Proverbs 13 - Introduction
_A.M. 3004. B.C. 1000._... [ Continue Reading ]
_A.M. 3004. B.C. 1000._... [ Continue Reading ]
_A wise son_, &c. Houbigant translates this verse, _“A wise son regardeth the instruction of his father; but a son who is a scorner heareth not rebuke.” A man shall eat good_ Shall receive much comfort, credit, and benefit to himself; _by the fruit of his mouth_ By his wise and profitable discourses... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sluggard desireth and hath nothing_ Because he contents himself with lazy desires, without diligent endeavours; _but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat_ He shall be enriched with the fruit of his own labours.... [ Continue Reading ]
_A righteous man hateth lying_ Both in himself and in other men, whereby he gets that good name, which is like a precious ointment; _but a wicked man_ Who accustoms himself to lying; _cometh to shame _ Makes himself contemptible and hateful to all that know him; there being scarcely any reproach wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_There is that maketh himself rich_, &c. Some men, who have little or nothing, pretend to have great riches, and carry themselves accordingly; either out of pride and vanity, or with a design to gain reputation with others, whom they intend to defraud. _There is that maketh himself poor_, &c. Some r... [ Continue Reading ]
_The ransom of a man's life are his riches_ This verse is considered by some as setting forth the several advantages of riches and poverty. Riches enable a man to redeem his life when it is in the greatest danger, and poverty preserves a man from those rebukes and injuries which endanger, and oft de... [ Continue Reading ]
_The light of the righteous rejoiceth_, &c. Or, as Schultens renders it, _The light of the righteous shall shine forth joyfully; but the_ darkening _lamp of the wicked shall be put out_ See note on Proverbs 4:18. The meaning seems to be, 1st, The comfort of good men is flourishing and lasting; their... [ Continue Reading ]
_Only by pride cometh contention_ This is not to be understood exclusively, as to all other causes of contention; for contentions often spring from ignorance, or mistake, or covetousness, or other passions; but eminently, because, as pride bloweth up those coals of contention, which other passions k... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wealth gotten by vanity_ By vain, or deceitful, or wicked practices; _shall be diminished_ Because the curse of God attends it, and the same corrupt dispositions which incline men to sinful ways of getting riches will incline them to the like sinful ways of spending them. _Wealth gotten by vanity_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hope deferred maketh the heart sick_ The delay of that which a man eagerly desires and expects is such an affliction, that it differs little from a lingering disease; _but when the desire cometh_ When the good desired and expected is obtained. _It is a tree of life_ That is, most sweet, satisfactor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whoso despiseth_ Or wilfully and presumptuously disobeys, _the word_ Namely, the word of God, which is called the word, by way of eminence; _shall be destroyed_ Except he repent and return to obedience. _But he that feareth the commandment_ That hath a reverence to its authority, and is afraid to v... [ Continue Reading ]
_Good understanding_ Discovering itself by a man's holy and righteous practices; _giveth favour_ Maketh a man acceptable both to God and men; _but the way of transgressors_ Their conduct, or manner of conversation _is hard;_ Hebrew, איתן, _rough_, as this very word is rendered Deuteronomy 21:4; it i... [ Continue Reading ]
_A wicked messenger_ Who is unfaithful in the execution of the business committed to his charge; _falleth into mischief_ Shall not escape punishment from God, or from them who sent him; _but a faithful ambassador is health_ Procures safety and benefit, as to his master, so also to himself.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Poverty, &c., shall be to him, that refuseth instruction_ Whereby he might have been preserved from destructive and dishonourable courses; _but he that regardeth reproof_ That considers it seriously, receives it kindly, and reforms himself by it; _shall be honoured_ And enriched, which is to be inf... [ Continue Reading ]
_The desire accomplished is sweet_ Whatsoever men earnestly desire the enjoyment of, it is sweet to them; therefore sinners rejoice in the satisfaction of their sinful lusts, and abhor all restraint of them.... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that walketh with wise men_ That is, who keeps company, and commonly converses with them; _shall be wise_ Shall learn wisdom and goodness, both from their counsels and examples; _but a companion of fools_ But he who associates himself with the wicked; _shall be destroyed_ Shall be as certainly r... [ Continue Reading ]
_A good man leaveth an inheritance_, &c. “A man that doeth good with his estate, takes the surest course to settle it upon his posterity for many generations;” _and the wealth_, &c. Rather, _but the wealth of the sinner_, “of him who regards nothing but his own sinful lusts and pleasures, shall be t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Much food is in the tillage of the poor_ A poor man many times, through God's blessing upon his endeavours, makes a plentiful provision for himself and family out of a few acres of land, which he manages judiciously and honestly; _but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment_ There are some... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that spareth_ Hebrew, חושׂךְ, _withholdeth; his rod_ From his son, when it is due to him; or that keeps back that correction which his son's fault requires, and which he, as a father, is required to give him; _hateth his son_ His fond affection is as pernicious to his son as his or another man's... [ Continue Reading ]