A FALSE BALANCE, &C.— See Leviticus 19:35. This rule may hold, not in commerce only, but also in our judgments, and in our whole conduct towards our neighbour. In every thing respecting him, employ the balance of equity, void of all selfish views, passions, and prejudices. Let justice and truth ever... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE HOPE OF UNJUST MEN PERISHETH— _His vain hope shall perish._ Houbigant. _Even his highest hope most grievously perisheth._ Schultens. The LXX preserve the contrast in the verse more strongly: _The just man dying, his hope doth not perish; but the boasting of a wicked man doth perish._... [ Continue Reading ]
A GRACIOUS WOMAN RETAINETH HONOUR— The LXX, Syriac, and Arabic versions have two hemistichs which are here omitted; namely, the second of this, and the first of the next verse. They read, _A gracious woman raiseth honour to her husband; but a woman who hateth righteousness is a throne of disgrace. T... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS OWN FLESH— _His own relations,_ it may mean, as well as _his own body;_ for the Hebrews frequently call their brethren or relations their flesh. See Genesis 29:14., 2 Samuel 19:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH HAND JOIN IN HAND— Most interpreters, by _hand in hand,_ understand the hands of divers persons; but some take it for the hands of one and the same person, and accordingly understand the passage thus; either that, though a sinner endeavour to hide his sin as a man does the thing which he hold... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A JEWEL OF GOLD, &C.— See Job 42:11. The meaning is, "As a jewel of gold would be ill placed in the snout of a swine, which is always raking in the mire; so is beauty ill bestowed on a woman, whose mind, having lost all relish of virtue, carries her from her husband, to wallow in filthy lust and... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT WITHHOLDETH CORN— The truth of this is experienced in all times of scarcity. They who have the hardness of heart to withhold their corn at such seasons, are accursed of God and men. The justice of God fails not to display itself upon those who are insensible to the miseries of the public, an... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT TROUBLETH HIS OWN HOUSE— That is, either dissipates his substance by extravagance, or sows division and discord among his friends and relations. Lord Bacon takes this for a profitable admonition touching discords in families, and domestic breaches [but it may as well be applied to whole king... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, &C.— If David, if Job, if the apostles and choicest servants of God, have been tried in this world by affliction, what must await the impious and the sinners? If God does not even pardon the just the faults which they may commit; how can the wicked, whose whole life is but one series of crim... [ Continue Reading ]