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Proverbs
Chapter Thirty
Proverbs 30
Commentary on Proverbs 30:1-6
(Read Proverbs 30:1-6)
Agur speaks of himself as wanting a righteousness
and
having done very foolishly. And it becomes us all to have low thoughts of
ourselves. He speaks of himself as wanting revelation to guide him in the ways
of truth and wisdom. The more enlightened people are
the more they lament
their ignorance; the more they pray for clearer
still clearer discoveries of
God
and his rich grace in Christ Jesus. In ver.
Commentary on Proverbs 30:4
(Read Proverbs 30:4)
In every age there are monsters of ingratitude who
ill-treat their parents. Many persuade themselves they are holy persons
whose
hearts are full of sin
and who practise secret wickedness. There are others
whose lofty pride is manifest. There have also been cruel monsters in every
age.
Commentary on Proverbs 30:15-17
(Read Proverbs 30:15-17)
Cruelty and covetousness are two daughters of the
horseleech
that still cry
"Give
give
" and they are continually
uneasy to themselves. Four things never are satisfied
to which these devourers
are compared. Those are never rich that are always coveting. And many who have
come to a bad end
have owned that their wicked courses began by despising
their parents' authority.
Commentary on Proverbs 30:18-20
(Read Proverbs 30:18-20)
Four things cannot be fully known. The kingdom of nature
is full of marvels. The fourth is a mystery of iniquity; the cursed arts by
which a vile seducer gains the affections of a female; and the arts which a
vile woman uses to conceal her wickedness.
Commentary on Proverbs 30:21-23
(Read Proverbs 30:21-23)
Four things that are little
are yet to be admired. There
are those who are poor in the world
and of small account
yet wise for their
souls and another world.
Commentary on Proverbs 30:29-33
(Read Proverbs 30:29-33)
We may learn from animals to go well; also to keep our
temper under all provocations. We must keep the evil thought in our minds from
breaking out into evil speeches. We must not stir up the passions of others.
Let nothing be said or done with violence
but every thing with softness and
calmness. Alas
how often have we done foolishly in rising up against the Lord our
King! Let us humble ourselves before him. And having found peace with Him
let
us follow peace with all men.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Proverbs》
Proverbs 30
Verse 1
[1] The words of Agur the son of Jakeh
even the prophecy:
the man spake unto Ithiel
even unto Ithiel and Ucal
Jakeh — Who lived either in Solomon's time
or rather
afterwards
and was famous in his generation for wisdom and piety.
The prophecy — The prophetical instruction; for
as the prophets were public preachers as well as foretellers of things to come
so their sermons
no less than their predictions
are commonly called their
prophecies.
And Ucal — Two friends and co-temporaries of Agur
who desired
his instructions.
Verse 2
[2] Surely I am more brutish than any man
and have not the
understanding of a man.
Surely — This he utters from a modest and humble apprehension
of his own ignorance.
Verse 3
[3] I neither learned wisdom
nor have the knowledge of the
holy.
I neither learned — I have not been
taught in the schools of wisdom.
Of the holy — Of the holy prophets. I have not
such Divine inspirations as prophets strictly so called have received.
Verse 4
[4] Who hath ascended up into heaven
or descended? who hath
gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who
hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name
and what is his
son's name
if thou canst tell?
Who — What mere man? None at all.
Ascended — To learn the mind of God who dwells there.
Descended — To teach men below what he had
learned above. No man can fully know and teach us these things unless he hath
been in heaven
and sent down from thence to the earth for that end.
In his fists — To hold them in
or let them out
at his pleasure? And none but he who made and governs all creatures
can know
and teach these things.
The waters — Those above the clouds
and those
below
the sea which God keeps as it were within doors
and the water which he
shuts up in the bowels of the earth.
The earth — The whole earth from one end to
another
which God upholdeth in the air
by the word of his power.
If — If thou thinkest there be any man who can do these
things
produce his name; or if he be dead
the name of any of his posterity.
Verse 5
[5] Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that
put their trust in him.
Pure — You must not expect the full knowledge of Divine
mysteries from me
nor from any man
but from the word of God.
Verse 8
[8] Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither
poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Vanity — All vanity of heart and life; a vain conversation
or
a love of the vain things of this world.
Lies — All falsehood and deceit in my words and carriage.
Convenient — Moderate and suitable both to my
natural necessities
and to that condition of life in which thou hast put me.
Verse 9
[9] Lest I be full
and deny thee
and say
Who is the LORD?
or lest I be poor
and steal
and take the name of my God in vain.
Deny thee — By trusting to riches
which is a
denial of God
and by unthankfulness for
and abuse of his mercies.
Who is the Lord — That I should serve him.
Lest I take — Use false oaths either to
vindicate myself when I am suspected
or to gratify others
as poor men
frequently do.
Verse 10
[10] Accuse not a servant unto his master
lest he curse
thee
and thou be found guilty.
Accuse not — Without sufficient cause: for
otherwise
in some cases this may be a duty.
Curse thee — Desire God to punish thee.
Guilty — By God
who is ready to plead the cause of the
afflicted.
Verse 11
[11] There is a generation that curseth their father
and
doth not bless their mother.
A generation — A sort of men.
Verse 12
[12] There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes
and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
Not washed — Who imagine they are truly
religious
when they live in a course of wickedness.
Verse 14
[14] There is a generation
whose teeth are as swords
and
their jaw teeth as knives
to devour the poor from off the earth
and the needy
from among men.
Devour — Extortioners
and cruel oppressors.
Verse 15
[15] The horseleach hath two daughters
crying
Give
give.
There are three things that are never satisfied
yea
four things say not
It
is enough:
The horse-leach — An insatiable creature
sucking
blood 'till it is ready to burst.
Two daughters — The following things resemble the
horse-leach in its insatiableness; nothing being more ordinary than to call
those persons or things the sons or daughters of those whose examples they
imitate.
Three — Though he begins with two
yet he proceeds from thence
to three
and four
all which are said to be the daughters of the horse-leach.
Verse 17
[17] The eye that mocketh at his father
and despiseth to
obey his mother
the ravens of the valley shall pick it out
and the young
eagles shall eat it.
The eye — He that scorneth or derideth his parents
tho' it be
but with a look or gesture
and much more when he breaks out into opprobrious
words and actions.
Verse 18
[18] There be three things which are too wonderful for me
yea
four which I know not:
Wonderful — The way whereof I cannot trace.
Verse 20
[20] Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth
and
wipeth her mouth
and saith
I have done no wickedness.
Such is — So secret and undiscernible.
Eateth — The bread of deceit in secret.
Verse 21
[21] For three things the earth is disquieted
and for four
which it cannot bear:
Four — Which are intolerable in human societies.
Verse 22
[22] For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is
filled with meat;
A servant — For such an one is commonly
ignorant
and therefore commits many errors; he is poor
and therefore
insatiable
he is proud and imperious
and usually injurious and cruel.
A fool — A conceited fool.
When — When he abounds in wealth.
Verse 23
[23] For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid
that is heir to her mistress.
An odious — Proud
and perverse.
Married — For then she displays all those ill humours
which
before
she concealed.
Is heir — Which great and sudden change transports her beside
herself
and makes her insufferably proud and scornful.
Verse 27
[27] The locusts have no king
yet go they forth all of them
by bands;
Bands — Several companies
in exact order.
Verse 28
[28] The spider taketh hold with her hands
and is in kings'
palaces.
Hands — With her legs
which he calls hands
because they
serve her for the same use
to do her work
to weave her web
and to catch
gnats or flies.
Palaces — Is not only in poor cottages
but many times in
palaces also.
Verse 31
[31] A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king
against whom
there is no rising up.
An he-goat — Which marches in the head of the
flock in a grave and stately manner
conducting them with great courage and
resolution
and being ready to fight for them
either with beasts or men that
oppose him.
A king — Heb. a king and his people with him
a king when he
hath the hearts and hands of his people going along with him in his
undertakings.
Verse 32
[32] If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself
or if
thou hast thought evil
lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
Thought — Designed any injury against thy neighbour.
Lay thine hand — Do not open thy mouth to excuse
it
but repent of it
and do so no more.
Verse 33
[33] Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter
and
the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth
forth strife.
The forcing — The stirring up of wrath
either in
a man's self towards others
by giving way to passion; or in others by
reproaches
or any other provocations.
Bringeth forth — Is the cause of many quarrels.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Proverbs》
30 Chapter 30
Verses 1-33
──《The Biblical Illustrator》
30 Chapter 30
Verse 1
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh
.... Here begins
according to Aben Ezra
the fourth part of this book; though
according to
others
it is the fifth; See Gill on Proverbs 22:17; Who this Agur was is a
matter of doubt; some of the Jewish writers
as Jarchi and Gersom
and likewise
some Christian writersF6De Dieu
Cocceius
Teelman. Specimen.
Explicat. Parabot. p. 378.
take him to be Solomon himself
who calls himself
Agur
which is said to signify "a gatherer"; and so the Vulgate Latin
version renders it
"the words of the gatherer
the son of the
vomiter"; just as he calls himself Koheleth
or "the caller"
or
"preacher"
Ecclesiastes 1:1. The reason given of this
name is
because he gathered wisdom and the lawF7Jelammedenu apud
Buxtorf. Lex. Rab. col. 26. ; or
as Jarchi
he gathered wisdom
and vomited
it; that is
delivered it out to others; so he did
he sought after and
attained to more wisdom than any before him
for he was wiser than all men; and
it may be added
that he "gathered" silver and gold
and the treasure
of kings
and increased in riches more than any before him
Ecclesiastes 1:13. But then all this does
not agree with the person whose words these are; for he speaks of himself as
being very ignorant
and as not having learned wisdom
Proverbs 30:2; and desires neither poverty
nor riches
Proverbs 30:8; besides
the word
"Agur" signifies not "a gatherer"
but
"gathered"
as HillerusF8Onomastic. Sacr. p. 39. renders
it; and so Cocceius
who thinks also that Solomon is meant
yet not for the
above reasons
but translates the clause thus
"the words of the
recollected son of the obedient"; as if it described Solomon the son of
David
the obedient one
the man after God's own heart
when he was restored by
repentance; but it seems better
with Aben Ezra
to understand this of some
very good
knowing
and worthy man
who lived in those times
either before the
times of Solomon
or in the same
whose pithy sayings and sentences he had a
great regard for
and joined them to his own; or who lived in the times of
Hezekiah
or before
whose proverbs were collected by his men
and added to
those of Solomon's they had copied in the preceding chapters; see Proverbs 25:1;
even the prophecy; or
"burden"F9המשא "onus"
Mercerus; "prophetia gravis"
Tigurine version.
as many of the
prophecies are called; it designs something received from the Lord
taken up
and carried to others; so Balaam is said to "take up his parable"
Numbers 23:7. Here it does not design a
prediction of future events
unless it can be thought that there is in the
following words a prophecy of the Messiah; but an instruction
a declaration of
things useful and profitable; so preaching in the New Testament is called
prophesying often
1 Corinthians 14:1. This is a part of the
word of God
of the prophecy which came not by the will of man
but by the
inspiration of God
2 Peter 1:19; which prophecy
the man spake
this excellent good man Agur
who was
divinely inspired; see Numbers 24:3;
unto Ithiel
even unto Ithiel and Ucal; who were
either the children of Agur
whom he instructed in the knowledge of divine
things; or they were
as Aben Ezra
either his companions with whom he
conversed about sacred things
or his disciples who inquired of him about these
things
and learned them of him. Some thinkF11Jermin in loc. these
are titles of God himself
to whom Agur directs his speech
and acknowledges
his ignorance of the divine Being
whom he might justly call Ithiel and Ucal
that is
"God with me"
and "the mighty One"; and certain
it is that Agur does direct a prayer to God
Proverbs 30:7; And some read these words
themselves as a prayer
"let God be with me
and one shall prevail"F12See
Trapp in loc.
that is
over all mine enemies; for
if God is on the side of
his people
who shall be against them? or
"I shall be able" to do
all things through the Lord's strength
Romans 8:31; But I rather think the words
should be read
as Jarchi observes
"concerning Ithiel and Ucal"F13So
Junius & Tremellius
Aamama
Calovius
Cartwright. ; that is
concerning
the Messiah
to whom these names agree. Ithiel
or "God with me"
is
very similar to a phrase used by Christ himself in the days of his flesh
John 8:29. God was with him as the eternal
Word
and his only begotten Son
from all eternity
which denotes his
co-existence
nearness of union
equality of nature
and distinction of
persons; he was with him as Mediator before the world began
in the council of
peace
which was between them both; in the covenant of grace made with him
in
which all things were agreed upon respecting the salvation of his people; he
was with him in the beginning of time down to his incarnation; he was with him
in the creation of all things
in the sustentation of them; in the works of
providence
and in the government of the church; he was with him during his
state of humiliation; in his infancy
to protect him from the malice of Herod;
he was with him when disputing with the doctors in the temple
to direct him;
he was with him at his baptism
transfiguration
and other times; he was with
him throughout his public ministry
from the beginning to the end of it; he did
good and healed all manner of diseases
and wrought amazing miracles
God being
with him
John 3:2
Acts 10:38; and he was with him in his
sufferings and at his death; and so he is with him in his exalted state; he
raised him from the dead
set him at his own right hand
and ever attends to
his prevalent intercession; and will be with him in raising the dead and
judging the world. "Ucal"
which has the signification of being able
strong
mighty
and powerful
agrees with Christ
who is the mighty God the
most mighty
the Almighty; and which appears by the works he did before his
incarnation
as the creation of all things out of nothing
the preservation of
all things
and the several wonderful events in which he was; concerned
as the
confusion of languages
the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah
the conducting the
children of Israel through the wilderness
with others; also what he did when
here on earth
the mighty works and miracles done by him
and especially the
great work of man's redemption
and also the raising of himself from the dead:
moreover
what he now does and will do for his people show him to be the mighty
One; taking the care of all the churches and providing for them; supplying all
the wants of his people
bearing all their burdens
supporting them under all
their temptations
and delivering them out of them; strengthening them for his
service
protecting them from their enemies
keeping them from falling
raising
their dead bodies
and bringing all the sons of God to glory: or if the word
should be rendered
as it may
"eaten" or "consumed"F14Vid.
Teelman. Specimen. Expliicat. Parabol. p. 391.
it is true of Christ
whose
zeal ate him up
Psalm 69:9; and who is the antitype of the
sacrifice consumed by fire.
Verse 2
Surely I am more brutish than any man
....
"Every man is become brutish in his knowledge"; man in his
original state was a knowing creature but sinning lost his knowledge
and
"became like the beasts that perish"; hence we read of the
"brutish among the people": but Agur thought himself not only brutish
among the rest
but more brutish than any. So PlatoF15De Leg. l. 10.
p
959. says of some souls living on earth
that they are θηριωδεις
of a brutish nature; see Jeremiah 10:14. Or I think the words may be
rendered
"a brute am I rather than a man"F16בער אנכי מאיש
"bardus sum prae viro"
Mercerus; "brutus ego prae viro"
Cocceius
Schultens. ; have more of the brute than of the man
especially in
the sight and presence of God; a very beast before him
or in comparison of
other wise
holy
and good men; or with respect to the knowledge of spiritual
divine
and heavenly things
Psalm 73:22; or "a brute was I
from the time"
or "ever since I was a man"F17"Nam
brutus sum ex quo vir sum"
Junius & Tremellius
so Cartwright. ; as
soon as be was born
being born in sin
and like a wild ass's colt
Job 11:12;
and have not the understanding of a man; or "of
Adam"F18"Nec est mihi intelligentia Adami"
Cartwright. ; who was made after the image of God
which consisted in knowledge
as well as holiness; who knew much of God
his nature
perfections
and
persons; of the creatures
and the works of his hands and of all things in
nature; but affecting more knowledge than he should lost in a great measure
what he had
and brought his posterity in and left them in a state of blindness
and ignorance
one of whose sons Agur was: or his meaning is
that he had not
the understanding
as not of Adam in innocence
and of prophets and other
eminent men of God
so not of ordinary men of those who had
he least share of
the knowledge of divine things. Aben Ezra
who takes Ithiel and Ucal to be
scholars or companions of Agur
supposes
that they asked him questions
concerning the divine Being
nature
and perfections
to which he answers in
this strain; showing his insufficiency to give them any instruction or
satisfaction in such matters
or to discourse on such sublime subjects: or rather
his view was to show the blindness and ignorance of human nature with respect
to divine things he was about to treat of; and particularly to observe
that
the knowledge of a Saviour
and salvation by him
were not from nature
and
attainable by that; and that a man must first know himself
his own folly and
ignorance
before he can have any true knowledge of Ithiel and Ucal
the mighty
Saviour and Redeemer; of the need of him
and of interest in him. Some think
his view is to prove that his words
his prophecy
or what he was about to say
or did say
must be owing entirely to divine inspiration; since he was of
himself; and without a divine revelation
so very blind
dark
and ignorant; it
could not be owing to any natural sagacity of his
who was more brutish than
any; nor to any acquired knowledge
or the instruction of men
since he had
none
as follows; and so כי
with which the words
begin
may be rendered "for" or "because"F19כי "nam"
Junius & Tremellius;
"quia"
Pagninus
Montanus; "quoniam"
Michaelis.
as it
usually is
"for I am more brutish
than any man"
&c.
Verse 3
I neither learned wisdom
.... Natural wisdom or
philosophy
so as to understand the nature of things
and reason about them in
a philosophical manner; or political wisdom
so as to know how to govern
states
and manage the affairs of kingdoms; or in a lower sphere to transact
the affairs of life to any peculiar advantage; he had not a polite or liberal
education: or spiritual and evangelical wisdom; that is
not of himself through
the mere strength and force of his genius and natural capacity
or of others;
he was not the son of a prophet
nor brought up in the schools of the prophets;
he did not learn it
nor was he taught it by men; for this is not acquired by
human teaching; it is what comes from above
from heaven
and by the revelation
of God;
nor have the knowledge of the holy; or "holies"F19קדשים "sanctorum"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Mercerus
Gejerus
Cocceius
Schultens. ; either of holy persons
such knowledge as holy men of God had; or
of the holy angels
not of their nature
capacities
influence and operations;
nor such as they have: or rather of the holy Persons in the Trinity
Father
Son and Spirit; their nature modes of subsisting
perfections
purposes
and
the like; at least not a full and comprehensive one: or of holy things
of the
holy Scriptures
and the holy doctrines of them; however
not what is perfect
and complete. It may be rendered
"but I have the knowledge of the
holy"F20ודעת קדשים
אדע "ad cognitionem sanctorum novi"
Michaelis; "expers sum humanarnm artium
et divinarum guarus sum"
Vatablus in Gejerus.
though he had not the advantage of human literature
nor
had ever been under the instructions of men on one account or another
and
therefore what he knew
or was about to discourse of
was from God. Some
understand this verse and Proverbs 30:2 of Ithiel
or ChristF21Teelman.
Specimen. Explicat. Parabol. p. 391.
as in the esteem of men
1 Corinthians 1:23.
Verse 4
Who hath ascended up into heaven
or descended?.... That has been
thither to fetch knowledge of God and divine things
and has returned to
communicate it. Enoch was taken up to heaven before this time: and Elijah
as
is very probable
after; but neither of them returned again
to inform mortals
what was to be seen
known
and enjoyed there: since
the Apostle Paul was
caught up into the third heaven
and came back again; but then the things he
heard were such as it was not lawful for a man to utter: and indeed
since the
coming of Christ there is no need of any further revelation to be made nor of
any such expedition
in order to obtain it
Romans 10:6. And
properly speaking
there
never was any besides him
whose names are Ithiel and Ucal
that ever did this:
he lay in the bosom of the Father
and was privy to his whole mind and will; he
descended from heaven to earth not by local motion
but
by assumption of
nature; and when he had made known his Father's will
and done his work
he
ascended far above all heavens
and received gifts for men; to fill his
churches and ministers with them
in order to communicate and improve spiritual
and divine knowledge; and therefore
with great propriety and pertinence
he
applies these words to himself
John 3:13;
who hath gathered the wind in his fists? not any mere
creature; not any man or set of men; it is not in the power of any
either men
or angels
to restrain or let loose the winds at pleasure; nor has Satan
though called the prince of the power of the air
that is
of the devils in the
air
any such command of them; none but he that made them can command them to
blow
or be still; even he who brings them out of his treasures
and his own
son
whom the wind and seas obeyed; see Psalm 135:7; The HeathensF23 κεινον γαρ ταμιην ανεμων
&c. Homer. Odyss.
10. v. 21
22. "Aeole
namque tibi divum pater atque hominum rex
et
mulcere dedit fluctus
et tollere vento"
Virgil Aeneid. l. v. 69
70.
themselves are so sensible of this
that the power of the winds only belongs to
God
that they have framed a deity they call Aeolus; whom the supreme Being has
made a kind of steward or store keeper of the winds
and given him a power to
still or raise them as he pleasesF24See a Sermon of mine
called
"Christ the Saviour from the Tempest"
p. 17
18. ;
who hath bound the waters in a garment? either the
waters above
which are bound in the thick clouds as in a garment which hold
them from pouring out; or the waters of the sea
which are as easily managed by
the Lord as an infant by its parent
and is wrapped about with a swaddling
band
Job 26:8. But can any creature do this?
none but the mighty God; and his almighty Son the Ithiel and Ucal
who clothes
the heavens with blackness
and makes sackcloth their covering: even he who is
the Redeemer of this people
and has the tongue of the learned
to speak a word
in season to them Isaiah 50:2;
who hath established all the ends of the earth? fixed the
boundaries of the several parts of the world
Europe
Asia
Africa
and
America
and the several countries in them? settled the foundations of the
earth
and secured the banks and borders of it from the raging of the sea? None
but these next mentioned; see Job 38:4;
what is his name
and what is his son's name
if thou canst
tell? if thou surest it is a mere man that does all these things tell
his name; or
if he be dead
say what is the name of his son or of any of his
family; so Jarchi and others interpret it: or rather
since it is the Lord
alone and his own proper Son
to whom these things can he ascribed say what is
his name; that is
his nature and perfections which are incomprehensible and
ineffable; otherwise he is known by his name Jehovah and especially as his name
is proclaimed in Christ and manifested by him and in his Gospel: and seeing he
has a son of the same nature with him
and possessed of the same perfections
co-essential
and co-existent
and every way equal to him
and a distinct
person from him
say what is his nature and perfections also; declare his
generation and the manner of it; his divine filiation
and in what class it is;
things which are out of the reach of human capacity
and not to be expressed by
the tongue of men and angels; see Matthew 11:27. Otherwise
though his name
for a while was a secret
and he was only called the seed of the woman and of
Abraham
Genesis 3:15; yet he had many names given
him under the Old Testament; as Shiloh
Immanuel
the Wonderful
Counsellor
the mighty God
the everlasting Father
and Prince of peace; the Lord our
righteousness
and the Man
the Branch: and under the New Testament
Jesus the
Saviour
Christ the Anointed; the Head of the church
the Judge of the world;
the Word of God
and King of kings
and Lord of lords. This Scripture is a
proof of Christ's being the eternal Son of God; of his equality with his divine
Father as such
their name and nature being alike ineffable; of his
co-existence with his Father as such; and of his omnipresence and omnipotence
expressed by the phrases here used of ascending
&c. and of his distinct
personality from the Father; the same question being distinctly put of him as
of the Father. Some render the last clause
"dost thou know?"F25כי תדע "ad nosti?"
Noldius
p. 393. No. 1337. thou dost not know God and his Son
their being and
perfections are not to be known by the light of nature
only by revelation
and
but imperfectly.
Verse 5
Every word of God is pure
.... The whole word of
God. "All Scripture"
given by inspiration of God
to which Agur
directs
as giving the best account of God
of his name
nature
and
perfections; of his Son
person
offices
and grace; being pure
very pure
"purified"F26צרופה
"purgatus"
Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine version
Gejerus;
"purgatissimus"
Junius & Tremellius; Heb. "conflatus"
Piscator
Mercerus
Cocceius
Schultens. like silver
purified in a furnace of
earth. The whole of Scripture is pure
free from all falsehood and error;
coming from the God of truth
who cannot lie
and therefore called "the
Scriptures of truth": every promise is pure as well as precious
made
without dissimulation
faithfully performed
and all yea and amen in Christ;
every doctrine is pure
free from the mixtures and inventions of men; the
sincere milk of the word; consistent and all of a piece
not yea and nay; and
tending to promote purity of heart and life; wholesome words
and doctrines
according to godliness; see Psalm 12:6;
he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him; not the word
but God
whose the word is; and which represents him as a proper object of
trust
both with respect to things temporal and spiritual
at all times; and as
a shield to protect such
by his power and grace
from all their enemies
sin
Satan
and the world
and also from all errors and false doctrines; see Psalm 3:3.
Verse 6
Add thou not unto his words
.... To the words of God;
as the Jews did
by joining their oral law
or the traditions of the elders
to
the written word
and preferring them before it; and as the Papists
by making
their unwritten traditions
and the sense and determinations of their church
equal to the Scriptures; and as all enthusiasts do
who set up their pretended
dreams
visions
revelations
and prophecies
upon a foot with the word of God
or as superior to it; whereas that is
and that only
the rule and standard of
faith and practice
and is a sufficient and perfect one; see Deuteronomy 4:2;
lest he reprove thee; that is
God; either by
words or by blows
by threatenings and denunciations of his wrath and
displeasure; or by chastisements and corrections for such daring pride
blasphemy
and wickedness; those who add to his words
he threatens to add
plagues unto them
Revelation 22:18;
and thou be found a liar; a forger
speaker
and
spreader of doctrinal lies
such doctrines as are contrary to the word of
truth; not being built on that
but upon human inventions
and additions to it.
Verse 7
Two things have I required of thee
.... Or
"have asked of theeF1שאלתי מאתך "postulavi a te"
Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine version
Mercerus
Gejerus; "peto ab te"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator; "petii a te"
Cocceius
Michaelis
Schultens.
O God"; as may be supplied
for the words are addressed to him. The
following is a prayer made unto him
which contains the two requests here
referred to; his requests are not many
his words are few; he did not make long
prayers
or expect to be heard for much speaking;
deny me them not before I die; not that he
thought he was near his end; nor is it his sense that he desired some time or
other
at least before he died
that he might have these two requests granted
him after mentioned; for what are poverty and riches
or convenient food
to a
man just dying? but his meaning is
that he might be thus favoured as long as
he lived; that all the while he was in the world
he might be kept from sin
and be free from anxious worldly thoughts and cares
having a moderate
competency of good things: faith in prayer will have no denial; a wrestling
Jacob will not let the angel go without a blessing; importunity in prayer gets
much from the hands of God; "the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous
man availeth much"
James 5:16.
Verse 8
Remove far from me vanity and lies
.... This is the
"first" request
to be preserved from sin
in general; which is a
vain
lying
and deceitful thing; promising pleasure
profit
liberty
and
impunity
which it does not give. Agur desires to have vain thoughts removed
out of his mind
vain words from his mouth
and vain actions from his life and
conversation; to have his eyes turned from beholding vanity
and his feet from
walking in it; and his affections taken off from the vain things of the world
the lusts
pleasures
profits
and honours of it; as well as to be kept from
all errors and false doctrines
which are lies in hypocrisy; with which men
that lie in wait to deceive would
if it were possible
deceive the very elect:
Agur conscious of his own weakness
and proneness to evil
desires the Lord
would not lead him into temptation
but deliver him from all evil
doctrinal
and practical. Some understand this of the forgiveness of sin; which is
sometimes expressed by a putting or removing it away
2 Samuel 7:13
Psalm 103:12;
give me neither poverty nor riches; this is the
"second" request
not to be extremely poor nor too rich; but to be in
a middle state between both
neither rich nor poor; which HoraceF2Camin.
l. 2. Ode 10. v. 5. calls the golden mean
and which Agur wisely judged to be
the happiest state; most free from care
least liable to temptation
and the
best situation to serve the Lord in: a like wish was made by TheognisF3Sententiae
v. 1151
1152.
I neither love to be rich
"nor
desire it; but to live on a little
having no evil;'
so
MartialF4"Nunquam divitias deos rogavi
contentus modicis
meoque laetus; paupertas
veniam dabis
recede"
Epigr. l. 4. Ep. 65. .
Both riches and poverty are of God; men are rich or poor
as the Lord pleases;
he suffers poverty in some
and gives riches to others: Agur deprecates both
as having their separate
peculiar
snares and temptations; though no doubt
this request was made with submission to the will of God; and not as
considering either of them as evils in themselves
but as they might be
attended with bad consequences
and what is next mentioned being more eligible;
feed me with food convenient for me; not merely what was
agreeable to his palate
suitable to his constitution
and sufficient for
nature; nor for him personally
but for his family also; and what was proper
and suitable to the condition and circumstances in which he was
and to the
rank and quality he held
whether in a more private or in a more public
capacity. Some render it
"the food of my allowance"F5לחם חקי "panem statuti
mei"
Montanus; "demensi mei"
Tigurine version
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Mercerus
Cocceius
Michaelis
Schultens. ; what is
allotted and appointed for me It seems to be the same which Job calls his
"necessary food"
and Christ "our daily bread": it takes in
both food and raiment
which having
men should be contented with; see Job 23:12. The allusion seems to be to the
stated measure of food allowed to servants by the day
or rather by the month
called "demensum"
and which was but small and scantyF6Vid.
Juvenal. Sat. 14. v. 126. & Not. in ibid. ; yet with this Agur could be
content.
Verse 9
Lest I be full
and deny thee
.... This is
the dangerous consequence of riches
and the temptation they expose men unto;
who
being full of the things of this world
are tempted to deny the Lord; not
his being and perfections directly
but chiefly his providence; to deny that
what they have
they have received of him
but attribute it to their own care
diligence
and industry; and now think they can live without him
without any
dependence on his providence
having a large affluence of the things of life:
yea
they may be said to deny him
when they forget the bounties of his
providence; are not thankful to him for them; that flatter themselves with a
continuance of them
without any regard to him
as if he had no concern in the
affairs of life; see Deuteronomy 32:15;
and say
Who is the Lord? as Pharaoh did
Exodus 5:2. I am not obliged to him; I can
live without him
I have enough of my own;
or lest I be poor
and steal
and take the name of my God in
vain; this is the snare that attends poverty; men
for want of food
and raiment
are tempted to steal from their neighbours
which is a sin against
the law of God
the eighth command; and then to cover the theft
when an oath
is offered to purge them from the charge and suspicion of it
they take it
and
so are guilty of false swearing
or taking the name of God not only in vain
but falsely
and so become guilty of the breach of the third command. Agur
a
good man
is desirous he might not be exposed to temptations to such evils
and
especially which so affected the honour and glory of God.
Verse 10
Accuse not a servant unto his master
.... Wrongly
rashly
and without any foundation
nor for any trifling thing; unless it be in
a case of moment and importance
when his master's business is sadly neglected
or he is injured in his property by him: especially care should be taken not to
calumniate a servant
to abuse him with the tongue
as the wordF7אל תלשן "ne crimineris
lingua"
Montanus. signifies; the circumstance he is in should be
considered
as a servant; and how severe masters are apt to be towards them
and therefore little matters should be hid from them; and much less should they
be aggravated
and least of all should falsehoods be told of them. So Doeg the
Edomite accused David to Saul
and the Pharisees accused the disciples of
Christ to their Master
1 Samuel 22:9; the apostle's advice is
good
and agrees with Agur's
Romans 14:4;
lest he curse thee
and thou be found guilty; or
"and
thou shouldest sin"F8ואשמת "et
delinquas"
Pagninus
Montanus
Mercerus
Gejerus; "q. d.
peccabis"
Vatablus. ; that is
afterwards; and so the curse come upon
thee he has wished for: or the sense is
lest he should curse thee before men
and hurt thy character and reputation; or imprecate a curse from the Lord
which he may suffer to come upon thee for sin. Aben Ezra interprets this of a
servant
that flies from Heathen countries to the land of Israel
to be made a
proselyte of; who should not be discovered
and returned to his old master.
Verse 11
There is a generation that
curseth their father
.... A sort of men that neither fear God nor regard men; and are
so inhuman as to be without natural affections to their parents; have no reverence
of them
love to them
nor give them any honour or obedience; so far from it
that they curse their father that begot them; imprecate on him all the evils in
life they can think of
and wish him out of the world;
and doth not bless their mother; cannot give her a good
word
who bore them
and brought them up in the most tender and indulgent
manner; yea
so unnatural as to curse her also
for that is intended by this
way of speaking; see Proverbs 30:17.
Verse 12
There is a generation that
are pure in their own eyes
.... Not in the eyes of God
who sees the
heart
and all the impurities of it
as well as of life and conversation; nor
in the eyes of others
though such may appear outwardly righteous before men;
but in their own eyes
in their own conceit and imagination
trusting in
themselves that they are righteous: but such have not their eyes opened or
enlightened to see the plague of their own hearts
the spirituality of the law
of God
the perfection of righteousness that requires; nor the righteousness
and holiness of God himself; nor the imperfection and insufficiency of their
own; did they
they would not seem pure and righteous to themselves. No man is
pure by nature
or through anything done by them; but by the grace of God
and
through the blood and righteousness of Christ; and such are far from being pure
in their own eyes
or as considered in themselves: but those who are pure
neither by nature nor by grace
yet think they are so. There were some such in
Agur's time
and such were the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's time; there
were a generation of them; and there are of the same sort in our days
as
Papists
Perfectionists
and all self-justiciaries; see Luke 18:9;
and yet is not washed from their filthiness; their native
original
and universal pollution by sin they have from their birth
and which
is increased by numerous actual transgressions; and from which none are or can
be washed but those who are born of water and of the Spirit
or are washed with
the washing of regeneration; and are washed from their sins in the blood of the
Lamb
whose blood cleanses from all sin; and are arrayed with the fine linen
clean and white
the righteousness of the saints
which is the righteousness of
Christ imputed to them: whatsoever is short of these leaves men unwashed from
their filthiness
whatever opinion they may have of themselves; see Job 9:30
Jeremiah 2:22.
Verse 13
There is a generation
O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. Above others
on whom they look with scorn and contempt; as those do who have more riches
than others
and boast of them; they despise their poor neighbours
and disdain
to look upon them: and such also who have more knowledge and wisdom than
others
or at least think so; they are puffed up in their fleshly minds
and
say of the illiterate or less knowing
as the proud Pharisees did
"this
people
who knoweth not the law
are cursed": and likewise those who fancy
themselves more holy and righteous than others; these
in a scornful manner
say
"stand by thyself
I am holier than thou"; and thank God they
are not as other men are
as publicans and sinners; see Proverbs 19:4. Hence PlinyF9Nat.
Hist. 1. 11. c. 37. says
that in the eyebrows there is a part of the mind;
those especially show haughtiness; that pride has a receptacle elsewhere
but
here it has its seat; it is bred in the heart
but here it comes and here it
hangs: wherefore JuvenalF11Satyr. 6. v. 168. calls pride and
haughtiness
"grande supercilium"; and proud haughty persons are said
to be supercilious.
Verse 14
There is a generation
whose teeth are as swords
.... As sharp as swords;
like such the beasts of prey have; cruel
barbarous
and inhuman creatures; see
Psalm 57:4;
and their jaw teeth as knives; exceeding sharp and
biting:
to devour the poor from off the earth
and the needy from among
men: by their tyranny
oppression
and cruelty
to deprive them of
the little they have; and even to take away their lives from them
and utterly
destroy them; of this disposition are all tyrants and persecutors: such were
Rome Pagan
compared to a red dragon in the times of the ten Heathen
persecutions; and such is Rome Papal
signified by a beast
like a leopard
bear
and lion; and which has been drunk with the blood of the saints.
Verse 15
The horse leech hath two daughters
crying
Give
give
.... Or
"the blood sucker"F12לעלוקה
"sanguisugae"
V. L. Pagninus
Tigurine version. Mercerus
Gejerus. ;
so it began to be called in the times of PlinyF13Nat. Hist. l. 8. c.
10.
to which the last generation of men may well be compared; blood thirsty
creatures
that never have enough
and are not satisfied with the flesh of men
nor with their blood; and such particularly the Papists are: and not only this
generation of men
but there are three or four things besides
which resemble
the horse leech for its insatiableness; for the horse leech has not two
daughters only
but more. Some
by her two daughters
understand the two forks
of its tongue
which some naturalists say it has; though later ones
and more
diligent inquirers into those things
find it has not; but either with its three
teeth
or by the compression of its mouth on all sides
sucks the blood
and
will not let go until it is filled with itF14"Non missura cutem
nisi plena cruoris hirudo"
Horat. de Arte Poet. fine. : others have
proposed the two sorts of leeches as its daughters
the sea leech
and that
which is found in fenny and marshy places. But it is best
by its daughters
to
understand such that resemble it
and are like unto it; as those that are of
like nature and quality
and do the same things as others
are called their
children; see Matthew 23:31
1 John 3:10; and so the number of its
daughters
which are always craving and asking for more
and are never
satisfied
are not only two
but more
as follows;
there are three things; or
"yea
there are three things"
that are never
satiated: yea
four things say not
It is enough; not two only
but three
and even four
that are quite insatiable and are as follow. The
Syriac version renders the whole thus
"the
horse leech hath three beloved daughters; three
"I say"
they are
which are not satisfied; and the fourth says not
It is enough.'
Some
as Abendana observes
interpret it of hell
by a transposition of the letters;
because everyone that perverts his ways descends thither. BochartF15Hierozoic.
par. 2. l. 5. c. 19. col. 801. interprets it of fate
and so NoldiusF16Concord.
Ebr. Par. p. 467. No. 1425. : and Schultens renders the word
the most
monstrous of evils; it signifying in the Arabic language
as he observes
anything monstrous and dreadful; such as wood demons
serpents
and dragons
which devour men and beasts. SuidasF17In voce βδελλα.
by the "horse leech"
understands sin
whose
daughters are fornication
envy
and idolatry
which are never satisfied by
evil actions
and the fourth is evil concupiscence.
Verse 16
The grave
.... Which is the first of the four daughters
or insatiable
things
which resemble the horse leech: the grave is the house appointed for
all living; it stands ready for them
it is open to receive them when dead; and
though such multitudes have been put into it
since death reigned in the world
yet it is not full
it waits for more; nor will its mouth be shut till the last
enemy
death
is destroyed; see Proverbs 27:20; This is an emblem of a
covetous man
who enlarges his desire as hell or the grave; and is never
satisfied with gold
silver
and increase of substance he has
but is always
craving more;
and the barren womb; the second daughter
that cries
Give
give
as Rachel
"give me children
or I die"
Genesis 30:1
barren women are oftentimes
impatient for children
as she was; and importunate
as Hannah; and as the
Israelitish women were before the coming of the Messiah
each hoping he might
be born of them; especially before it was so clearly known that he should be
born of a virgin: though it may be rather the barren womb of harlots is here
meant
and who are generally barren
and whose lust is insatiable; and this may
be an emblem of lust
which is never satisfied; whether it be a lust of riches
or of honour
or of uncleanness
or of sensual pleasures;
the earth that is not filled with water; which is dry
and parched
and opens and gapes; and though large quantities of rain may fall
upon it
which it greedily drinks in; yet is not seen
nor is it filled with
it
but it thirsts for more: this may be an emblem of good men
that have
received abundance of the grace of God; and though they thirst not after sin
as
they before did
and others do; yet thirst after God
more knowledge of him
and communion with him
and for more grace
like the dry and thirsty land
and
cannot have enough of it; see John 4:13; or rather of wicked men
who
drink up iniquity like water
and yet never have their fill of it to their
satisfaction. This is the third thing
and the fourth follows:
and the fire that saith not
It is enough; but let what
fuel will be cast into it
it devours it
and still wants more: by the
Egyptians
as HerodotusF18Thalia sive
l. 3. c. 16. relates
fire is
reckoned an animated beast
which devours all it can lay hold on; and when it
is filled with food
it dies with that which is devoured by it. Such is the
fire of divine wrath
hell fire
in which sinners are
as thorns and briers;
and which is unquenchable
everlasting
burns for ever and ever; the Tophet
ordained of old
deep and large
the pile thereof is fire and much wood
kindled by the breath of the Lord
like a stream of brimstone
Isaiah 30:33. These are the four daughters
of the horse leech which resemble that in its insatiableness. Jarchi makes
mention of some that interpret the horse leech of "sheol"
or the
state of the dead; and the two daughters
of paradise and hell; the one says
"Give me the righteous"; and the other says
"Give me the
wicked." Aben Ezra applies these four to the four generations before
spoken of; the grave
into which are cast the generation of those that curse
their father
and die before their time; the barren womb
the generation of
those that are not washed from the filthiness of whoredom
and have no
children; the earth not filled with water
the proud and haughty
who are
humbled by famine; and the fire is that which descends from heaven
to consume
the generation that destroy the poor and oppress the needy
as fire came down
upon them in the days of Elijah. Jarchi takes notice of a Midrash
which
applies these four things to the four monarchies; as it does also all the four
things after mentioned.
Verse 17
The eye that mocketh at his father
.... At his
advice
admonitions
and instructions; looks upon him with scorn and disdain
and treats him as a weak
silly
old man: here Agur returns to the first
generation he had observed;
and despiseth to obey his mother; her orders
and commands: or
"the obedience of his mother"F19ליקהת אם "obediantiam
matris"
Pagninus
Montanus
Mercerus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Michaelis; "doctrinam"
Vatablus
Tigurine version;
"disciplinam"
Castalio; "obsequium matris"
Schultens. ;
her discipline and instruction
having no regard to it. The word is rendered
"gathering" in Genesis 49:10; and Jarchi interprets it of
the gathering of wrinkles in her face: and so the Targum
Arabic
and Syriac
versions render it
"the old age of his mother"; despising her as an
old foolish woman; see Proverbs 23:22; להק
in the Ethiopic language
signifies to "grow old"
from whence the
word here used
by a transposition of letters
may be derived; and Mr. CastellF20Lexic.
col. 1960. observes
that the royal prophet
among others
seems to have taken
this word from the queen of Sheba;
the ravens of the valley
shall pick it out
and the young eagles
shall eat it; it signifies
that such persons shall come to an untimely end
and an ignominious death; either be drowned in a river
when floating upon it
or cast upon the banks of it
the ravens that frequent such places
and are
most cruel and voracious
should feed upon them: or they should be hanged on a
tree
or be crucifiedF21"Non pasces in cruce corvos"
Horat. Ep. 16. ad Quinctium
v. 48.
where birds of prey would light upon
them; and particularly pick out their eyes and eat them
as being softest and
sweetest to them; therefore first aim at them
and of which birds
and
especially ravens
are very fondF23"Hic prior in cadaveribus
oculum petit"
Isidor. Origin. l. 12. c. 7. "Effossos oculos vorat
corvus"
Catullus ad Cominium
Ep. 105. v. 5. ; and is a just retaliation
for their scornful and disdainful looks at their parent. This may figuratively
design the black devils of hell
the posse of them in the air
who are
sometimes compared to the fowls thereof; to whom such unnatural and disobedient
children shall become a prey; see Matthew 13:4.
Verse 18
There be three things which are too wonderful for me
.... Which
were above his reach and comprehension; what he could not find out
nor account
for
nor sufficiently admire;
yea
four things which I know not; the way of them; as
follows.
Verse 19
The way of an eagle in the air
.... And so of any other
bird; but this is mentioned
because it flies swiftest
and soars highest: but
the way in which it goes is not known
nor can it be seen with the eye; it cuts
the air
and passes through it
but leaves no track behind it which may be
pointed to
and it may be said
that is the way the eagle took and flew towards
heaven out of sight;
the way of a serpent upon a rock; a smooth hard rock; and
wonderful it is that it should creep up it without legs; and where it leaves no
impression
no footsteps by which it can be traced
as it may in soft and sandy
places;
the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; it is
marvellous that such a vessel should be supported upon the sea; that it should
weather the storms and tempests of it; that it should be steered through the
trackless ocean to distant countries; and
particularly
though it makes
furrows in the waters
and divides the waves; yet these quickly close again
and there is no path to be seen in which it goes; there is no beaten road made
by it
nor by the vast numbers which go the same way
which a man can see with
his eyes or follow;
and the way of a man with a maid; or "to a maid"F24בעלמה "ad virginem"
Glassius
Gejerus
Noldius
p. 144. No. 678. ; the many artful ways and methods he uses to get into her
company
who is kept recluse; and to convey the sentiments and affections of
his heart unto her
to gain her love to him
and obtain her in an honourable
way of marriage; or to decoy and deceive her
and draw her into impure and
unlawful embraces: it may design the private and secret way of committing
fornication with her; which sense seems to be confirmed by Proverbs 30:20. Some of the ancients
particularly AmbroseF25De Salomone
c. 2
3
4
5.
interpreted the
whole of this verse of Christ: "the way of an eagle in the air"
of
his ascension to heaven
with men his prey
taken out of the jaws of the enemy;
and which is such as is beyond the comprehension of men
that one of so great
majesty should vouchsafe to come down from heaven
or ascend thither: "the
way of a serpent upon a rock" he understands of the temptations of Satan
the old serpent
with which he attacked Christ
the Rock; but could imprint no
footsteps of his malice and wickedness on him; could find nothing in him to
work upon
nor leave any sign behind him
as upon Adam: "the way of a ship
in the midst of the sea" he interprets of the church; which though
distressed with storms and tempests of persecution and false doctrine
yet
cannot suffer shipwreck
Christ being in it: and the last clause he renders as
the Vulgate Latin version does
"and the way of a man in youth";
which he explains of the journeys which Christ took
and the ways of virtue he
pursued
to do good to the bodies and souls of men
which are so many as not to
be numbered. But it may be better interpreted of the wonderful incarnation of
Christ
his conception and birth of a virgin; which was a new and unheard of
thing
and the way and manner of it quite inscrutable
and more hard and
difficult to be understood than any of the rest; for the words may be rendered
"the way of a man in a maid" or "virgin"; that is
the
conception of Geber
the mighty man
in the virgin; see Jeremiah 31:22. GussetiusF26Ebr.
Comment. p. 195. gives the mystical sense of the whole
as referring to the
ascension of Christ; his coming out of the stony grave; his conversation among
the people
like the tumultuous waves; and his incarnation of a virgin.
Verse 20
Such is the way of an adulterous woman
.... It is
equally unknown as the way of a man with a maid; it is difficult to detect her
she takes so much care and caution
and uses so many artful methods to conceal
her wickedness from her husband; though she lives in adultery
it is in a most
private manner
and carried on so secretly and artfully that she is not easily
discovered;
she eateth
and wipeth her mouth; like one that eats what
he should not
wipes his mouth that it might not be known or suspected he had
ate anything; so such an adulteress commits the sin of adultery; and when she
has done looks as grave and demure
and carries it so to her husband and all
her friends
as if she was the chastest person upon earth. The allusion may be
to harlots
who after an impure congress used to wash themselvesF1"Dedecus
hoc sumpta dissimulavit aqua"
Ovid. Amor. l. 3. Eleg. 6. in fine.
and
had servants to wait upon them and serve them with water
called from hence
"aquarioli"F2Tertull. Apolog. c. 43. Vid. Turnebi
Adversar. l. 14. c. 12. ;
and saith
I have done no wickedness; she says by
her behaviour
by her demure looks; and if suspected and challenged with it
utterly denies it. This is an emblem of the antichristian whore of Rome
who
though the mother of harlots
and abominations of the earth; though guilty of
the foulest adultery
that is
the grossest idolatry
yet pretends to be the
pure and chaste spouse of Christ; and
under the guise of purity and holiness
and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness
seduces the minds of many; see Revelation 17:1.
Verse 21
For three things the earth is disquieted
.... The
inhabitants of it are made very uneasy;
and for four which it cannot bear; they are a
load and burden upon it
and are intolerable to those that dwell on it
and
make them very uncomfortable.
Verse 22
For a servant
when he reigneth
.... Being unfit for it
through his education
not having been trained up in and learned the arts of government
and maxims of it; and through the disposition of his mind
which is mean
abject
and servile; and as he has been used himself when a servant
so he will
use othersF3"Nec bellua tetrior ulla est
quam servi rabies in
libera colla furentis"
Claudian. in Eutrop. l. 1. v. 183
184. and
through his circumstances
being poor
he will take oppressive methods to
become rich; and being raised from a low estate
he is the more imperious
proud
and haughtyF4"Asperius nihil est humili
cum surgit in
altum"
Claudian. ib. v. 181. ; all which and more make his reign
intolerable; see Proverbs 19:10. This may be applied to
antichrist
the "servus servorum"
who in a haughty
tyrannical
and
insolent manner
exalts himself above all that is called God: and reigns over
the kings of the earth
at least has done so
and that in such a manner as was
unbearable; deposing kings at pleasure
disposing of their kingdoms
and trampling
upon their necks
and making their subjects his vassals; see 2 Thessalonians 2:4;
and a fool
when he is filled with meat; as Nabal at
his feast
when he behaved so intolerably in his cups towards David and his
messengers
that he determined on his destruction
had not Abigail interposed
1 Samuel 25:10; and there are many such
fools
who having their bellies full of food
and their heads full of liquor
are very overbearing in company
and give their tongues such a loose as is very
disturbing: or this may intend such fools
or wicked men
who are full of
wealth and riches
and being purse proud
are exceeding haughty and insolent;
set their mouths against the heaven
and blaspheme God that is in it; and their
tongues walk through the earth
and spare none
but lash all in an insufferable
manner. These disquiet families
neighbourhoods
communities
and
commonwealths; see Psalm 73:7.
Verse 23
For an odious woman
when she is married
.... Odious
for her person
her ugliness
and the deformity of her body; or rather for the
ill qualities of her mind
which
while single
she endeavours to conceal
but
being married
hides them no longer; but becomes imperious
proud
scornful
and malicious
and behaves in an ill natured way to her husband and all about
her
to such a degree
that there is no bearing the place where she is;
and an handmaid
that is heir to her mistress; that has got
so much into her affections that she leaves all she has to her when she dies
which
makes her insufferably proud and vain; or she marries her master after the
death of her mistress
and so coming into her place enjoys all she had
but
only her wisdom and humility; which being wanting
she behaves in such a manner
as to make the whole family uneasy. This might be exemplified in the case of
Hagar
the bondmaid of Sarah
a type of those that are under the law of works
and seek the inheritance by it; and who trust in themselves that they are
righteous
and despise others
Genesis 16:4.
Verse 24
There be four things which are little upon the earth
.... Small in
bulk
that have little bodies
are the lesser sort of animals;
but they are exceeding wise; show a great deal of art
and wisdom in what they do; or "but they are wise
made wise"F5חכמים מחכמים "sapientia
sapientia imbuta"; Heb. "sapientificata"
Piscator
Gejerus. by
the instinct of nature
by the direction of Providence
by which they do things
that are surprising. Some versions
that have no regard to the points
read the
words
"but their are wiser than the wise"F6"Sapientiora
sapientibus"
so Sept. V. L. Arabic and Syriac versions; "sapientia
superant
vel prudentissimos"
Tigurine version. ; than even wise men;
wise men may learn much from the least of creatures; see Job 12:7.
Verse 25
The ants are a people not strong
.... Far from
it; what is weaker than an ant? a multitude of them may be destroyed at once
with the crush of a foot. Pliny calls it "minimum animal"
the least
animal; and the Arabians use it as a proverb
to call a weak man one weaker
than an ant: and there is one sort of ants called "dsar"
so small
that one hundred of them will not weigh more than a barley cornF7Bochart.
Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 4. c. 22. col. 598. : they are called a people
because
they associate together in great numbers; though small in bulk
and weak as to
power and strength; and which is a figure elsewhere used in the sacred
Scriptures; see Joel 1:6; and by profane writers
as Homer
and Virgil
who speak of bees as a people and nationF8 εθνεα μελισσαων Iliad. 2. v. 87. "Et populos et proelia
dicam"
Georgic. l. 4. v. 4
5. ; and of nations of flies
and of flying
birds
geese
cranes
and swansF9Iliad. 2. v. 459
469. & 15. v.
690
691. ;
yet their prepare their meat in the summer; build
granaries with great art and wisdom
carry in grains of corn with great labour
and industry
in the summer season
when only to be got
and lay them up
against winter. PhocylidesF11Poem. Admon. v. 158
159. the poet says
much the same things of them; he calls them a tribe or nation
small but
laborious
and says
they gather and carry in their food in summer for the
winter
which is a proof of their wisdom. CiceroF12De Natura Deorum
l. 3. says
the ant has not only sense
but mind
reason
and memory. AelianusF13De
Animal. l. 16. c. 15. ascribes unspeakable wisdom to it; and PlinyF14Nat.
Hist. l. 11. c. 30. discourse and conversation; See Gill on Proverbs 6:6; see Gill on Proverbs 6:7; See Gill on Proverbs 6:8. It is a pattern of industry
and diligence both as to temporal and spiritual things
Ecclesiastes 9:10.
Verse 26
The coneys are but a feeble folk
.... Or
"rabbits"; though some think these creatures are not intended
because they are not so little as those with which they are ranked
the ant
the locust
and spider; and because of the places in which they burrow and make
their houses
which though in holes and caverns of the earth
yet not in rocky
but sandy places; rather therefore it is thought that the mountain mouse
or
bear mouseF15שפנים οι χοιρογρυλλιοι
Sept. "choerogryllii"
Vatablus;
"mures montani"
Junius & Tremellius
Cartwright;
"arctomyes"
Schultens.
as Jerom calls it
is meant; of which
he
saysF16Epist. ad Sun. & Fretelli
fol. 30
C. tom. 3.
there
were great numbers in Palestine
and which had their habitations in the holes
of rocks; though if Spain has its name from שפן
as
some say
because of the multitudes of coneys in it; and hence that part of
Spain called Celtiberia is called by CatullusF17Cuniculosa
Celtiberia
Epigram. ad Contubernales
35. v. 18. Cuniculosa; the coney may be
thought to be meant by this word
and so it is translated in Leviticus 11:5; the only places where it is
elsewhere used; and the word may be derived either from ספן
to "cover"
by a change of the letters ש
and ס; or from שוף
which
has the signification both of breaking
and of hiding and covering
Genesis 3:15; and this creature breaks the
earth and hides itself in itF18Gaudet "in effossis habitare
cuniculus antris"
Martial. Epigr. l. 13. Ep. 58. ;
yet make they their houses in the rocks; it is usual
with other writers to call the receptacles of any creatures
beasts
birds
or
insects
their houses so we read of the house of the ant
and of the tortoise
and snailF19Phaedri Fab. 37
80. ; and which
because it carries its
house era its back
it is called by CiceroF20De Divinat. l. 2. c.
64. and so by Hesiod and Anaxilas in Athenaei Deipnosoph. l. 2. c. 22. p. 63.
"domiporta"; see Psalm 104:17; the coneys make theirs in the
rocks
to cure themselves from their more potent enemies; and thus what they
want in strength is made up in sagacity
and by their wise conduct they provide
for their safety and protection. These are an emblem of the people of God
who
are a weak and feeble people
unable of themselves to perform spiritual duties
to exercise grace
to withstand the corruptions of their nature
resist the
temptations of Satan
bear up under afflictive providences
and grapple with
spiritual enemies
or defend themselves from them: but such heavenly wisdom is
given them
as to betake themselves for refuge and shelter to Christ
the Rock
of Israel; the Rock of salvation
the Rock that is higher than they; a strong
one
on which the church is built
and against which the gates of hell cannot
prevail: and here they are safe from the storms of divine wrath
and the
avenging justice of God; from the rage and fury of men
and the fiery darts of
Satan; here they dwell safely and delightfully
and have all manner of
provision at hand for them; they are the inhabitants of that Rock
who have
reason to sing indeed! see Isaiah 33:16.
Verse 27
The locusts have no king
.... These are small
creatures also
yet very devouring ones; and consume the fruits of the earth
wherever they come and light; see Exodus 10:13; they are very numerous
and
move in large bodies
and yet with great regularity and order; which shows the
wisdom there is in them by natural instinct
though they have no king to
command
guide
and direct them: in this the mystical locusts differ from them
who have a king
whose name is Abaddon
Revelation 9:11;
yet they go forth all of them by bands; the Targum
is
"they
are all gathered together as one.'
They
get together in one place; they associate and join themselves in bands
and
keep together
though they have no ruler over them; an emblem of unity
concord
and harmony
let the form of government be what it will
as the best
security to a people: and these creatures
when they move from place to place
they move in a body
in a very regular manner; "in precise order"F21Vid.
Hilier. Onomastic. Sacr. p. 187.
as the words may be rendered
with great
exactness
everyone in his proper place
all in rank and file; and though they
have no general to marshal them
yet are in
and march in as good order as the
most regular army does. So the Arabic version
"yet
in their army
their affairs and manner are in a beautiful disposition;'
indeed
they are God's army
as they are called
Joel 2:25; and it is he that gives them
their wisdom
instructions
directions
and commission. It is rendered by some
"everyone cutting"; that is
as KimchiF23Sepher Shorash.
rad. חצץ; so Stockius
p. 377. "exeidens omnia
herbas
scil. et fruges"
Schindler. col. 633. so Ben Melech. interprets
it
cutting the green grass and trees; or
"every one dividing"F24חצץ כלו "unaquaeque sibi
dividens"
Bochart; so Schultens. ; that is
to himself
the prey or
spoils
as kings do; see Isaiah 33:4.
Verse 28
The spider taketh hold with her hands
.... On the
thread she spins
or on the flies and bees she catches in her web. This is a
small creature
yet very wise; what a curious thread does she spin! what a fine
web does she weave! with what exactness and proportion is it framed! as if she
understood the rules of mathematics and architecture;
and is in kings' palaces; as well as in the houses
of poor people
and in temples also; we readF25Aelian. Var. Hist. l.
12. c. 57. of one in the temple of Ceres
which drew its web over the face of
the image: and though her webs are oftentimes destroyed
especially in kings'
palaces; yet such is her constancy and assiduity
and her unwearied application
to business
that
as fast as they are destroyed
she attempts to restore them.
This creature is an emblem of diligence in things temporal and spiritual; which
those that use in the former sense shall stand before kings
and not before
mean men; and in the latter sense shall have the presence of the King of kings
and dwell in his palace here and hereafter: also of worldly minded men
who
labour to be rich; spend their time
and take a great deal of pains for mere trifles;
weave curious webs
and
after all
only catch flies; and those they cannot
hold
uncertain riches
which make themselves wings and fly away. Likewise this
creature may resemble hypocrites
whose hope and trust are as the spider's web
built upon their own righteousness
spun out of their own hearts; a fine
thin
slender thread
which cannot bear one stroke of the besom of divine justice;
such as these are in the palaces of Christ the King
are in his churches
hypocrites in Zion; see Job 8:13. Aben Ezra interprets it of the
ape: the same David de PomisF26Lexic. fol. 216. 1. observes
and Mr.
WeemseF1Exercitat. l. 1. exercitat. 4. p. 31.
who seems to incline
to this sense; and this creature King Solomon
no doubt
had in his palace
since his navy brought many of these
every three years
from those parts to
which it was sent
1 Kings 10:22; and to these hands more
properly belong than to spiders
and are taken into king's palaces for their
pleasure and diversion; but to these there is one objection
that this creature
is not a little one. Others understand it of the "lizard"
that sort
which is called "stellio"; but it is a question whether this is to be
found in king's palaces. BelloniusF2Apud Dieteric. Antiqu. Biblio.
p. 470. makes mention of a kind of lizard
which creeps into walls and catches
flies
and is called by the Greeks "samiamiton"
a name very near the
Hebrew word here used: and PlinyF3Nat. Hist. l. 3o. c. 10. speaks of
the "stellio"
or lizard
as being in doors
windows
and chambers;
and as a very fraudulent and deceitful creature to men
none more so; and also
as poisonous
as this creature in the text by its name seems to be: and AustinF4Confess.
l. 10. c. 35. makes mention of the lizard as a domestic animal; which catches
flies as the spider
with whom he joins it. The Targum
Jarchi
and Gersom
take
it to be the spider
as we do; which may be thought most likely
since the
creature here meant seems to have its name from the Arabic word
"sam"
which signifies poisonF5Golius
col. 1208.
Hottinger. Smegin Oriental. l. 1. c. 7. p. 199. ; though it is affirmedF6Philosoph.
Transact. abridged
vol. 2. p. 800. and vol. 5. part. 1. p. 24. the spider is
not poisonous; as is well known by persons who have frequently swallowed them
without any more harm than happens to hens
robin red breasts
and other birds
who make them their daily food; and so men have been bit by them
without any
ill consequence: wherefore it is still thought by some that the lizard is more
probably meant; since some sorts of them are poisonousF7Plin. Nat.
Hist. l. 22. c. 25. & l. 29. c. 4.
though not all
for some are eatable;
See Gill on Leviticus 11:30.
Verse 29
There be three things which go well
.... In a very
orderly and composed manner; with constancy and cheerfulness
with great
stateliness and majesty
intrepidly
and without fear;
yea
four are comely in going; very beautiful and
lovely to look at as they walk.
Verse 30
A lion
which is strongest among beasts
.... For what
is stronger than a lion
or more courageous and undaunted? it walks with great
majesty
very slowly
step by step
the left foot first; shaking its shoulders
as it goes
as the philosopherF8Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 2. c. 1.
& Physog. c. 5. describes its going
and as here intended
and this without
fear;
and turneth not away for any; it does not go out of
its way for any creature it meets with; nor does it hasten its pace when
pursued
nor show the lest sign of fear; nor does it turn its back to any;
which is observed and confirmed by AristotleF9Hist. Animal. l. 9. c.
44.
AelianusF11De Animal. l. 4. c. 34.
PlinyF12Nat.
Hist. l. 8. c. 16.
and other naturalists; particularly what HomerF13 ευστε λεων ορεσιτροφος
&c. Iliad. 12. v.
299. and VirgilF14"Ceu saevum turba leonem"
&c.
Aeneid. l. 9. prope finem. say of this animal agrees with this account of
Solomon. This creature is an emblem of Christ
the Lion of the tribe of Judah
who is stronger than the strong man armed; who never turned his back to any of
his enemies; nor turned aside from the way of his duty
or the work of his
office
on account of any; not Herod the fox
who threatened to kill him; nor
Satan
the roaring lion
when he knew he was on the march to meet him; nor any
of those
who
though they had a band of soldiers
that came to take him; see Luke 13:31; and also it is an emblem of
righteous men
who are as bold as a lion; and cannot be moved from their duty
by anything they meet with
but remain steadfast and constant in it; see Proverbs 28:1.
Verse 31
A greyhound
.... So Gersom interprets the word; but Jarchi owns he does not
know what is meant; and Aben Ezra only says
it is the name of a living
creature
but does not say what; but observes
that some interpret it of the
"bee"
and others of the "eagle". The words of the original
text only describe something "girt about the loins"F15זרזיר מחנים "accinctus
lumbis equus"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cartwright
Glassius
Bochart
Buxtorf; "infibulatus lumbos equus"
Schultens. : and KimchiF16Sepher.
Shorash. in voce זרזיר. observes
that some say it is
a hunting dog so called
because it is thin about the loins
as if it was bound
and girt; and AristotleF17De Physiognom. c. 6. describes hunting
dogs as well girded about their loins: but others
as Kimchi in the same place
observes
interpret it of the leopard
which is small
and strong in its loins;
and others of a bird called the starling; but he owns he cannot understand the
meaning of its loins being girt: David de PomisF18Lexic. fol. 28. 1.
interprets it of a cock; others
he says
interpret it a hunting dog; others
a
leopard; and some
a species of an unclean bird; perhaps he means the starling
as before; and so the word is used for that bird in the TalmudF19T.
Bab. Bava Kama
fol. 92. 2.
and in the Arabic languageF20Golius
col. 1092. . Most likely the "horse" is meant; which is a very
stately and majestic creature in its going
and is very comely when it has its
harness girt on; and especially a war horse
with all its warlike
accoutrements
when it proceeds to battle
and stalks on in it; this creature
one should think
could not be omitted among the four
which is described in so
magnificent a manner in Job 39:19; and is called the goodly horse
in the battle
Zechariah 10:3; unless a fine slender
bodied race horse should be meant: the horse bids fairer than any other
creature named to be what is designed. The third creature follows
which goes
well
and is comely in going:
an he goat also; which with its long beard walks very
gravely
and in a stately manner
before the flock; and the Septuagint
Syriac
and Arabic versions add
"going before the flock"; see Jeremiah 50:8. This stately walk of the
goat is very particularly taken notice of by
AelianF21De Animal. l.
7. c. 26. ; he observes
that the she goat disdains to be last in a flock of
sheep
but declares by her walk that she ought to be first; he adds
that the
he goat goes before the she goats
glorying in his beard; and
by a kind of
wonderful instinct in nature
judges the male is to be preferred to the femaleF23"Dux
pecoris hircus
duxerat hircus oves"
Tibullus
l. 2. Eleg. 1. v. 58. .
Kings
rulers
and governors
are compared to this creature; as Alexander the
great is in Daniel 8:5; see Zechariah 10:3; especially such resemble it
who rule well
and set good examples to their subjects: and to such
ministers
of the Gospel are like; who go before their flocks
guide and direct them
and
are examples to them: and likewise all believers; who strive to go before
others in good works
and who then are comely in their going. The fourth is
and a king
against whom there is no rising up; no
insurrection
no opposition; who is not to be resisted or withstood; a lawful
king
in the lawful administration of government
who rules in the fear of God
and according to his word
and the good and wholesome laws of a nation
ought
not to be resisted
Romans 13:1; and a powerful
successful
and victorious king cannot be resisted
withstood
and prevailed over; he
drives all before him
and subdues all under him
as David
Cyrus
Alexander
and others. But to none can this better be applied than to Christ
the King of
kings; against whom there is no rising
before whom none can stand
against
whom the gates of hell can never prevail; who
even in his state of
humiliation
conquered and subdued all his and our enemies; destroyed the
tyrant
sin; spoiled Satan
and his principalities and powers; overcame the
world; abolished death
the last enemy; and delivered his people out of the
hands of all
and made them more than conquerors: and who went forth in the
ministry of the Gospel
into the Gentile world
conquering and to conquer;
bearing down all opposition before him
and subduing the people under him; and
who
in the latter day
will engage with his antichristian enemies
the beast
false prophet
and kings of the earth
and shall overcome them
and clear the
world of them. And this is King who is comely in his going; as he was in his
goings of old from everlasting; when he drew nigh to his divine. Father
and
became the surety of his people; and in his coming into this world
by the
assumption of our nature
to save lost perishing sinners: and so he is in his
spiritual visits to his saints; in his goings in the sanctuary
and walks he
takes amidst the golden candlesticks
his churches; as he will be also when he
comes a second time in the clouds of heaven: it will be a glorious appearing;
he will come with all the saints
and be attended with his mighty angels; he
will come in their glory
in his own
and in the glory of his Father; and will
be comely in his going indeed it will be with great stateliness and majesty.
The learned Dr. PocockeF24Specimen. Arab. Hist. p. 203. So
"kuma" is used for people in the Alcoran
Surat. Joseph. v. 9.
from
the use of the word "alkum" in the Arabic language
renders the words
thus
"and a king with whom the people is"; who agree together; the
one rules well
and the other obey cheerfully; such a king walking with majesty
is comely to his people
and terrible to his enemies. The Targum is
"and
a king
who stands and speaks in the house of his people.'
Verse 32
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself
.... Against a
king
against whom there is no rising up; by speaking evil of him
or rebelling
against him; which is acting a foolish part
since it brings a man into
troubles and difficulties inextricable; or by self-commendation
which is the
height of folly
and the fruit of pride; or carried it in such a haughty and
overbearing manner to others
as to provoke to wrath and anger;
or if thou hast thought evil; purposed and designed
it
and contrived the scheme of doing it
though not yet put in execution;
though folly is not actually committed
yet since the thought of it is rain
care should be taken to prevent it;
lay thine hand upon thy mouth: think again
before the thing resolved on is done; as studious and thoughtful men put their
hand to their mouth
when they are deeply considering any affair before them:
or put a stop to the design
let it go no further; what has been thought of in
the mind
let it never come out of the mouth
nor be carried into execution;
stifle it in the first motion: or if this respects a foolish action done
as it
also may
since it stands connected with both clauses
then the sense is
be
silent; do not pretend to deny the action
nor to excuse it; nor to say one
word in the defence of it; nor to lay the blame upon others; and much less to
calumniate and reproach such who faithfully reprove for it; take shame to
thyself in silence
and repent of the iniquity done. Aben Ezra thinks these
words are said to Ithiel and Ucal; but rather
to any and everyone
to all that
should hear and read these proverbs. The Targum is
"do
not lift up thyself
lest thou be foolish; and do not stretch out thine hand to
thy mouth.'
Verse 33
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter
.... Or the
pressing of it. This is a thing well known and certain
that of milk
when
pressed out of the udder
and put into a churn
and there is shook together
by
a constant violent agitation or motion
called churning
butter is produced;
and cheese is sometimes called pressed milkF25"Pressi copia
lactis"
Virgil. Bucolic. eclog. 1. v. 82. "Et lactia massa
coacti"
Ovid. Metamorph. l. 8. v. 666.
and is pressed with the runnet
and by the hand alsoF26"Causem bubulum manu presssum"
Sueton. in Octav. c. 76. ;
and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: a too violent
compression of it
or forcible blowing of it
in order to purge it from any
impurity in it; instead of doing which it may break the tender skin
and bring
forth blood
which may be of bad consequence;
so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife; irritating
the passions of men
and provoking them by scurrilous and reproachful words to
wrath and anger
produce contentions
feuds
and lawsuits
which are not soon
and easily ended; and therefore such a conduct should be carefully avoided. The
same word is used in the three clauses
and signifies pressing
squeezing
forcing.
──《John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible》