These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. Proverbs 25:1. Here begins the third part of the whole book: a selection from the 3,000 proverbs which Solomon spoke (; ), copied out nearly 300 years after by "the men of Hezekiah" (perhaps Isaiah and Micah,... [ Continue Reading ]
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. (IT IS) THE GLORY OF GOD TO CONCEAL A THING - to conceal His profound counsels and decrees wherewith He governs all things (). He reveals enough of His blessed nature and counsels for faith to rest upon,... [ Continue Reading ]
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable. THE HEAVEN FOR HEIGHT ... AND THE HEART OF KINGS IS UNSEARCHABLE. As the height of heaven, and the depth of the earth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable. Whereas the king's honour is to search out many th... [ Continue Reading ]
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. THE FINER - the melter; the goldsmith. TAKE AWAY THE WICKED (FROM) BEFORE THE KING. Bad ministers and counselors must be taken away from the king if his throne is to 'be established in righteousness;' just... [ Continue Reading ]
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: PUT NOT FORTH THYSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING. Do not magnify or glorify thyself before a king (so the Hebrew), for kings like to shine alone in their circle, and are impatient of others affecting emi... [ Continue Reading ]
For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen. FOR BETTER (IT IS) THAT IT BE SAID UNTO THEE, COME UP HITHER (QUOTED IN LUKE 14:8 ) THAN ... BE PUT LOWER IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PRINCE WHOM... [ Continue Reading ]
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame. GO NOT FORTH HASTILY TO STRIVE, LEST (THOU KNOW NOT) WHAT TO DO IN THE END - (.) Amaziah did not anticipate the shameful "end," or he would not have gone forth hastily to... [ Continue Reading ]
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: DEBATE THY CAUSE WITH THY NEIGHBOUR (HIMSELF), AND DISCOVER NOT A SECRET TO ANOTHER. Even when thy cause of debate is just, go and deal directly with the principal, instead of 'discovering to another' the offence w... [ Continue Reading ]
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away. LEST HE THAT HEARETH (IT) (THEE REVEALING THY NEIGHBOUR'S SECRET) PUT THEE TO SHAME. The 'infamy' of a backbiter will cleave to thy name, and secrets to thine own "shame" will be disclosed in retaliation.... [ Continue Reading ]
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. A WORD FITLY SPOKEN - Hebrew, spoken upon its two wheels; a word moving quickly on its wheels to the end aimed at the speaker commanding his words with a happy adaptation to the circumstances and exigency, as a charioteer commands... [ Continue Reading ]
As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. (AS) AN EARRING OF GOLD, AND AN ORNAMENT OF FINE GOLD, (SO IS) A WISE REPROVER UPON AN OBEDIENT EAR. Wise and seasonable reproof is a precious jewel to him who admits it.... [ Continue Reading ]
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters. AS ... SNOW IN ... HARVEST, (SO IS) A FAITHFUL MESSENGER ... FOR HE REFRESHETH THE SOUL OF HIS MASTERS. As drink cooled with snow refreshes the thirsty in harv... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain. WHOSE BOASTETH HIMSELF OF A FALSE GIFT - raising expectations by promises which he never fulfills. (IS LIKE) CLOUDS AND WIND WITHOUT RAIN. Clouds and wind (the South and West winds) indicate rain. If, notwithstanding,... [ Continue Reading ]
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone. BY LONG FORBEARING IS A PRINCE (WHOSE ANGER IS MORE VIOLENT AND DESPOTIC) PERSUADED - much more is a private individual. A SOFT TONGUE BREAKETH THE BONE - breaketh a heart hard as bone, (; etc.; Judges 8:2; , etc.)... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. HAST THOU FOUND HONEY? EAT SO MUCH AS IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE, LEST THOU BE FILLED THEREWITH, AND VOMIT IT. Use lawful delights of this world in moderation; for immoderate use will sicken t... [ Continue Reading ]
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee. WITHDRAW (HEBREW, MAKE RARE) THY FOOT FROM THY NEIGHBOUR'S HOUSE; LEST HE BE WEARY OF THEE. Do not make thyself too common, for things, common are thought less of than things 'rare.' Do not come at an unsea... [ Continue Reading ]
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. A MAUL - a heavy hammer or mace used in war (, note; 51:20; 2:1); literally, that which scatters in pieces (cf. note, ).... [ Continue Reading ]
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint. CONFIDENCE IN AN UNFAITHFUL MAN IN TIME OF TROUBLE (IS LIKE) A BROKEN TOOTH - which has its place among the other teeth, but which, when you want its help in mastication, only gives you pain instead... [ Continue Reading ]
As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. (AS) HE THAT TAKETH AWAY A GARMENT (AN OUTER OR UPPER GARMENT) IN COLD WEATHER, (AND AS) VINEGAR UPON NITRE, SO IS HE THAT SINGETH SONGS TO AN HEAVY HEART. Nitre or natron... [ Continue Reading ]
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: IF THINE ENEMY BE HUNGRY, GIVE HIM BREAD. Quoted in ; ; cf. Introduction to Poetical Books.... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. FOR THOU SHALT HEAP COALS OF FIRE UPON HIS HEAD - melting him into sorrow, pain, and shame, at having been thine enemy. Either be shall be like wax melted by fire, or like clay hardened by it. In either case, "the L... [ Continue Reading ]
The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue. THE NORTH WIND DRIVETH AWAY RAIN; SO (DOTH) AN ANGRY COUNTENANCE A BACKBITING TONGUE. So Vulgate. The north wind usually produces fair weather (Job 37:22). The Hebrew for "driveth away" ( tªchowleel (H2342)) is, l... [ Continue Reading ]
_IT IS BETTER TO DWELL IN THE CORNER OF THE HOUSETOP, THAN WITH A BRAWLING WOMAN AND IN A WIDE HOUSE._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. (AS) COLD WATERS TO (LITERALLY, UPON; CF. ) A THIRSTY SOUL, SO (IS) GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY - (cf. .) Such were "the good tidings of great joy" () brought by the angels from heaven to the shepherds. The exile hails with r... [ Continue Reading ]
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring. A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring. A RIGHTEOUS MAN FALLING DOWN BEFORE THE WICKED (IS AS) A TROUBLED FOUNTAIN. The righteous, in ceasing to... [ Continue Reading ]
It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory. (IT IS) NOT GOOD TO EAT MUCH HONEY ( ); SO (FOR MEN) TO SEARCH THEIR OWN GLORY (IS NOT) GLORY. Glory follows him that seeks it not. The English version supplies "not" in the second clause from the first, as oft... [ Continue Reading ]
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. HE THAT (HATH) NO RULE OVER HIS OWN SPIRIT - (contrast .) Rule over not only hastiness in anger, but also over lusts, is implied. Prayerful, watchful self-control is the wall of the city; and we shoul... [ Continue Reading ]