A FALSE BALANCE [IS] ABOMINATION TO THE LORD,.... Under which are included all false weights and measures, and all fraudulent practices in commerce and dealing; which are forbidden by the Lord, and are abominable to him, as being injurious to the estates and properties of men: and more especially mu... [ Continue Reading ]
[WHEN] PRIDE COMETH, THEN COMETH SHAME,.... The one follows the other, or rather keep pace together; as soon as one comes, the other comes; as in the case of the angels that sinned, Adam and Eve, Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, and others; and will be the case of the Romish antichrist, who, while vaunting an... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INTEGRITY OF THE UPRIGHT SHALL GUIDE THEM,.... The Spirit of God is the best guide of an upright man; he leads into all truth, and unto the land of uprightness, and continues to be a guide, even unto death; and it is right to walk after him, and not after the flesh: and besides him, the upright... [ Continue Reading ]
RICHES PROFIT NOT IN THE DAY OF WRATH,.... When God takes away the soul, and summons to judgment, and brings to it; and as riches profited not Rome Pagan, in the day of the Lamb's wrath upon it; so neither will they profit Rome Papal, when it will come in remembrance before God, to give it the cup o... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE PERFECT SHALL DIRECT HIS WAY,.... Or "make [it] plain" f; that is, the righteousness of those who are perfect in Christ, complete in him, perfectly justified by his righteousness; that righteousness makes their way plain; it is the direct way, the highway, the pathway to ete... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE UPRIGHT SHALL DELIVER THEM,.... From death, as in Proverbs 11:4; and from falling by sin, totally and finally; or into it, so as to perish eternally; as well as it shall deliver those out of Babylon, who are the Lord's people, that will be found therein when that is about to... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN A WICKED MAN DIETH, [HIS] EXPECTATION SHALL PERISH,.... His expectation of a longer life, of getting more riches, attaining to more honour, enjoying more pleasure here, and of having happiness hereafter, and of being delivered from wrath to come; he will then find, when he comes to die, that hi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS IS DELIVERED OUT OF TROUBLE,.... One after another he comes into, if not in this life, yet at death; which is to him a perfect deliverance out of all tribulation; see Revelation 7:14; or when the wicked die, as in Proverbs 11:7, then the righteous are delivered from the trouble they ga... [ Continue Reading ]
AN HYPOCRITE WITH [HIS] MOUTH DESTROYETH HIS NEIGHBOUR,.... Deceives him with his flatteries and lies, and draws him into destructive schemes and practices; or "corrupts" him, as the word i signifies, and as the Targum renders it, with false doctrines; so, with fair words and good speeches, such who... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN IT GOETH WELL WITH THE RIGHTEOUS, THE CITY REJOICETH,.... As it always does, even in the worst of times; in times of public calamity and distress, and when enemies rise up on all hands; it is well with them in life, in death, and to all eternity; see Isaiah 3:10; but there are particular times... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE BLESSING OF THE UPRIGHT THE CITY IS EXALTED,.... That is, either by the blessings with which they are blessed; and these are either temporal or spiritual: when good men are blessed with temporal blessings, the place where they live is the better it; and especially the poor, for they do not ea... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT IS VOID OF WISDOM DESPISETH HIS NEIGHBOUR,.... Not only in his heart, but by giving him opprobrious language; he speaks contemptibly of him, either because he thinks he is wiser than his neighbour, and therefore calls him fool at every turn; as those who are most destitute of wisdom conceit... [ Continue Reading ]
A TALEBEARER REVEALETH SECRETS,.... The Arabic version adds, in the congregation, openly and publicly; that goes about with tales from place to place, who is like a walking merchant or peddler, as the word l signifies; who takes up his wares at one place, and exposes them to sale, and vends them at... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE NO COUNSEL [IS], THE PEOPLE FALL,.... Where there is no wise and prudent, sound and good counsel, as the word signifies; where that is not, there had as good be none, or better; a people, a kingdom, a commonwealth, nation, or city, fall into ruin and destruction, or into schemes which bring th... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT IS SURETY FOR A STRANGER SHALL SMART [FOR IT],.... Or in "breaking shall be broken" q, ruined and undone; he engaging or becoming a bondsman for one whose circumstances he knew not; and these being bad bring a load upon him, such an heavy debt as crushes him to pieces. Mr. Henry observes tha... [ Continue Reading ]
A GRACIOUS WOMAN RETAINETH HONOUR,.... Or "a woman of grace" s one that has the grace of God in her heart, and is of a virtuous conversation, and by both amiable and lovely to others; as she receives honour or glory from them, which she deserves, so she retains the same. The Targum is, "a gracious... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MERCIFUL MAN DOETH GOOD TO HIS OWN SOUL,.... Or "to himself": a man of mercy or grace, a liberal bountiful man, he comfortably enjoys what God has given him, Ecclesiastes 5:18; and he does good to others with it, and thereby does good to himself also; as well as he is solicitous in a spiritual s... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED WORKETH A DECEITFUL WORK,.... Such a wicked man as before described; that neither enjoys the good things of life he has, nor suffers others to enjoy them; and all to accumulate riches, which are deceitful and perishing; and who abstains from meats, which God has created for use, under a p... [ Continue Reading ]
AS RIGHTEOUSNESS [TENDETH] TO LIFE,.... Or, is unto life: not mere outward acts of moral righteousness; these may be done where there is no principle of spiritual life, and are no other than dead works, and will never bring to everlasting life; indeed the best righteousness of man's is no justificat... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT ARE OF A FROWARD HEART [ARE] ABOMINATION TO THE LORD,.... Such as are men of perverse dispositions and principles; that are contrary to the light of nature, the law of God, and Gospel of Christ; who, like the Jews of old, please not God, and are contrary to all men, to all good men; as ant... [ Continue Reading ]
[THOUGH] HAND [JOIN] IN HAND, THE WICKED SHALL NOT BE UNPUNISHED,.... Though they give the hand to one another, unite in their counsels, enter into combinations, confederacies, and strict alliances, and join all their force and strength together; or though with both hands, with all their might and m... [ Continue Reading ]
[AS] A JEWEL OF GOLD IN A SWINE'S SNOUT,.... The allusion seems to be to the ringing of swine, to prevent their rooting up the earth; which is usually done by putting an iron ring into their snout; which is much more proper and suitable than a gold ring, or a jewel set in gold, which is very unbecom... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DESIRE OF THE RIGHTEOUS [IS] ONLY GOOD,.... Or, "what is good" z; only good is the object of it. His desire is to do good, and that only; though be does not always do what he would do: as he delights in the law of God, after the inward man; as he is a righteous, holy, and good man, and would be... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS THAT SCATTERETH, AND YET INCREASETH,.... That scattereth "his own", as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions add: that disperses his money here and there, among many poor objects, plentifully and liberally; and his substance is so far from being lessened by such a condu... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIBERAL SOUL SHALL BE MADE FAT,.... Or, "the soul of blessing" c: that is, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the soul which blesseth"; not that merely prays for a blessing upon others, and wishes them well, and gives them good words; but bestows blessings on them, gives good things unto... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT WITHHOLDETH CORN, THE PEOPLE SHALL CURSE HIM,.... That hoards it up for a better price, in hopes of a better market; and does not bring it out, and expose it to sale, when there is a scarcity of it; so the Targum adds, "in famine"; or, "in straits", as the Syriac version; in a time of distre... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT DILIGENTLY SEEKETH GOOD,.... Or "early"; who rises early in the morning, as the word e signifies, and seeks both to do good, and to enjoy it all the day; who, in the first place, seeks the kingdom of God and his righteousness; who, in the morning of his youth, inquires after the best things;... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT TRUSTETH IN HIS RICHES SHALL FALL,.... As leaves in autumn, which are withered and dry. To trust in riches is to trust in uncertain things; things not to be depended on, being here today and gone tomorrow; it is like leaning upon a broken staff, which giving way, the person falls: and so the... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT TROUBLETH HIS OWN HOUSE,.... His family, his wife, and children, and servants; by being bitter to the one, and by provoking the others to wrath, and continually giving out menacing words to the rest; or through idleness, not providing for his family; or through an over worldly spirit, pushin... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FRUIT OF THE RIGHTEOUS [IS] A TREE OF LIFE,.... Either the fruit which grows upon Christ, the tree of life, and which they receive from him; even all the blessings of grace, peace, pardon, righteousness, and life, Revelation 2:7; or the fruits which the righteous bring forth under the influence... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE RECOMPENSED IN THE EARTH,.... Which Aben Ezra understands of the recompence of their good works. There is a reward for the righteous, and which they have now in keeping, though not "for" keeping, the commandments of God; they have the promise of this life, as well as o... [ Continue Reading ]