THE WICKED FLEE WHEN NO MAN PURSUETH,.... Through the terrors of a guilty conscience, as in Cain and others; who fear where no immediate cause of fear is, are frightened with their own shadows; and as Gaal was with the shadow of the mountains, he took for an army of men, as his friend told him, Judg... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF A LAND MANY [ARE] THE PRINCES THEREOF,.... Either together; that is, reigning princes, such as lay claim to the crown, and usurp it; otherwise it is a happiness to a nation to have many princes of the blood, to inherit in succession, to support the crown in their family, and... [ Continue Reading ]
A POOR MAN THAT OPPRESSETH THE POOR,.... Either one that is poor at the time he oppresses another like himself, either by secret fraud or open injury; from whom the oppressed can get no redress, as sometimes he may and does from a rich man: or rather one that has been poor, but now become rich, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT FORSAKE THE LAW PRAISE THE WICKED,.... Who are like them; who forsake and transgress the law, as they do; every like loves its like; wicked men delight in sin, the transgression of the law, and in those that do it. One covetous man will bless and praise another, whom the Lord abhors, and c... [ Continue Reading ]
EVIL MEN UNDERSTAND NOT JUDGMENT,.... Or, "men of wickedness" b; that are under the governing power of it; who are given up and give up themselves unto it; who, like Ahab, sell themselves to work wickedness: these know not what is just and right between man and man, at least not to do it; they know... [ Continue Reading ]
BETTER [IS] THE POOR THAT WALKETH IN HIS UPRIGHTNESS,.... Proverbs 19:1; THAN [HE THAT IS] PERVERSE [IN HIS] WAYS, THOUGH HE [BE] RICH; or, "in [his] two ways" c: that halts between two ways, or makes use of both; sometimes turns to the one, to the right hand, and sometimes to the other, to the le... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO KEEPETH THE LAW [IS] A WISE SON,.... That observes the law of God; for, though he cannot perfectly keep it, yet he delights in it after the inward man; and with his spirit serves it, from a principle of love, in faith, and with a view to the glory of God, without mercenary and sinister ends. S... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT BY USURY AND UNJUST GAIN INCREASETH HIS SUBSTANCE,.... By biting and oppressing the poor; letting him have money at an exorbitant interest, and goods at an exorbitant price, and so increases his substance in this scandalous manner; hence usury is in Leviticus 25:36, called "increase", and by... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT TURNETH AWAY HIS EAR FROM HEARING THE LAW,.... Not merely the moral law, but the word of God in general, and any and every doctrine of it; though the law is to be heard and attended to, what it commands and forbids, its precepts, menaces, and curses: indeed the Spirit of God is not received... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO CAUSETH THE RIGHTEOUS TO GO ASTRAY IN AN EVIL WAY,.... That is, who attempts to deceive them, and draw them into errors or immoralities, and so into a snare, into mischief and ruin; first into the evil of sin, in order to bring them into the evil of punishment; I say, who attempts to do it; fo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RICH MAN [IS] WISE IN HIS OWN CONCEIT,.... Ascribing his getting riches to his great sagacity, wisdom, and prudence; and being flattered with it by dependents on him; BUT THE POOR THAT HATH UNDERSTANDING SEARCHETH HIM OUT: a man of good understanding, whether in things natural, civil, moral, or... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN RIGHTEOUS [MEN] DO REJOICE, [THERE IS] GREAT GLORY,.... When it is well with them; when they are in prosperous circumstances; when they are countenanced and encouraged by the government under which they are; when they have the free exercise of their religion; and especially when they are advanc... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT COVERETH HIS SINS SHALL NOT PROSPER,.... God may cover a man's sins, and it is an instance of his grace, and it is the glory of it to do it, but a man may not cover his own: it is right in one good man to cover the sins of another, reproving him secretly, and freely forgiving him; but it is... [ Continue Reading ]
HAPPY [IS] THE MAN THAT FEARETH ALWAY,.... Not men, but the Lord; there is a fear and reverence due to men, according to the stations in which they are; but a slavish fear of man, and which deters from the worship of God and obedience to him, is criminal, and brings a snare; and a man, under the inf... [ Continue Reading ]
[AS] A ROARING LION, AND A RANGING BEAR,.... Which are both terrible; the lion that roars for want of food, or when it is over its prey; and the hear, when it runs from place to place in quest of provision, being "hungry [and very] desirous" of food, has a keen appetite, as some think the word l sig... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRINCE THAT WANTETH UNDERSTANDING [IS] ALSO A GREAT OPPRESSOR,.... Or, "much in oppressions" o; he multiplies them, and abounds in them; he distresses his subjects in a variety of ways and methods he uses to extort money from them by which he shows his want of understanding: he is a wise prince... [ Continue Reading ]
A MAN THAT DOETH VIOLENCE TO THE BLOOD OF [ANY] PERSON,.... That sheds the blood of any in a violent manner; that lays violent hands upon a club, and takes away his life, contrary to the law in Genesis 9:6. Or, "that is pressed because of the blood of any person" q; pressed in his own mind; filled w... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO WALKETH UPRIGHTLY SHALL BE SAVED, Or "be safe" r from those that seek his life, plot against him, shoot at him, as the wicked do at the upright in heart, but the Lord protects him; and it is even well with him in times of public calamities; the Lord has his chambers and hiding places for him;... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT TILLETH HIS LAND SHALL HAVE PLENTY OF BREAD,.... Or, "shall he filled" or "satisfied with bread" s: shall have bread enough, and to spare; provisions of all sorts, and in great plenty; Proverbs 12:11; BUT HE THAT FOLLOWETH, AFTER VAIN [PERSONS]; empty idle persons; keeps company and spends... [ Continue Reading ]
A FAITHFUL MAN SHALL ABOUND WITH BLESSINGS,.... Or, "a man of faithfulness" u. A very faithful man, that is truly so; that is so in a moral sense; true to his work, makes good his promises, fulfils his contracts, abides by the obligations he lays himself under; is faithful in every trust reposed in... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HAVE RESPECT OF PERSONS [IS] NOT GOOD, C, In courts of judicature, to give a cause or pass sentence in favour of a person, because he is rich, or is a relation, a friend, an acquaintance, or has done a kindness and against another, because of the reverse, Leviticus 19:15; nor in religious assembl... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HASTETH TO BE RICH,.... As every man that is eagerly desirous of riches is; he would be rich at once z, and cannot wait with any patience in the ordinary course of means: [HATH] AN EVIL EYE; on the substance of others, to get it, right or wrong; is an evil man, and takes evil methods to be... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT REBUKETH A MAN,.... His friend and acquaintance, for any fault committed by him; which reproof he gives in a free and faithful manner, yet kind, tender, and affectionate. The word rendered "afterwards", which begins the next clause, according to the accents belongs to this, and is by some re... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSO ROBBETH HIS FATHER OR HIS MOTHER,.... As Micah did of eleven hundred shekels of silver, Judges 17:2; AND SAITH, [IT IS] NO TRANSGRESSION; what is his father's or his mother's is his own, or as good as his own, it will come to him at their death; and if he wants it before, he thinks he ought t... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT IS OF A PROUD HEART STIRRETH UP STRIFE,.... Or, of a "large heart" c, or has an enlarged one; not with useful knowledge and understanding, as Solomon had; nor a heart enlarged with love and affection to the souls of men, as the Apostle Paul had; but either has a covetous one, who enlarges it... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT TRUSTETH IN HIS OWN HEART IS A FOOL,.... Since the thoughts and imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are only evil, and that continually; they are vain and vague, sinful and corrupt; the affections are inordinate, the conscience defiled, the understanding darkened, and the will perverse... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT GIVETH UNTO THE POOR SHALL NOT LACK,.... That gives alms unto them, relieves them in their distress, supplies them with money, food, or clothes, and does it cheerfully, largely, and liberally, as the case requires; such an one shall not want any good thing; he shall not be the poorer for wha... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE WICKED RISE, MEN HIDE THEMSELVES,.... When wicked men are raised to places of power and authority, rich men hide themselves, lest they should become a prey to them; and good men hide themselves, that they may not be put to death by them; or as ashamed to behold their evil actions; Proverbs... [ Continue Reading ]