CHAPTER VIII _The fame and excellence of wisdom, and its manner of teaching_, 1-4; _the matter of its exhortations_, 5-12; _its influence among men_, 13-21; _its antiquity_, 22-31; _the blessedness of attending to its counsels_, 32-35; _the misery of those who do not_, 36. NOTES ON CHAP. VII... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:2. _IN THE PLACES OF THE PATHS._] בית נתיבת נצבה _beith_ _nethiboth nitstsabah_, "The constituted house of the paths." Does not this mean the house of public worship? the tabernacle or temple, which stands a centre to the surrounding villages, the paths from all the parts leading to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:3. _SHE CRIETH AT THE GATES_] This might be well applied to the preaching of Jesus Christ and his apostles, and their faithful successors in the Christian ministry. He went to the _temple_, and proclaimed the righteousness of the Most High: he did the same in the _synagogues_, on t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:4. _UNTO YOU, O MEN_] אישים _ishim_, men of _wealth_ and _power, will I call_; and not to you alone, for my voice is אל בני אדם _al beney Adam_, "to all the descendants of Adam;" to the whole human race. As Jesus Christ tasted death for every man, so the Gospel proclaims salvation t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:5. _O YE SIMPLE_] פתאים _pethaim_, ye that are _deceived_, and with flattering words and fair speeches deluded and _drawn_ _away_. _YE FOOLS_] כסילים _kesilim_, ye stupid, stiffnecked, senseless people. That _preaching_ is never likely to do much good, that is not _pointed_; speci... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:6. _HEAR; FOR I WILL SPEAK OF EXCELLENT THINGS_] נגידים _negidim_, things which are pre-eminent, and manifestly superior to all others. The teaching is not _trifling_, though addressed to _triflers_. _THE OPENING OF MY LIPS_ SHALL BE _RIGHT THINGS._] מישרים _meysharim_, things whic... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:7. _MY MOUTH SHALL SPEAK TRUTH_] TRUTH, without _falsity_, or any mixture of _error_, shall be the whole matter of my discourse.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:8. _ALL THE WORDS _- ARE _IN RIGHTEOUSNESS_] בצדק _betsedek_, in justice and equity, testifying what man _owes_ to his God, to his neighbour, and to himself; giving to each his _due_. This is the true import of צדק _tsadak_. THERE IS _NOTHING FROWARD_] נפתל _niphtal_, tortuous, inv... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:9. _THEY_ ARE _ALL PLAIN_] נכחים _nechochim_, straight forward, over against every man, level to every capacity. This is true of all that concerns the salvation of the soul. _TO THEM THAT FIND KNOWLEDGE._] When a man gets the _knowledge_ of _himself_, then he sees all the _threaten... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:10. _RECEIVE MY INSTRUCTION, AND NOT SILVER_] A Hebrew idiom; _receive my instruction_ in preference to silver.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:11. _WISDOM_ IS _BETTER THAN RUBIES_] See on Proverbs 3:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:12. _I WISDOM DWELL WITH PRUDENCE_] Prudence is defined, _wisdom applied to practice_; so wherever true wisdom is, it will lead to action, and its activity will be always in reference to the _accomplishment of the best ends by the use of the most_ _appropriate means_. Hence comes wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:13. _THE FEAR OF THE LORD_ IS _TO HATE EVIL_] As it is impossible to hate _evil_ without loving _good_; and as hatred to _evil_ will lead a man to abandon the _evil way_; and _love to goodness_ will lead him to do what is _right_ in the sight of God, under the influence of that Spir... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:14. _COUNSEL_ IS _MINE_] _Direction_ how to act in all circumstances and on all occasions must come from _wisdom_: the _foolish_ man can give no _counsel_, cannot show another how he is to act in the various changes and chances of life. The wise man alone can give this counsel; and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:15. _BY ME KINGS REIGN_] Every wise and prudent king is such through the influence of Divine wisdom. And just laws and their righteous administration come from this source. In this and the following verse _five degrees_ of _civil power_ and _authority_ are mentioned. 1. מלכים melac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:17. _I LOVE THEM THAT LOVE ME_] Wisdom shows itself; teaches man the knowledge of himself; shows him also the will of God concerning him; manifests the snares and dangers of life, the allurements and unsatisfactory nature of all sensual and sinful pleasures, the blessedness of true... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:18. _RICHES AND HONOUR_ ARE _WITH ME_] Often the wise, prudent, and discreet man arrives literally to _riches_ and _honour_; but this is not _always_ the case. But there are _other riches_ of which he _never fails_; and these seem to be what Solomon has particularly in view, _durabl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:20. _I LEAD IN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS_] Nothing but the teaching that comes from God by his _word_ and _Spirit_ can do this.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:22. _THE LORD POSSESSED ME IN THE BEGINNING OF HIS WAY_] Wisdom is not _acquired_ by the Divine Being; _man_, and even _angels,_ _learn it_ by _slow_ and _progressive_ degrees; but in God it is as eternally inherent as any other essential attribute of his nature. The _Targum_ makes... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:23. _I WAS SET UP FROM EVERLASTING_] נסכתי _nissachti_, "I was diffused or poured out," from נסך _nasach_, "to diffuse, pour abroad, as a spirit or disposition," Isaiah 29:10. See _Parkhurst_. Or from סך _sach_, "to cover, overspread, smear over, as with _oil_;" to be _anointed_ ki... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:24. _WHEN_ THERE WERE _NO DEPTHS_] תהמות _tehomoth_, before the original chaotic mass was formed. See Genesis 1:2. _I WAS BROUGHT FORTH_] חוללתי _cholalti_, "I was produced as by labouring throes." Mr. _Parkhurst_ thinks that the heathen poets derived their idea of _Minerva's_ (wis... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:26. _THE HIGHEST PART OF THE DUST OF THE WORLD_] ראש עפרות תבל _rosh aphroth tebel_, "the first particle of matter." The _prima materia_, the primitive atom. All these verses (Proverbs 8:3) are a periphrasis for _I existed before creation_; consequently before _time_ was. I dwelt in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:27. _WHEN HE PREPARED THE HEAVENS, I_ WAS _THERE_] For there is no part of the creation of God in which wisdom, skill, contrivance, are more manifest, than in the construction of the visible heavens. _WHEN HE SET A COMPASS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEPTH_] Does not this refer to the es... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:28. _THE CLOUDS ABOVE_] שחקים _shechakim_, "the ethereal regions," taking in the whole of the atmosphere, with all its meteors, clouds, vapours, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:29. _WHEN HE GAVE TO THE SEA HIS DECREE_] When he assigned its limits, adjusted its saltness, and proportioned the _extent of_ _the surface_ to the quantity of _vapours_ to be raised from it, for the irrigation of the terrene _surface_. _THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH_] Those irreve... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:30. _THEN I WAS WITH HIM_, AS _ONE BROUGHT UP_] אמון _amon_, a _nursling_, a _darling_ child. Wisdom continues its parable, says _Calmet_; and represents itself as a new-born child which is ever near its parent, and takes pleasure to see him act, and to sport in his presence. This i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:31. _REJOICING IN THE HABITABLE PART OF HIS EARTH_] There God displays especially his wisdom in ordering and directing _human_ _beings_, and in providing for their wants. The _wisdom_ of God is in an especial manner manifested in his _providence_. _MY DELIGHTS_ WERE _WITH THE SONS... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:32. _NOW THEREFORE_] Since I delight so much in conveying instruction; since I have the happiness of the _children of Adam_ so much at heart, _hearken unto me_; and this is for your own interest, for _blessed_ are they who _keep my ways_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:34. _WATCHING DAILY AT MY GATES_] Wisdom is represented as having a _school_ for the instruction of men; and seems to point out some of the most _forward_ of her _scholars_ coming, through their intense desire to learn, even _before the gates were opened_, and waiting there for admi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:35. _WHOSO FINDETH ME_] The wisdom that comes from God, teaching to avoid evil and cleave to that which is good; _findeth_ _life_-gets that knowledge which qualifies him to answer the _purposes_ for which he was _made_; for he is _quickened with_ Christ, and made a partaker of the D... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Proverbs 8:36. _WRONGETH HIS OWN SOUL_] It is not _Satan_, it is not _sin_, properly speaking, that hurts him; it is _himself_. If he received the teaching of God, _sin would have no dominion over him_; if he _resisted the devil_, the devil would _flee from him_. _LOVE DEATH._] They do it in... [ Continue Reading ]