Seventh Address. Chap. Proverbs 4:1-9 Resuming, after the parenthesis (Proverbs 3:27-35) the style and tone of fatherly address of the preceding sections, the Teacher commends Wisdom to his scholars as his children, by the example of his own early education. Mr Horton happily remarks, "This chapter... [ Continue Reading ]
_my father's son_ The order of the words in the original: A SON WAS I TO MY FATHER, suggests the meaning, I was a _true_son, a son not only by birth, but by filial reverence and obedience, "_filius_, i.e. cum vi; veri nominis filius." Maur. Others explain, with Bertheau, "I also stood in the relatio... [ Continue Reading ]
_he taught me also_ Rather, AND HE TAUGHT ME, R.V.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wisdom_is &c. So also R.V. text. Others, with R.V. marg., _The beginning of wisdom_is, _Get wisdom_, Comp. Proverbs 2:1-5. _with all thy getting_ Rather, WITH ALL THOU HAST GOTTEN, R.V., at the price or cost of all thy possessions. Comp. Matthew 13:44; Matthew 13:46.... [ Continue Reading ]
Eighth Address. Chap. Proverbs 4:10-19 11. _right paths_ Rather, PATHS OF UPRIGHTNESS, R.V., as at once being a more exact rendering and preserving better the parallelism.... [ Continue Reading ]
_goest … runnest_ The figure of Proverbs 4:11 is continued. _straitened_ "His firm, wide steps of prosperity and security, when he walked in a wide place (Psalms 4:1), become narrowed and hampered." Widening of the steps is a usual Oriental figure for the bold and free movements of one in prosperit... [ Continue Reading ]
The earnest warning of this and the following verses recalls the similar warnings of Proverbs 1:19 ff.; Proverbs 2:12 ff.; Proverbs 3:31 ff.... [ Continue Reading ]
_their sleep is taken away_ Comp.: "Ergo non aliter poterit dormire; quibusdam Somnum rixa facit." Juv. _Sat_. III. 281, 2.... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse may be taken either (1) literally, they procure their bread and wine, get their living, by wickedness and violence, or (2) figuratively, wickedness and violence are to them as meat and drink. Comp. Job 15:16; Job 34:7; John 4:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the shining light_ Some would render, _the light of dawn_, with R.V. marg., but this is rather implied in the figure than expressed in the words. _the perfect day_ Lit. THE STANDING FIRM OF THE DAY. ἕως κατορθώσῃ ἡ ἡμέρα, LXX. As the sun climbs the heavens, shining brighter and brighter, from the... [ Continue Reading ]
_as darkness_ Comp., for the contrast with the preceding verse, Proverbs 13:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ninth Address. Chap. 4. Proverbs 4:20 22. _their flesh_ Lit. HIS FLESH, i.e. the flesh of every one of them. This _individualising_the teaching, by a sudden change from the plural to the singular number occurs again, Proverbs 3:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_with all diligence_ Lit. _above all keepings_, that is bestowed on aught beside. πάσῃ φυλακῇ, LXX. _Omni custodia_, Vulg. Others, with R.V. marg., _above all that thou guardest_; "præ omnibus rebus custodiendis," Maurer. "It is very strange that Judaism should ever have sunk into a formal religion... [ Continue Reading ]
_ponder_ So R.V. marg., _weigh carefully_; but R.V. text has _make level_, &c., with which agrees LXX. ὀρθὰς τροχιὰς ποίει σοῖς ποσίν : "make straight paths for thy feet." So Hebrews 12:13. See Proverbs 5:21. _established_ Or, _ordered aright_, R.V. marg.... [ Continue Reading ]
At the end of this verse the LXX. add: "For the ways on the right God knoweth, But the ways on the left are crooked. And He will make straight thy paths, And thy goings will He conduct in peace.... [ Continue Reading ]