The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; Proverbs 1:1.-The Inscription; and the Preface, stating the design of the book-to give instruction in wisdom (Proverbs 1:1). Key-note of the whole: the fear of the Lord is the first step (). Fatherly exhortation to the young to hear the in... [ Continue Reading ]
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; TO KNOW WISDOM - depending on Proverbs 1:1. The proverbs of Solomon are designed that all may by them know wisdom. AND INSTRUCTION, [ uwmuwcaar (H4148)] - from a Hebrew root, yaacar (H3256), to chastise or correct by discip... [ Continue Reading ]
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; TO RECEIVE THE INSTRUCTION OF WISDOM, JUSTICE, AND JUDGMENT, AND EQUITY - "wisdom" [ haskeel (H7919)]; a different Hebrew word from that for "wisdom" in Proverbs 1:2. It means intelligence or prudence, circumspect considerat... [ Continue Reading ]
To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. TO GIVE SUBTILTY TO THE SIMPLE, TO THE YOUNG MAN KNOWLEDGE AND DISCRETION. "Subtilty," shrewdness, not in the sense of worldly cunning, but that knowledge which will put one on his guard against the subtle snares of the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: A WISE (MAN) WILL HEAR, AND WILL INCREASE LEARNING - (Proverbs 9:9.) "Learning" - literally, that which is received (Hebrew, leqach (H3948)). True wisdom is never stationary, but always p... [ Continue Reading ]
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. TO UNDERSTAND A PROVERB, AND THE INTERPRETATION - connected in construction with Proverbs 1:1, as are the other infinitives, Proverbs 1:2, "To know;" Proverbs 1:3 "To receive;" Proverbs 1:4, "To give s... [ Continue Reading ]
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. THE FEAR OF THE LORD (IS) THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE - the grand summary of the whole book (cf. , "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"). Solomon begins his lessons on true wisdom by laying... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: MY SON, HEAR THE INSTRUCTION OF THY FATHER, AND FORSAKE NOT THE LAW OF THY MOTHER. Even bad parents generally instruct their sons to do right. But good parents, including under the term pious preceptors, are chiefl... [ Continue Reading ]
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. FOR THEY (SHALL BE) AN ORNAMENT OF GRACE UNTO THY HEAD, AND CHAINS ABOUT THY NECK - "an ornament" ( liwªyat (H3880)) - literally, an addition, an ornamental accession. As the young are attracted by ornaments on the hea... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. MY SON, IF SINNERS ENTICE THEE, CONSENT THOU NOT. So Joseph (, etc.; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: IF THEY SAY, COME WITH US, LET US LAY WAIT FOR BLOOD - (Proverbs 1:16; Jeremiah 5:26.) LET US LURK PRIVILY FOR THE INNOCENT WITHOUT CAUSE - i:e., though we have not bean provoked or wronged... [ Continue Reading ]
Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: LET US SWALLOW THEM UP ALIVE AS THE GRAVE; AND WHOLE, AS THOSE THAT GO DOWN INTO THE PIT - so as to leave no clew to our being discovered, and no trace to turn suspicion upon us. They unwittingly use langua... [ Continue Reading ]
We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: WE SHALL FIND ALL PRECIOUS SUBSTANCE, WE SHALL FILL OUR HOUSES WITH SPOIL. Not only shall we find large spoil, but we shall get it in full possession, so as to fill our houses with it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: CAST IN THY LOT AMONG US; LET US ALL HAVE ONE PURSE. You shall have your share in the equal division of the booty by lot. We all shall have one common purse and portion. The Hebrews had an alliterating proverb, Bekis, Bekos, Bekahas - i:e., in... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: MY SON, WALK NOT THOU IN THE WAY WITH THEM; REFRAIN THY FOOT FROM THEIR PATH. "Refrain thy foot" expresses the natural propensity of the old man, even in the godly, to that which is evil (). Alike in private and in pub... [ Continue Reading ]
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. FOR THEIR FEET RUN TO EVIL, AND MAKE HASTE TO SHED BLOOD. is drawn from this. Compare for FOR THEIR FEET RUN TO EVIL, AND MAKE HASTE TO SHED BLOOD. is drawn from this. Compare for their retribution in kind.... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. (SURELY IN VAIN THE NET IS SPREAD IN THE SIGHT OF ANY BIRD) - Hebrew, 'any master of a wing,' (cf. margin.) In vain those sinners lay snares for as many godly men as they can; not one of these is taken: but the sinners themselves are cau... [ Continue Reading ]
And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. AND THEY LAY WAIT FOR THEIR (OWN) BLOOD; THEY LURK PRIVILY FOR THEIR (OWN) LIVES. While they fancy that they are, with the certainty of success, 'laying wait for the blood' of "the innocent" (), it proves really to be... [ Continue Reading ]
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. SO (ARE) THE WAYS OF EVERY ONE THAT IS GREEDY OF GAIN - literally, 'of every one greedy of greed;' of everyone snatching at rapine. On "so are the ways" - i:e., such is the portion at last-cf.... [ Continue Reading ]
Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: WISDOM CRIETH WITHOUT - literally, wisdoms; i:e., consummate wisdom. Maurer makes the Hebrew not plural, but a form in the singular, as the English version. The plural form... [ Continue Reading ]
She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, SHE CRIETH IN THE CHIEF PLACE OF CONCOURSE, IN THE OPENINGS OF THE GATES - "the chief place of concourse;" literally, 'in the head of the noisy places,' 'the tumultuous places' ... [ Continue Reading ]
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? HOW LONG, YE SIMPLE ONES, WILL YE LOVE SIMPLICITY? Wisdom wishes, by a startling address, to arouse the sinfully simple ones out of their sleep of worldliness and apathy as to... [ Continue Reading ]
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. TURN YOU AT MY REPROOF - to the God from whom ye have turned away. BEHOLD, I WILL POUR OUT, [like a gushing, bubbling stream, abundant, continuous, and clear ( 'abiy`aah (H5042))] MY SPIRI... [ Continue Reading ]
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; BECAUSE I HAVE CALLED, AND YE REFUSED; I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HAND, AND NO MAN REGARDED. After God has called to grace in vain, He now denounces wrath (; ). God calls externally by His ministers, by His wri... [ Continue Reading ]
But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: BUT YE HAVE SET AT NOUGHT ALL MY COUNSEL, AND WOULD NONE OF MY REPROOF. So "the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves." (). Whether I gave counsel as to doing good, or reproof as to shunning ev... [ Continue Reading ]
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; I ALSO WILL LAUGH AT YOUR CALAMITY. Retribution in kind (). God will at last laugh in derision at those who now laugh to scorn His loving appeals. Compare the rejoicing of the saints over Babylon when she falls (). I WILL M... [ Continue Reading ]
When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. WHEN YOUR FEAR COMETH AS DESOLATION. Both the feeling of fear, and good cause for fear ().... [ Continue Reading ]
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: THEN SHALL THEY CALL UPON ME, BUT I WILL NOT ANSWER - (.) God saith, it is true, "Whosoever shall call on THEN SHALL THEY CALL UPON ME, BUT I WILL NOT ANSWER - (.) God saith, it is true, "Wh... [ Continue Reading ]
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: FOR THAT THEY HATED KNOWLEDGE, AND DID NOT CHOOSE THE FEAR OF THE LORD. Those who do not choose the fear of the Lord are condemned no less than those who hate it. Not to choose is virtually to dislike, and ends in positive h... [ Continue Reading ]
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. THEY WOULD NONE OF MY COUNSEL; THEY DESPISED ALL MY REPROOF - (.) "Despised," rejected with reviling and cursing.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. THEREFORE SHALL THEY EAT OF THE FRUIT OF THEIR OWN WAY, AND BE FILLED WITH THEIR OWN DEVICES. Compare , "Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall... [ Continue Reading ]
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. FOR THE TURNING AWAY OF THE SIMPLE SHALL SLAY THEM. The turning away from the monitions of Wisdom ("Turn ye," ) on the part of the simple. Prosperity in the parallel clause corresponds to "turning... [ Continue Reading ]
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. BUT WHOSE HEARKENETH UNTO ME SHALL DWELL SAFELY, AND SHALL BE QUIET FROM FEAR OF EVIL - temporarily, mentally, spiritually, and eternally (; Isaiah 33:15; ; ; ).... [ Continue Reading ]