Proverbs 24:7

Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. WISDOM IS TOO HIGH FOR A FOOL - to attain unto. The difficulty lies not in wisdom, which is easy to the sincere, but in the fool's own unwillingness and sloth (). HE OPENETH NOT (HE DARES NOT, FOR WANT OF WISDOM, OPEN) HIS MOUTH IN THE GATE - in the court of justice: loquacious and babbling as he is elsewhere....

Verse Proverbs 24:7. _A FOOL - OPENETH NOT HIS MOUTH IN THE GATE._] Is not put into public offices of trust and responsibility....

IN THE GATE - Compare the Proverbs 22:22 note....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 24:1 We return here to the more usual form, the tetrastich. BE NOT THOU ENVIOUS AGAINST EVIL MEN (see on Proverbs 23:17, where a similar warning is given, and comp. Proverbs 23:19 below). "Men of wickedness," wholly given over to evil. NEITHER DESIRE TO BE WITH THEM. Their company is pollution, and association with them makes you a partner in their sinful doings. The Septuagint prefaces the paragraph with the personal address, υἱέ_ _"son." PROVERBS 24:2 For their heart studie

WISDOM [IS] TOO HIGH FOR A FOOL,.... It is out of his reach, he cannot attain it; natural wisdom, or the knowledge of many things in nature; at least it seems so to himself, and therefore will not take any pains, or make use of any means, to obtain it; as the knowledge of human laws; of medicine, of philosophy, of languages, or of any of the liberal arts and sciences; or he has not really a capacity for it. This is more especially true of spiritual wisdom, or of the knowledge of divine things in a spiritual way; or of the things Of the Spirit of God, which a natural man cannot know, because they are spiritually discerned; it is God only makes men to know this kind of wisdom in the hidden part, 1 Corinthians 2:14; for as a "fool" here denotes a wicked man, let his natural parts be what they will; so wisdom spiritual knowledge, and experience of divine things, which is too high for

CHAPTER 24 INSTRUCTIONS CONTINUED In the final instructions of this chapter we find first a description of the evil men. Their heart studieth destruction; their lips talk mischief. This theme is repeatedly referred to in this chapter. In Proverbs 24:15 the evil man is addressed not to lay wait for the righteous and not to spoil his resting place. The Lord takes care of the righteous; he may be overcome by misfortunes seven times, yet will he rise again. Different it is with the wicked when he falls into mischief. Yet there must be no rejoicing over the fall of the enemy, nor gladness when he stumbled. This displeaseth the Lord. Still higher is the command of the New Testament, “Love your enemies; ... recompense no man evil for evil; ... overcome evil with good.” There is to be no fretting because of evil men nor envy ...

PROVERBS 24:7 A. Lit. Wisdom is corals to the fool. RV involves a change m the text, which gives perhaps the best sense that can be made of an obviously corrupt stanza. Proverbs 24:9. thought: the word means plan or device, and is used in both a good and a bad sense in Pr. Here the meaning is that sin is the kind of plan which folly engages in, sin is folly's plan. Proverbs 24:10. An incomplete aphorism. As it stands its probable meaning is, If thou art slack, thy strength will be narrow (_i.e._ restricted) in the day of trouble. Proverbs 24:11 f. The Heb. is not unambiguous and shows

WISDOM. Hebrew, plural. true wisdom. See notes on Proverbs 1:20; Proverbs 9:1. and Compare Proverbs 14:1. IS TOO HIGH. seems to be, or is regarded as coral: i.e. as an ornament costly, and, to him, unattainable. Occurs three times (here, Job 28:18, and Ezekiel 27:16). FOOL. Hebrew. _'evil._ See note on Proverbs 1:7. OPENETH NOT HIS MOUTH IN THE GATE: i.e. where the judges sit.. fool is not appointed as. judge....

too _high_ Lit. (_unattainable_) HEIGHTS. The same Heb. word is rendered _coral_, Job 28:18; Ezekiel 27:16; so that we might render here _an_unattainable _treasure_, or _a gem_beyond his reach. _openeth not his mouth_, &c. Contrast Job 29:7-10; Job 29:21-25....

CHAPTER 24 TEXT Proverbs 24:1-12 1. Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them: 2. For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief. 3. Through wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established; 4. And by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches. 5. A wise man is strong; Yes, a man of knowledge increaseth might. 6. For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate. 8. He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker. 9. The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.