PROVERBS CHAPTER 9 Wisdom's call to her people unto blessed communion and fellowship with herself, set out under a similitude of making a feast, PROVERBS 9:1. Her preparation, PROVERBS 9:2, and invitation, PROVERBS 9:3. She dehorteth from evil company, PROVERBS 9:6. Her counsel concerning reproof an... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH KILLED HER BEASTS, i.e. made provision for the guests; which is meant of the ordinances, gifts, graces, comforts, and eternal felicities which God doth offer and give to men in and by the church. HATH MINGLED HER WINE; either, 1. With spices, to make it strong and delightful, this mixed wine b... [ Continue Reading ]
HER MAIDENS; her servants, to invite the guests; ministers of the word, whom he calls maidens, partly for the decency of the parable; for wisdom being compared to a great princess, was fit to be attended upon by maidens; and partly to show that God by his word did work sweetly, though strongly, and... [ Continue Reading ]
SIMPLE; ignorant, and weak, and subject to delusion, and willing to learn; to show that wisdom rejects those scholars who are proud and self-conceited. UNDERSTANDING, Heb. _heart_, which signifies understanding, JEREMIAH 5:21 HOSEA 7:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FOOLISH, i.e. the wicked, and their courses and society: you must either forsake them or me, for we are irreconcilable enemies. IN THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING; which leads to it, and is prescribed by it.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT REPROVETH A SCORNER: the connexion may be conceived thus, Having invited the simple, he forbids the invitation of scorners; or thus, He showeth who he meant by the _foolish_, PROVERBS 9:6, even scorners and wicked men, as they are here called; and he presseth his last advice of forsaking the... [ Continue Reading ]
REPROVE NOT A SCORNER; an obstinate and incorrigible sinner, who scornfully rejects and despiseth the means of amendment. Thus physicians deny physic to persons in desperate condition. LEST HE HATE THEE; whereby thou wilt not only expose thyself without necessity to his malice and rage, but also mak... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVE INSTRUCTION: in the Hebrew it is only _give_; for as receiving is put for learning, PROVERBS 1:3, so _giving_ is put for _teaching_, both in Scripture and in other authors; of which see my Latin Synopsis. A JUST MAN; called _a wise man_ in the former branch, to intimate that good men are the on... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE HOLY; either, 1. Of holy men, whether such as all saints learn, or rather such as the holy men of God, the servants of this wisdom, teach from God's word; or rather, 2. Of holy things, the Hebrew word being here taken in the neuter gender, as it is NUMBERS 5:17, and elsewhere; for this seem... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT BE WISE FOR THYSELF; thou dost not profit me, but thyself by it; I advise thee for thine own good. THOU ALONE SHALT BEAR IT; the blame and mischief of it falls wholly upon thee, not upon me, or my word, or ministers who have warned thee.... [ Continue Reading ]
A FOOLISH WOMAN; by which he understands, either, 1. Folly, which is opposite to that wisdom of which he hath been so long discoursing; and so it may include all wickedness, either in principle, as idolatry, heresy, &c., or in practice. Or, 2. The harlot; which, with submission, seems most probable... [ Continue Reading ]
Which notes her idleness and impudence, and diligence in watching for occasions of sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who were going innocently and directly about their business without any unchaste design; for others needed none of those invitations or offers, but went to her of their own accord. And besides, such lewd persons take a greater pleasure in corrupting the innocent.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIMPLE; which title is not given to them by her, for such a reproach would not have allured them, but driven them away; but by Solomon, who represents the matter of her invitation in his own words, that he might discover the truth of the business, and thereby dissuade and deter those whom she invite... [ Continue Reading ]
STOLEN WATERS; by which he understandeth, either, 1. Idolatry, or other wickednesses, which in Solomon's time before his fall were publicly forbidden and punished, but privately practised; or rather, 2. Adultery. ARE SWEET; partly, from the difficulty of obtaining them; partly, from the art which... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWETH NOT, i.e. he doth not consider it seriously, whereby he proveth his folly.... [ Continue Reading ]