My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: Proverbs 3:1.-The youth is admonished to keep God's law, which brings to the obedient long life and peace; not to forsake mercy and truth, which give favor in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord, and not in self, so shal... [ Continue Reading ]
For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. FOR LENGTH OF DAYS, AND LONG LIFE, AND PEACE, SHALL THEY ADD TO THEE - (; ; ; Psalms 34:12; "Godliness hath promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come," ; .) Quarrelling, luxury, pleasure and gain-seeking, an... [ Continue Reading ]
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: LET NOT MERCY AND TRUTH FORSAKE THEE: BIND THEM ABOUT THY NECK; WRITE THEM UPON THE TABLE OF THINE HEART - never go or be anywhere without these graces accompanying thee. "Mercy" toward men;... [ Continue Reading ]
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. SO SHALT THOU FIND FAVOUR AND GOOD UNDERSTANDING IN THE SIGHT OF GOD AND MAN. By keeping "mercy and truth" (Proverbs 3:3) thou shalt be esteemed before God and man as one of good understanding," and so "shalt find favou... [ Continue Reading ]
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART; AND LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING - which latter cannot preserve thee. He guards against his recommendation of "good understanding" (a different Hebrew term from that... [ Continue Reading ]
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS. "Acknowledge Him" by referring all thy ways to His will, trusting in His power, wisdom, providence, goodness, righteousness, and feeling that without Him god can do not... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. BE NOT WISE IN THINE OWN EYES (): FEAR THE LORD, AND DEPART FROM EVIL. Do not think so highly of thine own wisdom as to think thou canst stand by it independently of the wisdom of God (; contrast ; 1 Corinthians 8:1; ; , "If any... [ Continue Reading ]
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. IT SHALL BE HEALTH TO THY NAVEL, AND MARROW TO THY BONES - "it," namely, the obedient "fear of the Lord" just described (). Plasters and emollient ointments are often applied to the person for healing purposes. The navel is the channel of... [ Continue Reading ]
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: HONOUR THE LORD WITH THY SUBSTANCE, AND WITH THE FIRST-FRUITS OF ALL THINE INCREASE - by offering freely gifts for His service (; Malachi 3:7). This is another part of the worship of God, besides those just enumer... [ Continue Reading ]
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. SO SHALL THY BARNS BE FILLED WITH PLENTY, AND THY PRESSES SHALL BURST OUT WITH NEW WINE. So far from becoming poorer by giving to the Lord's honour out of thy substance, it is thus that thou shalt become abun... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: MY SON, DESPISE NOT THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD; NEITHER BE WEARY OF HIS CORRECTION. Since heretofore Solomon had instructed the youth in what he ought to do, so now in what he ought to suffer. Religion consists no... [ Continue Reading ]
For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CORRECTETH, EVEN AS A FATHER THE SON IN WHOM HE DELIGHTETH - (.) In this verse is quoted with a slight alteration, designed by the Spirit to bring out a somewhat varied aspect of t... [ Continue Reading ]
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. HAPPY IS THE MAN THAT FINDETH WISDOM, AND THE MAN THAT GETTETH UNDERSTANDING. The concluding inference from what went before, Since the benefits of wisdom are so great, happy is he who, whether by prayer, diligent appli... [ Continue Reading ]
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. FOR THE MERCHANDISE OF IT IS BETTER THAN THE MERCHANDISE OF SILVER, AND THE GAIN THEREOF THAN FINE GOLD. "The merchandise of it" is what it (wisdom) bugs-the gain which redounds from it-name... [ Continue Reading ]
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. SHE IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN RUBIES: AND ALL THE THINGS THOU CANST DESIRE ARE NOT TO BE COMPARED UNTO HER. Arnold Booti, 'Animadversiones,' and Maurer, translate 'corals' for "rubies" (cf. ; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. LENGTH OF DAYS IS IN HER RIGHT HAND (CF. NOTE, ); AND IN HER LEFT HAND RICHES AND HONOUR. Wisdom is described as a royal virgin or queen, with both hands full of gifts: in her right hand (the superior hand) is length of... [ Continue Reading ]
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. HER WAYS ARE WAYS OF PLEASANTNESS, AND ALL HER PATHS ARE PEACE. Both the way, and the end to which the way leads, is peace. Though her ways are painful to the flesh, they are "pleasantness" to the spirit: not merely pleasant, but "p... [ Continue Reading ]
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. SHE IS A TREE OF LIFE TO THEM THAT LAY HOLD UPON HER. "Lay hold" (machaziquim) - literally, lay hold with a tenacious grasp, not to be severed from her: from a Hebrew root 'strong.' Compare ; ; , for... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. THE LORD BY WISDOM HATH FOUNDED THE EARTH; BY UNDERSTANDING HATH HE ESTABLISHED THE HEAVENS. 'Do not marvel at my having said that wisdom secures all these blessings length of years, riches, etc.; becaus... [ Continue Reading ]
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. BY HIS KNOWLEDGE THE DEPTHS ARE BROKEN UP - into rivers and streams for the refreshment of man (; Job 38:8; Psalms 104:8; ). AND THE CLOUDS DROP DOWN THE DEW. Since dew does not descend from the clouds, but is formed n... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: MY SON, LET NOT THEM DEPART FROM THINE EYES: KEEP SOUND WISDOM AND DISCRETION. On these last words cf. ; , notes. Solomon repeats similar monitions so frequently (cf. Proverbs 1:8; ; ) on account of men's spiritual ap... [ Continue Reading ]
So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. SO SHALL THEY BE LIFE UNTO THY SOUL, AND GRACE TO THY NECK. Wisdom reveals the righteousness of God whereby the believer in Christ lives before God. Without this the man is dead in sins (; ). On "grace (like a graceful chain) to thy nec... [ Continue Reading ]
Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. THEN SHALT THOU WALK IN THY WAY SAFELY, AND THY FEET SHALL NOT STUMBLE - (Psalms 91:11; . WHEN THOU LIEST DOWN, THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID; YEA, THOU SHALT LIE DOWN, AND THY SLEEP SHALL BE SWEET. Whether in motion or at res... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. BE NOT AFRAID OF SUDDEN FEAR, NEITHER OF THE DESOLATION OF THE WICKED (I:E., OF THE DESOLATION WHICH THE WICKED PLOT AGAINST THEE), WHEN IT COMETH. FOR THE LORD SHALL BE THY CONFIDENCE, AND SHALL KEEP THY FOOT... [ Continue Reading ]
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. WITHHOLD NOT GOOD FROM THEM TO WHOM IT IS DUE, WHEN IT IS IN THE POWER OF THINE HAND TO DO IT. Here Solomon passes from general recommendations of wisdom to particular precepts of it. He reverts to inst... [ Continue Reading ]
Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. SAY NOT UNTO THY NEIGHBOUR, GO, AND COME AGAIN, AND TOMORROW I WILL GIVE; WHEN THOU HAST IT BY THEE. Publius Syrus says, 'He gives twice to one in need, who gives at once.' The good Samaritan a... [ Continue Reading ]
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. DEVISE NOT EVIL AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR, SEEING HE DWELLETH SECURELY BY THEE. After having praised beneficence, Solomon proceeds to forbid malevolence, especially toward neighbours living peaceably near. If you are to do p... [ Continue Reading ]
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. STRIVE NOT WITH A MAN WITHOUT CAUSE, IF HE HAVE DONE THEE NO HARM. Solomon forbids all avoidable strifes and disputes. Even if he have done thee harm, reprove him for his fault, but still love him (; ; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. ENVY THOU NOT THE OPPRESSOR - when he is in prosperity () - literally, the man of violence. Even if one have 'done thee harm,' do not retaliate; nor, on the other hand, envy his wickedly gained prosperity. AND CHOOSE NONE OF HIS WAYS -... [ Continue Reading ]
For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. FOR THE FROWARD IS ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: BUT HIS SECRET IS WITH THE RIGHTEOUS - Hebrew, the upright (note, Psalms 25:14). His familiar intimacy (Hebrew, cowd (H5475)) is the privilege of the righteous. They have... [ Continue Reading ]
The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. THE CURSE OF THE LORD IS IN THE HOUSE OF THE WICKED: BUT HE BLESSETH THE HABITATION OF THE JUST - (; .) The house of the Wicked, notwithstanding their present prosperity, is tainted with a curse, like... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. SURELY HE SCORNETH THE SCORNERS: BUT HE GIVETH GRACE UNTO THE LOWLY. Retribution in kind. "Surely" - literally, if, or since [ 'im (H518)]; seeing that (Job 14:5; Gejer). Or else, 'As surely as He scorneth the scorners, so surel... [ Continue Reading ]
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. THE WISE SHALL INHERIT (LITERALLY, SHALL POSSESS BY INHERITANCE, 1 PETER 1:3 ) GLORY: BUT SHAME SHALL BE THE PROMOTION OF FOOLS - literally, shame (is) exalting fools. When they seem to be exalted, it is only that they my b... [ Continue Reading ]