Chap. Xxvii. 1-27. 227
CHAP. XXVII.
1-27.
Imperf., no change of vocalization being required, although the more common form would be nn*.
^n.
( Thes. Gesen , Ind, pp. 6, 88) regards the form as an apoc. Hiphil. for the more common nn*i nsed impersonally, " one sharpens, men sharpen."—A.] Ter. 20. The parallel passage xv. 11 (see notes on this passage) shows that instead of Hl^X (or again instead of 7^*^^2() we should read with the K'ri ?11^K, or that we should at least assume a transition of this latter form into the former, in the way of lexical decay (as in njO for [IT JO)- [Bott. (J§ 262, a; 293) notes this as a tendency in proper nouns, aided perhaps in the case before us by the following liquid.—A.]
Ver. 22.
["''71^3 instead of the more regular ^ 7y3. mimetically sharpened in its vocalization at the end of its clause.
- v: v: T See Bott., §? 394, 6; 498, 6.—A.] Ver. 25. [nl3l?y with Dasrhesh dirimens or separative, indicating the vocal nature of the Sheva.
See, e. g. Greenj J 24, 6 ; 216, 2, o.—A.] wrath." comp.
Is. xxx. 28, 30; Dan. ix. 27; xi.
22.— nxjp in clause b, often "envy," is plainly
EXEGETICAL.
"jealousy," as in vi.
34, 35, which passage is here to be compared in general.
1. Vers.
1-6.
Three pairs of proverbs, directed against self-praise, jealousy and flattery.
Vers. 5, 6. Better is open rebuke (open, undisguised censure, honorably expressing its meaning) than secret love, i. c, than love which from false consider.ation dissembles, and does not name to one's neighbor his faults even where it should do so.
Compare the dA^^i^ri-f/r Vers.
1, 2.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow, i. e., "do not tlirow out with proud assurance high-soaring schemes for the future (Elstek); do not boast of future undertaliings as if they had already succeeded and were assured.—
For thou kno^west not ivhat a day will bring forth ; i. e., what a day, whether it be today or to-raorrow, will bring in new occurrences,
£i> aj'Qjry, Eph. iv.
15, as well as the numerous parallels in classic authors (Plautus, Trinummus, I.
2, 57; Cicero, Ltel.
25; Seneca, Epist. 25); and Meid.ini, II. 64:
"Love lasts loiig as the censure lasts," etc.—Faithful (lit. true, coming from a true disposition) are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. r>11j1>'3, from the root inj?, is if this is absolutely unknown to thee.
Comp. James iv.
13-15; also Hor.ice, Od., iv.
7, 17:
Quis scit an adjiciant hodieriix crastina sumiiue Tempora Di superi ?— ^" Who knows if they who all our fates control
Will add a morrow to thy brief to-day?" be identical with 1t?>', largus fuit, as is generally assumed, equivalent to "plentiful"
(comp.
Theo. Maktin's Translation.] and Seneca, Thyest. V. 619: Nemo lam divos hahuil favenUs Crastinutn ut possitpolUceri\_^o one has had the gods so favorable that he can promise himself a morrow].—-With ver. 2 comp. the German £i>?enZ()i Tl^i'), in which case we must think of kisses "liberally bestowed but faithless," or it may be kisses "to be lightly esteemed"
(so Gesen, Umbreit, Berthe.\d, Stier [Fuerst, S., VV.]) And yet it corresponds better with the parallelism, as well as with the exegetical tradition (Vulg. alinkt, and Arabic proverbs like " Not as mother says, but as the neiglibors say" (Fuerst, Perlenschniire, ii.
8), or "Let thy praise come from thy friend's and kinsman's mouth, not from thine own" (Meidani, p. 4G7.) Vers.
3, 4.—Stone is heavy and sand ^veighty, lit, " weight of stone and heaviness of the sand."
Hitzig fitly remarks with respect to the genitive combinations of this as well as the succeeding verse (" Cruelty of anger, etc.") "The genitive relation holding a figure before our eye instead of developing it in a proposition, possesses nevertheless the value of a combination of predicate and subject."
[So K., W., etc., while , fraudulenta), to derive from an Arabic root to stumble {^a({>d?.?.€iVj fallere, there- (ore Jalsus, false—so EwALD, Elster, etc.), or it may be from . ,J^_£, = llj? in the sense of " to miss"—thus Hitzig,—both of which modes of explanation give the idea "deceptive, crafty, treacherous."
With regard to the meaning compare, therefore, chap. xxvi. 23.
S. and others make the relation directly that of subject and predicate].—The fool's wrath, i. e.. probably not: the vexation and anger occasioned in others by the fool (Cocceius, Schctlte.ns, Berthe.id, [S ], etc.), but the annoyance and illhumor experienced by himself, whether it may have originated in envy, or in a chafing against some correction that he has received, etc.
Such ill-temper in the fool is a burden, heavier than stone and sand, and that too a burden for himself, but beyond this also for those who must besides suffer under it, whom he makes to feel in common and innocently his ill-will and temper.—Anger is cruel and wrath is outrageous, lit., "cruelly of anger and inundation of wrath."
With regard to the genitives, compare remarks above on vs.
3, o.
For the expression "overflowing of wrath " or " excess, outrageousness of 2.
Vers. 7-14.
Eight proverbs in praise of contentment, of friendship, prudence, etc.
Ver.
7. A satisfied soul loatheth honey comb.
The verb literally means "tramples, treads under feet,"' comp. Dan. vii. 19; Judg. v.
21.—With clause /> compare the German proverb " Hunger is the best cook;" and also Ecclesiast. iv.
Ver.
So is a man that roameth far from his dwelling-place.
As the preceding proverb is directed against a want of contentment in the department of food and drink, so is this against weariness of one's own home, against adventurous wandering impulses, and a restless roving without quiet domestic tastes.
Comp.
Ecclesiast. xxix. 28, 29 ; xxxvi. 28.
Ver.
With clause a compare Ps. civ.
15;
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.
I, pointing to thy wise and exemplary conduct, cxxxiii.
But the sweetness of a friend is better than one's own counsel. The "sweetm.ay be able to stop the mouth of him who reviles me, the responsible teacher.
Comp.
Ps. ness " of the friena is acconling to xvi. 21 doubtcxix. 42; also cxxvii.
5; Ecclesiast. xxx.
sq.
Ver.
12.
In almost literal accordance with less sweetness of the lips, the pleasing, agreeable discourse of the friend (lit. "of bis friend;" the suffix stands indefinitely, with reference t. e. to xxii.
Ver. 13.
Almost exactly like xx.
(ccmp. every friend that a man really has; herewith notes on this passage.) especial reference to the possessor of the ty3J).
Ver. 14. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice early in the morning.
These words are directed against a friend who is flatterSee also the critical notes.
The nx;^0 is best taken in the sense of comparison (with Jabchi, Levi, Cocceius, Umbbeit, Stier) :
"belter than ing and profuse in compliment, but inwardly incounsel of the soul," i.e., better than one's own sincere; who, by his congratulations, hasty, and counsel, better than that prudence which will offered with boisterous ostentation, brings, inhelp itself and relies purely on its own resources stead of a real blessing to his friend, only a curse upon his house, at least in the general judgment (comp. xxviii.
26).
Ewald, Ef.ster (in like manner also Luther, Geiee, De Wette [K., of the people.
For of them we must think in N.], etc.,) render: "The sweetness of the friend clause A as those who are to "reckon."
For this springeth from (faithful) counsel of soul," which last verb and its construction, " reckoning something to some one," comp. Gen. xv. 6.
[This inis understood as describing the genuineness and sincere and untimely praise may be accredited to the hearty honesty of the friend's disposition.
Bertheau gives a similar idea, except that he its giver as no better than a curse in his intention, or more positively it may be regarded as supplies in b from a tlie predicate with its object:
"The sweetness of a friend from sincere counsel maketh glad the heart"
('?); [this is very nearly veiling an evil intent, and so threatening an actual curse to him who is its object.—A.]
Vers.
15, 10.
Two maxims concerning a the conception of the E. V., H.,S., M.].
Hitziq contentious woman.
A continual dropping in a very rainy day (according to the Arabic TIJp denotes "a rain poured as if out of buckfollowing the KaTappr/yvvrni 6i v-6 avfiKujiaTuv i) i/TO,f^ of the LXX, amends so as to read: "but the soul is rent with cares."
[See critical notes for still other expositions of the phrase.] ets," and so "a pouring rain ;" moreover the word occurs only here), and a contentious woman are alike.
Like this, only more conVer. 10. Thine own friend and thy father's friend forsake not.
Whether one read with the K'ri yy^ or with the K'lhibh the stal. conslr. cise, is chap. xix.
13, b.
[The peculiar force of this comparison to one who has been in the rainy of the emphatic form [or according to others the primitive form—see critical notes], in any event season under the flat earthy roofs of Oriental together with the friend of tiie person addressed
" his father's friend " is also named, but as an houses, is commented on and illustrated, e. g., in Hackett's Scripture Illustrations, p. 85, and Thomson's Land and Book, I. 453.
A.] He that will restrain her restraineth the vrind (J _S identical person with the former, who, for that reason, has a value proportionally greater, and may so much the less be neglected, because he is literally "to shut out, dam up, confine"), and his right hand graspeth after oil, i. e., it grasps after something, encounters an object, as it were an heirloom of the family of long tried fidelity and goodness.—And into thy brother's house eater not in the day of thy calamity. seeks to retain something that is necessarily conHiTziG, who explains the three clauses of this t inually eluding it.
[The idea of hiding her disagreeable and vexatious disposition from the view verse as originally separate propositions, only "afterward forced together," fails to see a logiof others, which is expressed by the E. V., H., cal connection as well between a and b as between W., in both clauses, and by N. and M. in the b and c.
This is in fact in the highest degree second, is less appropriate and forcible than that given in the version of our author, K., S., elc.— arbitrary, for the common aim of the three members
: to emphasize the great value of true friendA.] ship and its pre-eminence in comparison with a merely external relationship of blood, comes out
Vers. 17-22.
Six proverbs against haughtiness, selfishness, a greedy eye, self-praise and to view as clearly as possible.
The "near" neighbor is he who keeps himself near as one dispensing counsel and help to the distressed, lolly.
Iron sharpeneth iron, lit. iron to iron maketh sharp, or according to others, "iron is made sharp by iron,"—see critical notes].
So doth a man sharpen the face of his friend. just as the "far off" brother is he who, on account of his unloving disposition, keeps at a disWhether we render
D'J3 by "face, look," or (as tance from the same.
[(Jur commentators have HiTZio maintains) by "edge,aciesmyenii, the menin general agreed substantially with this conception of the scope of the verse.— A.].
Ver.
11. Be -wise, my son, and make my heart glad, etc.
Evidently an admonition of a tal keenness," in either case the meaning is not "One enrages, provokes the other " (SriEUandin like manner Bertheac), but : One stimulates the other, polishes himself by mutual spiritual confatherly teacher of wisdom addressed to his pupil
(comp. i.
sq.
; xxii.
21; xxiii.
16),—perhaps tact and friction with his fellow, contributes by such an interchange of one's own peculiarities of the same one to whom the wise counsel of the preceding verse in regard to conduct toward with those of his fellow to the spiritual development of both (compare especially Elsteb and friends likewise belonged.—That I may know howr to give an ansvirer to him that reproacheth me (literally, "and so will I then IliTZio on the passage).
["Conference hath incredible profit in all sciences," observes Trapp.
"A man by himself," says Muffet, " is no man, return a word to my reviler"), i. e., in order that
CHAP. XXVII.
1-27
human passion, especially the "lust of the eyes ;" he is dull, h e is very blunt ; but if his fellow come and quicken him by his presence, speech, and example, he is so whetted on by this means that he is much more comfortable, skilful, and better than he was when he was alone."
So most of our commentators, while Stuart, and Notes with a comp.
1 John ii. 16: James iii.
(3; and in particular Prov. XXX. 10; Eccles. i.
Ver. 21. With a compare theliterally identical language in chap. xvii. 3 a.—But man according to his glorying, i. e., one is judged according to the standard of that of which he makes his boast (the noun to be taken not in a subjecqualification, would find the idea of provocation, not as though anger were even indirectly commended, but ' if men must enter into contest, let the antagonists be worlhy of the strife"
(S.); an exposition far weaker as well as more unnatural than the ordinary one.— .\.]. tive, but in an objective sense, of the object of one's glorying).
If his boast is of praiseworthy things, then he is recognized as a strong, true man, etc.
; if he glories in trivial or even of evil things, he is abhorred ; comp. above ver. 2. Thus EwALD, Bertheac, Hitzig, [K.], while the majority (the LXX,
Vulg., Luther, etc., also Umbreit, Stier, Ei.ster, c^c), translate the second clause :
" so is man for the mouth of his praise,"
Ver.
18.
With the general proposition in a comp. xii. 11: xxviii.
19.
And he that hath regard to his master is honored.
The honor which the master (i. e., any master whatever, and not God especially, the master of all, as Stier holds) confers upon his faithful servant resembles the fruit which the fig tree yields to the proprietor or tenant who carefully cultivates it.
" To regard one," colore aliquem, as In Pa. xsxi. 7
; Hos. iv.
10.
Ver.
19. As (in) water face (answereth) to face, so the heart of man to man.
D'33. i. e., for the mouth of the one that praises him [testing the nature .and worth of the praise that is bestowed]—to which the figure in clause a can be made to correspond only by a considerably forced interpretation.
[Here again among the English expositors who adopt this general idea, making the praise objective, there is diversity in carrying out the details.
Is man the crucible or an accusative of place:
" as in water,"
Ew.ild, is he the object tested ?
N. aud W. take the former view, according to which man tests or should 'i 221.
The meaning will be like that of ver.
17, somewhat such as this: "As the mirror of the water reflects the likeness of one's own face, so one's heart is mirrored in that of his fellow, if one only has courage and penetration enough to look deeply into this " (Ew.\ld ; comp. Stier and 15krtue.\u).
There is contained in this at the same time an admonition to the wise testing and examination both of one's own heart and that of our fellow-men ; or, the recommendation of a comprehensive knowledge of men, to be gained by thorough knowledge of one's self.
The Vulgate already gives essentially the right idea:
" Quomodo in aquis resplendent vultus respicienlium, test with careful discrimination the praise bestowed upon him; H., S. and M. lake the other view, by which the praise is represented as testing him and disclosing his real character in the effects which it produces upon him.— .\.].
Ver. 22. Though thou bruise a fool in a mortar among grain (' grains of wheat;" the word is used only here and iti 2 Sam. xvii.
19), ^with a pestle, etc.
The meaning of this proverb, which has at least its humorous side, is plain; lack of reason is to such a degree the very substance of the fool, is so intertwined in his inward and outward nature, that one might divide him into atoms without eradicating thereby this fundamental character of his.
This idea is not tic corda honinum manifesta lunt prudenltbus ;" while several other ancient expositors, whom ElSTER to some extent follows, find expressed in tiie passage a relation too exclusively ethical, viz.^ that of arousing by love a reciprocal love, or that of the practical maxim, *' Si I'ia amari, (27«rt so clearly connected with the preceding verse by its substance as by the similarity of the figures employed in the two (the crucible and the mortar) ; comp. Hitzig on the passage.
[•' Love if you would be loved "].
Hitzig thinks 5.
Vers. 23-27.
Admonition to a prudent and frugal economy in connection with agricultural possessions. — Thou shalt know well (Z.
"make thyself well acquainted with") the face of thy sheep.
" The look of the sheep " (comp.
Gen. XXX 4i)), i. e., its condition and thritt.
Ver. 24. For riches are not forever— viz., the supply of subsistence, on the abundant presence of which the good appearance of the flock depends above all things else.
And doth the cro^n endure forevermore ?
The question that clause a D103 must be the reading instead of D]5?- "What a mole on the face is to the face, that is man's heart to man," viz., his disfiguring mole, his dark spot, his partie honleuse in the sense of Gen. viii. 21
(?).
[Among our English expositors the mirror and the mirrored object have been somewhat variously understood
; some retain while others dismiss the specific idea of reflection that is suggested by clause a.
Muffet and Holden, e. g., make a man's own heart tile mirror in which he may truly know himself:
WoRDSW. makes the mirror the hearts of others on whom we act: while the great majority make the reflected object the oneness, especially the moral oneness of human nature, as discoverable from any heart into which we may look (so e. g., Bp.
Halt., Trapp, Lawson, Bridges, S. and M.) -A]. introduced by this interrogative (DXl) expresses the idea of a very strong negation, standing as a climax to the preceding : ami even the crown, the royal diadem, has no perpetual existence.
The "^i'J seems not to designate the metal of itself that composes the king's crown, but the kingly dignity and authority represeuted by it; the expression "from generation to generation " plainly indicates this.
Hitzig's rendering is as trivial Ver.
20.
Hell and destruction are never full [;. e., not the world of the lost, but the world of the dead].
The meaning of clause b as indicated by this parallel in a. cannot be doubtful.
It relates to the really demoniacal insatiablenessof as it is contrary to the irstis loqtiendi: that "IXJ means "grass, fodder"
(because it sometimes signifies the hair of the head, aud may therefore
VilE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.
of expressions in the New Testament, sucli as Matth.
X. 37
; xii. 48-50, we might see the very climax, and tlie main theme of the discourse of wisdom which constitutes this chapter.
Over against this counsel, to give to the love of a true friend the preference above all vain passions and selfish interests, we have presented in a significant way the evidence which establishes the sad truth, that the fool is not disposed at any price designate the herbage as a hairlike ornament to the earth I ).
Ver.
2o.
The grass disappeareth, etc.
; a reason for the atlmonition contained in the preceding verse, that one should be intent upon laying up ample supplies of nourishment for the fiocks.
The discourse passes over in vers. 25-27 to a richly diversified description of the beauty and abundance of rural nature, reminding us of ' to let go his selfish, vain, arrogant nature (ver.
22), in connection with whicli fact allusion is made to the natural corruption of human hearts in general and to the necessity for their being given up to the delivering and renewing influences of divine grace (comp. ver.
11).
Homily on the chapter as a whole :
" Godliness with contenlment is gre.at gain"
(1 Tim. vi.
6).
Or, boast neither of thy prosperity, nor of thy deeds, nor of any earthly and human advantages whatsoever, but only of the Lord (1 Cor. i. 31).
Stockek: Of conceit and vain presumption as a Ps.
Ixv.
10-14, but in its present connection having this aim,—to show how God's creation liberally rewards the labor bestowed upon it by the active and industrious landlord.
Neither this concluding picture, nor the entire passage from ver. 23 onward can be interpreted in some allegorical way (with various ancient expositors,
ScHULTENS
and Stier), and be applied to the conduct of the spiritual, pastoral office of the teacher of wisdom.
As the utmost that is admissible this conception may have a place under certain conditions in the practical and homiletic treatment of the passage.
[Wokdsw. characterfirst and main hinderance to the progress of true wisdom (comp. besides comments on chapters xxviii. and xxix).
Cahcer Handbuch :
Of the means of attaining true honor. istically makes much of the secondary import of these verses.—A.].
Ver. 26. And goats (as) price for the field ; Ver. 1-6. Melanchthon (on verse 1):
That which is necessary and first demanded by our duty we must do before all else, conscientiously, and with appeals for divine help, lest in reliance upon our own strength or on ioolish hopes we undertake needless and futile things.
St.^bke:
He walks the more cautiously who alw,ays considers that to-day may be the day of his death (James iv.
sq.
; Ecclesiast. vii. 40).—Comp. the New Year's Sermon by Rohb (Sonntagsfttn, 1844, No. 15):
"The high and weighty import that each year of life has for us."— [J. Ei)W.\biis:
Not depending on another day, is a different thing from concluding that we shall not live another day.
We ought not to behave ourselves in any respect as though we depended on anotiier day.—.-iRNOT:
This proverb contains only the negative side of the precept; but it is made hollow for the very purpose of holding the positive promise in its bosom.
The Old Testament sweeps away the wide-spread indurated error; the New Testament then deposits its saving trulli upon the spot.—A. Fuller (on verse 2): A vain man speaks well of himself; and Paul speaks well of himself.
The motive in the one case is desire of applause; in the other justice to an injured character, and to the Gospel which sufi'ered in his reproaches.
Bp. Hopkins:
The tongue is of itself very apt to be lavish when it hath m sweet and pleasing a theme as a man's own praise].
Tubingen Bible:
Self-praise is a sign of great pride, and must be in the highest degree 1. e., goats of such value that for each one a piece of arable land might be exchanged.
Ver. 27. Abundance also of goat's milk .
. for subsistence for thy maidens.
Q"n) (with which we must repeat
from the preceding) " and life " is here equivalent to "substance, nourishment."
Female servants, maidens, waiting women, were wanting in no large household among the Hebrews, not even in the royal palace and the temple ; comp. 2 Sam. iv. 6
; 1 Sam. ii. 22 sq.
Here we must naturally think first of shepherdesses, milkmaids, e(c.
DOCTRINAL AND
ETHICAL,
HOMILETIC
AND PRACTICAL.
Modesty, contentment and prudence are the central ideas about which we may group the practical instructions of the section just expounded, if not in all their items at least in large measure.
Especially may we throw under these categories what is said of the necessity of avoiding all vain self-praise, and of boasting in an inconsiderate extravagant way neither of our own prosperity nor of our neighbor's (vers.
1, 2, 14, 21); in like manner that which relates to the duty of moderation in ill temper and jealousy, in sensual enjoyments, in love of restless wandering and of sight-seeing (vers. 3, 4, 7, 8, 20)
; and not less, finally, the admonition which recurs in manifold transformations to a general prudence in off"ensive to the wise man when he has to hear life, as it should be exhibited in social and business intercourse with others, and in the diligent discharge of the domestic duties of one's calling it.
Geier (on verses 3, 4) :
If even the pious man may easily transgress in his anger, howmuch more easily the ungodly!
Lange (on (vers.
11, 13, 17-19, 23-27).
If so inclined we might reckon among these commendations of an all-embracing practical wisdom even the warning against the contentiousness of a bad woman (ver.
15, 16), as well as the encomiums upon a genuine, unfeigned friendship, in vers.
5, 6, 9, 10; and in these especially, and above all in the command (ver.
10) : to regard the love of a true friend more highly than the bonils of relationship of blood,—an injunction which reminds us vers.
5, 6) :
He who truly loves his neighbor is bound, when the occasion presents itself, to persuade, admonish and warn him; Ps. cili.
5; Gal. vi.
1.—WoHLF.^BTH
(on vers.
5, 6, 9, 10):
Moral perfection the highest aim and blessing of true friendship.
Von Gerlach : A rebuke before the whole world is better than a love that proves itself by nothing, that onjy flatters in connection w^th a neighbor's faults.
[Lciku
CHAP. XXVIII.
1-28.
with opportunity, and not vulgar, is that which doeth the good.
.\rnot (on ver.
17): One half Bacon :
This proverb rebukes the mistaken kiudness of friends who do not use the privilege of the human faculties are framed for maintaining intercourse with men, and one half of the divine law is occupied with rules for regulating of friendship freely and boldly to admonish their friends as well of their errors as their dangers.]
Ver. 8 sq. Mel.incthon (on ver. 8): Solomon here warns against our forsaking our lawful it].
Melanctbon:
Let us recognize our weakness, and see that the individual man is ignorant of much, errs and stumbles, and .... that God has furnished us men with the power of speech calling from weariness:
Eph. iv.
; 1 Cor. vii.
20.
Luther (marginal commeut on ver.
8) Let no assault drive thee from thy calling ; hold chiefly for this, that one may befriend another with counsel and instruction.
Zeltner :
The pious should arouse one another, and stimulate fast, and God will make thee prosper.
L.anoe:
By discontent with one's position and calling one only doubles his need, and sins grossly against God'a holy providence.
[Muffet:
The wandering person is hated and despised by all; none honoreth his kindred, none regardeth his beauty, none careth for him, and none feareth to hurt him.
John Howe (on ver.
10) :
If it be an indecency, and uncomeliuess, and a very unfit to all good works (Heb. x. lit), and that too in all circumstances.—GEiER(onver. 18):
Faithful labor and diligence find at length their rich reward—if not from men, at least from God; Heb. vi. 10.
Ver.
sq.
Luther (marginal comment on ver. 19): As the outline in water trembles and thing, that is, contrary to the precept of studying whatsoever is lovely, and thinking of those is uncertain, so also are hearts.
The lesson is:
Trust not!
[Bp. Hopkins:
In the world we see our own hearts unbowelled; and there we can learn what ourselves are at the cost of other men's sins].
Luther (on ver.
21):
He who loves to hear himself praised is easily deceived : for he proves thereby that he is a reckless man who values his honor above all right.
Starke (on ver. 21):
If thou art praised, let it serve thee as a test, a humiliation, and a profit.
Lange (on ver. 22):
The urging and chastisement of the law makes no one pious, and does not change the heart.
The power of the Gospel must change and renew the h.ard heart.—Vo.v Gerlach :
No outward cure helps at all where the inward part is obstinately corrupt. things, to forsake my friend and my father's friend, how much more horrid must it be to forsake my God and my father's God!] Starke (on vers.
9, 10) : God is the best of all friends; strive with great care, that thou mayest obtain God's favor and friendship, and thou mayest never lose them.
Von Gerl.\ch :
Union of spirit with an old family friend from the father down is to be much preferred to mere relationship of blood.—[T. Adams (on ver. 12):
The fool goes, he runs, he flies; as if God that rides upon the wings of the wind should not overtake him.
Haste might be good if the way were good, and good speed added to it, but this is the shortest way out of the way.
He need not run fast: the fool may come soon enough to that place from whence he must never return].
Vers. 23-27.
Stakki; :
Let every one labor diligently in his calling, let him indeed bring everything to counsel, and be thoroughly systematic in his actions.
Geier:
If it be important carefully to guard and to cherish silly sheep, oli, how much more Christ's sheep, the souls which He has redeemed with His precious blood !
Acts XX. 28.
Wohlfautu : The husbandman's prosperity (a sermon for a harvest thanksgiving).
Von Gerlach:
To persevere is as needful as to acquire in every kind of possession.
[Lawson :
God's bounty is a great encouragement to our industry].
Ver.
14. sq.
Luther (marginal comment on ver. 14) : He who reproves much praises, and he who praises much censures; for they are not balieved because they go too far.
Tubingen Bible:
Too much praised is half censured.
Trust not the flatterer who praises thee to excess.
[Bp. Hopkins; Let all thy reproofs be given as secretly and privately as tlwu canst; otherwise thou wilt seem not so much to aim at thy brother's reformation, as at his shame and confusion.
Lord Bacon : Moderate praise used c) Against unscrupulous, unlawful dealing (especially of the rich with the poor).
Chap. XXVIII.
The wicked flee when no man pursueth, hut the righteous are bold as a lion.
In the rebellion of a land its princes become many, but through wise, prudent men one (the prince) continuetli long.
A man who is poor and oppresseth the lowly is (like) a rain flooding and (bringing) no food.
They that forsake the law praise the wicked, but they that keep the law contend with them.
; ; ; ; ;
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON.
5 Evil men understand not judgment, but they that seek Jehovah understand all.
6 Better (is) a poor man that walketh in his uprightness, than he that walketh in crooked ways and is rich.
7 He that keepeth the law is a wise son, but the companion of profligates causeth his father shame.
8 He that increaseth his wealth by interest and usury gathereth it for one that pitieth the poor.
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
10 He that leadeth the righteous astray in an evil way, in his own pit shall he fall but the upright shall inherit good.
11 The rich man thinketh himself wise, but a poor man that hath understanding searcheth him out.
12 When righteous men exult there is great glory, but when wicked men arise the people hide themselves.
13 He that hideth his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy.
14 Happy is the man that feareth always but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil.
15 A roaring lion and a ravening bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 O prince, poor in understanding and abounding in oppressions he that hateth unjust gain shall prolong his days
17 A man laden with the blood of a soul fleeth to the pit ; let them not detain him !
18 He that walketh uprightly shall be delivered but he that walketh in crooked ways shall fall suddenly.
19 He that tilleth his laud shall be satisfied with bread, but he that followeth vanity shall have poverty enougL
20 A faithful man aboundeth in blessings but he that hasteth to be rich shall not go unpunished.
21 To have respect of persons is not good, and (yet) for a piece of bread (many) a man will transgress.
22 He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches, and knoweth not that want shall come upon him.
2-3 He that reproveth a man shall afterward find favor more than he that flattereth with his tongue.
24 He that robbeth his father and his mother, and saith it is no wrong, he is companion to one that destroyeth.
25 He that is of a covetous heart stirreth up strife, but he that trusteth in Jehovah shall be richly rewarded.
26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool, but he that walketh in wisdom, shall be delivered.
27 He that giveth to the poor (suffereth) no want, but he that covereth his eyes hath abundance of curses.
28 When wicked men rise men hide themselves, but when they perish the righteous increase.
GRAMMATICAL AND CRITICAL.
Ver. 2. yt73 might perhaps be more correctly read as an lufinitive : ^V22—Comp. HlTZia on this passage.
As tho worJsof the original Hebrew now stand, wo can supplya subject for T'lJ^' only the singular Ity ('-the true prince*'); :u like manner tho 3 in DTX3^ must be taken in the sense of nvn3 "whuu there is at hand;" the |3 however must be taken as an introduction to the concluding clause, like our *' then" or "so."
In all this there is indeed the difficult; remaiuiDg that the participles T^O and ^"^^ stand side by side without a copula—an anomaly that is hardly reuioved by referring to chap. xxii. 4 (Beethbau).
And yet the construction thus brought out is, in spite of the mnnifnM