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Proverbs 30:23

For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

For an odious (woman) when she is married - for by her bad temper and ways she makes herself unbearable to her husband, her domestics, and her neighbours. Cartwright and Maurer explain: when a man had two wives, the one beloved, the other comparatively hated (cf. ), if the latter be made by her husband the beloved wife, she is sure to behave imperiously, because of the former contumely she bare. I prefer the English version.

And an handmaid ... heir to her mistress - the lower sunk in grade she was before the more insolent she will be when she has gotten a fortune. Gesenius, after the Septuagint, translates, 'an handmaid, when she has expelled; i:e. succeeded into the place of her mistress.' So the Syriac. But the Vulgate and Chaldaic support the English version.

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See also Proverbs 30:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    ODIOUS WOMAN - One in whom there is nothing loveable. Marriage, which to most women is the state in which they find scope for their highest qualities, becomes to her only a sphere in which to make her...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    VI. THE WORDS OF AGUR THE SON OF JAKEH CHAPTER 30 Some hold that Agur is another name for Solomon. This opinion is also upheld by the Talmud, which speaks of six names which belonged to the King: Sol...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    PROVERBS 30. THE SAYINGS OF AGUR. It is uncertain whether the title embraces the whole chapter or Proverbs 30:1, or Proverbs 30:1 only. Proverbs 30:1. The title is extremely obscure, and has been much...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    IS HEIRTO. has dispossessed, or become heiress to....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _odious_ Lit. HATED, as in Deuteronomy 21:15; Isaiah 60:15. Her disposition is such as always to secure for her aversion and dislike. _when she is married_ and so has both power and opportunity, which...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Four things that are INTOLERABLE. Two of them are drawn from each sex, and in each case they are unbearable because they are _out of place, in a false position_....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    FOR THREE THINGS THE EARTH IS DISQUIETED— We have here an answer to another enigmatical question, What things are most intolerable? Which he tells us are, 1. A slave who bears rule; 2. A fool over-fed...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT Proverbs 30:21-33 21. For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear: 22. For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food; 23. For an od...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    The ODIOUS woman is the one who has long been rejected, but she secures a husband at last. A HANDMAID, etc.] Either she inherits from, or she supplants, her mistress: if the latter is meant, cp. Sarah...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WORDS OF AGUR The simplest way of treating the title is to read as follows: 'The words of Agur, son of Yakeh, of Massa.' Then we may proceed, with RM, 'The man saith, I have wearied myself, O God;...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    LESSONS ABOUT WISDOM PROVERBS _KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 30 THE PUZZLES OF AGUR AND LEMUEL (PROVERBS 30:1 TO PROVERBS 31:9) These passages are by Agur ...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Each person in this list has suddenly become powerful. But they lack the skills that they need for their new situations. They may become proud. Their characters do not match their new situations. Thes...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FOR AN ODIOUS WOMAN WHEN SHE IS MARRIED. — She pays off, with interest, the slights which she had formerly to endure from her married friends. AN HANDMAID THAT IS HEIR TO HER MISTRESS, and who is ner...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    תַּ֣חַת שְׂ֭נוּאָה כִּ֣י תִבָּעֵ֑ל וְ֝ שִׁפְחָ֗ה...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 31 THE WORDS OF AGUR THE rendering of the first verse of this chapter is very uncertain. Without attempting to discuss the many conjectural emendations, we must briefly indicate the view whic...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    LESSONS FROM COMMON THINGS Proverbs 30:18-33 We have four more quatrains. 1. There are the four wonders that baffle Agur's understanding. How superficial is our knowledge! How does the eagle mount t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This and the following chapter constitute an appendix to the Book of Proverbs. It is impossible to say who Agur was. In this selection from his writings we have an introduction, in which he a r m s th...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    For an odious [woman] when she is married; and an handmaid that is (m) heir to her mistress. (m) Who is married to her master after the death of her mistress....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Mistress, and is married to her master. She will generally prove insolent; like slaves on the throne, Regnabit sanguine multo ad regnum quisquis venit ab exilio. (Suetonius, Tib. 59.) (Calmet)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not fi...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 10 THROUGH 31. In chapter 10 begin the details which teach those who give ear how to avoid the snares into which the simple might fall, the path to be followe...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR AN ODIOUS [WOMAN], WHEN SHE IS MARRIED,.... Odious for her person, her ugliness, and the deformity of her body; or rather for the ill qualities of her mind, which, while single, she endeavours to...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _For an odious [woman] when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress._ Ver. 23. _For an odious woman when she is married._] Such a one was Peninnah, who vexed good Hannah, "to mak...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For three things the earth_ That is, the inhabitants of the earth; _is disquieted_ By their insolence and impudence they cause great disturbances in the places where they live; _for four it cannot re...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    for an odious woman when she is married, for an old maid, disagreeable in disposition, is apt to repay the contempt which she suffered from others in the same coin, and with full interest; AND AN HAND...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DEDUCING TRUTHS FROM COMMON EXPERIENCE...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    In THE FIVE Chapter S now completed are proverbs of Solomon copied out by Hezekiah's servants. The last two Chapter s show a distinct change in character, both being called "prophecies," and written b...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    ODIOUS; proud, and perverse, and full of hateful and offensive qualities. WHEN SHE IS MARRIED; for then she displayeth and exerciseth all those ill humours, which before for her own ends she concealed...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Proverbs 30:23 hateful H8130 (H8803) married H1166 (H8735) maidservant H8198 succeeds H3423 (H8799) mistress H1404

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The words of Agur. CHARACTERS: God, Agur, Ithiel, Ucal. CONCLUSION: God's Word is sure and pure, and venturing our souls upon it, we shall find it a shield against temptations, a safe prot...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Proverbs 30:1. _The words of Agur._ The style of this book seems to be much older than that of Solomon. Its simplicity very well agrees with the times of the patriarchs, or when the judges presided. H...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PROVERBS—NOTE ON PROVERBS 30:1 The Sayings of Agur. The identity of Agur, son of Jakeh, is unknown. One claim is that the word translated ORACLE actually should be the proper name “Massa,” so that v....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PROVERBS—NOTE ON PROVERBS 30:21 These four persons are unbearable because they have been given things they have no capacity to handle wisely. A modern example would be a person promoted above his abil...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 30:23. ODIOUS, or _unloved_. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Proverbs 30:21_ BURDENS GRIEVOUS TO BE BORNE I. IT IS SOMETIMES DANGEROUS TO THE PEACE OF A COMMUNITY TO R...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION PROVERBS 30:1 PART VII. FIRST APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION, containing "the words of Agur." A short introduction, teaching that the Word of God is the source of wisdom ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    This is the end of the proverbs that were gathered by Hezekiah's men. Now in the thirtieth chapter we have, The words of Agur (Proverbs 30:1) Whoever he is. He tells us who he is, but it really does...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 21:19; Proverbs 21:9; Proverbs 27:15;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    An odious — Proud, and perverse. Married — For then she displays all those ill humours, which before, she concealed. Is heir — Which great and sudden change transports her beside herself, and makes he...

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