The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. THE PREPARATIONS [LITERALLY, THE ORDERLY DISPOSINGS, AS THOSE OF AN ARMY IN ARRAY; OR AS THE LOAVES OF THE SHOWBREAD SET IN ORDER. LEVITICUS 24:6-3 : FROM `aarak (H6186 ), TO DISPOSE] OF THE HEART IN MAN, AND TH... [ Continue Reading ]
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. ALL THE WAYS OF A MAN ARE CLEAN IN HIS OWN EYES ( ; ): BUT THE LORD WEIGHETH THE SPIRITS. He alone is the Judge whether a man's ways are as clean as the man himself thinks them (1 Corinthians 4:4). We are apt to... [ Continue Reading ]
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. COMMIT THY WORKS UNTO THE LORD ( ; : LITERALLY, ROLL AS A BURDEN DEVOLVED UPON ONE STRONGER THAN THYSELF: HEBREW, GOL), AND THY THOUGHTS SHALL BE ESTABLISHED. Many have no sense of the Burden of sin. They are so immersed in wo... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. THE LORD HATH MADE ALL (THINGS) FOR HIMSELF; YEA, EVEN THE WICKED FOR THE DAY OF EVIL. So the Vulgate and Chaldaic similarly, 'All the works of God are for this purpose, that they may obey Him.' His own glory is... [ Continue Reading ]
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. EVERY ONE (THAT IS) PROUD IN HEART (IS) AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: (THOUGH) HAND (JOIN) IN HAND, HE SHALL NOT BE UNPUNISHED - (note, .) Though pride may not appear outwardly in t... [ Continue Reading ]
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. BY MERCY AND TRUTH INIQUITY IS PURGED (Hebrew, yªkupar (H3722)) - 'is expiated' or 'atoned for.' By mercy on God's part, in devising and promising the atonement; and by His truth, in keeping His promise (Exod... [ Continue Reading ]
When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. WHEN A MAN'S WAYS PLEASE THE LORD, HE MAKETH EVEN HIS ENEMIES TO BE AT PEACE WITH HIM - so far as is for the glory of God, and for our true and eternal good. So Laban and Esau were constrained to be at peace with... [ Continue Reading ]
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. BETTER IS A LITTLE WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAN GREAT REVENUES WITHOUT RIGHT - (.) "Better:" for the tranquility of conscience, for the present enjoyment of this life, and for the life to come. In we are warned against gain wit... [ Continue Reading ]
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. A MAN'S HEART DEVISETH HIS WAY: BUT THE LORD DIRECTETH HIS STEPS - (note, ; .) In contrast to man's anxious devising of his own way stands the Lord's sovereign disposal of his steps. Though in one sense man's will is free, yet in... [ Continue Reading ]
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment. A DIVINE SENTENCE (IS) IN THE LIPS OF THE KING. What a just and wise king (one worthy by of the high name and office) saith in pronouncing judgment, is sound and veracious, like a divinely oracular sentence. G... [ Continue Reading ]
A just weight and balance are the LORD's: all the weights of the bag are his work. A JUST WEIGHT (RATHER, SCALE-LITERALLY, THE UPRIGHT IRON IN SCALES WHICH THE WEIGHER HOLDS IN HIS HAND, AND IN WHICH THE TONGUE MOVES) AND BALANCE ARE THE LORD'S: ALL THE WEIGHTS (LITERALLY, STONES) OF THE BAG ARE... [ Continue Reading ]
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. (IT IS) AN ABOMINATION TO KINGS TO COMMIT WICKEDNESS - namely, to such kings as desire to do the duty of a king aright. Not only should a king not commit, as a matter of fact, but he should abomin... [ Continue Reading ]
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right. RIGHTEOUS LIPS (ARE) THE DELIGHT OF KINGS. Good kings delight in those who speak only what is "righteous." This is the duty of all in every station, but of kings especially, for the sake of their subjects as well as... [ Continue Reading ]
The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it. THE WRATH OF A KING IS AS MESSENGERS OF DEATH. The plural expresses manifold forms of death which are at the king's command. His wrath is fatal to him against whom he is incensed. It is all the same as if he denounced... [ Continue Reading ]
In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain. IN THE LIGHT OF THE KING'S COUNTENANCE (IS) LIFE - as there is in the light of the sun beaming on the vegetable and animal world, in contrast to the "death" that is in his "wrath" (Proverbs 16:14). T... [ Continue Reading ]
_HOW MUCH BETTER IS IT TO GET WISDOM THAN GOLD! AND TO GET UNDERSTANDING RATHER TO BE CHOSEN THAN SILVER!_ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. HE THAT KEEPETH HIS WAY PRESERVETH HIS SOUL. "Keepeth;" namely, jealously, and watchfully guarded against 'evil' (from the first clause of the verse).... [ Continue Reading ]
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. PRIDE GOETH BEFORE DESTRUCTION. In it is "When pride cometh, then cometh shame." AND AN HAUGHTY SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL. The "haughty spirit" (exalting one's self above one's neighbours) in the latter clause is the fountain when... [ Continue Reading ]
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. BETTER IT IS TO BE OF AN HUMBLE SPIRIT WITH THE LOWLY ( ; ), THAN TO DIVIDE THE SPOIL WITH THE PROUD. Such a one is happier in having the favour of God and man, immunity from perils, and tranquility o... [ Continue Reading ]
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he. HE THAT HANDLETH A MATTER WISELY SHALL FIND GOOD; AND WHOSO TRUSTETH IN THE LORD, HAPPY IS HE. The Syriac, Chaldaic, and Vulgate translate, 'He who intelligently attends to the Word of God, not only to... [ Continue Reading ]
The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. THE WISE IN HEART SHALL BE CALLED PRUDENT (INTELLIGENT; HEBREW, NABON): AND THE SWEETNESS OF THE LIPS INCREASETH LEARNING - as well for himself (inasmuch as in teaching, one is taught one's self, and beg... [ Continue Reading ]
Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. UNDERSTANDING IS A WELL-SPRING OF LIFE UNTO HIM THAT HATH IT - "a well-spring," whence flow counsels, informations, consolations, tending to spiritual life. BUT THE INSTRUCTION OF FOOLS IS FOLLY... [ Continue Reading ]
The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. THE HEART OF THE WISE TEACHETH (HEBREW, MAKETH INTELLIGENT - I:E., GIVES POWER OF EXPRESSION TO) HIS MOUTH, AND ADDETH LEARNING TO HIS LIPS. Wisdom in the heart suggests to the mouth what, how, where, and when one ought t... [ Continue Reading ]
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. PLEASANT WORDS (ARE AS) AN HONEYCOMB, SWEET TO THE SOUL, AND HEALTH TO THE BONES. "Pleasant words" are "words of the pure" (). The "honeycomb" was used for medicinal purposes, as well as for enjoyment. That honey whi... [ Continue Reading ]
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO A MAN; BUT THE END THEREOF (ARE) THE WAYS OF DEATH. The same maxim repeated from , in a different connection (cf. ). Here it is to warn us that not all words are truly... [ Continue Reading ]
He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him. HE THAT LABOURETH, LABOURETH FOR HIMSELF - literally, 'The soul of him that laboureth, laboureth,' etc. FOR HIS MOUTH CRAVETH IT OF HIM - literally, 'is bowed,' or 'boweth itself unto him,' as a suppliant craving food for... [ Continue Reading ]
An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. AN UNGODLY MAN DIGGETH UP EVIL - i:e., diggeth a pit to entrap in evil his victim (; ; ). The ungodly indeed 'labour' (), but it is only for mischief. AND IN HIS LIPS (THERE IS) AS A BURNING FIRE - malignant and calumn... [ Continue Reading ]
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. A FROWARD MAN SOWETH (HEBREW, SENDETH IN) STRIFE; AND A WHISPERER SEPARATETH CHIEF FRIENDS. The Hebrew for "chief friends" [ 'aluwp (H441)] means a prince, a husband, a leading one among the most trusted intimate friends. A w... [ Continue Reading ]
A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good. A VIOLENT MAN ENTICETH HIS NEIGHBOUR, AND LEADETH HIM INTO THE WAY (THAT IS) NOT GOOD. The violent man, when violence is not likely to succeed, resorts to enticement, and stitches the fox's skin on the lion's sk... [ Continue Reading ]
He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass. HE SHUTTETH HIS EYES TO DEVISE FROWARD THINGS. Shutting the eyes is the sign of profound meditation, the mind being drawn off from external objects to internal meditation. Others explain the Hebrew here, He... [ Continue Reading ]
The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. THE HOARY HEAD (IS) A CROWN OF GLORY, (IF) IT BE FOUND IN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - rather, as the Proverbs generally consist of two parallel propositions, and there is no if in the Hebrew, "The hoary head is a crown... [ Continue Reading ]
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. HE THAT IS SLOW TO ANGER IS BETTER THAN THE MIGHTY - than a mighty here. The very reverse of the estimate formed by men of the slow to anger, and of mighty heroes respectively. AND HE... [ Continue Reading ]
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. THE LOT IS CAST INTO THE LAP; BUT THE WHOLE DISPOSING (LITERALLY, JUDGMENT) THEREOF IS OF THE LORD. Whatever happens to man by allotment is not by chance, but by the Lord's appointment. The lots were cast into the cloak... [ Continue Reading ]