Proverbs 25:11

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. A WORD FITLY SPOKEN - Hebrew, spoken upon its two wheels; a word moving quickly on its wheels to the end aimed at the speaker commanding his words with a happy adaptation to the circumstances and exigency, as a charioteer commands his steeds. Gesenius takes it, 'A word spoken in (according to) its due time:' time's revolution being often compared to a revolving wheel. Maurer accounts for the dual, that the present time is the turning point between two times, the past and the future. The Hebrew for 'upon' [ `al (H5921)] may also mean according to. (IS LIKE) APPLES OF GOLD IN PICTURES OF SILVER - apples of gold enclosed in settings of silver; the silver outside being figured with open filagree-work through which the gold within shines the more strikingly from its...

Verse Proverbs 25:11. _A WORD FITLY SPOKEN_] על אפניו _al ophannaiv, upon its_ _wheels_. An observation, caution, reproof, or advice, that _comes in_ _naturally, runs_ smoothly along, is not _forced_ nor _dragged_ in, that appears to be without _design_, to rise out of the conversation, and though particularly relative to _one point_, will appear to the company to suit all. IS LIKE _APPLES OF GOLD IN PICTURES OF SILVER._] Is like the refreshing _orange_ or beautiful _citron_, served up in _open work_ or _filigree baskets_, made of _silver_. The Asiatics excel in _filigree_ _silver work_. I have seen much of it, and it is exquisitely beautiful. The silver wire by which it is done they form into the appearance of numerous _flowers_; and though these wires are soldere

APPLES OF GOLD - Probably the golden colored fruit set in baskets (i. e., chased vessels of open worked silver); so is a word spoken upon its wheels (i. e., moving quickly and quietly on its way). The proverb may have had its origin in some kingly gift to the son of David, the work of Tyrian artists, like Hiram and his fellows. Others gazed on the cunning work and admired, but the wise king saw in the costly rarity a parable of something higher. “A word well set upon the wheels of speech” excelled it. Ornamentation of this kind in the precious metals was known, even as late as in the middle ages, as oeuvre de Salomon....

EXPOSITION VERSE 1-29:27 PART VI. SECOND GREAT COLLECTION OF SOLOMONIC PROVERBS, gathered by "the men of Hezekiah," in which wisdom is set forth as the greatest blessing to the king and his subjects. PROVERBS 25:1 _The_ _superscription: _THESE ARE ALSO PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, WHICH THE MEN OF HEZEKIAH KING OF JUDAH COPIED OUT. The word "also" implies that a previous collection was known to the compiler of the present book—probably the one which we have in Pr 10-22:16, of which nine proverbs are inserted here. But there was still a large number of proverbial sayings attributed to Solomon, and preserved partly by oral tradition and partly in writing, which it was advisable to colle

A WORD FITLY SPOKEN,.... Or, "a word spoken on its wheels" d: that proceeds aright, keeps due order, is well circumstanced as to matter, method, time, place, and persons; a discourse well put together, properly pronounced, roundly, easily, and fluently delivered to proper persons, and adapted to their circumstances; and "seasonably" spoken, as the Targum and many versions render it: [IS LIKE] APPLES OF GOLD IN PICTURES OF SILVER; either like apples made of gold, and so valuable and precious; or as apples, called golden from their colour, as golden pippins, and golden rennets; or oranges, which are sometimes called golden apples: either of these in silver cases and enclosures, as Aben Ezra and Gersom interpret the word, or in a silver cup, as the Syriac version, or in silver lattices, as Maimonides, through which they may be seen, look very pleasant and delightful. The words may design,...

IV. THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON COLLECTED BY THE MEN OF HEZEKIAH CHAPTER 25 Here begin the proverbs which the good king Hezekiah, under the guidance of the Spirit of God, added to this book. “This title is interesting as affording a proof that a revival of literary activity accompanied the revival of religion and of national prosperity which marked the reign of Hezekiah. The men of Hezekiah were doubtless a body of scribes engaged under the direction of the king in literary labors.” Very fittingly the opening verses of this collected portion of proverbs relate to the king. While it is the glory of God to conceal a thing, the glory of kings is to search out a matter. God has many things concealed as to Himself, the great universe, creation and His ways in providence; but kings should inquire diligently into the matters brought before them and search them out in their administration of justi...

FIRST DIVISION. In general character this division shows a resemblance to the Sayings of the Wise, containing a number of quatrains and synthetic couplets, and but few antithetic couplets. PROVERBS 25:2 B. A series of three quatrains relating to kings. Proverbs 25:4 b. Very obscure. Refining silver does not produce a vessel, and the parallelism with Proverbs 25:5 b is unsatisfactory. LXX it will be wholly purified probably represents the original text. Proverbs 25:6 f. _cf._ Luke 14:8....

FITLY. timely. As we say "on the spur of the moment". APPLES OF GOLD. The difficulty is not in this expression, for jewellery is evidently intended from the first clause of the next verse. PICTURES. carved or sculptured work, put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Effect), for imaginative work made from it: i.e. baskets, or dishes. Golden fruit (the Rev. James Niel suggests oranges) in silver salvers would be the height of rarity, which it is the intention of the words to convey. Hebrew. _maskith_ occurs six times, Proverbs 18:11 ("conceit"); Leviticus 26:1.Numbers 33:52.Psalms 73:7 ("could wish");

_fitly_ Lit. UPON ITS WHEELS, i.e. smoothly and without hesitation. Others render, _at its_(proper) _times_, i.e. _seasonably_, perhaps from the idea of times or seasons "revolving," or "rolling round." In tempore suo, Vulg. Comp. Proverbs 15:23. _apples of gold_ Either golden-coloured fruit, such as oranges or quinces (χρυσόμηλα, Plin.; _aurea mala_, Virg. _Ecl_. iii. 71), or fruit gilded or made of gold, as part of the artistic ornament. _pictures_ Rather, BASKETS of silver network or filigree work, through and in contrast with which the golden fruit was shown to advantage. _In lectis argenteis_, Vulg. The LXX. has ἐν ὁρμίσκῳ σάρδιου, in a necklace of sardius, evidently regarding the whole ornament, including its apples, or bosses, of gold as the work of the artificer. The imagery of the proverb accords with

A WORD FITLY SPOKEN, &C.— The author of the _Observations_ seems to have proved, that not _apples_ but _citrons_ are here meant, which were of the colour of gold; See Song of Solomon 2:3. And he thinks that Solomon here refers to the manner of serving up these citrons in his court, when he says, _A word fitly spoken is like this fruit served up in vessels of silver, curiously wrought:_ whether, as Maimonides supposed, wrought with open-work like baskets, or curiously chased, it no way concerns us to determine. But it may not be improper to observe, that this magnificence was not, we have reason to suppose, very common at that time, since the fruit which was presented to D'Arvieux by the grand Emir of the Arabs was brought in nothing better than a painted vessel of wood. To an antique apparatus of vessels for fruit, perhaps of this painted wooden kind, Solo