CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:1. JUST WEIGHT, literally, “a stone of completeness, a full stone.” Stone was a very ancient material for weight; not rusting, it was not changeable. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:1_ JUST WEIGHT This judgment on a false weight is a two-fold revelation. I. IT REVEAL... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:2. LITERALLY, “there hath come pride, there will come shame.” Stuart reads, “Does pride come, then shame will come.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:2_ PRIDE AND HUMILITY I. PRIDE COMES TO THE HUMAN SPIRIT. “When pride _cometh_.” There are certain weeds that come at c... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:3. GUIDE, “lead” “as a shepherd his sheep, and therefore in the path of safety and peace” _(Stuart)_. PERVERSENESS, “slipperiness,” “falseness.” DESTROY. An intensive word in the Hebrew, “to lay hold of them with violent force” _(Stuart)_. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:5. DIRECT, “make smooth or even.” PROVERBS 11:6. NAUGHTINESS, “cravings,” “desires,” “covetousness.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE LATTER CLAUSES OF Proverbs 11:5_ MADE OR MARRED BY DESIRES The word translated “naughtiness” should be rendered “lust” or “desires.” (See Cri... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:7. HIS and MEN are not in the original, and the verse is variously rendered. Stuart reads, “When the wicked die, all the hopes perish; and when they are afflicted, their expectation of recovery or alleviation will be frustrated.” Zöckler—“With the death of the wicked ho... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:8_ THE WICKED COMING IN THE STEAD OF THE RIGHTEOUS I. THIS PROVERB MUST BE FULFILLED FROM THE NATURE OF THE CASE. If a vessel is being steered straight for the rocks nothing can prevent her from being dashed upon them except a change of course. Nothing else can avert... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:9. Zӧckler here reads, “The hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour, but by the knowledge of the righteous shall they (the neighbours) be delivered.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:9_ THE JUST MAN DELIVERED FROM THE MOUTH OF THE HYPOCRITE I. WE HAVE HERE—... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:10_ THE REWARD OF THE RIGHTEOUS CITIZEN OR RULER. THE FATE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS ONE I. THE WORDS IMPLY THAT IT DOES NOT ALWAYS GO WITH THE RIGHTEOUS. “_When_ it goeth well,” etc. A good man’s plans and efforts for the good of his fellow-citizens or fellow-countrymen ar... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:12. VOID OF WISDOM, literally, “of heart.” Zöckler inverts the phrase, “He that speaks contemptuously of his neighbour lacketh wisdom.” PROVERBS 11:13. “He who goeth about as a slanderer.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:12_ CONTEMPT AND TALE-BEARING I. HE WHO LACKS... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:14. COUNSEL, literally, “pilotage,” “steermanship.” PROVERBS 11:15. SURETYSHIP, literally “striking hands.” See Notes and Illustration on chap. Proverbs 6:1. Stuart translates this verse, “An evil man showeth himself as evil when he giveth pledge to a stranger,” _i.e._... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:16. Last clause “as strong men retain,” or “grasp at riches.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:16_ A GRACIOUS WOMAN I. WHAT IS A GRACIOUS WOMAN? 1. She is one who stands in right relations to God. Everything depends upon right relationship. Upon the right relationshi... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:17. Or “He who doeth good to himself is a merciful man, but he who troubleth his own flesh is cruel.” So Stuart and Miller, Zöckler and Delitzsch read as the authorised version. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:17_ MERCY AND CRUELTY I. A BLESSED HUMAN CHARACTER—“A merc... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:18. “The wicked gaineth a deceptive result, but he that soweth righteousness a sure reward” (Zöckler). _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH— Proverbs 11:18_ SOWING AND REAPING I. THE LIFE-WORK OF THE WICKED CONTAINS WITHIN ITSELF THE GERMS OF A THREEFOLD BANE, A DECEPTI... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:21. The Hebrew here is simply “HAND TO HAND, THE WICKED,” etc. Zöckler and Delitzsch understand it as a formula of strong asseveration derived from the custom of becoming surety by clasping hands, and hence equivalent to “assuredly,” “verily,” “I pledge it.” Stuart says... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:22_ PRECIOUS THINGS POSSESSED BY UNWORTHY OWNERS I. THERE IS AN ANALOGY BETWEEN GOLD AND BEAUTY. 1. _They are both gifts from God_. Whether a man possesses gold by inheritance or as the result of labour it is a gift from God. In the first instance no praise or blam... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:23. WRATH, _i.e._ God’s wrath (Zöckler). _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:23_ We cannot understand the first clause of this verse to mean that _all_ a righteous man’s desires are good. 1. _History contradicts it_. Solomon must have known it was not true of his own fat... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:25. LIBERAL SOUL, “the soul of blessing,” _i.e._, “the soul that blesses others.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Proverbs 11:24_ THE LIBERAL AND THE NIGGARDLY MAN We have here a twofold contrast under two similitudes— I. A MAN WHO WITHHOLDS WHAT HE OUGHT TO GIV... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:27. PROCURETH, rather “seeketh” FAVOUR, _i.e._, God’s favour. So it is generally understood. But Delitzsch reads “He who striveth after good, seeketh that which is pleasing, _i.e._, that which pleaseth or doeth good to others. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:27_ DILIG... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:28. BRANCH, rather, “a green leaf.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:28_ TRUST IN RICHES AND TRUST IN GOD I. THE TRUST IN RICHES SPRINGS, 1. _From the fact that gold, and what it can do for us, is within reach of the senses_. Unless the bodily senses are counterbalanc... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:29_ FOOLISH HOME RULERS “THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF TROUBLING ONE’S OWN HOUSE.” Many sparks fly from one anvil, but one is sufficient to set a house on fire. Some home-destroyers emit many sparks, but one evil habit or temper is enough to consume all the peace of home-l... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:30. Or, “the wise man winneth” or “taketh” souls. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:30_ THE WINNER OF SOULS I. SOULS CAN BE WON TO GOD AND GOODNESS. 1. _There is in every man a natural light to which to appeal_. If a sick man has something in his constitution upon whic... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 11:31. Miller transposes this verse and reads, “Behold the righteous on earth shall be recompensed,” etc. ON EARTH may be placed either with “the righteous,” or with “recompensed.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 11:31_ THE RECOMPENSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED I. THE... [ Continue Reading ]