The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. THE KING'S HEART (IS) IN THE HAND OF THE LORD, (AS) THE RIVERS OF WATER: HE TURNETH IT WHERESOEVER HE WILL - with as much ease as gardeners turn waters for irrigation into whatsoever channel... [ Continue Reading ]
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. EVERY WAY OF A MAN IS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES: BUT THE LORD PONDERETH THE HEARTS - the inward motives (, note).... [ Continue Reading ]
To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. TO DO JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT (IS) MORE ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD THAN SACRIFICE. Moral precepts are the end, positive precepts are the means. Both must be obeyed; but the end is more important than the means. To substitute cere... [ Continue Reading ]
An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. AN HIGH LOOK (HAUGHTINESS OF EYES; PROVERBS 6:17 ; PSALMS 6:4 ; ISAIAH 2:11 ), AND A PROUD HEART (enlargement or swelling of heart), (and) the plowing [ nir (H5215)] of the wicked, (is) sin. "The plowing of the wicked:" their... [ Continue Reading ]
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. THE THOUGHTS OF THE DILIGENT (AND THE STEADY-PERSEVERING) (TEND) ONLY TO PLENTEOUSNESS; BUT OF EVERYONE (THAT IS) HASTY (AND THEREFORE NOT PERSEVERINGLY DILIGENT), ONLY TO WANT - (; .) Lord Bacon... [ Continue Reading ]
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. THE GETTING OF TREASURES BY A LYING TONGUE (BY FALSE WITNESS, OR BY MISREPRESENTATION IN BARGAINING) (IS) A VANITY TOSSED TO AND FRO OF THEM THAT SEEK DEATH - is as a vapour tossed to and fro by the... [ Continue Reading ]
The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. THE ROBBERY OF (I:E., PERPETRATED BY) THE WICKED SHALL DESTROY THEM, [OR ELSE SHALL MAKE THEM TO FEAR: FROM guwr (H1481 ) (GEJER): MAURER TAKES IT FROM gaarar (H1641 ), AS IN HABAKKUK 1:15 , SHALL SWEEP THEM AWAY A... [ Continue Reading ]
The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right. THE WAY OF MAN (IS) FROWARD AND STRANGE - rather, 'The way of a man (that is) froward (is) also strange.' The Hebrew, ish, expresses a man once good: "froward" implies his perversity by having left the good way. 'Is a... [ Continue Reading ]
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. (IT IS) BETTER TO DWELL IN A CORNER OF THE HOUSE-TOP (THOUGH EXPOSED THERE TO WIND, RAIN, HEAT, AND COLD), THAN WITH A BRAWLING WOMAN (A WOMAN OF CONTENTIONS) IN A WIDE HOUSE (a house of community: i:e... [ Continue Reading ]
The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. THE SOUL OF THE WICKED DESIRETH EVIL - eagerly. The noblest part of man is in him wholly engrossed in evil. HIS NEIGHBOUR FINDETH NO FAVOUR IN HIS EYES - he does not spare even his neighhour, however friendly hi... [ Continue Reading ]
When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. WHEN THE SCORNER IS PUNISHED, THE SIMPLE IS MADE WISE - (note, .) and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth (accepteth) knowledge-he becometh wiser.... [ Continue Reading ]
The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. THE RIGHTEOUS (MAN) WISELY CONSIDERETH THE HOUSE OF THE WICKED: (BUT GOD) OVERTHROWETH THE WICKED FOR (THEIR) WICKEDNESS. "The righteous wisely considereth" that though "the house o... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. WHOSO STOPPETH HIS EARS AT THE CRY OF THE POOR (FOR MERCY), HE ALSO SHALL CRY HIMSELF, BUT SHALL NOT HE HEARD - (.) Retribution in kind (). The unmerciful toward their fellow-men shall cry in vain... [ Continue Reading ]
A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. A GIFT IN SECRET PACIFIETH ANGER. Strong as is the passion of anger, it will yield to the stronger passion, cupidity. The secrecy implies guilty presents (). Not honourable gifts, such as Jacob's to pacify Esau ().... [ Continue Reading ]
It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. (IT IS) JOY TO THE JUST TO DO JUDGMENT: BUT DESTRUCTION (SHALL BE) TO THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY - or else, to suit the parallelism, 'but (it is) terror to the workers of iniquity (to do judgment). The English v... [ Continue Reading ]
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. THE MAN THAT WANDERETH OUT OF THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING (I:E., TRUE RELIGION; CF. JUDE 1:11 ; 2 PETER 2:20 ) SHALL REMAIN IN THE CONGREGATION OF THE DEAD - the lost (Proverbs 9:18). "The dead," Heb... [ Continue Reading ]
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. HE THAT LOVETH WINE AND OIL - i:e., unguents used to anoint the person at banquets (Ecclesiastes 9:7). To use these is lawful, to 'love' them is inconsistent with the love God, which alone maketh truly "r... [ Continue Reading ]
The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. THE WICKED (SHALL BE) A RANSOM FOR THE RIGHTEOUS, AND THE TRANSGRESSOR FOR THE UPRIGHT. The righteous are saved from impending destruction, and the wicked come in their room (; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. Compare .... [ Continue Reading ]
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. THERE IS TREASURE TO BE DESIRED (VALUABLE STORE), AND OIL (a leading article of wealth in Judea, ; ) in the dwelling (literally, the cottage) of the wise. Though the godly wise may have but a c... [ Continue Reading ]
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. HE THAT FOLLOWETH AFTER (WITH GREAT ZEAL AND EARNESTNESS) RIGHTEOUSNESS AND MERCY FINDETH LIFE (THE GIFT OF DIVINE MERCY), RIGHTEOUSNESS (ITS OWN REWARD, ; ), AND HONOUR - though now often put to dishonour b... [ Continue Reading ]
A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. A WISE (MAN) SCALETH THE CITY OF THE MIGHTY, AND CASTETH DOWN THE STRENGTH OF THE CONFIDENCE THEREOF - (; Ecclesiastes 9:14.) Wisdom is more efficacious than might.... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. WHOSO KEEPETH HIS MOUTH - as the, well-guarded gates of the city. The "mouth" is the gate; the "soul," the city (; Proverbs 13:2; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. PROUD (AND) HAUGHTY SCORNER (IS) HIS NAME WHO DEALETH IN PROUD WRATH - literally, in the wrath of pride:' who gives loose rein to passion, combined with pride, on the slightest or on no provocation. So Haman was filled with proud... [ Continue Reading ]
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. THE DESIRE OF THE SLOTHFUL KILLETH HIM (WITH DISAPPOINTED HOPES, , ENDING IN WANT OF ALL NECESSARIES, ); FOR HIS HANDS REFUSE TO LABOUR. He is always only desiring: refusing to do anything in the way of labour for the attain... [ Continue Reading ]
He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. HE (THE SLOTHFUL, ) COVETETH GREEDILY (literally, coveteth a covetousness) all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. So far is the righteous man from 'greedily coveting' the goods of others, like t... [ Continue Reading ]
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED IS ABOMINATION (UNDER AN CIRCUMSTANCES; ); HOW MUCH MORE (WHEN) HE BRINGETH IT WITH A WICKED MIND? - harbouring some wicked purpose at the very time. As Balak and Balaam... [ Continue Reading ]
A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly. A FALSE WITNESS SHALL PERISH: BUT THE MAN THAT HEARETH (I:E., WHO TESTIFIES ONLY TO WHAT HE HIMSELF HAS HEARD) SPEAKETH CONSTANTLY - i:e., shall continually have the power given him to be a witness. He shall not be put t... [ Continue Reading ]
A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way. A WICKED MAN HARDENETH HIS FACE: BUT (AS FOR) THE UPRIGHT, HE DIRECTETH HIS WAY. "A wicked man hardeneth his face" against admonition, so as to persevere in he wrong way; "but the upright," if he be betrayed into an er... [ Continue Reading ]
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. (Isaiah 7:9; ; cf. the issue of Ahithophel's wise counsel, ; 2 Samuel 17:1; .)... [ Continue Reading ]
The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. THE HORSE IS PREPARED AGAINST THE DAY OF BATTLE: BUT SAFETY (SO THE CHALDAIC, SYRIAC, VULGATE: BUT MARGIN, ETC., 'VICTORY') (IS) OF THE LORD - (; ; .) External helps are to be used, but not to be made the main dependence... [ Continue Reading ]