The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. THE WICKED FLEE (SINGULAR NOUN WITH PLURAL VERB: THEY ALL FLEE AS ONE MAN) WHEN NO MAN PURSUETH - through the stings of conscience, so that "the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them" (; ; ; ). BUT THE RIGHTEOUS ARE (P... [ Continue Reading ]
For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged. FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF A LAND MANY (ARE) THE PRINCES THEREOF (THERE IS A CONSTANT SUCCESSION OF PRINCES, 1 KINGS 16:21-11 ; 2 KINGS 15:8 ; 2 KINGS 15:3... [ Continue Reading ]
A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food. A POOR MAN ( geber (H1397 ): A TYRANT, A MAN OF MIGHT) THAT OPPRESSETH THE POOR IS LIKE A SWEEPING RAIN, WHICH LEAVETH NO FOOD. Needy himself, he sweeps away the little food left to the poor by richer oppressors. T... [ Continue Reading ]
They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them. THEY THAT FORSAKE THE LAW PRAISE THE WICKED - naturally, as resembling themselves. By praises of the wicked one betrays what kind of man he is himself (; ). BUT SUCH AS KEEP THE LAW CONTEND WITH THEM - (; .)... [ Continue Reading ]
Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things. JUDGMENT - justice. THEY THAT SEEK THE LORD UNDERSTAND ALL (THINGS) - ; ; ; .) "All things" appertaining to their duty and to their blessedness in this world and in the world to come.... [ Continue Reading ]
Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. BETTER IS THE POOR THAT WALKETH IN HIS UPRIGHTNESS ( ; ) THAN (HE THAT IS) PERVERSE (IN HIS) WAYS (LITERALLY, IN TWO WAYS: DUAL) THOUGH HE (BE) RICH - than one perversely halting between... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father. WHOSO KEEPETH THE LAW IS A WISE SON (AND GLADDENS HIS FATHER): BUT HE THAT IS A COMPANION OF RIOTOUS MEN SHAMETH HIS FATHER - being an unwise son. Bad companionship is opposed to keeping the law. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. Proverbs 13:22, end; Ecclesiastes 2:26; Job 27:16. USURY AND UNJUST GAIN. "Usury," from a root to bite ( neshek (H5392), from naashak (H5391)): of a severer kind. "Unjust gain" - liter... [ Continue Reading ]
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. HE THAT TURNETH AWAY HIS EAR FROM HEARING THE LAW, EVEN HIS PRAYER SHALL BE ABOMINATION - (; , on the first clause; ; , on the last). He who will not hear does not deserve to be heard.... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. WHOSO CAUSETH (OR TRIES TO CAUSE) THE RIGHTEOUS TO GO ASTRAY IN AN EVIL WAY, HE SHALL FALL HIMSELF INTO HIS OWN PIT (); BUT THE UPRIGHT (WHO DO... [ Continue Reading ]
The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out. THE RICH MAN IS WISE IN HIS OWN CONCEIT; BUT THE POOR THAT HATH UNDERSTANDING SEARCHETH HIM OUT. Parasites and his own vanity may make the rich man mistake the flattery that he receives as due to his... [ Continue Reading ]
When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. WHEN RIGHTEOUS MEN DO REJOICE (PROSPER), THERE IS GREAT GLORY. All things are in great glory, the worship of God, justice, order, joyful contentment, and peace flourish (Esther 8:15). BUT WHEN THE WI... [ Continue Reading ]
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. HE THAT COVERETH HIS SINS (BY DENYING OR EXTENUATING THEM, ) SHALL NOT PROSPER. 'To hide a sin with a lie is like a crust of leprosy drawn over an ulcer' (Jeremy Taylor). Many cover them by lay... [ Continue Reading ]
Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. HAPPY IS THE MAN THAT FEARETH ALWAY - in prosperity as well as adversity (). "Feareth" to offend God; not slavish, but filial fear; not linked with anxiety, doubt, or distrust as to the reality of grac... [ Continue Reading ]
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. A RANGING BEAR - "ranging" to and fro with hunger. SO IS A WICKED RULER OVER THE POOR PEOPLE - whom he knows he can oppress with impunity, as they cannot resist.... [ Continue Reading ]
The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days. THE PRINCE THAT WANTETH UNDERSTANDING (IS) ALSO A GREAT OPPRESSOR (AND THEREFORE SHALL NOT PROLONG HIS DAYS): (BUT) HE THAT HATETH COVETOUSNESS (AND THEREFORE DOES NOT OPPRESS... [ Continue Reading ]
A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him. A MAN THAT DOETH VIOLENCE TO (OR ELSE, THAT IS OPPRESSED-BURDENED WITH) THE BLOOD OF (ANY) PERSON (HEBREW, A SOUL; ) SHALL FLEE TO THE PIT - lashed by the scourges of conscience (). He shall, like Ca... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once. HE THAT IS PERVERSE IN HIS WAYS (CF. NOTE, , 'IN TWO WAYS') SHALL FALL AT ONCE - so as not to rise again. There shall be no need of a second fall (). Gejer translates, 'shall fall in one of them'-in o... [ Continue Reading ]
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. , note. The follower of "vain persons," instead of "plenty of bread," shall have "poverty enough.... [ Continue Reading ]
A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. A FAITHFUL (SINCERE AND HONEST) MAN SHALL ABOUND WITH BLESSINGS - prayed in his behalf by numbers; or, 'with the blessings of prosperity' conferred by God. BUT HE THAT MAKETH HASTE TO BE RICH... [ Continue Reading ]
To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress. TO HAVE RESPECT OF PERSONS IS NOT GOOD - (note, ; .) FOR, FOR A PIECE OF BREAD THAT MAN WILL TRANSGRESS. The judge who at first was induced only by a great price to transgress by favouring one side, thro... [ Continue Reading ]
He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. HE THAT HASTETH TO BE RICH (28:20) (hath)an evil eye - a grudging illiberal eye (23:6). AND CONSIDERETH NOT (that instead of becoming really rich, the result of his haste to be rich by all means,... [ Continue Reading ]
He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue. HE THAT REBUKETH A MAN, AFTERWARDS, [when the rebuked man shall find that the rebuke was for his good. But the Hebrew, 'ªcharay (H310), commonly means 'after me' - i:e., after my example and precept... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer. WHOSO ROBBETH HIS FATHER ... AND SAITH, (IT IS) NO TRANSGRESSION (because I should succeed to the property at his death, and my parents do not give me enough), "the same is the co... [ Continue Reading ]
He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat. HE THAT IS OF A PROUD HEART (Hebrew, soul; ; and therefore trusteth in himself) "stirreth up strife" (; and shall be made lean spiritually, and often even in temporal goods): BUT HE THA... [ Continue Reading ]
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. HE THAT TRUSTETH IN HIS OWN HEART (yielding to his own will and impulses, ; ; ; ; and so walketh unwisely) "is a fool" (and shall be destroyed): BUT WHOSO WALKETH WISELY (by trusting not in his own he... [ Continue Reading ]
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse. HE THAT GIVETH UNTO THE POOR SHALL NOT LACK (; ; but shall have many a blessing); BUT HE THAT HIDETH HIS EYES (from the poor in their distress; cf. ) "shall have many a curse" - not only from men,... [ Continue Reading ]
When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase. WHEN THE WICKED RISE, MEN HIDE THEMSELVES - (note, ; ; .)... [ Continue Reading ]