Proverbs 21:31

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. THE HORSE IS PREPARED AGAINST THE DAY OF BATTLE: BUT SAFETY (SO THE CHALDAIC, SYRIAC, VULGATE: BUT MARGIN, ETC., 'VICTORY') (IS) OF THE LORD - (; ; .) External helps are to be used, but not to be made the main dependence. The Lord alone is the Saviour and Deliverer....

Verse Proverbs 21:31. _THE HORSE_ IS _PREPARED AGAINST THE DAY OF BATTLE_] _Horses_ were not used among the Jews before the time of _Solomon_. There was a Divine command against them, Deuteronomy 17:16; but Solomon transgressed it; see 1 Kings 10:29. But he here allows that a horse is a vain thing for safety; and that however strong and well appointed _cavalry_ may be, still _safety, escape_, and _victory_, are of the Lord. Among the ancient Asiatics, the _horse_ was used _only_ _for war; oxen_ laboured in the _plough_ and _cart_; the _ass_ and the _camel_ carried _backloads_; and _mules_ and _asses_ served fo...

Two companion proverbs. Nothing avails against, nothing without, God. The horse is the type of warlike strength, used chiefly or exclusively in battle. 1Ki 4:26; 1 Kings 10:26, may be thought of as having given occasion to the latter of the two proverbs....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 21:1 THE KING'S HEART IS IN THE HAND OF THE LORD, AS THE RIVERS OF WATER. We are to think of the little channels used for irrigation. As these are altogether under the gardener's control, so the heart of the king, who might seem to have no superior, is directed by God. HE TURNETH IT WHITHERSOEVER HE WILL. By hidden influences and providential arrangements God disposes the monarch to order his government so as to carry out his designs, to spread around joy and plenty. The system of irrigation signified in this passage is still to be seen in Eastern lands. "Flower beds and gardens of herbs are always made at a little lower level than the surrounding ground, and are divided into small squares, a slight edging of earth banking the whole round on each side. Water is then let in, and floods the entire sur

THE HORSE [IS] PREPARED AGAINST THE DAY OF BATTLE,.... The horse is a warlike creature, and was much used formerly, as now, in war; these are prepared against the day of battle, to mount the cavalry with; and men are apt to put too great confidence in them: this is mentioned instead of all other military preparations and instruments of war; BUT SAFETY [IS] OF THE LORD; a horse is a vain thing for safety, Psalms 33:17; victory is only of the Lord; salvation depends upon him; it is he that covers men's heads in the day of battle, and gives them victory over their enemies: or "salvation [is] of the Lord" o; this is true of spiritual and eternal salvation, as well as of temporal salvation; it is of the Lord, Father, Son and Spirit; and so is the safety of the saints; and their final perseverance to eternal glory, which is owing to the love of God, covenant intere

CHAPTER 21 PERSONAL INSTRUCTIONS AS TO LIFE AND CONDUCT In the proverbs of this chapter the Lord is mentioned five times. “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will” Proverbs 21:1). The rivers of water are “water-courses,” the irrigation system known to the ancients, opening and shutting sluices directed the flow of the waters. Thus the Lord governs the king's heart as He directs the affairs of men. The Lord pondereth the hearts Proverbs 21:2). The same truth is stated in Proverbs 16:2; self-justification suits the natural man but the Lord testeth all hearts. How well it is to remember in all our conduct, that truth, so comforting to the believer, expr

PROVERBS 21:1. WATERCOURSES: not the natural brooks and wadys of Palestine, but the artificial irrigation canals of Egypt or Babylonia, which could be diverted in any direction at will. Proverbs 21:4. Apparently two unconnected lines belonging to different couplets. A connexion can be established only by forced exegesis. The Heb. is lit. lofty of look and arrogant of heart, the tillage of the wicked is sin. RV lamp for tillage depends on a different pointing, but does not improve the sense. Proverbs 21:6. Lit. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue (is) a driven breath, seekers of death. RV clearly inserts more than the text warrants to make sense of...

SAFETY, &C.. to Jehovah [belongeth] the salvation....

_safety_ Rather, VICTORY (A.V. marg. R.V. text), or _deliverance_(R.V. marg.). "Two companion proverbs (Proverbs 21:30). Nothing avails against, nothing without, God." (_Speaker's Comm_.)...

THE HORSE IS PREPARED AGAINST THE DAY OF BATTLE— Solomon mentions the _horse,_ instead of all warlike preparations, because it was the chief, and all nations placed much of their confidence in the number and strength of their horses. Indeed horses were then used chiefly for war. See Calmet....