INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 3 In this chapter, Wisdom, or Christ, delivers out some fresh lessons and instructions to his children; as not to forget his doctrine, but heartily attend to his precepts and ordinances, seeing these are the means of lengthening out their days, and of enjoying peace, Prover... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SON, FORGET NOT MY LAW,.... Or, "doctrine" e; the doctrine of Christ, the Gospel, and the several truths of it; which, being of the utmost moment and importance, should be kept in memory, and not let slip, or be in the least slighted and neglected; see Hebrews 2:1; BUT LET THINE HEART KEEP MY CO... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR LENGTH OF DAYS, AND LONG LIFE,.... Or, "years of life", or "lives" f; a long life of usefulness and comfort here, and eternal life hereafter: the law of Moses promised a long life to the observers of it; but the Gospel of Christ brings an immortal life to light and promises to all believers in h... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOT MERCY AND TRUTH FORSAKE THEE,.... Or, forsake not them, and the exercise of them; show "mercy" to fellow creatures, to sinful men, to the bodies of men, by relieving their wants; and to their souls, by pitying and praying for them, and by giving them wholesome counsel and advice: to fellow C... [ Continue Reading ]
SO SHALL THOU FIND FAVOUR,.... Or "grace" i; the grace of God, and larger measures of it; as Noah did, Genesis 6:8; which are communicated to men when in the way of their duty: or good will, esteem, and respect, among men; as Joseph had with Potiphar, and the keeper of the prison, Genesis 39:4; AND... [ Continue Reading ]
TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART,.... Not in a creature, the best, the holiest, and the highest; not in any creature enjoyment, as riches, strength, and wisdom; nor in any outward privilege, arising from natural descent and education; not in a man's self, in his own heart, which is deceitful;... [ Continue Reading ]
IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM,.... Or "know him" l; the Lord: set him before thee; have him always in view; consider him as ever present with thee, observing every step thou takest; and take not one step without his leave, and without his advice; ask wisdom of him who gives liberally; consult his... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT WISE IN THINE OWN EYES,.... So as to act independently of God; not to trust in him, nor acknowledge him, nor seek to him for help and direction; nor ask nor take the advice of others; but, being conceited and self-sufficient, lean to thine own understanding, as being wise enough to conduct al... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL BE HEALTH TO THY NAVEL,.... That part of the body which is the knot of the intestines; and may be put for the bowels and inward parts, which being sound, the body is in health; and these may be put for the whole body: and so the Septuagint version renders it, "to thy body"; and this may be... [ Continue Reading ]
HONOUR THE LORD WITH THY SUBSTANCE,.... Or, "out of thy substance" n; for as it should be a man's own that he gives, and not another's, and therefore called "thy substance"; or, as the Septuagint version, "out of thy just labours", what is righteously and lawfully gotten, and not by fraud and oppres... [ Continue Reading ]
SO SHALL THY BARNS BE FILLED WITH PLENTY,.... With plenty of corn; so that there will be a sufficient provision of bread for the eater for the ensuing year, and of seed for the sower when the time of sowing returns; so far should they be, it suggests, from being losers by honouring the Lord with the... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SON, DESPISE NOT THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD,.... This seems to be introduced to prevent an objection that may be made to the above promise of plenty; seeing the children of God are often afflicted in this world; even the wise and pious, and those that fear the Lord, and honour him; which is accou... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CORRECTETH,.... This is a reason why the children of God should not despise corrections, nor be weary of them; since they spring from love, are given in love, nor is there any abatement of it in them: when the Lord chastens and corrects, he does not take away his lovingki... [ Continue Reading ]
HAPPY [IS] THE MAN [THAT] FINDETH WISDOM,.... Some connect these words with the preceding; as if the sense was, a good man, though he is chastened by the Lord, yet is a happy man; not only because his chastenings are in love and for good, but because he improves in spiritual knowledge and understand... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE MERCHANDISE OF IT [IS] BETTER THAN THE MERCHANDISE OF SILVER,.... The believer is a spiritual merchant; faith is a trading with and for Christ, and for spiritual and heavenly things by him; and because there is a parting with something for Christ, as a man's sinful lusts and pleasures, his o... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE [IS] MORE PRECIOUS THAN RUBIES,.... Or "pearls" u, as some; which were formerly esteemed above all precious stones; the eastern were the more valuable w, which Solomon had most knowledge of; Christ is the pearl of great price, of more value than any pearl, or all put together, Matthew 13:46; Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
LENGTH OF DAYS [IS] IN HER RIGHT HAND,.... Wisdom is here represented as a queen, as indeed she is above all kings and queens; see Proverbs 8:15; holding in one hand, instead of a sceptre, "length of days"; and in the other, instead of a globe, riches and honour: the allusion is thought by some on t... [ Continue Reading ]
HER WAYS [ARE] WAYS OF PLEASANTNESS,.... The "ways" and methods which Christ took to bring about the salvation of his people; some in eternity, as engaging as a surety for them, entering into a covenant with his father on their account, taking the care and charge of their persons, grace, and glory;... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE [IS] A TREE OF LIFE,.... Or "lives" b; so Christ is called, Revelation 2:7; in allusion to the tree of life in the garden of Eden, Genesis 2:9; he being the author of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal; which souls may come at, and pluck and eat of the fruit which is upon him in great plenty... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD BY WISDOM HATH FOUNDED THE EARTH,.... He has created all things, and made the world by his Son, the Wisdom of God, Ephesians 3:9 Hebrews 1:2; not using him as an instrument; but, he being an efficient cause with him, to him, as to the first cause, the creation of all things is ascribed, Joh... [ Continue Reading ]
BY HIS KNOWLEDGE THE DEPTHS ARE BROKEN UP,.... From whence fountains and rivers flow, and whereby that great cavity was made which holds that large confluence of waters called the sea, Genesis 1:9. Some refer this to the breaking up the fountains of the great deep at the flood, Genesis 7:11; and oth... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SON, LET NOT THEM DEPART FROM THINE EYES,.... Meaning not the things done by Wisdom; though it is good to contemplate his works of creation and providence, which serve to set forth the glory of Christ, and lead into adoring and admiring views of him, and to thankfulness to him; but wisdom, unders... [ Continue Reading ]
SO SHALL THEY BE LIFE UNTO THY SOUL,.... Give it a better life than it naturally has, though immortal; Christ is both the spiritual and eternal life of the souls of those that look unto him by faith; and his Gospel, and the doctrines of it, are the means of reviving drooping saints, and of quickenin... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL THOU WALK IN THY WAY SAFELY,.... In the way of thy duty and business, without fear of any enemy; having in sight the Captain of salvation gone before, and walking in such ways of pleasantness and peace as Wisdom's are; and having such a lamp to the feet, and such a light unto the paths, a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU LIEST DOWN THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID,.... That is, when thou liest down on thy bed at night in order to take sleep, having committed thyself into the hands of a faithful Creator and covenant God and Father, and of Christ the Redeemer and Wisdom of God; thou shalt not be afraid of thieves br... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT AFRAID OF SUDDEN FEAR,.... Of anything terrible that comes unawares, unthought of, by any of the above things mentioned in the preceding note; or by any rumours and reports of danger being near at hand; always think thyself safe in the arms of Wisdom, and under the care of Israel's keeper, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD SHALL BE THY CONFIDENCE,.... The object of it, in whom thou shall put thy confidence, and be safe and secure from all fear and danger: or "the Lord shall be in thy confidence" g; shall support thee in it, and maintain that, so that thou shalt not cast it away; the word used has sometime... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHHOLD NOT GOOD FROM THEM TO WHOM IT IS DUE,.... Honour, reverence, and tribute, to civil magistrates, Romans 13:7; just payment of debts to creditors, and alms to the poor, which, by what follows, seems to be chiefly intended; and the Septuagint render it, "do not abstain to do well to the needy... [ Continue Reading ]
SAY NOT UNTO THY NEIGHBOUR,.... Either to whom thou art indebted, and who comes for the payment of a just debt; or to any poor and indigent person that applies for alms: GO, AND COME AGAIN, AND TOMORROW I WILL GIVE; go home, and come tomorrow, and I will pay thee what I owe thee; or do not trouble... [ Continue Reading ]
DEVISE NOT EVIL AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR,.... Or, "plough not evil" i; turn not up thy heart to find evil against thy neighbour, as the earth is turned up by the plough; see Hosea 10:13. Do not contrive and form schemes in thy mind and thoughts to do him any injury, in his name and character, in his pe... [ Continue Reading ]
STRIVE NOT WITH A MAN WITHOUT CAUSE, Either by words, in a wrangling, quarrelsome, and contentious way, for mere trifles; when there is no foundation for it, no just reason given to form a complaint, or pick a quarrel upon; or by deeds, by lawsuits, when there is nothing to proceed upon; or it is so... [ Continue Reading ]
ENVY THOU NOT THE OPPRESSOR,.... The man that gets wealth and riches by acts of injustice, by oppressing the poor, by rapine and violence; do not envy his prosperity, and the substance he is possessed of; do not wish to be in his place and circumstances, to enjoy his affluence and ease; do not look... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE FROWARD [IS] ABOMINATION TO THE LORD,.... The perverse man, that pleases not God, and is contrary to all men, as the Jews were; one froward in his words and actions: "who transgresses the law", as the Arabic version renders it; one that acts contrary to the nature, will, and word of God; and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CURSE OF THE LORD IS IN THE HOUSE OF THE WICKED,.... The wicked man, being a transgressor of the law, is under the curse of it; and all that he has, his house, his substance, his very blessings are curses; see Malachi 2:2; he is accursed amidst his greatest affluence, and sometimes from a plenti... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY HE SCORNETH THE SCORNERS,.... That make a mock at sin, a jest of religion, that scoff at the doctrines of the Gospel and the professors of it; these the Lord looks upon, laughs at, and has them in derision. The Greek version and two apostles render it, "he resisteth the proud", 1 Peter 5:5. S... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY,.... The wise are the same with the just and lowly before mentioned, to whom God gives grace, and to these he gives glory. The "wise" are such who are so, not in a natural, civil, or notional sense, or that are wise in the things of nature, in civil affairs and in specul... [ Continue Reading ]