_AN EXHORTATION TO OBEDIENCE, TO FAITH, TO MORTIFICATION, TO DEVOTION,
TO PATIENCE. THE HAPPY GAIN OF WISDOM. THE POWER AND THE BENEFITS OF
WISDOM. AN EXHORTATION TO CHARITABLENESS, PEACEABLENESS, AND
CONTENTEDNESS. THE CURSED STATE OF THE WICKED._... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SON, FORGET NOT MY LAW— In this chapter Solomon continues to
press obedience to the precepts of wisdom, from a consideration of its
benefits, which he speaks of more largely than in the foregoing
chapter. See Proverbs 3:9. After which he returns to the general
exhortation, Proverbs 3:13 advising... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOT MERCY, AND TRUTH FORSAKE THEE— _Virtue and fidelity,_
Schultens; who observes, that these words are often joined together
concerning God; see Psalms 25:10; Psalms 89:14 concerning man; Genesis
24:49; Genesis 47:29. Joshua 2:14. With men, nothing can be more
advantageous than virtue and fidel... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LEAN NOT, &C.— Or, _Rest not upon,_ &c. God demands that we love
him, that we believe in him, that we trust in him, that we seek for
him with all our heart: he would have nothing of us by halves: and
surely he deserves that we should put our whole confidence in him;
full of goodness as he is to... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT WISE IN THINE OWN EYES, &C.— He employs all his authority,
and all his eloquence, to exhort us to search after wisdom; but he
would not by any means that we should be wise in our own eyes: he
would have us doubt our own understanding; be always disposed to
receive the good instructions of oth... [ Continue Reading ]
HEALTH TO THY NAVEL— Many expositors, after the LXX, render this,
_It shall be health to thy flesh,_ or _to thy body,_ instead of _thy
navel:_ but the learned Schultens has shewn that the word is properly
rendered here, and according to the genius of eastern language, which
by the _navel_ expresses... [ Continue Reading ]
HONOUR THE LORD WITH THY SUBSTANCE— According to the manners of the
east, a subject was to pay his homage and shew his attachment to his
lord and sovereign by presents. To make presents to a king, is to
acknowledge him, to pay him homage. God would not have his people
present themselves before him w... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH, &C.— The LXX read, _For whom the Lord
loveth he reproveth, and chasteneth every son whom he receiveth._ From
whence it is evident, that they read the Hebrew differently; and their
construction is more natural, and agrees with Hebrews 12:6. Houbigant
follows the LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
LENGTH OF DAYS IS IN HER RIGHT HAND— The wise man represents wisdom
(i.e. _holiness_ or _religion_) as other authors have done,
particularly the excellent Cebes, in the shape of a beautiful woman,
or rather queen; with her arms extended, in the posture not only of
directing, but also of rewarding, h... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD BY WISDOM, &C.— See Job 38:4; Job 38:41. The effects which
we call natural are the productions of the Creator's sovereign wisdom.
Some understand by _the depths broken up,_ the waters of the deluge;
others, the original creation and distribution of the waters. The
_dews_ in Palestine are mu... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SON, LET NOT THEM DEPART, &C.— Wisdom gives life, health, safety,
to body and soul: it is the most precious ornament of those who
possess it: for the rest, when the wise man in so many places promises
life, health, prosperity, peace, glory, to those who seek for wisdom,
we must not take these pro... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHHOLD NOT GOOD, &C.— The words may literally be rendered,
_Withhold not good from the lords_ or _masters of it;_ which some
refer to the restitution of goods gained unjustly: but the connection
requires that we understand the poor; who, by an elegant figure, are
called the lords and masters of th... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HE HAVE DONE THEE NO HARM— "Contend not without reason; be not
punctilious, litigious, quarrelsome;" we are not here forbidden to
defend ourselves; but to be cautious, lest we offend against charity,
justice, wisdom. Seneca says, "To contend with one's equal is
uncertainty; with one's superior, m... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE FROWARD IS ABOMINATION— "He that perversely departs from all
the rules of truth and justice is above all expression abominable to
the Lord, even in his highest prosperity: but the Lord is a friend to
men of sincere integrity; who know the _secret_ of his providence in
raising those wicked op... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY HE SCORNETH THE SCORNERS— God will treat the scorners as they
deserve. See ch. Proverbs 1:26. The Psalmist says, to the same
meaning, Psalms 18:26. _With the holy thou wilt shew thyself holy;
with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward._ "Thou wilt present
thyself to those who seek thee;... [ Continue Reading ]
SHAME SHALL BE THE PROMOTION OF FOOLS— _The elevation of fools shall
turn to their confusion._ The more they have been elevated, the more
their folly shall be known, and their fall become more fatal.
Schultens renders it peculiarly, and he thinks emphatically, _And the
branding of infamy ennobles th... [ Continue Reading ]