CHAPTER XVI _Man prepares, but God governs. God has made all things for_ _himself; he hates pride. The judgments of God. The_ _administration of kings; their justice, anger, and clemency._ _God has made all in weight, measure, and due proportion._ _Necessity produces industry. The patient man.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:3. _COMMIT THY WORKS UNTO THE LORD_] See that what thou doest is commanded; and then begin, continue, and end all in his name. _And thy thoughts shall be established_ - these schemes or arrangements, though formed in the heart, are agreeable to the Divine will, and therefore shall... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:4. _THE LORD HATH MADE ALL_ THINGS _FOR HIMSELF_] He has so framed and executed every part of his creation, that it manifests his wisdom, power, goodness, and truth. _EVEN THE WICKED FOR THE DAY OF EVIL._] וגם רשע ליום רעה _vegam_ _rasha leyom raah_. The whole verse is translated... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:5. THOUGH _HAND_ JOIN _IN HAND, HE SHALL NOT BE UNPUNISHED._] The day of wrath shall come on the wicked, whatever means he may take to avoid it. See Proverbs 11:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:6. _BY MERCY AND TRUTH INIQUITY IS PURGED_] This may be misunderstood, as if a man, by _showing mercy_ and _acting according_ _to truth_, could atone for his own iniquity. The Hebrew text is not ambiguous: בחסד ואמת יכפר עון _bechesed veemeth yechapper avon_; "By mercy and truth h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:7. _WHEN A MAN'S WAYS PLEASE THE LORD_] God is the guardian and defence of all that fear and love him; and it is truly astonishing to see how wondrously God works in their behalf, raising them up friends, and turning their enemies into friends.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:9. _A MAN'S HEART DEVISETH HIS WAY_] This is precisely the same sentiment as that contained in the first verse, on the true meaning of which so much has been already said.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:10. _A DIVINE SENTENCE_] קסם _kesem_, "divination," as the margin has it. Is the meaning as follows? Though _divination_ were applied to a righteous king's lips, to induce him to punish the innocent and spare the guilty, yet _would not his lips transgress_ _in judgment_; so firmly... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:11. _ALL THE WEIGHTS OF THE BAG_ ARE _HIS_] Alluding, probably, to the _standard weights_ laid up in a bag in the _sanctuary_, and to which all weights in common use in the land were to be referred, in order to ascertain whether they were just: but some think the allusion is to the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:12. IT IS _AN ABOMINATION TO KINGS, C._] In all these verses the wise man refers to _monarchical government rightly_ _administered_. And the proverbs on this subject are all plain.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:16. _HOW MUCH BETTER - TO GET WISDOM THAN GOLD?_] Who believes this, though spoken by the wisest of men, under Divine inspiration?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:17. _THE HIGHWAY OF THE UPRIGHT_] The upright man is ever departing from evil; this is his _common road_: and by keeping _on_ in this way, _his soul is preserved_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:18. _PRIDE GOETH BEFORE DESTRUCTION_] Here _pride_ is personified: it walks along, and has destruction in its train. _AND A HAUGHTY SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL._] Another personification. A _haughty spirit_ marches on, and _ruin_ comes after. In this verse we find the following _Masoret... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:22. _UNDERSTANDING_ IS _A WELL-SPRING OF LIFE_] מקור חיים _mekor chaiyim_; another allusion to the _artery_ that carries the blood from the heart to distribute it to all the extremities of the body.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:23. _THE HEART OF THE WISE TEACHETH HIS MOUTH_] He has a wise heart; he speaks as it dictates; and therefore his speeches are all speeches of wisdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:24. _PLEASANT WORDS_ ARE AS _A HONEY-COMB_] The honey of which is _sweeter_ than that which has been expressed from it, and has a much _finer flavour_ before it has come in contact with the atmospheric air.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:25. _THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMETH RIGHT_] This whole verse is precisely the same as that Proverbs 14:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:26. _HE THAT LABOURETH_] No thanks to a man for his labour and industry; if he do not work he must _starve_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:27. _AN UNGODLY MAN DIGGETH UP EVIL_] How will the following suit? Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum "_Wealth, the incitement to all evil, is digged up_ out the earth." A wicked man labours as much to bring about an evil purpose, as the _quarryman_ does to dig up stones. _I... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:30. _HE SHUTTETH HIS EYES TO DEVISE, C._] He _meditates_ _deeply_ upon ways and means to commit sin. He shuts his eyes that he may shut out all other ideas, that his whole soul may be in this.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:31. _THE HOARY HEAD_ IS _A CROWN OF GLORY_] The latter part of the verse is very well added, for many a _sinner_ has a _hoary head_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:32. _HE THAT RULETH HIS SPIRIT, THAN HE THAT TAKETH A_ _CITY._] It is much easier to subdue an enemy _without_ than one _within_. There have been many kings who had conquered nations, and yet were slaves to their own passions. Alexander, who conquered the world, was a slave to _int... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 16:33. _THE LOT IS CAST INTO THE LAP_] On the _lot_, Numbers 26:55. How far it may be proper _now_ to put difficult matters to the lot, after earnest prayer and supplication, I cannot say. _Formerly_, it was both lawful and efficient; for after it was solemnly cast, the decision was... [ Continue Reading ]