INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 10 From this chapter to the "twenty fifth" are various proverbial sentences, without any very apparent connection or coherence with each other; describing righteous and wicked men; setting forth their different temper, conduct, and actions, and the fruits and effects of the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON,.... This title is repeated from Proverbs 1:1; and very properly stands here; since here begin those pithy sentences of Solomon, which bear the name of proverbs; the preceding Chapter s being a sort of preface or introduction to them; in which Solomon recommends the study of... [ Continue Reading ]
TREASURES OF WICKEDNESS PROFIT NOTHING,.... By which are meant either a large abundance of riches in general, which for the most part are enjoyed by wicked men, and abused to wicked purposes, Proverbs 11:4; or an affluence of them, obtained in a wicked way, by fraud, oppression, and the like; see Mi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD WILL NOT SUFFER THE SOUL OF THE RIGHTEOUS TO FAMISH,.... Or to perish by famine: not but that good men may be afflicted with it, as Jacob and his sons were, when the famine was in Egypt and in other lands; and as the apostles, particularly the Apostle Paul, were often in hunger and thirst,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BECOMETH POOR THAT DEALETH [WITH] A SLACK HAND,.... That is either remiss in giving to the necessities of others, according to his abilities, and as cases require; or that is negligent and slothful in his business. Or, "that worketh with a deceitful hand"; or, "with a hand of deceit" u, as it may... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT GATHERETH IN SUMMER [IS] A WISE SON,.... Which is the time of gathering the fruits of the earth, and laying them up against winter, as the ant is said to do, Proverbs 6:8; [BUT] HE THAT SLEEPETH IN HARVEST [IS] A SON THAT CAUSETH SHAME; to himself, and to his parents and relations. The sum... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSINGS [ARE] UPON THE HEAD OF THE JUST,.... That seeks for righteousness, not by the works of the law, but by faith; that lives by faith upon the righteousness of Christ, and is justified by it, made, accounted, and reckoned just through it; and, in consequence of his faith, does justly, and live... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MEMORY OF THE JUST [IS] BLESSED,.... Men to whom he has been useful, either in temporals or spirituals, bless him, or wish all blessings to him while alive, whenever they make mention of his name; and after death they speak well of him, and pronounce him blessed; for such are had in everlasting... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WISE IN HEART WILL RECEIVE COMMANDMENTS,.... Such who have true wisdom in the hidden part of the heart, of which the fear of the Lord is the beginning: these will not only, as good subjects, honour their king, and attend to his lawful commands; and, as dutiful children, regard those of their par... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT WALKETH UPRIGHTLY WALKETH SURELY,.... Or, "that walketh in perfection" c as the Targum. Not that walks without sin, no man does that; but that walks in the sincerity, integrity, and uprightness of his heart, both before God and men; who worships God in spirit and in truth, and speaks the tru... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT WINKETH WITH THE EYE,.... The Syriac and Arabic versions add, "with fraud". A descriptive character of a wicked man, Proverbs 6:13; who so does, either to draw and allure persons to go along with him, and join him in his evil practices; or by way of scorn and contempt of others; or as a toke... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOUTH OF A RIGHTEOUS [MAN IS] A WELL OF LIFE,.... Like a fountain of living water, continually running and flowing with water, wholesome, reviving, and refreshing; so the righteous man's mouth, out of the abundance of his heart, overflows with good things, which minister grace to the hearers, an... [ Continue Reading ]
HATRED STIRRETH UP STRIFES,.... A man, whose heart is full of hatred and malice against his neighbour, will stir up, or awake, as the word d signifies, contentions and quarrels which were happily laid asleep; these he renews by tale bearing, and whisperings, and evil surmises; by raising lies, sprea... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE LIPS OF HIM THAT HATH UNDERSTANDING WISDOM IS FOUND,.... He that has an understanding, especially of divine, spiritual, and evangelic things, which is the pure gift of God; wisdom will be found in his lips, his mouth will speak of it; not of mere natural wisdom, but spiritual wisdom; of the w... [ Continue Reading ]
WISE [MEN] LAY UP KNOWLEDGE,.... Which they get by reading, prayer, meditation, hearing the word of God, and conversation with good men: this they lay up in their hearts, minds, and memories, that they may not forget it, and as a rich treasure they highly value it; that they may bring it forth at pr... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RICH MAN'S WEALTH [IS] HIS STRONG CITY,.... What a fortified city is to persons in time of war, that is a rich man's wealth to him; by it he can defend himself from the injuries of others, and support himself and family in times of public calamity; for money is a defence, and answers all things,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LABOUR OF THE RIGHTEOUS [TENDETH] TO LIFE,.... To natural life, and the support of it; all that he labours for is to get a livelihood for himself and family; that is all he desires, nor does he seek great things for himself: or to spiritual life; so his spiritual exercises in praying, reading, a... [ Continue Reading ]
HE [IS IN] THE WAY OF LIFE,.... Of eternal life, which is truly, properly, and by way of eminency, "life", Matthew 19:17; and which is a life of glory; a life of perfection, of perfect holiness, knowledge, obedience, love, peace, and joy; a life free from all the inconveniences of the present life,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HIDETH HATRED [WITH] LYING LIPS,.... Or he whose "lying lips hide hatred", which is much the same; who pretends to be a friend, and outwardly behaves as one, but inwardly nourishes and cherishes hatred in his heart, which he covers and conceals, till he has a proper opportunity of showing it... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MULTITUDE OF WORDS THERE WANTETH NOT SIN,.... Where a great deal is said, without care and forethought, there will not only be many weak things uttered, but much falsehood, and at least many idle things, which cannot be excused from sin; not but that much and long speaking may be to great pro... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TONGUE OF THE JUST [IS AS] CHOICE SILVER,.... Which utters things precious, pure, pleasant, and profitable; things for worth and value as choice silver; the doctrines of the Gospel, the power of which he has felt upon his heart; the precious promises of it, which have been applied unto him; and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIPS OF THE RIGHTEOUS FEED MANY,.... Not their bodies; words are but wind, and will not feed; it is not enough to say to the distressed, "be ye warmed and filled", and give nothing; unless this can be understood of obtaining food for others by their prayers, as Jarchi interprets it: but the soul... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BLESSING OF THE LORD, IT MAKETH RICH,.... In the diligent use of means; see Proverbs 10:4; riches are from the Lord, and should be acknowledged as such, and not attributed to the industry, diligence, sagacity, and merit of men; but should be looked upon as had through the blessing of the Lord up... [ Continue Reading ]
[IT IS] AS SPORT TO A FOOL TO DO MISCHIEF,.... To do any injury to the persons and properties of men; which shows a most wicked and malicious spirit, a very depraved nature indeed: or rather "to commit sin" o of any sort, which he has devised in his own heart; it is as a "laughing" p, as the words m... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FEAR OF THE WICKED, IT SHALL COME UPON HIM,.... What he dreads in his own mind will be his unhappy case, sooner or later it comes upon him; his fear of distresses, calamities, and judgments in this life, and of eternal wrath and vengeance hereafter; for the most profligate and abandoned wretches... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE WHIRLWIND PASSETH, SO [IS] THE WICKED NO [MORE],.... The wicked themselves are like a whirlwind, noisy, boisterous, and blustering; such is the man of sin, who speaks like a dragon, breathing out slaughter and threatening against the saints; and so are his followers, fierce and heady, and lik... [ Continue Reading ]
AS VINEGAR TO THE TEETH,.... Which, with its coldness and sourness, blunts the teeth, and makes it troublesome to eat: the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render it, "as the sour grape is hurtful to the teeth;'' sets them on edge; AND AS SMOKE TO THE EYE; dims the sight, causes the eye t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FEAR OF THE LORD PROLONGETH DAYS,.... Not beyond the time fixed in the unalterable purposes and decrees of God, Job 14:5; but longer than some others, or than those that fear the Lord expect to live; or longer than, according to the course of nature, and the weakness of their constitutions, it c... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOPE OF THE RIGHTEOUS [SHALL BE] GLADNESS,.... Or, "[is] gladness" w; it is now attended with joy; he has a pleasure in the exercise of the grace of hope as to future things; he rejoices in hope of the glory of God, and is enabled to hold fast the rejoicing of his hope firm unto the end, Romans... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WAY OF THE LORD [IS] STRENGTH TO THE UPRIGHT,.... Who are upright in heart and life; who have the uprightness or righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and right spirits renewed in them; in consequence of which they walk uprightly, Proverbs 10:9. To these "the way of the Lord [is] strength"; b... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL NEVER BE REMOVED,.... They may be removed from place to place in this world, through the persecutions of their enemies, or through one providence or another, as they often are; they may be removed from a state of outward prosperity to a state of adversity, as Job was; they may be... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOUTH OF THE JUST BRINGETH FORTH WISDOM,.... As the earth brings forth its increase, and a tree brings forth its fruit; hence speech is called the fruit of the lips; wisdom is good fruit; a good man is comparable to the fruitful earth, and to a good tree; whose mouth brings forth wise things in... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIPS OF THE RIGHTEOUS KNOW WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE,.... To God and man; what is well pleasing to, God, and what ministers grace to the hearers, or what is grateful: and such things they will deliver out; they are used and accustomed to them; not only the righteous know in their judgment what is accep... [ Continue Reading ]