kiss on the lips.
The mention of the " lips E. v., which is followed by Holden].
In opposition lo this we have not merely the usual meaning of the preposition in superscriptions, hut over and above this we have the "also," which refers back to the next preceding collection of proverbs, whose originating with wise men was expressly emphasized, chap, xxii 17.
To be partial in judgment is not good : strictly :
" is to be explained simply by the remembrance of the question to which the upright and truthful answer corresponds.
The author of the proverb passes wholly by the f.act that hearing is the appropriate organ for the reception of the answer.
Therefore HiTzic.'s conception of the first clause, which differs from the common one: "He commends (ingratiates) himself with the lips who," to distinguish persons in ju'lgnient is not good.
This short proverb, forming only a single clause, is plainly nothing but a pieliniinary observation or introduction to the two following verses, which treat more fully of partiality in dispensing justice.
Compare, furthermore, the quite similar, and almost literally identical sentences, xviii. 5 and xxviii. 21. etc., is plainly unnecessary.
[Bertheac, Kamph., De W., N., etc., agree in our author's construction.and conception: while the E. V., Muffet, H.,
Ver.
24. He that saith to the ^wicked, " Thou art righteous."
Comp. chap. xvii. lo :
" He that justitieth the wicked."
To the threatening intimation of God's displeasure there given, there corresponds here the threat of a condition in which one is hated and cursed on the part of the nations (comp. xi. 26
; xxii. 14); for to turn justice into injustice by partiality in judgment impairs the well-being of entire nations and stAteg.
S., M , etc., understand the allusion to be to tributes of love and honor paid to him who answers rightly: "Every man (or, the people) shall kiss his lips."
.According to this view the people's curse (in ver. 24) is contrasted with their respectful and loving s.alutation
; according to the other, which is grammatically simpler and probably to be preferred, the offence given by the p.artial or partisan judge is contrasted with the cheering. soothing power of liim who iiu.swers rightly.—A. j
2!2
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.
Ver. 32. Then I looked.
Hitzio proposes Ver. 27. Set in order thy vroth 'without I. e. take care, by the profitable and diligent prosecution of your labors in tbe field, first of all for the needful and reliable support of your existence; then you may go on to the building up of your establishment.
The " house " in clause to read nmS1 instead of HinX!
(comp. 2 Sam. iv. 10) : "and I stopped" (from the intransitive verb inx, sistere, to stand still).
But the ordinary reading is abundantly confirmed by th« parallel in clause b.
[Kamph. culls attention to the introduction of the pronoun, as an element in the graphic fullness of the poet's description of his meditation.—A.]—I saw and took (to myself) instruction, lit., "a correction or reproof."
What was contained in this admonition c, is thus doubtless equivalent to " family, domestic establishment," as in Ruth iv. 11
; comp. above, Prov. xiv.
The literal rendering given by HiTziQ and others to this phrase, "build thy house," seems leas appropriate, although Biblical parallels might be adduced for this also, e. g. the passage Luke xv.
28, which in its moral bearing is certainly kindred.
Ver 28.
Be not -witness against thy neighbor without cause.
"Without cause," is expressed in what follows.
With vers. 33, 34 comp. the almost literally identical verses 10 and
of chap, vi., and the Exeg. notes there (p. 84), where the meaning of the divergent reading was also discussed.—And thy -want: lit., "and thy wants," i. e. thy de- «'.
«. witlioat an actual reason, without necessity; comp xxiii. 29; xxvi. 2; John xv. 25, etc.
It is not so much a false witness that is meant, as one not called for, one who is incited to say injurious things by nothing beyond his own animosity.
And Twilt thou deceive with thy lips?
See Critic.il notes for various constructions of the verb.
With regard to the expression " deceive with thy lips," comp. Ps. Ixxviii. 36
; " and they did riatter him with their mouth." ficits, thy pecuniary embarrassments, on account of which now one thing and then another fails.
DOCTRINAL, ETHICAL, HOMILETIC AND
PRACTICAL.
Righteous treatment of one's neighbor, and a prudent active industry in the discharge of duties
Ver.
2f). Say not, "As he hath done to me so will I do to him."
We can hardly find here (with Hitzig, who follows several of the earlier expositors) a special connection between this verse and the preceding, as though the man who had been wronged by the ofiicious witness were here introduced as speaking, and a warning were given him against allowing free course to his revenge.
Comp. rather the similar thought in chap. xx. 22, which like this stands quite isolated. to ourselves, are the two points to which the admonitory import of this section may be reduced, and in a way quite exhaustive.
For as vers.
23-29, all of them with the sole exception of ver.
admonish to a strictly just and honorable bearing in intercourse with others, so not merely tliat 28th verse, but also the parabolic narrative in vers. 30-34, relates to the vice of sloth and an indolent carelessness in the performance of the domestic duties of one's calling.
The general substance of this short section therefore bears a resemblance, at least partial, to that of the 6th chapter (which is indeed much richer in its fullness).
In attempting to obtain from it a central idea for homiletic use, we should be obliged to proceed as we did in that instance (comp., above,
Vers. 30-34.
The vineyard of the slothful: a narrative in form closely resembling the parable.
Comp. Isa. V.
1 sq., as well as the passages which correspond still more closely with the form of this narration. Job v. 3 sq.
; Ps. xxxvii.
sq.
—By the field of a slothful man I passed along.
The figure of the field is in tlie sequel entirely dropped, from a preference for the closely related one of the vineyard.
The "man void of understanding " in clause A, is naturally another sluggard, one who is indolent from lack of understanding. p. 87).
[With reference to ver. 29 in particular (comp. what is said above on vers.
11, 12), Dr.
Chalmers says :
It is pleasant to observe the outgoing of the earlier morality towards the later and more advanced—of that in the Old towards that in the New Testament.—A.]
Therefore as a homily on the whole: Neither injustice nor faithlessness toward one's neighbor, nor want of fidelity in the fulfilment of one's own domestic duties, brings a blessing.—Or, Honorable conduct in relation to others is possible only on the basis of the industrious and conscientious performance of the duties of one's own calling.
Vers. 23-25. Starke: Xn unjust judge loads himself with sighs which God also hears; a righteous judge, on the contrary, will surely enjoy at the same time the blessing and the intercession of the pious.
Wohlfaeth : The blessing of a wise severity in the State (in the administration of the laws).
Ver. 31. And lo ! it was all grown over with thorns [lit., " it came up all of it thorns"] (comp. the same word in Isa. xxxiv.
13, which is there also translated in the Vulg. by the term uriicie), brambles covered the face thereof (D'S'in, lit., "what one may not touch, things not to' be approached" [Fuerst, "stinging, burning things," nettles, e. ^.], is an accusative subordinate to the verb in the Pual), and its stone wall (lit., "its wall of stones") v^as broken dowrn.
All these features are found also in the parable of the vineyard in Isaiah, which has been already cited, Isa. v. 5, 6; comp. likewise Ps. Ixxx. 13, 14.
[Travellers like Hackett [IllustTations of Scripture) call attention to the minute accuracy of the description as illustrated by the fact, that in the richer soils of Palestine it is thorny shrubs, of which twenty-two kinds are enumerated, that are specially quick to spring up and overspread a neglected field — .\.]
Vers.
26-29.
Geier (on ver.
26):
If thou meanest to deal fairly with thine own soul, then rejoice heartily in good counsel given from the word of God ; though it be disagreeable to the flesh, yet it is like a precious balsam (Ps. cxli.
5) Starke (on ver. 27): He who with all his carefulness in attention to his occupation yet forgets the one thing needful, builds his house
; :
CHAP. XXV.
1-28.
—WoHLFABTH
(oH ver. 32): To become wise on the follies of others is in fact an excellent prudence.
[.\r.\ot: Even the sluggard's garden brought forth fruit— but not for the sluggard's on th« sand, because in the midst of all outward prosperity he still sutlers injury in his soul.
(On ver.
29) :
If thou wouldst be really like God as His child, then follow Him in compassion and leave the right of vengeance to Him alone benetit.
The diligent man reaped and carried oil* the only liarvest that it bore—a warning.
Lev. six. 18; Rom. xii. 17 sq.
Vers. 30-34. Starke:
Indolence is extremely injurious to the Christian life.
If one does not do good with earnestness and diligence, evil surely gains more and more the ascendency, and J. Foster; Lecture on Practical Views of Human Life.
Let it never be forgotten in any part of the process that the efficacy of the instruction must be from the Supreme Teacher; without Him, the attraction and assimilation of the evil would, after all, be mightier than its warning and repelling force]. in all conditions, in Churcli and State and in domestic life, want and labor are multiplied as the result of neglect of official duty on the part of the servants and stewards instituted by God.
IV. LATER COLLECTION BY THE MEN OF HEZEKIAH.
Tme ^7isdom proclaimed as the chief good to kings and their snbjects.
Chaps. XXV.—XXIX.
SCPERSCEIPTION
: Chap. XXV.
1 These also are proverbs of Solomon which men of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, collected.
1. Admonition to the fear of God and righteousness, addressed to kings and subjectg.
Chap. XXV. 2-28 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings to search out a matter.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings (are) unsearchable.
4 Take away the dross from silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner
5 take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Display not thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of the great
for it is better that it be said to thee, ' Come up hither," than that they humble thee because of the king, whom thine eyes have seen.
8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest (it be said to thee) :
" What wilt thou do in the end, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame?"
9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbor, but disclose not the secret of another; ] lest he that heareth it upbraid thee, and thine infamy turn not away.
(Like) apples of gold in framework of silver
is a word fitly spoken.
(As) a gold ring and an ornament of fine gold
is a wise reprover to an ear that heareth.
; ;
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.
13 As the coolness of snow on a harvest day is a faithful messenger to them that send him he refresheth the soul of his master.
14 Clouds and wind and no rain (so is) a man who boasteth of a false gift..
15 By forbearance is a prince persuaded, and a gentle tongue breaketh the bone.
16 Hast thou found honey—eat to thy satisfaction, lest thou be surfeited with it and vomit it.
17 Withhold thy foot from thy neighbor's house, lest he be weary of thee and hate thee.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow is the man that speaketh as a false witness against his neighbor.
(Like) a broken tooth and an unsteady foot is confidence in an unfaithful man in the day of need.
20 (As) he that layeth aside clothing in a cold day—(as) vinegar on nitre is he that singeth songs with a heavy heart.
If thine enemy hunger, give him bread to eat, and if he thirst, give him water to drink
for (so) dost thou heap burning coals on his head and Jehovah will reward thee.
23 North wind produceth rain, so doth the slanderous tongue a troubled face.
It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, than with a quarrelsome woman in a wide house.
25 As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 (Like) a troubled fountain and a ruined spring is the righteous man who wavereth before the wicked.
27 To eat much honey is not good, and to search out the difficult bringeth difGculty.
28 (As) a city broken through, without walls, is the man who hath no mastery over his own spirit.
GRAMMATICAL AND CRITICAL.
[In the HecHon of the Book of Proverbs including chaps, xxv.—xxix. peculiar idioms are more numerous, peculiaritiei in radical forms and in infleclions, some of them comiiioD to this section wiih someothers in the Old Testament, others of an Aramaic type.
These have usually been regarded (if explained at all) as resulting from the more miscellaneous character of this portion of the collection.
BoTT. finds here provincialisms characteristic of Ephraim, belonging more naturally to the section of tlie c.untry most in contact with Syria, 'the corri^ctness of this view needs to he established by close iuvestigalion.
For the enumeraliou of particulars see Bottcuer's Aus/uhrliches Lehrbuch, ^§ 29, 34, 3o.—A.J
Ter. 4.—The Infin.abs. I'JH [old root 71^1. see also Geeen, §172, 2, for the peculiar form] is in both cases, in vera. 4 and T 5, to be regarded as Tmiierative (so all the ancient versions, and a'so Umrreit, Ewald, Elster), and not as in the first instance a substitute for the Indic. Imperf. flllTZ.G, Berthkau), or as sUmiing in both cases for the gerund
(.-o Stier: is lo he, should be taken away, etc.).
[In ver. 4 this virtual Iinper. is followed by a consex. Imprrf.^ in ver. 5 by a ctmstc. Jussive: "let his throne bo established," tic.
BiiTT., ?9S0, B, and n. 10— A.] Ver. 7.—["lOX, an impersonal use of the Kal. Inf constr., "good is tbe saying;" the rendering is often appropriately T -: passive,—so here " that it be said to thee."
Here and in ver. 27 the lufin. has a miac. predicate ; in ver. 24 the fem. Infiu.
T\2V} takes the same.
BoTT., J 9911, 1, a, and 3 3 —A.] Ver. 9.—[Sjf. a Piel Imperf. apocopate with lengthened Towel.
See reek, J 174, 4; Noedh.,84o1; Bott, J 1085, .4
, rfc—A.] Ver. 11.—[IS"!, either a Kal Pass Partic, written defectively,—or a Hoph. Partic. deprived of its initial D, which is '.. T no UDCommon loss : the form would then be 131 ; see Bott., g 994, 5, 6, 10.—VJ3X. regarded by Bott. as well ae by Z. and T "..
T : T others as derived from T3i4, wheel, the form is dual, the plural form with the same suffix being V33S ; the meaning will It t then be "on its fpair of) wheels," readily, aptly.
See BorT., JJ678, .3,/.; 6S,i, 42, and n. 4.
Fuerst gives the preference to another met^ning supported from the Arabic and the Talm., *'nach seinen Arten," according to its various uses and application8=fitIy.— A.] Ver. 16.—[inxpn, » Pert Hiph. with peculiarities in the vocalization and the suffix.
BoTT., §J1158, 2; 1188,33.
-A.l Ver. 17.—ip71, Imper. Hiph. from 1p' (Is. xiii. 12
; 1 Sam. iii. 1).
Vera. 19 —nj^l, Partic. fem. Kal from J>^1=VV1.
[Explained by Oesen. as an Infln. fem. used substantively, but by FUBB8T, BoTT., e/c, as by our author,—a fem. part, passing into an adjective use.]
Instead of J11),*^0, wavering, uoV T Steady, is either to be read JIIJ^ID (Part. Kal from 1J70), or the form is with K. Kimcbi, Bertueiu, Elster, etc., to be re-
CHAP. XXV.
1-28.
21S ;arded as a Pual part, with the omission of the performativo O (comp.
Is. liv.
11. etc.); comp. Ewald, Lehrb., 169 d.
VvERST auppoits ttie latter explanatioD ; Gk8EN , Lex. and Lt/ir^eO., BoTT., Green (?) and others adopt the author's view.
'ee eap. Bott., gg 492, ij aud u. -; 1063, 6'aud n. 4.
A.J ^:
Vor. 20.—rn>?D is usually taken us a Uiph. Pait. from m^', " he who takelh ofl' clothiug," ete.
1'uekst suggests the eonstruing and rendering of it as a noun, with the meaning Fracht, splendor; Bott. strenuously maintains that it can be nothing eise.
L<hr ., 11., p. 377, u.
1, and references there given.—A.]. tails and references see Fuekst's Kanon, pp. 7.380.—A.]
EXEGETICAL.
Vers. 2-5.
Of kings, their necessary attributes and duties.—It is the glory of God to conceal a thing ei;:., so far forth as He, the "God that hideth Himself"
(Is. xlv.
15), is incomprehensible in His being, aud "unsearchable in His judgments " (Rom. xi. 33), so that accordingly all His action is a working out from the unknown, the hidden, a sudden revealing of hidden marvels (the "secret things" of Deut. xxix.
29).
["David says, 'The heavens declare the glory of God,' and Solomon adds, that God's glory
Vers.
The Superscription—plainly belonging to the whole subsequent collection as far as the end of chap, xxix., and not merely to some such portion as xxv. 2—xxvii. 27, as HiTZio suggests; for (here is in chap, xxviii. 1 no new superacriptiou, and the assumption that in chap, xxviii. 17 sq. the cantial main division of the entire Book of Proverbs
(xii.—xxii. 16) is continued, while xxviii.
1-16 is a fragment from a later hand, lacks .ill real support.
Comp. remarks above on ctiap. xxii.
1.—'These also are proverbs of Solomon— whether precisely in the strictest sense, IT in the broader one of an authorship that is Solomon s only indirectly, on this point the exis seen not only in what He reveals, but what He conceals—a profound observation, which is the best answer to many Scriptural objections to Divine Revelation, as has been shown by Bp. Butler in his Analogy." Wordsw., in loc.].—On the coutr.iry, it is the glory of kings to search out a matter, rightly to discern and to make clear debatable points in jurisprudence, and in general, on the ground of careful inquiry, investigation and consultation, to issue commands and to shape political ordinances. Comp. what Gothe once said {Sammtl.
Wcrlce, Bd. XLV., p. 41) :
" It prer^sion gives us no definite knowledge.
Proverbs of Solomon in the broader sense may very properly be included under the phrase.—Which have been collected.—la regard to the meaning of this verb see what is already said in the Introd., ^ 12 (pp. 20).
The meaning "remove"
(from the original place), "transfer, transplant, compile " is certainly lexically established, and is the business of the world-spirit to preserve mysteries before, yea, often aft.r ihc deed; the poet's impulse is to disclose (he iiiy.-tery ;" and also Luther's marginal comment on our passage (see, below, the Homilutical noles). im is moreover in both instances lo be rendered
TT by "thing, matter," and not by "word"
(Vulg., CoccEius, Umbreit, etc ); for in clause 6 in particular this latter meaning seenis wholly inapposite. is to be preferred without qualification to the explanations which differ from it; to " append " or • arrange "
(oro'me disponere), or to " preserve "
{durare facere, conservare).
Whether as the source from which the transfer or compilation of the following proverbs was made, we are to think simply of one book or of several books, so that the transfer would be the purely literary labor of excerpting, a transcribing, or collecting by copying
(comp. the af i^sypatliavTO of the LXX) ; or whether we have to consider as the source simply the oral transmission of ancient proverbs of wise men by the mouth of the people (HiTzio), must remain doubtful.
It is perhaps most probable, that both the written and the oral tradition were alike sifted for the objects of the collection.—By the men of Hezekiah.— Possibly a learned commission created by this king for the purpose of this work of compilalion, consisting of the most noted "wise men" of his time.
Comp. Introd., Ver. 3. The heavens for height, the earth for depth, and the heart of kings (are) unsearchable.—'Ipn
"no searching out," is plainly the predicate of the subjects in clause a also, so that the entire verse forms but one proposition.
And this is not a possible admonition to kings (not to suffer themselves to be searched out, but to preserve their secrets faithfully), as Umureit, Van Ess, De W., etc., think, but a simple didactic proposition, to bring out the fact, that while the heart of m.in is in general deep and difficult to fathom (Jer. xvii. 9; Ps.
Ixiv.
7), that of kings is peculiarly inaccessible and shut up within itself, much as m.ay be depending on :•!, and ^12, as cited above.
[Fuerst, in his Kanon des Allen Tealamenls, cites the Jewish tradition as holding a different view in several of these particulars.
In regard to original authorship, the title is not interpreted as even claiming all for Solomon, though his is the chief and representative name
; it is rather the aim and effect J its decisions.
[While, then, according to ver.
2, " it is a king's glory to get all the light he can "
(Stuart), it is his glory, and often an absolute condition of his prosperity and that of his kingdom, that he be able to keep his own counsel, that of his heart there be "no searching out."
-A.] (if the collection that is emphasized.
Tradition, moreover, interprets the " these also " as sliowing that the preceding sections were likewise collected by the me.i of Hezekiah, the verb IpTlJ^H in (he
Vers.
4, 5. Take away the dross from silver.—The -'dross," whose removal empowers the "refiner" or goldsmith to prepare a vase of noble metals, corresponds here, as in Jeremiah vi.
8uper.scription to (his fourth collection meaning "continued."
"The men of Hezekiah" furthermore are represented as not simply literati and poets of the king's court temporarily associated, and engaged in a specific work, but a "college" existing for similar purposes two hundred and eighty years, seven full generations.
For de- '29, to the wieked or ungodly men wlio arc to be piir;ied out of a political commonwealth.—Take away the wicked from before the king-^
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.
gracefully treated by thine opponent and excited to wrath, thou do some fearful thing!") I. e., before the court or by virtue of the king's judicial decision.
The wicked is probably not Ver. 9. Debate thy cause (strive thy strife) vyith thy neighbor, tic.—If the contest has become really inevitable, if it has come to process of law, then press thy cause with energy, but honorably, with the avoidance of all unworthy or low means,—and especially in such a way that thou do not by any possibility with a malicious wickedness betray secrets of thine opponent that may have been earlier entrusted to thee. to be designated as a " servant of the king" by the phrase "before the king"
(contrary to the view of Ew.iLD and Bektheau [Kamph., DoderlEiN, H., f<c.]).—With 5, b, comp. xvi.
12; xxix.
14.
Vers.
6, 7.
Warning against arrogance in intercourse with kings and their nobles.
Display not thyself in the presence of the king;—lit., ••bring not thy glory to view, make not thyself glorious " (Stiek).—With the phrase
Ver.
HI. Lest he that heareth it upbraid thee.—The '•hearer" does not denote possibly the injured friend (LXX, Schultess [Wokdsw.],
"great men" in clause b comp. xviii. 6
; 2 Sam. etc.)—which would be intolerably flat and tautological, but very indefinitely, anj; one who obtains knowledge of that dishonorable and treacherous conduct.
The Piel ^D^ is used here only iii. 38
; 2 Kings x.
6, e(c.—With ver. 7 compare in general Luke xiv. 8-11, as well as the Arabic proverb (Meidani, p. 72), "Sit not in a place from which one may bid thee rise up."
Than that they humble thee (thy humbling) before the king.—Z. renders " because of a in the sense of "curse, despise;" comp. the corresponding noun "reproach" in chap. xiv.
34.
And thine evil name turn not a-way.—die not out again, depart not from thee.
Comp. the use of 2\'0 of wrath that is allayed or quieted ; Gen. xxvii. 44, 45, and frequently. prince," and goes on to say:
"Usually, "before a prince, in his presence.'
But then we should have expected rather the plural, ' before, in the presence of princes and nobles.'
'JS? seems to require to be employed here rather in the sense 5.
Vers.
11-15.
Five symmetrically constructed and concise comparisons, in praise of wisdom in speech, of fidelity, liberality and gentleness. —Ver.
11.
Apples of gold in frame'work of silver. n'3B'5 which occurred of 'because of, in relation to' (comp. 2 Sam. iii.
31); and the following •whom thine eyes have Been ' seems to suggei-t the criminality, bj' no means ignorant, of the dishonor put on the dignity of the prince (thus Hitzig correctly exin chap, xviii. 11, in the sense of " imagination, conceit," is unquestionably to be left with its usual meaning, "sculpture" (carved or embossed work); comp.
Ezek. viii. 12; Lev. xxvi.
; Num. plains)."
[We cannot gee the fitness of this departure from universal usage in regard to 'J37> which occurs hundreds of times in the 0. T. with various modifications of the meaning " before," but has not in one conceded instance the meaning xxxiii. 52.
Under the term we are to understand some such thing as sculptured work for the decoration of ceilings, pillared galleries, etc., which exhibits golden apples on a groundwork of silver.
That in this case we must have expected the pre- " on account of."
It has been used twice just before with its ordinary meaning, and before the end of the chapter occurs again with the same meaning.
There is room for difference of opinion as to the person before whom the liumiliation is to cise term for "pomegranates"
(D'JIB'I)
is an be,—whether it be the king himself, or some prince or noble of his court, but there can be none as to the preposition required to express the arbitrary assertion of Hitzig's, in support of which we need neither emend with him, to read niSsi^oa (from an alleged noun nS3iyo=Si3CN, palm bough) "or branches," nor with Lpther give to the word in question the signification idea.
It is probably best to regard the king, wiio is chiefly affronted by such arrogance, as described liere, not by his specific and official title, but as the ezalled one who was to see and be seen, and before whom the humiliation is most crushing.— .\.]
••baskets," which has no parallel to support it.
[Kamph., H , M., etc., support this rendering of Luther's; De W. and N. suppose the silver work to be inlaid or embossed on the golden apples; while Beetheac, Gesen., S., 'Wordsw., etc., understand the description to be of golden fruit, represented either in solid or embroidered work on a ground-work of silver.
Fuerst seems lo 4.
Vers. 8-10.
Warning against contentiousness and loquacity.—Go not forth hastily to strive ; i. c, do not begin controversies with undue haste (Luther: rush not forth snon to quarrel).
Lest (it be snid to thee) " 'What 'wilt thou do in the end," etc.— Lit., "at the end thereof, at its (the strife's) end," at the time, therefore, when the evil results of the contention have shown themselves.
It is so natural to supply a verb of saying with the "lest" before " What wilt thou do?" that we may without hesitation have recourse to this expedient for filling out the form of expression, which certainly is perplexingly concise and elliptical (comp. UmBKEiT, Elsteb, Stier [Kamph., H.,N., M.], etc., and even a commentator as early as Jarchi, on favor the application of the term to ornamented furniture or plate for the table; and this certainly has the advantage of natural probability in its favor—A.]—(Is) a word fitly spoken ["spoken in its time."—Z.] Comp. xv.
23, where however we have li^Ji'3 instead of the unique expression found in our verse.
That this peculiar form of speech, which appears to signify strictly "after the manner of its wheels, or on its wheels," is in reality equivalent to justo tempore, in tempore suo. is expressed as early as Symmachus and the Vulg., as well as supported by the analogy of a similar Arabic expression, this passage).
At all events this solution is betin which the radical word [31S is in like manner used to describe time revolving in its circuit, moving on in the form of a ring, or after the ter than that devised by Ewald and Bektheau
[De W., S.], who take the "what" in the sense of " what evil, what terrible thing"
("lest dis-
CHAP. XXV.
1-28.
2W is the "decider" in more ways than one.— .V.] And a gentle tongue breaketh the bone, manner of wheels.
Comp. also the well known vUion of Ezekiel; Ezek. i.
1.5 sq.
[See Crit. i. e., subdues even the most obsiinate resistance.
Comp. the Latin :
" Gulla cavat lapidem," etc., as Notes.
Bebtheap, H., favor the exposition above given; Gesen.. S., M., Wordsw. favor the well as the German, " Patience breaks iron." other and less figurative way of reaching the game idea.—A.] 6.
Vers.
16-20.
Warning against intemperVer. 12. A gold ring and an ornament of fine gold.
Dn. elsewhere a ring for the nose .ance, obtrusiveness, sl.ander, credulity and levity.
Hast thou found honey—eat to thy satisfaction (lit., " thy enough").
Comp.
Samson and Jonathan as finders of honey (Judges xiv. 8 sq.
; 1 Sam. xiv. 26), and also a warning against partaking of it to excess, ver.
(xi. 22, etc.), is here, as clause b shows, rather an ear-ring or ear-drop (comp.
Gen. xxxv. 4).
'/PI is in general a pendant, a jewel, such as is 27, and Pindar, Nem.
7, 52 : Kopov ixei "ai pi'Ai.
Ver. 17 first introduces the real application of usually worn on the neck or in the ears, (Song Sol. vii. 2; Hos. ii.
1.5); and is here naturally used in the latter sense, therefore possibly of the ornament of pearls which was hung below the ear-ring.— (.So is) a wise reprover to an ear that heareth.
" The reprover, or punisher," is a concrete, lively, illustrative expresthis warning against eating honey in excess.
Withhold thy foot from thy friend's house.
" Make rare, keep back, seldom enter with it," etc.
Comp. the airdviov tlaaye tod Troia of the LXX.—Comp. besides the similar proverbs of the Arabs, which warn against obtrusiveness:
"If thy comrade eats honey do sion instead of "rebuke or censure."
The boldness of the expression still fails to justify Hitnot lick it all up," or " Visit seldom, and they zig's attempted emend.ation, according to which n'D is to be read instead of nOlD, and this is to love thee the more," etc.
Also Martial's sentiment; Nulli te facias nimis amicum. be taken iu the sense of "conversation" ("raVer. 18. A maul and a sword and a sharp arrow.
1"i3D an instrument for crushing, a tional conversation"—comp. the ^6yo^ ao^of of the LXX).
With the general sentiment comp. besides chap. xv.
31, 32.
Ver.
13. As the coolness of sno'W on a harvest day, i. e. probably, as a refreshing drink cooled by the snow of Lebanon amidst tlie heats of harvest labor.
Comp. Xenoph. Mejnclub shod with iron, a war-club (Nah. ii.
2; comp. the cognate terms in Jer.
Ii. 20, and Ezek. ix.
2).
For additional comparisons of false, malicious words with swords and arrows, comp.
Ps. lii. 4; Ivii. 5; Ixiv. 4; cxx. 4, etc.
See also the previous rebukes of false testimony ; Prov. onib.
II.
1, 30; Plin.
Hist Nat., XIX. 4; and especially the passages cited by Hitziq from tiie vi. 19; xii. 17; xix.
5, 9; xxi. 28.
Ver.
19. A broken tooth and an unsteady foot (is) confidence in an unfaith- "(}e.sta Dei per Francos"
(Han. 1611), p. 1098:
" The coldest snow is brought from Lebanon, to be mixed with wine, and make it cold as the very ice."
[See IIackett's Illustrations of Scripful man, etc.
'i\}}'y VO is to be explained either by a substantive construction, " tooth of breaking" (Umbreit, Stier following Abe.v Ezra), or by a participial construction, " a breaking ture, pp. 53-5, for illustrations of the usage, and statements in regard to the extent of the traffic.
—A] With clauses b and c comp. x. 26; xiii.
17: xxii.
21.
Ver.
14. Clouds and wind and no rain tooth."
The latter is to be preferred as the simpler (Bebtiieau, Elsteb, etc., [See Crit.
Notes]) ; to change the punctuation so as to get (so is) a man -who boasteth of a false gift.
That is, a bo.LSler Wiio makes much talk of his the meaning, "a bad, worthless tooth," Hitzig, is at any rate unnecessary, since the meaning "decayed, rotten," is in general not questionliberality, aud yet withal gives nothing (who " promises mountains of gold, but does not even give lead," (Stieb), is like clouds of vapor borne able.
"Trust in (lit., of) an unfaithful man'' is here a foolish, credulous reliance on one who is aloft and driven about by the wind (D'X't^J, lit, false.
For the figure comp. furthermore, especially Is. xxxvi. 6; 1 Kings xviii. 21.
Ver. 20. He that layeth aside clothing in a cold day.
This is plainly a senseless prolight rising vapors, which gather in clouds), which dispense no rain.
The same figure, with a similar application:
Jude 12; 2 Pet. ii. 17; likewise iu several Arabic proverbs, e. g.
Eic. ceeding, an entirely aimless and absurd movement.
The same is true of the action suggested by the words following, "vinegar .on nitre;" for ex Sent,
(ed. Scheiu):
"A learned man without work, is as a cloud without rain."
Ver.
14. To the recommendation of liberality in the verses preceding there is very appropriately added an admonition to gentleness and mildness, especi.illy in the use of the tongue.
Comp.
XV.
1.—By forbearance is a judge persuaded, lii..
"talked over, misled," i. e the moistening of nitre (comp. Jer. ii. 22), i. c, doubtless carbonate of soda, or soda, with vinegar or acid destroys its substance, while to combine the same thing with oil, etc., produces a useful soap.
Thus, and doubtless correctly, RosENM , IJebtheau, Von Geblach, and sub- , chauged in his disposition, influenced, comp.
Luke xviii.
4, 5. y)ST> here certainly means stantially Umbreit also (although he thinks rather of potash or saltpetre as the substance here designated).
Michaelis (de nitro "judge," as in vi.
7, and not "King, prince," as some of the older expositors, aud Luther also, render it, and as Umbbeit is inclined to regard Helrseorum), J. P. Von Meyer, Stier, etc., think specially of the fermentation and the offensive odor which the nitre produces in eontuct with it.
[Why not the "prince," acting in his judicial capacity, and in other relations also where the bearing and spirit of those about him will more or less consciously mould his action ?
He vinegar(?).
Schultens, Ewali) and Elster understand ir\J in accordance with the Arabic (and also in harmony with the i7^K£i of the LXX),
THE PROVEKCS OF SOLOMON.
Theodoret, Theophy-lact, etc., who regarded the coals as the designation of extreme divine judgments (comp. Ps. xi. C; cxl.
11) which one will bring upon his enemy by refusing to avenge himselt.
[In this last opinion our recent commentators, perhaps without exception, agree with the author.
In regard to his first discrimination, of a wound, which is washed with smarting vinegar instead of soothing oil; against tliis view, however, we have of the other ancient versions except the LXX, especially the Vulg., Stmmachus. the Vers. Venet., etc.
HiTZio finally emends here again according to his fancy, and obtains the meaning:
*'He that meeteth archers, with arrow on tlie string, is like him who singeth songs with a sad heart"(!)— [Gesen., Fl'erst and the lexicographers generif any have been inclined to limit the figure to the superficial blush or the transient emotion of shame, there would be a general agreement with him.
If he means to discriminate sharply between shame and repentance, wo must pronounce his distinctions too fine, as some will be inclined to regard his comment on the proper seat of the blush.
A deep, true shame, may be the first step toward, the first element in repentance.
A.] ally refer to descriptions of Egypt and its natural productions, in describing the material and its properties.
H., N., M., Wordsw., elc, take the same view, and multiply and vary the references.
See Thomson's Land and Book, II. 302, 303.
WoKDSW. expresses a decided preference for the rendering of clause a, which (see Crit.
Notes) is preferred by Fuerst, BOtt., etc., "display in dress" instead of comfort
; " as he that 8.
Vers. 23-28. Against slander, a contentious spirit, timidity, want of self-control, etc.
North wind produceth rain.
For the verb comp.
Ps. xc. 2
; for a description of tlie rainy wind of Palestine, which strictly blows, not from the North, but from the North-west and West, as tricks out a man in a gay dress in winter, he who busies himself about the fineness and brilliancy instead of the texture and warmth of the attire," etc.
This certainly secures a better correspondence of incongruities.—A.] Moreover, the ** singing songs with a heavy heart"
(t'or these last words comp. the similar phrases in Gen. xl. 7: Neh. ii.
1, 2; Eccles. vii.
3), which J13X nil, comp.
Am. viii.
12, where this "North" is contrasted with niiD "the East."
T :
• Perhaps this term is equivalent to fo^of as a designation of a dark, gloomy region, which we are by no means to seek directly north of Palestine (Umbreit; comp. Hitzig).
In no case ia Jerome right (aud Aben Ezra), when in view of the predominantly dry, ccild and rough character of the north of Palestine, he renders the verb by " dissijjat pluviaa, it scatters the clouds, and so ends the rain."
[The author's view is that of De W., Kamph., Beetheac, MuKFET, H., N., S., M., Wordsw., Gesen., and the recent comment.ators and lexicographers almost without exception.
Now and then Jerome's rendering, which is that of the E. V., is assumed to be i igbt, and illustrated, as e. g. in Thomson's Land and Book I.
131.—A.] So doth the slanderous tongue a troubled face [lit., "a seciet tongue "]; i. e., artful calumny and slander (comp. Ps. ci. 5) produces gloomy, troubled faces, just as surely as the North-west wind daikens the heavens with rainclouds.
The tertunn compar. in the figure is therefore the same as in Matt. xvi. 3
; Luke xii. is described by the two comparisons in clause a, as a senseless and perverse proceeding, is doubtless to be understood iu the sense of Ps. cxxxvii.
1, 4, and not to be taken as possibly a disregard of the Apostolic injunction in Rom.xii.
15.
For the heart is hardly that of another [E. V., De W., H., N., S., M., WoEDsw.
; "to a heavy heart"], but most probably the speaker's own heart.
The procedure against which the sentiment of the verse is directed seems therefore to be frivolity, and superficial, insincere conduct, and not a rude indifference and uncharitableness toward one's neighbor.
Vers.
21, 22.
Admonition to the love of enemies.—If thine enemy (lit., "thine hater") hunger, give him bread to eat, etc.
"Bread " and "water" are named here as the simplest and readiest refreshment.
To name meat, wine, dainties and the like would have been quite too forced.
In the citation in the N.
T., in Rom. xii. 20, both objt^cts are for brevity omitted and thereby the expresjiion is made more like Matt.
XXV.
35.
For so thou dost heap burning coals on his head.
For this verb to heap, to 64.
Comp. besides the German proverb, " He makes a face like a three days' rain-storm."
[Those who follow the E. V. in the rendering of pile up, comp. vi. 27.
To "heap coals on the head of any one" cannot be the figurative representation of a burning shame which one develops in his opponent (Gr.\mberg, UMBREiT),for shume glows in the cheek, and not above on the head.
The figure is designed to describe rather the deep pangs of repentance which one produces within his enemy by rewarding his hatred with benefits, and in tlie production of which the revenge to be taken on him may consist, simply and solely.
This correct view is first presented by .\rotTsTiNE, Dednclr. Chriii., III. Ifi: and then especially by Schultens, Rosenm., Hitziq, etc.
These last at the same time adduce pertinent Arabic parallels, like Meidani, II.
721:
"He wlio kindly treats such as envy him, scatters glowing coals in their face, etc.
At all events, we must decidedly reject the interpretation of many of the Church Fathers, like Cheysostom, ilie first clause, must with it invert subject and object in clause b, and change the epithet, "troubled," dark with sadness, for "angry," dark with passion ; " so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue."
Trapp, e. g., saj's: "The ready way to be rid of tale-bearers is to browbeat tiiem ; carry therefore in this case a severe rebuke in thy countenance, as God doth."—A.] Ver. 24. Comp. the literally identical sentence, chap. xxi.
Ver.
25.
(As) cold water to a thirsty soul is good news from a far country.
Naturally we must here think of those far removed from their home and kindred, who have long remained without tidings from them.
Comp.
XV. 30; Gen. xlv. 27; and for the figure, Jer. xviii.
14.
CHAP. XXV.
1-28.
2U Ver.
26. A troubled fountain and a ruined spring {comp. for this figure Ezek.
I Ver.
28.
(As) a city broken through without walls (comp.
Chron. xxxii.
xxxii. 2; xxxiv.
18, 19) is the righteous man -v^ho wavereth before the ^'icked.
The meaning of this is probab y not ihe righteous man who wilhoul fault oj his has been brought by Nehem. ii.
13), is the man vrho hath no mastery over his ow^n spirit, ;. e., the passionate man, who knows not how in anything to keep within bounds, who can put bit and bridle on none of his desires, and therefore is given up without resistance to all impressions from without, to all assaults upon his morality and freedom, etc.
Let it be observed how nearly this proverb corresponds with the substance of the preceding. evil doers into calamity, but he who through the fault of his timidity, his want of faithful courage and moral firmness, has been brought to waver and fall by the craft of the wicked.
Compare Stieb on this passage, who however understands the wavering perhaps too exclusively of being betrayed into sin, or some moral lapse.
[Lord Bacon {De Augmenlis, etc.) gives the proverb a political application:
"This proverb teaches that an unjust and scandalous judgment in any conspicuous and weighty cause
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL.
In the noble admonition to the love of enemies, in vers. 21, 22, which bears witness for the New Testament principle of a perfect love even more definitely and in fuller measure, than the dissuasion contained in the preceding chapter against avenging one's self (xxiv. 29), we reach the culmination of those moral demands and precepts with which the wise compiler of the Proverbs comes in the present section before the kings and subjects of his people.
Beside this, in the exceedingly rich and manifold variety of ethical material which this chapter exhibits, the admonitions that stand out siguifieantly arc especially those to humility and modesty (vers.
6, 7, 14), to a peaceable spirit (vers.
8, 24) to honor and considerate forbearance toward one's opponent in controversy (ver.
9, 10, 23), to the wise reception of merited reproof and correction (ver.
12), to gentleness (ver.
15), to fidelity and sincerity (vers.
13, 18-20), to moderation in all things, in enjoyments of a sensual as well as of a spiritual kind (vers.
16, 17, 27), to moral firmness in resisting the seductive influences of the wicked, and in subduing the passions (vers. 26, 28).
In regard to doctrine it is especially the delineation contained in vers. 2-5, of the godlike dignity and authority of the King, that is to bo accounted one of the pre-eminently instructive portions of the chapter.
The earthly king is, it is true, in this unlike to God, the King of kings, that he can take his decisive steps only after careful consideration, examination, and conference with wise counselig above all things to be avoided in the State," etc.; and in his Essay (LVI.) "of .Judicature," he says:
"One foul sentence doth more hurt than many foul examples; for these do but corrupt the stream, the other corrupteth the fountain."— .\.] Ver.
27. To eat much honey is not good.
Since this maxim, like the similar one in verse 16, must convey a warning against the excessive enjoyment of a thing good in itself, we should look in the 2d clause for an analogous truth belonging to the spiritual realm.
That clause is therefore not to be rendered :
" And contempt of their honor is honor" (thus J. D. Miciiaelis, Arnoldi, Ziegler, Ewald,— all of whom take Tpn in the sense of "contempt" (comp. xxviii.
11) ; and Hitzio likewise, except that he [by a transfer of one consonantl reads 1133D ni33, and T • :
"contempt of honor is more than honor").
But we must here reclaim for the noun ni33 its T original meaning "weight, burden," instead of 01133 we must read D'"103, " weighty things, difficulties," and then retaining the ordinary meaning of Tpn we must render: "and searching out the diflScult brings difficulty," i. e., too strenuous occupation of mind with difl5cult things is injurious ; pondering too difficult problems brings injury (comp. the common proverb, lors, and only thus issue his commands, so far forth as they arc to result in the welfare of his subjects,—while with God, the being who is alike near and afar off, the all-wise and Almighty, counsel and act are always coincident.
But in this again there can and should be an analogy existing between earthly rulers and the heavenly
King, that their throne also is established by righteousness, that they likewise must watch with unfaltering strictness, by punishing the evil and rewarding the good, over the sacred ordinance of justice and the objective moral law (vers.
4, "To know everything makes headache").
So Elster alone [with Noyes among our expositors, and FuEBST, substantially, of the lexicographers] correctly explains,—while Umbreit and Bertheau [with whom S. and M. agree] take only the last 1133 in the sense of difficulty, and therefore explain " and searching out honor
(or "their honor") brings difficulty;" in a similar way the Vulgate " qui scrutator est majestatis opprhnetur a gloria" ["he who is a searcher after dignity will be crushed by glory."
The E. V. renders " to search their own glory (is not) glory ;" the assumed meaning of the noun demauds a negative copula, such as has just been used in clause a; so Gesen.(?) Kamph. enumerates the above and several other renderings, and pronounces all unsatisfactory.
Holden and WoRDSw. retain the ordinary meaning of all the nouns, supply the usual copula, and render 6).
And for this very reason there belongs to their action also something mysterious and absolutely irresistible ; their heart too appears unsearchable, and wholly inaccessible to common men, like Ihe heights of heaven and the depths of the earth (ver. 3) ; in a word, they in the political sphere stand in every point of view as God's representatives, as regents in God's stead and by the grace of God, and even, according to the bold expression of the poetical language of the Old Testament, as in a certain sense even " gods and " To search after their glory (their true glory) is glory."
The sentiment is fine, but to attach it to clause a requires skill.]
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.
children of the Most High " (Ps. Ixxsli. 6
; comp.
John X. 34 sq.).
From this then there results, on the one hand, to themselves the duty of strict jusfrom revenge reveal secrets which weigh heavily against thy neighbor.
Lanoe (on ver.
11) ; In religious discourses heart and mouth must agree the orator must besides always examine what is best adapted to his congregation :
1 Pet. iv. 11.
[Bp. Hopki.ss: As the amiableness of all duties consists in the right timing and placing of them, so especially of this holy and spiritual discourse].
—Hasius (on ver.
12): He who can hearken and gladly hearkens to rational reproofs, does his ears a far better service thereby, than if he adorned them with jewels of the finest gold, and with genuine pearls. tice, and the most conscientious conformity to God's holy will,—but on the other, for their subjecls the duties of humble obedience
(vers.
6, 7, 13) of earnest reverence for civil laws and ordinances, and peaceable deportment, (vers.
8-10, 18, 23, 24, etc.); in general therefore, the/ear of God and righteousness, as the conditions of a true welfare of earth's nobles and nations, to be fulfilled on both parts, by princes as well as by the people.
Vers.
13 sq.
Luther (marginal comment on ver. 13): A true servant or subject is not to be paid for with gold.
Starke (on ver.
13):
A chief characteristic of able teachers of the divine word is that they as stewards over the mysteries of God (1 Cor. iv.
1, 2) seek to be found faithful.—(On ver.
14); Satan promises mountains of gold, but gives only smoke and empty vapor.
Jesus keeps His word plenteously above all requests or understanding.—(On ver. 15):
He who will everywhere put his head through the wall, will hardly succeed.
But how beautiful and salutary is it to be gentle and full of love !
Zeltner (on vers. 16, 17):
Of all things, even the most charming and lovely one becomes at
HOJIILETIC AND PRACTICAL.
Homily on the entire chapter:
" Lore the brethren; fear God; honor the King!"
(2 Pet. ii. 17); three apostolical injunctions, which Hezekiah's wise men already preached to the Israel of their day.—Or, the fear of God, justice and love, as the three foundation pillars of a wellfounded and well organized Christian commonwealth.—Comp. Stocker; Of true honor, such as wisdom confers:
1) in the state (ver. 2-15; gloria politicorum) ; 2) in the household (vers. 1624: gloria ccconumicorum) ; 3) in the church (vers.
2.5-28: gloria ecclesiasticorum).—Derleburg Bible:
Divine political maxims.
Wohlfaetu: Honor and renown as wisdom's reward. last weary.
Therefore there is nothing better or more blessed than to strive for heaven and the eternal, where satiety is without weariness (John
Vers. 2-5. Luther (marginal comment on ver.
2) :
In God's government we are not to be wise, and wish to know why, but believe everything.
But in the secular kingdom a ruler should know, and ask why, and trust no man in anything!— Starke: God's counsel concerning our blessedness is revealed to us clearly enough in His word iv.
14), life without death (John vi. 50; Col. iii.
1,2).
Vers.
19 sq.
Starke:
Beside the confidence of believers in God every other hope is deceptive and unreliable as a brittle cake of ice or as a bending reed.—(On ver. 20): Even joyful music is not able to drive away cares and troubled thoughts, but an edifying song of the cross or of consolation may do it; Ps. cxix. 02; Col. iii. 16.
— Tubingen Bible (on vers.
21, 22) :
True wisdom teaches us by gentleness to break down the haughtiness of enemies, and even to win them to one's self by benefits :
Matth. v. 44 sq.
But how excellent is it not merely to know these rules of wisdom, but also to practise them!— [Trapp:
Thus should a Christian punish his pursuers; no vengeance but this is heroical and fit for imitaact accordingly, and in the presence of the mysteries of divine wisdom take thj' reason captive under the obedience of faith.
[.Jeremy Taylor:
God's commandments were proclaimed to all the world ; but God's counsels are to Himself and to His secret ones, when they are admitted within the veil.
Bates: God saveth us by the submission of faith and not by the penetration of reason.
The light of faith is as much below the light of glory as it is above the light of nature.—R. Hall's
Sermon on " the glory of God in concealing."
1) The Divine Being is accustomed to conceal much. tion.
.\rnot:
This is peculiarly "the grace of the Lord Jesus."
When He was lifted up on the cross He gave the keynote of the Christian 2) In this He acts in a manner worthy of Himself, and suited to display His glory.
Lord Bacon (on ver. 3j ; Multitude of jealousies, and lack of some predominant desire, that should marshal and put in order all the rest, maketh any man's heart hard to find or sound].
Geier (on ver. life: " Father, forgive them."
The Gospel must come in such power as to turn the inner life upside down ere any real progress can be made in this difficult department of social duty].
Vers.
23-28. Geier (on ver.
23):
Cultivate 3) : Every one, even the greatest and mightiest, is to know that God knows his heart most perfectly and searches it through:
Ps. cxxxix.
1, 2.
—Cramer (on vers.
4, 5) : As well in matters of religion as in matters of justice (in the sphere of the church and in politics) the duty belongs to the ruler of removing all abuses and offences. sincerity and honor, that thou mayest not speak evil things in his absence of one whom thou meetest to his face with all friendliness.
[Bridges : The backbiting tongue wounds four at one stroke— the backbiter himself, the object of his attack, the hearer, and the name of God].
Zeltner (on ver. 25) : When we hear from disVers. 6 sq.
Geier (on ver. 6):
An excellent means against pride consists in looking to those who are better, more pious, more experienced, more learned than we are, rather than to estimate ourselves solely by those who are lower.
Starke (on vers.
9, 10):
If thou hast a reasonable complaint against thy neighbor, thou ehouldst not mingle foreign matters with it, nor tant lands the glad news of tlie course of the gospel among the heathen, it must cause us hearty rejoicing, and urge us to thanksgiving to God (an application then of ver. 25 for a missionary festival sermon).
Starke (on ver. 26) :
.\s a fountain made foul becomes in time pure and clear again, so likewise the stained innoccncj uf