A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight. Under this prohibition of "a false balance" is forbidden all fraud, by whatsoever suns of deception it may be committed, (; ). It is "abomination to the Lord," because it is perpetrated under the semblance of justice. "A j... [ Continue Reading ]
A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.... [ Continue Reading ]
When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. (WHEN) PRIDE COMETH, THEN COMETH SHAME - a play upon like sounds in Hebrew ( zaadown (H2087), kalon (G2570)). There is no "when" in the Hebrew implying the immediate attendance of shame on pride (Proverbs 15:33; Proverbs 16:18; P... [ Continue Reading ]
The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. THE INTEGRITY OF THE UPRIGHT SHALL GUIDE THEM - safely, by God's grace (), though the midst of stumbling-blocks and dangers, to the heavenly city of habitation (). BUT THE PERVERSENESS OF T... [ Continue Reading ]
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. RICHES PROFIT NOT IN THE DAY OF WRATH - the day of God's judicial vengeance (; cf. on this verse ).... [ Continue Reading ]
The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE PERFECT SHALL DIRECT HIS WAY - safely to the desired end. "The perfect" - i:e., the upright, the sincere in aim (cf. ). BUT THE WICKED SHALL FALL BY HIS OWN WICKEDNE... [ Continue Reading ]
The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE UPRIGHT SHALL DELIVER THEM - from all fatal dangers, and from everlasting death. BUT TRANSGRESSORS SHALL BE TAKEN IN (THEIR OWN) NAUGHTINESS - wicked schemes... [ Continue Reading ]
When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth. WHEN A WICKED MAN DIETH, (HIS) EXPECTATION SHALL PERISH; AND THE HOPE OF UNJUST (MEN) PERISHETH. Riches, glory, impunity in oppressing others, and carnal pleasure, are the wicked man's object of "hope." A... [ Continue Reading ]
The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. THE RIGHTEOUS IS DELIVERED OUT OF TROUBLE, AND THE WICKED COMETH IN HIS STEAD - as happened in the case of Daniel and his persecutors (); and Haman (; Esther 7:8). The wicked falls into the pit of destruction which he... [ Continue Reading ]
An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. AN HYPOCRITE (OR ELSE, A PROFANE PERSON; HEBREW, CHANEEPH) WITH (HIS) MOUTH DESTROYETH HIS NEIGHBOUR - i.e., tries to destroy him by corruption (as the Hebrew may mean), or by plotting destr... [ Continue Reading ]
When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. WHEN IT GOETH WELL WITH THE RIGHTEOUS, THE CITY REJOICETH. Because the well-being of the righteous in a State tends to the well-being of the whole state: for the righteous use their prosperi... [ Continue Reading ]
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. BY THE BLESSING OF THE UPRIGHT THE CITY IS EXALTED. This gives a reason why, "when it, goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth." God blesses the city for the sake of the righteous or up... [ Continue Reading ]
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. HE THAT IS VOID OF WISDOM (HEBREW, HEART) DESPISETH HIS NEIGHBOUR: BUT A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING HOLDETH HIS PEACE. It aggravates the sin of 'despising' another, that he is one's "neighbour," allied by c... [ Continue Reading ]
A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. A TALEBEARER [HEBREW, ONE WALKING AS A DETRACTOR, raakiyl (H7400 )] REVEALETH SECRETS. The association of the verb walking with detractor, literally, a merchant, is due to the fact that the detractor goes a... [ Continue Reading ]
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. WHERE NO COUNSEL IS, THE PEOPLE FALL: BUT IN THE MULTITUDE OF COUNSELORS THERE IS SAFETY. "No counsel" - i:e., no 'wise counsels' (). The multitude are apt to do all things precipitately and much need pres... [ Continue Reading ]
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure. HE THAT IS SURETY FOR A STRANGER SHALL SMART FOR IT (Hebrew, 'shall be broken with a breakage,' like a potter's vessel; or else, 'shall be evilly entreated with evil'). AND HE THAT HATETH SURETISHIP IS... [ Continue Reading ]
A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches. A GRACIOUS WOMAN RETAINETH HONOUR; AND STRONG MEN RETAIN RICHES. The Hebrew for "strong men" [ `aariytsiym (H6184)] is usually taken in a bad, sense (Kimchi). As violent men retain with a "strong" grasp their riches, so "a gracious... [ Continue Reading ]
The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. THE MERCIFUL MAN DOETH GOOD TO HIS OWN SOUL: BUT (HE THAT IS) CRUEL TROUBLETH HIS OWN FLESH. The merciful man in doing good to others does good to himself. The harsh and unmerciful in distressing others ca... [ Continue Reading ]
The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. THE WICKED WORKETH A DECEITFUL WORK: BUT TO HIM THAT SOWETH RIGHTEOUSNESS (SHALL BE) A SURE REWARD. The reward of the wicked man's labour is deceitful (i:e., is the very reverse of what be has calcu... [ Continue Reading ]
As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. AS RIGHTEOUSNESS (TENDETH) TO LIFE; SO HE THAT PURSUETH EVIL (PURSUETH IT) TO HIS OWN DEATH. The Hebrew word [ keen (H3651)] at the beginning of this verse connects this verse with the preceding, 'Thus then... [ Continue Reading ]
They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. THEY THAT ARE OF A FROWARD HEART (ARE) ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: BUT (SUCH AS ARE) UPRIGHT IN (THEIR) WAY (ARE) HIS DELIGHT. "They that are of a froward heart" - namely, those who a... [ Continue Reading ]
Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. (THOUGH) HAND (JOIN) IN HAND, THE WICKED SHALL NOT BE UNPUNISHED: BUT THE SEED OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE DELIVERED - from punishment. Though the wicked conspire together, and have many... [ Continue Reading ]
As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. (AS) A JEWEL OF GOLD IN A SWINE'S SNOUT, (SO IS) A FAIR WOMAN (WHICH IS) WITHOUT DISCRETION - literally, without (literally, turning aside from [ caarat (H5493)]) taste" [ Taa`am (H2940)], i:e., moral perceptio... [ Continue Reading ]
The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. THE DESIRE OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS ONLY GOOD. Their chief object of desire is God and His favour. They do not desire things unlawful. So the issue of their desire is good. They obtain their wishes. BUT THE EXPECT... [ Continue Reading ]
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. THERE IS THAT SCATTERETH, AND YET INCREASETH; AND (THERE IS) THAT WITHHOLDETH MORE THAN IS MEET, BUT (IT TENDETH) TO POVERTY. So far from the generous disperser of his riches,... [ Continue Reading ]
The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. THE LIBERAL SOUL SHALL BE MADE FAT; AND HE THAT WATERETH SHALL BE WATERED ALSO HIMSELF. So far from THE LIBERAL SOUL SHALL BE MADE FAT; AND HE THAT WATERETH SHALL BE WATERED ALSO HIMSELF. So far from growing l... [ Continue Reading ]
He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. HE THAT WITHHOLDETH CORN (IN ORDER TO RAISE THE PRICE, AND SELL AT AN EXHORBITANT PROFIT), THE PEOPLE SHALL CURSE HIM - (AMOS 8:5 .) BUT BLESSING (SHALL BE) (NAMELY, IMPLORED BY THE... [ Continue Reading ]
He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. HE THAT DILIGENTLY (LITERALLY, EARLY IN THE MORNING) SEEKETH GOOD PROCURETH FAVOUR. We must not only do good, but do it seasonably while the opportunity presents itself, and diligently; as tho... [ Continue Reading ]
He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. HE THAT TRUSTETH IN HIS RICHES SHALL FALL: BUT THE RIGHTEOUS (NAMELY, INASMUCH AS THEY DO NOT TRUST IN RICHES) SHALL FLOURISH AS A BRANCH. "He that trusteth in his riches" will be loath to part with them in... [ Continue Reading ]
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. HE THAT TROUBLETH HIS OWN HOUSE SHALL INHERIT THE WIND. "He that troubleth his own house" - whether by extravagance, or by quarrels, complaints, avaricious withholding of the sustenance an... [ Continue Reading ]
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. THE FRUIT OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS A TREE OF LIFE; AND HE THAT WINNETH SOULS IS WISE - (.) "The fruit" which "the righteous" bring forth, namely, in benefiting the bodies and souls is of others, is salutary, like "the tre... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner. BEHOLD, THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE RECOMPENSED IN THE EARTH: MUCH MORE THE WICKED AND THE SINNER. "Recompensed" is here taken in the primitive sense; seeing that even the righteous have to pay on earth (no... [ Continue Reading ]