Proverbs 25 - Introduction
_OBSERVATIONS ABOUT KINGS, AND ABOUT AVOIDING OF QUARRELS, AND SUNDRY CAUSES THEREOF._... [ Continue Reading ]
_OBSERVATIONS ABOUT KINGS, AND ABOUT AVOIDING OF QUARRELS, AND SUNDRY CAUSES THEREOF._... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE ARE ALSO PROVERBS OF SOLOMON— To what has been said in the introduction to this book, may be added with great profit to the reader, Bishop Lowth's 24th Prelection. By _the men of Hezekiah,_ most probably are meant Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah, (See 2 Kings 18:26.) who _copied out_ or selected the... [ Continue Reading ]
TO CONCEAL A THING— That is, according to Grotius, _His purposes and nature;_ whereas it is the honour of a king to examine into and make himself acquainted with the state, actions, and designs of his subjects. Houbigant renders it, _he who conceals a thing honours God; he who honours the king will... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEAVEN FOR HEIGHT— "It is almost as impossible for the generality of minds to penetrate into the secrets of state, and understand the counsels and designs of intelligent princes, and the various ways and means whereby they consult to effect their ends, as it is to know how far it is from hence t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOM THINE EYES HAVE SEEN— Houbigant closes this verse with the words, _in the presence of the prince,_ and reads the 8th verse thus, _Be not hasty in pleading thy cause, to divulge what thine eyes have seen; lest in the end thou knowest not what to do, when thy neighbour shall have confuted thee._... [ Continue Reading ]
A WORD FITLY SPOKEN, &C.— The author of the _Observations_ seems to have proved, that not _apples_ but _citrons_ are here meant, which were of the colour of gold; See Song of Solomon 2:3. And he thinks that Solomon here refers to the manner of serving up these citrons in his court, when he says, _A... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE COLD OF SNOW— It was customary in the east to cool their liquors with snow; to which Solomon here most probably refers; for we cannot conceive that he could speak of a fall of snow in the time of harvest; that must have been incommoding, instead of pleasurable and refreshing, which the prover... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO BOASTETH HIMSELF OF A FALSE GIFT— Or, pretends he will give a valuable gift, and disappoints the expectation, _is like clouds and wind without rain._ See 1 Kings 18:45.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU FOUND HONEY?— See the 27th verse which may be rendered, "As it is not good or sweet to eat much honey; so neither to hunt for glory is glory to those who hunt after it." The meaning of the verse is this, "Moderation is good in all things, especially in those which are most pleasing to us:... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFIDENCE IN AN UNFAITHFUL MAN— Houbigant renders this verse, _As a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint, is the protection of a wicked man in calamity; he will even take away the garment in cold weather;_ Proverbs 25:20. _As he who sprinkleth nitre with vinegar, is the man who shall sing songs to... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THINE ENEMY BE HUNGRY, &C.— The plain meaning of this seems to be, "Be kind to your enemy; for that is the surest way to gain his love, and God's blessing." It is true, _coals of fire_ are seldom taken in a good sense, when used metaphorically; they commonly signify _punishment_ or _vengeance;_ b... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NORTH WIND DRIVETH AWAY RAIN, &C.— See the _Observations,_ p. 37.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A CORRUPT SPRING— See the note on 2 Chronicles 32:4. Besides the methods of stopping up wells and breaking down cisterns there mentioned, the eastern people sometimes practised another way to deprive their enemies of the use of their waters; namely, by throwing into them such filth as rendered t... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS NOT GOOD TO EAT MUCH HONEY— See on Proverbs 25:16 and Isaiah 7:15. Delicious as honey is to an eastern palate, it has been thought sometimes to have produced terrible effects. Thus Sanutus in the _Gesta Dei per Francos,_ informs us, that the English who attended Edward I. into the Holy Land di... [ Continue Reading ]