PROVERBS CHAPTER 30 Agur's prophecy, PROVERBS 30:1; wherein he acknowledgeth his own ignorance, PROVERBS 30:2,3. The purity of God's word, with the happiness of them that trust in him, PROVERBS 30:5. He dehorts from adding to the Scriptures, by the danger of it, PROVERBS 30:6. The two points of his... [ Continue Reading ]
You come to me with a great opinion of my wisdom, and you expect that I should inform and instruct you in all things, yea, even in the greatest mysteries: but you are much mistaken in me; I am as ignorant and foolish as other men generally are, yea, more than many others; which he utters either, 1.... [ Continue Reading ]
I NEITHER LEARNED WISDOM; I have not been taught in the schools of wisdom, as the sons of prophets were, but must own myself to be an unlearned man, as the prophet Amos was, AMOS 7:14,15. Or, I have not learned it, neither by my own understanding and study, nor by the help of other men. OF THE HOLY;... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO? what mere man? None at all; and therefore I may truly say, that I have not that which no mortal man ever yet had. HATH ASCENDED UP INTO HEAVEN; there to learn the mind of God who dwells there, and that wisdom which is from above. OR DESCENDED; or rather, _and descended_, to teach men below what... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY WORD OF GOD IS PURE; and therefore you, Ithiel and Ucal, must not expect the full knowledge of Divine mysteries from me, nor from any man, but from the word of God, which is a certain rule, both of your belief and practice, because every part and parcel of it is holy, and true, and good, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
And as the word of God is pure, do not thou corrupt or abuse it, by adding to it thine own or other men's inventions and opinions, and delivering or receiving of them in the name and as the words of God. He here forbids only adding to it, not diminishing from it, which yet is equally forbidden, DEUT... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE I REQUIRED; I do earnestly and especially desire _Deny me them not before I die_, Heb. WITHHOLD THEM NOT FROM ME BEFORE I DIE, i.e. whilst I live, as things of great and continual necessity for thy honour and service, and my own good.... [ Continue Reading ]
REMOVE FAR FROM ME; from my heart, and from the course of my life. This is the first of Agur's petitions. VANITY; either, 1. All vain and false opinions concerning God, or the things of God; all unbelief, idolatry, or misbelief. Or, 2. All vanity of heart and life; a vain conversation, an affectati... [ Continue Reading ]
DENY THEE, by trusting to riches, which is a denial of God, JOB 31:24, by unthankfulness for and abuse of his mercies, and by rebellion against him, and divers other courses and common practices of rich men, whereby God is denied in truth and in works, even when he is owned in words and in show. WHO... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCUSE NOT A SERVANT, to wit, maliciously, rashly, or without just and sufficient cause; for otherwise, in some cases, this may be not only lawful, but a duty, as when a servant lives wickedly, or robs his master, or the like, A SERVANT; whose condition is in itself mean and miserable, and therefore... [ Continue Reading ]
A GENERATION; a sort of men, abominable both to God and men; which is implied concerning these and the following kinds of sinners, PROVERBS 30:12. THEIR FATHER, and mother too, as it follows; ungrateful and unnatural monsters.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who not only pretend to others, but conceit within themselves, that they are truly religious persons, when they live in the course of wickedness.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who are proud and insolent, advancing themselves, and despising all others in comparison of themselves, and showing the pride of their hearts in their countenances and carriages.... [ Continue Reading ]
Extortioners, and cruel oppressors, who grind the faces of the poor.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HORSELEECH, an insatiable creature, sucking blood till it be ready to burst, HATH TWO DAUGHTERS; which are either, 1. The two forks into which her tongue is divided, and wherewith she sucks: but those who have more accurately observed and described the frame of that creature tell us that they h... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BARREN WOMB; for as the Israelitish women did generally and vehemently desire many children, for divers reasons elsewhere mentioned; so those who were barren amongst them were most eager in those desires, as we see in Rachel, GENESIS 30:1, and as in all other cases persons most prize and thirst... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EYE THAT MOCKETH AT HIS FATHER; he that scorneth or derideth his parents, though it be but with a look or gesture, and much more when he breaks out into opprobrious words and actions. THE RAVENS OF THE VALLEY SHALL PICK IT OUT; he shall die an unnatural, and untimely, and ignominious death, and... [ Continue Reading ]
The way whereof I cannot trace or find out.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WAY OF AN EAGLE IN THE AIR; either, 1. The manner of her flight, which is exceeding high, and swift, and strong. Or rather, 2. The way or part of the air through which she passeth, without leaving any print or sign in it, which though it be true of all birds, yet is here attributed to the eagl... [ Continue Reading ]
SUCH, so secret and undiscernible, IS THE WAY OF AN ADULTEROUS WOMAN; of her who, though she be called and accounted a _maid_ yet in truth is an adulteress: not a common strumpet, for of such the following words are not true, but one that secretly lives in the sin of adultery or fornication. SHE EAT... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EARTH IS DISQUIETED; either, 1. The earth itself trembleth and is moved; so it is an hyperbole. Or rather, 2. The inhabitants of the earth. They do by their insolence and impudence cause great and dreadful disturbances in the places where they live. WHICH IT CANNOT BEAR; which are intolerable... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE REIGNETH; when he is advanced to great power and dignity; for such a one is ignorant and unfit for his place, and therefore commits many errors; he is poor, and therefore an insatiable oppressor, according to PROVERBS 28:3; he is proud and imperious, and being maligned and hated by others, h... [ Continue Reading ]
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; then she is puffed up, and imperious, and becomes intolerable to her own family, and to her relati... [ Continue Reading ]
Comparatively to other brute creatures. They act very wisely and providently, not from any reason which they have, but by the direction of Divine Providence, which secretly guides them to do those things for their own preservation which are most agreeable to the rules of wisdom. The design of this o... [ Continue Reading ]
PEOPLE; which title is oft given to the unreasonable creatures, both in Scripture, as JOEL 1:6, JOEL 2:2, and in Homer, and Virgil, and divers other authors. THEY PREPARE THEIR MEAT IN THE SUMMER; of which SEE POOLE ON "PROVERBS 30:6", SEE POOLE ON "PROVERBS 30:7", SEE POOLE ON "PROVERBS 30:8".... [ Continue Reading ]
In rocky ground, or in the holes of rocks, for their safety against their too potent enemies.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE NO KING to rule and order them. BY BANDS; in great numbers, and in several companies, and in exact order, as is observed in Scripture, as JUDGES 6:5, JUDGES 7:12 JOEL 1:6, JOEL 2:7, and by other writers.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIDER TAKETH HOLD of the thread which she spins out of her own bowels with her hands; with her legs, which he calls hands, because they serve her for the same purpose, to do her work, to weave her web, and to catch gnats or flies, &c. IS IN KINGS PALACES; is not only in poor cottages, but many... [ Continue Reading ]
That walk decently, and with great alacrity and courage; which are here commended to us to imitate in the management of our affairs.... [ Continue Reading ]
He doth not flee from his pursuers, whether men or beasts, but walketh away with a slow and majestic pace, as is observed by Aristotle, and many others.... [ Continue Reading ]
A GREYHOUND, called in Hebrew, _girt in the lions_; either because its loins are slender, and as it were girt up into a little compass, and tight or well trussed up: or because of its great agility and swiftness; for the girding of the loins was used for expedition in going or working. Or, as it is... [ Continue Reading ]
IN LIFTING UP THYSELF; either, 1. By rebellion or sedition against the king last mentioned. Or, 2. By anger or wrath, of which he speaks in the next verse. But this verse hath no necessary dependence either upon the foregoing or following verse. Or, 3. Through thy pride, which makes men carry them... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FORCING OF WRATH; the stirring up of wrath, either, 1. In a man's self towards others, by giving way to passion, or by fixing his thoughts upon those things which may inflame it. Or, 2. In others by reproaches, injuries, or any other provocations. BRINGETH FORTH STRIFE; is the cause of many qu... [ Continue Reading ]