_A.M. 3004. B.C. 1000._
Chastity is a virtue of so much consequence, and impurity such a bane
to youth, that the wise man thought he could not too often make
mention of the danger of the one, to move men carefully to preserve
the other. Therefore he repeats, with renewed importunities, what he
had... [ Continue Reading ]
_Keep my commandments, and live_ That is, thou shalt live. It is a
promise in the form of a command, as Proverbs 3:25. _And my law as the
apple of thine eye_ With all possible care and diligence, as men guard
that most noble and necessary, and therefore highly-esteemed and
beloved part of the body f... [ Continue Reading ]
_That they may keep thee from the strange woman_ One reason why
Solomon so often cautions his disciple in this manner, and inculcates
upon him the important duty of shunning all acquaintance with lewd
women, probably was because he observed those vices to abound more
than they had formerly done in h... [ Continue Reading ]
_For I looked through my casement_ Hebrew, בעד אשׁנבי, _per
fenestellam meam, my little window_, or _lattice_, rather. For “in
Palestine they had no glass to their windows: they closed them with
lattices or curtains.” This may either be considered as an
historical relation, or a parabolical represen... [ Continue Reading ]
_She is loud_, &c. Here the wise man draws her character. המיה
היא וסררת, _She is clamorous and obstinate_, or _refractory._
She is full of talk, self-willed, disobedient to her husband,
rebellious against God, and incorrigible by any admonitions of
ministers or friends. _Her feet abide not in her h... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have peace-offerings with me_ “I am a woman happy in many
blessings, which God hath bestowed upon me, and for which I have given
him solemn thanks this very day; and, as religion and custom bind me,
I have provided as good a feast as those sacrifices, which I formerly
vowed, and have now paid, wo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore came I forth to meet thee_ As not being able to take any
pleasure in my feast without thy company; _and I have found thee _ By
a happy providence of God complying with my desires, to my great joy,
I have found thee speedily and most opportunely. Thus this wicked
woman pretended that she c... [ Continue Reading ]
_With her much fair speech_ Which implies that her alluring words were
more effectual with him than her impudent kisses, which possibly had a
little alienated his mind from her; _she caused him to yield_ By this
expression Solomon signifies that no provocation to sin is a
sufficient excuse for it. _... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hearken unto me now therefore_ “This is a true representation, my
dear children, of the folly and danger of these lewd courses, in which
youth is prone to be engaged; and therefore do not look upon it as an
idle speculation, but give diligent heed unto it, and be ruled by my
advice.” _Let not thy h... [ Continue Reading ]