Teks -- Proverbs 22:1-29 (NET)

22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth, good favor more than silver or gold. 22:2 The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the creator of them both. 22:3 A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it. 22:4 The reward for humility and fearing the Lord is riches and honor and life. 22:5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the perverse, but the one who guards himself keeps far from them. 22:6 Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. 22:8 The one who sows iniquity will reap trouble, and the rod of his fury will end. 22:9 A generous person will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor. 22:10 Drive out the scorner and contention will leave; strife and insults will cease. 22:11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious– the king will be his friend. 22:12 The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless person. 22:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the middle of the streets!” 22:14 The mouth of an adulteress is like a deep pit; the one against whom the Lord is angry will fall into it. 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him. 22:16 The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain and the one who gives to the rich– both end up only in poverty.

The Sayings of the Wise

22:17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my instruction. 22:18 For it is pleasing if you keep these sayings within you, and they are ready on your lips. 22:19 So that your confidence may be in the Lord, I am making them known to you today– even you. 22:20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, 22:21 to show you true and reliable words, so that you may give accurate answers to those who sent you? 22:22 Do not exploit a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court, 22:23 for the Lord will plead their case and will rob those who are robbing them. 22:24 Do not make friends with an angry person, and do not associate with a wrathful person, 22:25 lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. 22:26 Do not be one who strikes hands in pledge or who puts up security for debts. 22:27 If you do not have enough to pay, your bed will be taken right out from under you! 22:28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone which was put in place by your ancestors. 22:29 Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will take his position before kings; he will not take his position before obscure people.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Pro 22:1 - Favour

A good report among men, especially good men, and that hearty kindness which attends it.

Wesley: Pro 22:2 - Meet

They live together, and need one another.

Wesley: Pro 22:2 - The maker

Not only as they are men, but as they are poor or rich, which difference comes from God's providence. They have one common creator, and Lord, and judge, and the one cannot despise nor grudge at the other without reflecting upon God.

Wesley: Pro 22:3 - The evil

The judgment of God threatened, and approaching.

Wesley: Pro 22:3 - Hideth

Retires to his strong tower, by prayer and repentance, puts himself under the protection of the almighty.

Wesley: Pro 22:3 - Pass on

Carefully and securely.

Wesley: Pro 22:6 - Depart

Not easily and ordinarily.

Wesley: Pro 22:7 - Is servant

Is at his mercy, and forced to comply with his pleasure.

Wesley: Pro 22:8 - The rod

That power which he used with fury shall be taken from him.

Wesley: Pro 22:9 - He

Who looks upon the wants and miseries of others with compassion.

Wesley: Pro 22:12 - Preserve

God by the watchful eye of his providence maintains and defends.

Wesley: Pro 22:12 - Knowledge

Men of knowledge, knowing and good men.

Wesley: Pro 22:12 - The matters

All his hopes, enterprizes, and concerns.

Wesley: Pro 22:14 - The mouth

Her fair and flattering speeches.

Wesley: Pro 22:15 - Bound

Is fixed and settled there, as being born with him, and rooted in his very nature.

Wesley: Pro 22:16 - That giveth

That prodigally casts away his estate upon those who do not need it.

Wesley: Pro 22:17 - My knowledge

The knowledge of God, which I am here delivering.

Wesley: Pro 22:18 - Fitted

Fitly expressed: thou wilt be able to discourse profitably of them.

Wesley: Pro 22:20 - In counsels and knowledge

In counsels which proceed from found knowledge.

Wesley: Pro 22:21 - Answer

That thou mayst be able to give solid, and satisfactory answers.

Wesley: Pro 22:22 - In the gate

Under pretence of justice.

Wesley: Pro 22:23 - Spoil the soul

Take away not only their goods but their lives too.

Wesley: Pro 22:29 - Before kings

He is fit to be employed in the affairs of princes.

JFB: Pro 22:1

(Pro. 22:1-29)

JFB: Pro 22:1 - A good name

(Job 30:8, Hebrew); "good" is supplied here from Ecc 7:1.

JFB: Pro 22:1 - loving favour

Kind regard, that is, of the wise and good.

JFB: Pro 22:2

Before God all are on the same footing (Pro 14:31; Pro 17:5).

JFB: Pro 22:3 - are punished

That is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.

JFB: Pro 22:4 - humility and the fear of the Lord

Are in apposition; one produces the other. On the results, compare Pro 3:16; Pro 8:18.

JFB: Pro 22:5 - he that . . . them

Those who properly watch over their own souls are thus preserved from the dangers which attend the way of perverse men (Pro 16:17).

JFB: Pro 22:6 - Train

Initiate, or early instruct.

JFB: Pro 22:6 - the way

Literally, "his way," that selected for him in which he should go; for early training secures habitual walking in it.

JFB: Pro 22:7

The influence of wealth sets aside moral distinctions is implied, and, of course, disapproved (compare Pro 19:6; Pro 21:14, &c.).

JFB: Pro 22:8

(Compare Pro 11:18; Psa 109:16-20; Gal 6:7-8).

JFB: Pro 22:8 - the rod . . . fail

His power to do evil will be destroyed.

JFB: Pro 22:9 - a bountiful eye

That is, a beneficent disposition.

JFB: Pro 22:9 - for he giveth . . . poor

His acts prove it.

JFB: Pro 22:10 - Cast out

Or drive away. Scorners foster strife by taunts and revilings.

JFB: Pro 22:11

(Compare Margin).

JFB: Pro 22:11 - pureness of heart

And gentle, kind words win favor, even from kings.

JFB: Pro 22:12 - preserve

Or guard.

JFB: Pro 22:12 - knowledge

Its principles and possessors.

JFB: Pro 22:12 - overthroweth

Utterly confounds and destroys the wicked.

JFB: Pro 22:13

Frivolous excuses satisfy the indolent man's conscience.

JFB: Pro 22:14 - The mouth

Or flattering speeches (Pro 5:3; Pro 7:5) ensnare man, as pits, beasts. God makes their own sin their punishment.

JFB: Pro 22:15 - is bound

Or firmly fixed. Chastisement deters from crime and so leads to reformation of principle.

JFB: Pro 22:16

These two vices pertain to the same selfish feeling. Both are deservedly odious to God and incur punishment.

JFB: Pro 22:17

Here begins another division of the book, marked by those encouragements to the pursuit of wisdom, which are found in the earlier chapters. It will be observed that at Pro. 22:22-24:12, the proverbs are generally expressed in two verses instead of one (see Introduction).

JFB: Pro 22:18

These lessons must be laid up in the mind, and

JFB: Pro 22:18 - fitted

Or better, "fixed" in the lips so as to be ever ready.

JFB: Pro 22:19 - That . . . Lord

This is the design of the instruction.

JFB: Pro 22:20 - excellent things

Or probably of former times.

JFB: Pro 22:20 - counsels and knowledge

Both advice and instruction.

JFB: Pro 22:21

Specially he desires to secure accuracy, so that his pupil may teach others.

JFB: Pro 22:22-23

Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pro 17:5; Psa 12:5).

JFB: Pro 22:22-23 - in the gate

Place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Psa 69:12).

JFB: Pro 22:24-25

(Compare Pro 2:12-15; Pro 4:14).

JFB: Pro 22:25 - a snare . . . soul

The unsuspecting are often misled by bad company.

JFB: Pro 22:26-27

(Compare Pro 6:1; Pro 17:18).

JFB: Pro 22:27 - should he take, &c.

That is, the creditor.

JFB: Pro 22:28

(Compare Pro 23:10). Do not entrench on others (Deu 19:14; Deu 27:17).

JFB: Pro 22:29

Success rewards diligence (Pro 10:4; Pro 21:5).

Clarke: Pro 22:1 - A good name

A good name - שם shem , a name, put for reputation, credit, fame. Used nearly in the same way that we use it: "He has got a name;""his name stands high;"for "He is a man of credit and reputation." טבא toba , καλον, hamood , and bonum , are added by the Chaldee, Septuagint, Arabiac, and Vulgate, all signifying good or excellent

Clarke: Pro 22:1 - Is rather to be chosen than great riches

Is rather to be chosen than great riches - Because character will support a man in many circumstances; and there are many rich men that have no name: but the word of the man of character will go farther than all their riches.

Clarke: Pro 22:2 - The rich and poor meet together

The rich and poor meet together - עשיר ashir the opulent, whether in money, land, or property; רש rash , the man that is destitute of these, and lives by his labor, whether a handicraftsman, or one that tills the ground. In the order of God, the rich and the poor live together, and are mutually helpful to each other. Without the poor, the rich could not be supplied with the articles which they consume; for the poor include all the laboring classes of society: and without the rich, the poor could get no vent for the produce of their laborer, nor, in many cases, labor itself. The poor have more time to labor than the mere necessaries of life require; their extra time is employed in providing a multitude of things which are called the superfluities of life, and which the rich especially consume. All the poor man’ s time is thus employed; and he is paid for his extra labor by the rich. The rich should not despise the poor, without whom he can neither have his comforts, nor maintain his state. The poor should not envy the rich, without whom he could neither get employment, nor the necessaries of life

Clarke: Pro 22:2 - The Lord is the Maker of them all

The Lord is the Maker of them all - Both the states are in the order of God’ s providence and both are equally important in his sight. Merely considered as men, God loves the simple artificer or laborer as much as he does the king; though the office of the latter, because of its entering into the plan of his government of the world, is of infinitely greatly consequence than the trade of the poor artificer. Neither should despise the other; neither should envy the other. Both are useful; both important; both absolutely necessary to each other’ s welfare and support; and both are accountable to God for the manner in which they acquit themselves in those duties of life which God has respectively assigned them. The abject poor - those who are destitute of health and the means of life - God in effect lays at the rich man’ s door, that by his superfluities they may be supported. How wise is that ordinance which has made the rich and the poor! Pity it were not better understood!

Clarke: Pro 22:3 - A prudent man foreseeth the evil

A prudent man foreseeth the evil - God in mercy has denied man the knowledge of futurity; but in its place he has given him hope and prudence. By hope he is continually expecting and anticipating good; by prudence he derives and employs means to secure it. His experience shows him that there are many natural evils in a current state, the course of which he can neither stem nor divert: prudence shows him beforehand the means he may use to step out of their way, and hide himself. The simple - the inexperienced, headstrong, giddy, and foolish - rush on in the career of hope, without prudence to regulate, chastise, and guide it; thus they commit many faults, make many miscarriages, and suffer often in consequence; and the commission of crimes leads to punishment.

Clarke: Pro 22:5 - Thorns and snares

Thorns and snares - Various difficulties, trials, and sufferings.

Clarke: Pro 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go

Train up a child in the way he should go - The Hebrew of this clause is curious: חנך לנער על פי דרכו chanoch lannaar al pi darco , "Initiate the child at the opening (the mouth) of his path."When he comes to the opening of the way of life, being able to walk alone, and to choose; stop at this entrance, and begin a series of instructions, how he is to conduct himself in every step he takes. Show him the duties, the dangers, and the blessings of the path; give him directions how to perform the duties, how to escape the dangers, and how to secure the blessings, which all lie before him. Fix these on his mind by daily inculcation, till their impression is become indelible; then lead him to practice by slow and almost imperceptible degrees, till each indelible impression becomes a strongly radicated habit. Beg incessantly the blessing of God on all this teaching and discipline; and then you have obeyed the injunction of the wisest of men. Nor is there any likelihood that such impressions shall ever be effaced, or that such habits shall ever be destroyed

חנך chanac , which we translate train up or initiate, signifies also dedicate; and is often used for the consecrating any thing, house, or person, to the service of God. Dedicate, therefore, in the first instance, your child to God; and nurse, teach, and discipline him as God’ s child, whom he has intrusted to your care. These things observed, and illustrated by your own conduct, the child (you have God’ s word for it) will never depart from the path of life. Coverdale translates the passage thus: "Yf thou teachest a childe what waye he shoulde go, he shall not leave it when he is olde."Coverdale’ s Bible, for generally giving the true sense of a passage, and in elegant language for the time, has no equal in any of the translations which have followed since. Horace’ s maxim is nearly like that of Solomon: -

Fingit equum tenera docilem cervice magiste

Ire viam, quam monstrat eques; venaticus, ex qu

Tempore cervinam pellem latravit in aula

Militat in sylvis catulus. Nunc adbibe pur

Pectore verba, puer; nunc te melioribus ofter

Quo semel est imbuta recens, servabit odore

Testa diu

Hor. Ep. lib. i., ep. 2, ver. 64

"The docile colt is form’ d with gentle skil

To move obedient to his rider’ s will

In the loud hall the hound is taught to ba

The buckskin trail’ d, then challenges his pre

Through the wild woods. Thus, in your hour of yout

From pure instruction quaff the words of truth

The odours of the wine that first shall stai

The virgin vessel, it shall long retain.

Francis.

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Clarke: Pro 22:7 - The rich ruieth over the poor

The rich ruieth over the poor - So it is in the order of God, and may be a blessing to both.

Clarke: Pro 22:8 - He that soweth iniquity

He that soweth iniquity - The crop must be according to the seed. If a man sow thistle seed, is it likely he shall reap wheat? If he sow to the flesh, shall he not of the flesh reap destruction?

Clarke: Pro 22:9 - A bountiful eye

A bountiful eye - One that disposes him to help all that he sees to be in want; the bountiful eye means the bountiful heart; for the heart looks through the eye. The merciful heart, even when the hand has little or nothing to give, shall be blessed of the Lord.

Clarke: Pro 22:11 - He that loveth pureness of heart

He that loveth pureness of heart - Who aims to be what God would have him to be - the King of kings shall be his Friend. There is no class of men that value uprightness more than kings; as none stand so much in need of it in their servants.

Clarke: Pro 22:12 - The eyes of the Lord - (the Divine providence) preserve knowledge

The eyes of the Lord - (the Divine providence) preserve knowledge - This providence has been wonderfully manifested in preserving the sacred oracles, and in preserving many ancient authors, which have been of great use to the civil interests of man.

Clarke: Pro 22:13 - The slothful man saith, There is a lion without

The slothful man saith, There is a lion without - But why does he say so? Because he is a slothful man. Remove his slothfulness, and these imaginary difficulties and dangers will be no more. He will not go abroad to work in the fields, because he thinks there is a lion in the way, he will not go out into the town for employment, as he fears to be assassinated in the streets! From both these circumstances he seeks total cessation from activity.

Clarke: Pro 22:14 - The mouth of strange women is a deep pit

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit - In Pro 23:27, he says, A whore is a Deep Ditch:, oud a strange woman is a Narrow Pit

The allusions in these three places are too plain to be misunderstood

Virgil’ s hell has been adduced in illustration: -

- Sate sanguine Divum

Tros Anchisiade, facilis decensus Averni

Noctes atque dies patet atri janua Ditis

Sed revocare gradum, superasque evadere ad auras

Hoc Opus, hic Labor est

Pauci quos aequus amavi

Jupiter, aut ardens evexit ad aethera virtus

Dis geniti potuere

Virg. Aen, lib. vi., ver. 125

"O glorious prince of brave Anchises’ line

Great godlike hero! sprung from seed divine

Smooth lies the road to Pluto’ s gloomy shade

And hell’ s black gates for ever stand display’ d

But ‘ tis a long unconquerable pain

To climb to these ethereal realms again

The choice-selected few, whom favoring Jove

Or their own virtue, rais’ d to heaven above

From these dark realms emerged again to day

The mighty sons of gods, and only they

Pitt.

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Clarke: Pro 22:16 - He that oppresseth the poor

He that oppresseth the poor - He who, in order to obtain the favor of the rich and great, either robs or cheats the poor, to make those men presents; or gives in presents to them, for the sake of honor and reputation, what he should have given to the poor, shall surely come to want.

Clarke: Pro 22:17 - Bow down thine ear

Bow down thine ear - From this to the end of Pro 22:21 are contained, not proverbs, but directions how to profit by that which wisdom has already delivered; the nature of the instruction, and the end for which it was given

I shall give a paraphrase of this very important passage: -

I.    Solomon addresses his pupils on the use of his past teachings. See on Pro 22:6 (note)

1.    The wise man speaks; and all his words, not merely his sentiments, are to be carefully heard

2.    He speaks knowledge - gives doctrines true in themselves, and confirmed by observation and experience

3.    These are to be heard with humility and deep attention: "Bow down thine ear.

4.    They must not only be heard, but meditated and pondered: "Apply thine heart to my knowledge."

Clarke: Pro 22:18 - For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee -

II.    The pleasure and profit which may be derived from an attentive hearing

1.    They should be laid up in the heart-stored, treasured up within thee

2.    This will yield high satisfaction and happiness to the soul: "For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee.

3.    The man who thus attends to the teachings of wisdom shall gain an experimental knowledge of them, so as to be able to speak of them suitably, pertinently and persuasively. "They shall withal be fitted in thy lips."

Clarke: Pro 22:19 - That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known, etc.

That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known, etc. -

III.    The End for which the wise man gives these instructions: -

1.    "That thy trust may be in the Lord."That thou mayest acknowledge Him as the Fountain of all good; and refer every thing to him

2.    That this end may be accomplished, the instructions are specific and particular: "I have made known to thee, even to thee.

3.    And this has not only been done in times past, "I have made known:"but even in the present, "I have made known this day!

IV.    An appeal is made to the person himself relative to the matter and importance of the teaching

1.    "Have I not written to thee excellent things;" שלשים shalishim , literally threefold, thrice, in three different ways; which some think refers to his three books: -

1.    Song of Solomon

2.    Koheleth, or Ecclesiastes

3.    Proverbs

Others, understanding it of the voice of Divine wisdom, suppose the three grand divisions of the sacred oracles are intended; viz.

1.    The Law

2.    The Prophets

3.    The Hagiographa

And others interpret it of the three grand intellectual sciences: -

1.    Morality, or Ethics

2.    Natural Philosophy, or Physics

3.    Theology, or the science of Divine things as reported in the Scriptures. But Solomon’ s books of Natural Philosophy are lost

And lastly, some of the rabbins and some Christians find in these shalishim the three senses of Scripture

1.    Literal

2.    Figurative

3.    Allegorical

After all, as we know the term thrice was used as the term seven, a certain number for an uncertain, (see Amo 1:11; 2Co 12:8), it may mean no more here than, I have written to thee often. But perhaps it is safer to apply it to the Scriptures, and the excellent doctrines they contain: for שלשים shalishim signifies also excellent, princely things; things which become a king to speak. Indeed, it would not be difficult to prove that there is not one important art or science which is not alluded to in the Holy Scriptures, and used to illustrate and inculcate heavenly truths

2.    These excellent, princely, or threefold teachings, consist of two grand parts

1.    Counsels, מעצות moetsoth , from יוץ yaats , to give advice, counsel, or information. These (1) show thee what thou shouldst know; and (2) advise thee what thou shouldst do

2.    Knowledge, דעת daath , from ידע yada , to perceive, or feel by means of the senses and internal perception; viz., what should be felt, experienced, known to be true by mental perception, and by their influence on the heart and affections

V.    All this is done to give the pupil the fullest satisfaction, and most plenary evidence concerning the truths of God.

Clarke: Pro 22:21

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth -

1.    These are words or doctrines of truth

1.    They are true in themselves

2.    Come from the God of truth.

3. Are truly fulfilled to all that believe

2.    These words of truth are certain, קשט koshet , they are not of dubious or difficult interpretation; they point directly to the great end for which God gave them; they promise, and they are fulfilled. He who pleads them by faith, receives their accomplishment in the spirit and power of Divine love. The Scriptures, as far as they concern the salvation of the soul, are to be experimentally understood; and, by this experimental knowledge, every believer has the witness in himself, and knows the certainty of the words of truth

VI.    What we know ourselves to be true, and of infinite importance to the welfare of men in general, we should carefully proclaim and witness, that they also may believe

That thou mightest answer the words of truth -

1.    When the doctrine of salvation is preached, there will be many inquirers. What is this doctrine? Have any persons received these blessings - the remission of sins, witness of the Holy Spirit, purification of the heart, etc., etc.? Who are they? What are the collateral arguments that prove these things, and show us that you have not misapprehended the meaning of these Scriptures

2.    Inquiries of this kind should meet with the speediest and most distinct answers; and the doctrines of truth should be supported and illustrated with the words of truth. "That thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee."

Clarke: Pro 22:22 - Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate

Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate - In judgment let the poor have a fair hearing; and let him not be borne down because he is poor. The reader has often seen that courts of justice were held at the gates of cities in the East.

Clarke: Pro 22:23 - For the Lord will plead their cause

For the Lord will plead their cause - Wo therefore to them that oppress them, for they will have God, not the poor, to deal with.

Clarke: Pro 22:24 - Make no friendship with an angry man

Make no friendship with an angry man - Spirit has a wonderful and unaccountable influence upon spirit. From those with whom we associate we acquire habits, and learn their ways, imbibe their spirit, show their tempers and walk in their steps. We cannot be too choice of our company, for we may soon learn ways that will be a snare to our soul.

Clarke: Pro 22:26 - That strike hands

That strike hands - See on Pro 6:1 (note); Pro 11:15 (note).

Clarke: Pro 22:27 - If thou hast nothing to pay

If thou hast nothing to pay - Should any man give security for more than he is worth? If he does, is it not a fraud on the very face of the transaction

Clarke: Pro 22:27 - Why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

Why should he take away thy bed from under thee? - The creditor will not pursue the debtor whom he knows to be worth nothing; but he will sue the bail or bondsman. And why shouldst thou put thyself in such circumstances as to expose thyself to the loss even of thy bed?

Clarke: Pro 22:28 - Remove not the ancient landmark

Remove not the ancient landmark - Do not take the advantage, in ploughing or breaking up a field contiguous to that of thy neighbor, to set the dividing stones farther into his field that thou mayest enlarge thy own. Take not what is not thy own in any case. Let all ancient divisions, and the usages connected with them, be held sacred. Bring in no new dogmas, nor rites, nor ceremonies, into religion, or the worship of God, that are not clearly laid down in the sacred writings. "Stand in the way; and see, and ask for the old paths, which is the good way, and walk therein; and ye shall find rest for your souls;"Jer 6:16. But if any Church have lost sight of the genuine doctrines of the Gospel, calling them back to these is not removing the ancient landmarks, as some have falsely asserted. God gave a law against removing the ancient landmarks, by which the inheritances of tribes and families were distinguished. See Deu 19:14, from which these words of Solomon appear to be taken

Even among the heathens the landmark was sacred; so sacred that they made a deity of it. Terminus signifies the stone or post that served as a landmark. And Terminus was reputed a god, and had offerings made to him. Hence Ovid: -

Tu quoque sacrorum, Termine, finis eras

Fast. lib. i., ver. 50

Nox ubi transierit, solito celebratur honore,
Separat indicio qui Deus arva suo

Termine, sive lapis, sive es defossus in agro
Stipes, ab antiquis sic quoque Numen habes

Te duo diversa domini pro parte coronant;
Binaque serta tibi, binaque liba ferunt -

Conveniunt, celebrantque dapes vicinia simplex;
Et cantant laudes, Termine sancte, tuas

Tu populos, urbesque, et regna ingentia finis:
Omnis erit, sine te, litigiosus ager

Fast. lib. ii., ver. 639

Here we find the owners of both fields bringing each his garland and libation to the honor of this god. They sung its praises, put on its top a chaplet of flowers, poured out the libation before it; and the inhabitants of the country held a festival in its honor. It was, in short, celebrated as the preserver of the bounds and territorial rights of tribes, cities, and whole kingdoms; and without its testimony and evidence, every field would have been a subject of litigation.

Clarke: Pro 22:29 - He shalt not stand before mean men

He shalt not stand before mean men - חשכים chashukkim , dark or obscure persons; men of no repute. Na he schal ben before un-noble men - Old MS. Bible. "Not amonge the symple people."- Coverdale

The general meaning of the proverb is, "Every diligent, active man, shall be at once independent and respectable."

Defender: Pro 22:6 - Train up

"Train up" is from a Hebrew word normally translated "dedicate" or "consecrate." The phrase "in the way he should go" is, literally, "according to his way" - that is, the "way" intended for him by his God-given abilities and interests. Parents should seek to ascertain this in a child's nature, and then dedicate him or her to that sacred cause, that the child, when grown, may make the optimum contribution to the kingdom of God."

Defender: Pro 22:15 - heart of a child

Modern theories of child-raising which allow children full freedom of expression when they are not yet wise or experienced enough to make intelligent choices are self-defeating (Pro 13:24)."

Defender: Pro 22:21 - certainty of the words

Before we can effectively "give an answer" (1Pe 3:15) as we witness to others, we first must know the certainty of the "word of truth" ourselves. An "uncertain sound" of a trumpet can hardly prepare others for the battle (1Co 14:8)."

Defender: Pro 22:28 - ancient landmark

The lands were originally divided by the Lord (Gen 10:32) when He "set the bounds of the people" (Deu 32:8). The "earth is the Lord's" (Psa 24:1), and He can give and transfer the lands according to His will (Act 17:26). These God-given boundaries should be respected (Pro 23:10; Deu 19:14; Deu 27:17).

Defender: Pro 22:28 - thy fathers

There is also an important spiritual application in this verse. The "landmark" may be a spiritual standard, established by our spiritual forefathers, God-honoring and God-blessed. There is always a tendency for each new generation to try to modernize the ways of their fathers and, in view of the universal law of decay, this is often a mistake."

TSK: Pro 22:1 - name // loving favour rather than

name : 1Ki 1:47; Ecc 7:1; Luk 10:20; Phi 4:3; Heb 11:39

loving favour rather than : or, favour is better than, etc. Act 7:10

TSK: Pro 22:2 - rich // the Lord

rich : Pro 29:13; 1Sa 2:7; Psa 49:1, Psa 49:2; Luk 16:19, Luk 16:20; 1Co 12:21; Jam 2:2-5

the Lord : Pro 14:31; Job 31:15, Job 34:19

TSK: Pro 22:3 - prudent // the simple

prudent : Pro 14:16, Pro 27:12; Exo 9:20, Exo 9:21; Isa 26:20, Isa 26:21; Mat 24:15-18; 1Th 5:2-6; Heb 6:18, Heb 11:7

the simple : Pro 7:7, Pro 7:22, Pro 7:23, Pro 9:16-18, Pro 29:1

TSK: Pro 22:4 - By

By : etc. Heb. The reward of humility, etc. Pro 3:16, Pro 21:21; Psa 34:9, Psa 34:10, Psa 112:1-3; Isa 33:6, Isa 57:15; Mat 6:33; 1Ti 4:8; Jam 4:6, Jam 4:10

TSK: Pro 22:5 - Thorns // he

Thorns : Pro 13:15, Pro 15:19; Jos 23:13; Job 18:8; Psa 11:6, Psa 18:26, Psa 18:27

he : Pro 13:3, Pro 16:17, Pro 19:16; Psa 91:1; 1Jo 5:18; Jud 1:20, Jud 1:21

TSK: Pro 22:6 - Train up // a child // the way // when

Train up : or, Catechize

a child : Gen 18:19; Deu 4:9, Deu 6:7; Psa 78:3-6; Eph 6:4; 2Ti 3:15

the way : Heb. his way

when : 1Sa 1:28, 1Sa 2:26, 1Sa 12:2, 1Sa 12:3

TSK: Pro 22:7 - rich // the borrower // lender

rich : Pro 22:16, Pro 22:22, Pro 14:31, Pro 18:23; Amo 2:6, Amo 4:1, Amo 5:11, Amo 5:12, Amo 8:4, Amo 8:6; Jam 2:6, Jam 5:1, Jam 5:4

the borrower : 2Ki 4:1; Neh 5:4, Neh 5:5; Isa 24:2; Mat 18:25

lender : Heb. man that lendeth

TSK: Pro 22:8 - that // the rod of his anger shall fail

that : Job 4:8; Hos 8:7, Hos 10:13; Gal 6:7, Gal 6:8

the rod of his anger shall fail : or, with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed, Pro 14:3; Psa 125:3; Isa 9:4, Isa 10:5, Isa 14:29, Isa 30:31

TSK: Pro 22:9 - He that hath a bountiful eye

He that hath a bountiful eye : Heb. Good of eye, Pro 11:25, Pro 19:17, Pro 21:13; Deu 15:7-11, Deu 28:56; Job 31:16-20; Psa 41:1-3; Psa 112:9; Ecc 11:1, Ecc 11:2; Isa 32:8, Isa 58:7-12; Mat 20:15, Mat 25:34-40; Mar 7:22; Luk 6:35-38; Act 20:35; 2Co 8:1, 2Co 8:2, 2Co 9:6-11; 1Ti 6:18, 1Ti 6:19; Heb 6:10, Heb 13:16; 1Pe 4:9

TSK: Pro 22:10

Pro 21:24, Pro 26:20, Pro 26:21; Gen 21:9, Gen 21:10; Neh 4:1-3, Neh 13:28; Psa 101:5; Mat 18:17; 1Co 5:5, 1Co 5:6, 1Co 5:13

TSK: Pro 22:11 - that // for the grace of his lips // the king

that : Pro 16:13; Psa 101:6; Mat 5:8

for the grace of his lips : or, and hath grace in his lips, Psa 45:2; Luk 4:22

the king : Gen. 41:39-57; Ezr 7:6-11; Neh 2:4-6; Est 10:3; Dan 2:46-49, Dan 3:30; Dan 6:20-23

TSK: Pro 22:12 - eyes // he // words

eyes : 2Ch 16:9; Isa 59:19-21; Mat 16:16-18; Act 5:39, Act 12:23, Act 12:24; Rev 11:3-11; Rev 12:14-17

he : Job 5:12, Job 5:13; Act 8:9-12, Act 13:8-12; 2Th 2:8; 2Ti 3:8, 2Ti 3:9

words : or, matters

TSK: Pro 22:13 - The slothful

The slothful : That is, the slothful man uses any pretext, however improbable, to indulge his love of ease and indolence. Pro 15:19, Pro 26:13-16; Num 13:32, Num 13:33

TSK: Pro 22:14 - mouth // a deep pit // abhorred

mouth : Pro 2:16-19, 5:3-23, Pro 6:24-29, 7:5-27, Pro 23:27; Jdg 16:20, Jdg 16:21; Neh 13:26; Ecc 7:26

a deep pit : That is, it is like a deep pit, or pitfall, in which animals are often taken alive.

abhorred : Deu 32:19; Psa 81:12

TSK: Pro 22:15 - Foolishness // but

Foolishness : Job 14:4; Psa 51:5; Joh 3:6; Eph 2:3

but : Pro 13:24, Pro 19:18, Pro 23:13, Pro 23:14, Pro 29:15, Pro 29:17; Heb 12:10, Heb 12:11

TSK: Pro 22:16 - that oppresseth // he that giveth

that oppresseth : Pro 22:22, Pro 22:23, Pro 14:31, Pro 28:3; Job 20:19-29; Psa 12:5; Mic 2:2, Mic 2:3; Zec 7:9-14; Jam 2:13, Jam 5:1-5

he that giveth : Luk 6:33-35, Luk 14:12-14, Luk 16:24

TSK: Pro 22:17 - Bow // and hear // apply

Bow : Pro 2:2-5, Pro 5:1, Pro 5:2

and hear : Pro 1:3, Pro 3:1, Pro 4:4-8, Pro 8:33, Pro 8:34; Isa 55:3; Mat 17:5

apply : Pro 23:12; Psa 90:12; Ecc 7:25, Ecc 8:9, Ecc 8:16

TSK: Pro 22:18 - it is // within thee // fitted

it is : Pro 2:10, Pro 3:17, Pro 24:13, Pro 24:14; Psa 19:10, Psa 119:103, Psa 119:111, Psa 119:162; Jer 15:16

within thee : Heb. within thy belly, Job 32:18, Job 32:19; Joh 7:38

fitted : Pro 8:6, Pro 10:13, Pro 10:21, Pro 15:7, Pro 16:21, Pro 25:11; Psa 119:13, Psa 119:171; Mal 2:7; Heb 13:15

TSK: Pro 22:19 - thy // even to thee

thy : Pro 3:5; Psa 62:8; Isa 12:2, Isa 26:4; Jer 17:7; 1Pe 1:21

even to thee : or, trust thou also

TSK: Pro 22:20

Pro 8:6; Psa 12:6; Hos 8:12; 2Ti 3:15-17; 2Pe 1:19-21

TSK: Pro 22:21 - I // answer // them that send unto thee

I : Luk 1:3, Luk 1:4; Joh 20:31; 1Jo 5:13

answer : 1Pe 3:15

them that send unto thee : or, those that send thee

TSK: Pro 22:22 - Rob // oppress // in the gate

Rob : Pro 23:10, Pro 23:11; Eze 22:29

oppress : Pro 22:16; Exo 23:6; Job 29:12-16, Job 31:16, Job 31:21; Zec 7:10; Mal 3:5

in the gate : That is, in the court of justice, which, as we have already seen, was held at the gates of cities in the East.

TSK: Pro 22:23 - the Lord // spoil

the Lord : Pro 23:11; 1Sa 24:12, 1Sa 24:15, 1Sa 25:39; Psa 12:5, Psa 35:1, Psa 35:10, Psa 43:1, Psa 68:5, Psa 140:12; Jer 50:34, Jer 51:36; Mic 7:9; Mal 3:5

spoil : Isa 33:1; Hab 2:8

TSK: Pro 22:24

Pro 21:24, Pro 29:22; 2Co 6:14-17

TSK: Pro 22:25

Pro 13:20; Psa 106:35; 1Co 15:33

TSK: Pro 22:26

Pro 6:1-5, Pro 11:15, Pro 17:18, Pro 27:13

TSK: Pro 22:27

Pro 20:16; Exo 22:26, Exo 22:27; 2Ki 4:1

TSK: Pro 22:28 - remove // landmark

remove : Pro 23:10; Deu 19:14, Deu 27:17; Job 24:2

landmark : or, bound

TSK: Pro 22:29 - a man // he shall stand // mean men

a man : Pro 10:4, Pro 12:24; 1Ki 11:28; Ecc 9:10; Mat 25:21, Mat 25:23; Rom 12:11; 2Ti 4:2

he shall stand : That is, he shall have the honour of serving kings; as the phrase denotes.

mean men : Heb. obscure men

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Pro 22:1 - A good name // Is rather to be chosen than great riches // Loving favour

A good name Heb. name put for good name , as Ecc 7:1 , the word good being easily understood out of the next clause, in which it is expressed in the Hebrew text. A good reputation amongst wise and good men.

Is rather to be chosen than great riches partly, because it is a most special blessing from God, being appropriated to worthy persons, whereas God commonly throws away riches upon the basest of men; partly, because it gives a man that tranquillity and satisfaction of mind, and that content and comfort in his condition, which no riches can purchase; and partly, because as it is commonly an evidence of a man’ s virtue and piety, so it is accompanied with God’ s love and favour, whereas riches are oft given by God in wrath, and to the hurt of the owner.

Loving favour or, good grace or favour ; a good report among men, especially among good men, and that hearty love and kindness which attends upon it.

Poole: Pro 22:2 - The rich and poor meet together // The Lord is the Maker of them all

The rich and poor meet together either,

1. In a way of hostility or opposition, as this word is sometimes used; the rich contemning and oppressing the poor, and the poor envying and purloining from the rich; and so the following words are a reason why that hostility should cease. Or,

2. In the way of mutual converse; they live together, and need one another.

The Lord is the Maker of them all not only as they are men, but also as they are poor or rich, which difference comes wholly from God’ s providence; they have one common Creator, and Lord, and Judge, and the one cannot despise nor grudge at the other without a reflection upon God.

Poole: Pro 22:3 - The evil // Hideth himself // Pass on

The evil the calamity or judgment of God threatened and approaching.

Hideth himself retireth to his strong tower, mentioned Pro 18:10 ; by prayer and repentance putteth himself under the protection of the Almighty. Compare Isa 26:20 .

Pass on in their former road and course of sin, carelessly and securely, as travellers do in a road where they apprehend no danger.

Poole: Pro 22:4 - By humility // The fear of the Lord // Life

By humility or, because of humility ; or, as many others render it, the reward of humility ; that reward which God hath graciously promised and will give to humility; which is a grace of great price in God’ s eyes. See Isa 57:15 Jam 4:6 .

The fear of the Lord by which he distinguisheth true and Christian humility from counterfeit and moral humility, because that ariseth from a deep sense of God’ s greatness, and purity, and perfection, compared with our meanness, and filthiness and manifold imperfections, whereas this is quite of another nature, and from other grounds.

Life the comforts of this life, and the happiness of the next, both which are promised to godliness, 1Th 4:8 .

Poole: Pro 22:5 - Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward // He that doth keep his soul

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward the wicked by their evil courses expose themselves to many dangers and occasions both of sin and mischief.

He that doth keep his soul that taketh heed to himself, and to his actions, and to the saving of his life and soul,

shall be far from them either,

1. Will avoid the society of such froward persons. Or,

2. Shall by that circumspection preserve himself from those thorns , &c., with which the pronoun them agrees in number.

Poole: Pro 22:6 - Train up

Train up or, initiate or instruct, a child in the way he should go , Heb. in or according to his way , i.e. either,

1. According to his capacity. Or rather,

2. In that course or manner of life which thou wouldst have him choose and follow. Or, as one learned man renders it, in the beginning of his way , i.e. in his tender years, as soon as he is capable of instruction. Heb. in the mouth , &c. The mouth is oft put for the beginning or entrance of any place, as Gen 29:2 Jos 10:18 Pro 8:3 Dan 6:17 . Will not depart from it , to wit, not easily and ordinarily. The impressions made in childish years will remain, as hath been observed by all sorts of learned writers. But this, as many proverbs of like nature, are not to be understood as if they were universally and necessarily true, which experience confutes, but because it is so for the most part, except some extraordinary cause hinder it.

Poole: Pro 22:7 - Ruleth over the poor // Is servant to the lender

Ruleth over the poor to wit, with rigour and tyranny, taking advantage of his necessities.

Is servant to the lender is at his mercy, and therefore forced to comply with his pleasure. The design of the proverb is partly to correct this miscarriage of the rich, and partly to oblige all men to diligence, whereby they may deliver themselves from this servitude.

Poole: Pro 22:8 - He that soweth iniquity // The rod of his anger shall fail

He that soweth iniquity or unrighteousness , whose common practice it is to wrong or oppress others,

shall reap vanity or, trouble or misery , as this word is commonly used, and as divers here render it. The mischief which he hath done to others shall be returned to him by God’ s righteous sentence.

The rod of his anger shall fail that power which he used with fury and cruelty shall be taken away from him.

Poole: Pro 22:9 - He that hath a bountiful eye // Shall be blessed

He that hath a bountiful eye Heb. a good eye , he who looks upon the wants and miseries of others with compassion and kindness, as this phrase is used, Mat 20:15 ; as an evil eye is put for one that beholds others with envy and unmercifulness, Deu 15:9 Pro 23:6 28:22

Shall be blessed both by God and men.

Poole: Pro 22:10 - Cast out of your society // Strife and reproach

Cast out of your society avoid conversation with, the scorner; who neither fears God, nor reverences man, but scorns all admonitions, and minds only the pleasing of himself, and the gratifying of his own lusts, which is the chief cause of most contentions.

Strife and reproach wherewith he loads those that either oppose or admonish him.

Poole: Pro 22:11 - That loveth pureness of heart // The king shall be his friend

That loveth pureness of heart who is plain-hearted or sincere, and abhors dissimulation. For the grace of his lips; for those gracious speeches which naturally and commonly flow from a pure heart. Or, and (understand, loveth , out of the former clause) grace of his lips ; whose discourse is gracious and sincere.

The king shall be his friend the greatest men will, or should, desire and highly prize the acquaintance and advice of such persons, rather than of dissemblers and flatterers, wherewith they are most commonly pestered.

Poole: Pro 22:12 - The eyes of the Lord preserve // knowledge // The words

The eyes of the Lord preserve God by the watchful eye of his providence maintains and defends,

knowledge to wit, men of knowledge; the abstract being put for the concrete, as pride is put for a proud man , Psa 36:11 , deceit for the deceitful , as Pro 12:17 : so here knowledge for knowing and good men, such as the last verse spoke of, whose hearts are pure, and speeches gracious; not only the king shall be their friend, as he said there, but God also, which he adds here,

The words their false and flattering speeches, whereby they designed and expected to gain the favour and friendship of great men, which are opposed to the sincere and gracious speeches of good men, implied in the first cause of this verse, and expressed in the foregoing verse; or, as others render it, and the word is very commonly used, the matters; all his counsels, hopes, enterprises, and concerns.

Poole: Pro 22:13 - Saith // There is a lion without // I shall be slain // In the streets

Saith allegeth as his excuse to them who upbraid him with idleness, or persuade him to diligence,

There is a lion without there are extreme dangers and invincible difficulties in my way.

I shall be slain by that lion, or some other way.

In the streets which is added to show the ridiculousness of his excuse; for lions abide in the woods or fields, not in the streets of towns or cities.

Poole: Pro 22:14 - The mouth // A deep pit // That is abhorred of the Lord

The mouth her fair and flattering speeches, wherewith she enticeth him to gross filthiness, as it is noted, Pro 7:21 .

A deep pit into which it is easy to fall, but hard, if not impossible, to get out of it. It is a rare thing for any person, once entered into the course of whoredom, sincerely to repent of it, and turn from it. See Pro 2:19 .

That is abhorred of the Lord to wit, in a high and singular manner; who by his former impieties, and contempt of God and of his grace, hath provoked God to leave and loathe him, and to punish one sin with another; for otherwise all sinners, as such, are abhorred by God.

Poole: Pro 22:15 - Is bound // The rod of correction shall drive it far from him

Is bound is fixed and settled there, as being born with him, and rooted in his very nature, and not plucked up without great difficulty and diligence.

The rod of correction shall drive it far from him the smart of punishment makes him weary of his sin, and watchful against it.

Poole: Pro 22:16 - That giveth to the rich

That giveth to the rich that vainly and prodigally casts away his estate upon those who do not need it, or gives it to them with evil design, as that they may assist him in oppressing the poor, or at least not hinder him in it.

Poole: Pro 22:17 - Of the wise // Apply thine heart // My knowledge

Of the wise of wise and holy men of God.

Apply thine heart thirst after it, and give of thyself to the diligent study of it.

My knowledge the knowledge of God, and of thy several duties, which I am here delivering to thee.

Poole: Pro 22:18 - If thou keep them // Be fitted

If thou keep them the words of the wise, within thee, Heb. in thy belly . i.e. in thine heart, which implies receiving them in love, and retaining them in mind and memory.

Be fitted be fitly expressed; or, be disposed or ordered . The sense is, When thou hast got them into thine heart, thou wilt be able and ready to discourse pertinently and profitably of them.

Poole: Pro 22:19

That knowing God, and his word and promises, thou mayst cheerfully and confidently trust in him, which is the only way to thy safety and happiness.

Poole: Pro 22:20 - Excellent things // In counsels and knowledge

Excellent things or, princely things , as they are called, Pro 8:6 , the great things of God’ s law, as Hos 8:12 .

In counsels and knowledge consisting of counsels to direct thy practice, and knowledge to inform and enrich thy mind. Or by that known figure hendiadis , in counsels of knowledge , i.e. in good counsels, which proceed from sound knowledge, and make a man knowing and wise, which are opposed to the counsels of the wicked, Pro 12:5 , which are without knowledge.

Poole: Pro 22:21 - That I may make thee know the certainty of the words of truth // That thou mightest answer the words of truth // To them that send unto thee

That I may make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that I may teach thee, not false, or vain, or uncertain things, as the teachers of the heathen nations do, but the true and infallible oracles of God.

That thou mightest answer the words of truth that being instructed by me, thou mayst be able to give true, and solid, and satisfactory answers.

To them that send unto thee to wit, for thine advice in great and difficult matters. Or, to those that send thee , i.e. that employ the in any business of moment, whereof they expect an account from thee.

Poole: Pro 22:22 - Because he is poor // In the gate

Because he is poor: this may be mentioned, either,

1. As a motive to this robbery, because he was unable to resist him, or to revenge himself upon him. Do not take advantage of his poverty. Or,

2. As an argument against it, because he is a fitter object for thy pity and charity, than for thy injustice or cruelty. It is base and inhuman to crush such a person.

In the gate in the place of judgment, or under pretence of justice, and much less in other ways, where there is no colour of justice.

Poole: Pro 22:23 - Will plead their cause // Spoil the soul

Will plead their cause which he hath in a peculiar manner undertaken to do.

Spoil the soul take away not only their goods, but their lives too; so fully will he recompense their wickedness to them.

Poole: Pro 22:24

Into his company; not converse frequently and familiarly with him, as friends use to do.

Poole: Pro 22:25 - Lest thou learn his ways // A snare

Lest thou learn his ways lest thou be infected by his example, or provoked by this passion to return the like to him.

A snare either,

1. A mischief, which is oft the effect of unbridled rage. Or,

2. An occasion of sin; either by drawing thee to an imitation or requital of his rage; or by tempting thee to unfaithfulness in performing the great office of a friend, to wit, admonition or reproof, which, by reason of his furious temper, thou either canst not or wilt not do.

Poole: Pro 22:26

To wit, rashly, or unnecessarily.

Poole: Pro 22:27

Why wilt thou put thyself into the hands of such a man, who will exact the debt from thee without any compassion? For though God did not allow this practice, covetous creditors would frequently do it.

Poole: Pro 22:28 - Landmark

Landmark whereby the lands of several possessors were distinguished and divided. Do not enrich thyself with the injury of other men; do not invade the rights of others.

Poole: Pro 22:29 - Diligent // He shall stand before kings

Diligent or, expeditious , as the word properly signifies; one of quick despatch, vigorous and speedy in executing what hath been well and wisely contrived.

He shall stand before kings he is fit to be employed in the affairs of the greatest princes.

Haydock: Pro 22:1 - Good // Favour

Good. Hebrew, "a name," or reputation. (Haydock) ---

It is preferable to riches, but not to be compared with virtue, which is the only solid good; and even to be placed above riches, it must be well grounded. (Calmet) ---

Favour with all. (Haydock)

Haydock: Pro 22:2 - Another

Another. They stand in need of one another. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xxxiv. in 1 Corinthians.) ---

They are equal in God's sight, who only values real virtue. He disposes of riches, so that the poor may one day become rich. (Calmet)

Haydock: Pro 22:4 - Fruit

Fruit. Literally, "the end of modesty, (Haydock) or moderation, which must accompany every virtue.

Haydock: Pro 22:5 - Perverse

Perverse. They are always in danger and in trouble.

Haydock: Pro 22:6 - It is a proverb // It // Testa diu

It is a proverb, is added by St. Jerome, to make the sentence more striking. ---

It. He is like a tender plant, (Calmet) or wax, or a new vessel. Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem

Testa diu. (Horace, ep. i. ad Lol.)

--- "Shall wool regain its whiteness after it has been dyed purple?" (St. Jerome, ad Lætam.) ---

Hebrew, "initiate a young," &c. Proportion your lessons to his capacity, and make him relish them.

Haydock: Pro 22:7 - Servant

Servant. He might be sold, &c., Exodus xxii. 3., and Matthew xviii. 25. (Gell. xx. 1.) Plato (Leg. viii.) would have nothing sold on credit. These laws appear to be severe; but they are founded on wisdom, as nothing impoverishes more than the facility of borrowing.

Haydock: Pro 22:8 - Consumed

Consumed. Or beaten with the flail of God's anger.

Haydock: Pro 22:9 - Is // He

Is. Hebrew, "has a good eye," in opposition to the evil, or malicious one, Matthew xx. 15. ---

He, &c., is not in Hebrew, or in the Latin edition of Comp. and St. Jerome.

Haydock: Pro 22:11 - He

He. Septuagint, "the Lord loveth pious hearts. All the irreproachable are acceptable to him. The king feeds with lips," by his just ordinances. (Haydock) ---

Kings hate duplicity; but require that the truth should be disclosed to them in a suitable manner.

Haydock: Pro 22:13 - Streets

Streets. Vain excuses of sloth!

Haydock: Pro 22:14 - It // Facilis descensus Averni

It. Debauchery resembles hell, chap. xxiii. 23. (Calmet) ---

Facilis descensus Averni, &c. (Virgil, Æneid vi.)

Haydock: Pro 22:15 - Folly

Folly. Ignorance and innate corruption are corrected by a good education.

Haydock: Pro 22:17 - Incline

Incline. Thus Solomon concludes his discourse, (chap. xxiv. 23.) in the same manner as he began it, to chap. x. Some commence the third book of Proverbs in this place; others, chap. xxv. (Calmet)

Haydock: Pro 22:18 - Lips

Lips. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Haydock)

Haydock: Pro 22:20 - Ways

Ways. Repeatedly. (Bossuet; Tirinus) (2 Corinthians xii. 8., and Amos i. 11.) (Calmet) ---

Protestants, "have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge?" " Shalishim, " perfect, (Pagnin) or "three things," (Montanus) means also (Haydock) such as might suit princes and great officers. (Calmet)

Haydock: Pro 22:21 - Sent

Sent. Septuagint, "are sent to thee." Thou mayst become a teacher, (Haydock) or give satisfaction to thy parents, who have sent thee to my school. (Calmet)

Haydock: Pro 22:22 - Gate

Gate. Where judges passed sentence. (Menochius)

Haydock: Pro 22:25 - Soul

Soul. By imitating him, or by falling a victim to his rage.

Haydock: Pro 22:26 - Hands

Hands. Engaging to stand bond. (Haydock) (Chap. vi. 1.) ---

Such a one might be required to pay the debt, chap. xx. 16.

Haydock: Pro 22:28 - Set

Set. The pagans made a god of Terminus, to prevent disputes. (Ovid, Fast. ii.) ---

If it be unlawful to disturb land-marks, how much more so is it to give way to novelty in religion? (Deuteronomy xix. 14.) (Calmet) ---

Solomon is addressing those who follow the true faith. Else the conduct of infidel ancestors should not deter any from embracing the truth. (Haydock)

Haydock: Pro 22:29 - Obscure

Obscure. By industry he shall raise himself to notice. (Haydock) ---

Kings employ those who are most active. (Calmet)

Gill: Pro 22:1 - A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches // and loving favour rather them silver and gold

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,.... The word "good" is not in the text, but is rightly supplied, as it is by the Targum, Septuagint, and Vulgate Latin versions; for it is not any name that is more eligible than riches; nor is it a need name among any sort of persons; for to have a good name with some turns to a man's reproach rather than to his credit; but a good name among good men, a name in the house of God, which is better than sons and daughters; a new name, the name of the children of God, which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it; this is to be preferred to a multitude of riches: it is not to be procured by them, and is where they are not, or are lost, but this continues; see Ecc 7:1;

and loving favour rather them silver and gold; favour with God and man, especially with God, whose loving kindness is better than life, and all the enjoyments of it: or, as it may be rendered, "grace is better than silver and gold" ^p; the grace of God through Christ, the grace of Christ, in whom all fulness of it dwells, the grace of the Spirit of Christ; faith is more precious than gold that perisheth; and if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would be contemned; the Spirit and his grace are not to be purchased for money.

Gill: Pro 22:2 - The rich and poor meet together // the Lord is the Maker of them all

The rich and poor meet together,.... In an hostile way, as some; they rush upon one another; the rich despise the poor, and the poor envy the rich; they cannot speak well one of another, as the Arabic version; or they are dependent on one another, they cannot do without each other; as in the natural body one member cannot say to another, I have no need of thee; so, in the body politic, the rich and the poor cannot say they have no need of one another; the rich stand in need of the poor to till their land, to plough and sow, and do all other servile works for them; and the poor have need of the rich to employ them; have need of their money as their wages for their work, to support themselves and families with: or they sometimes change conditions, and so meet; the poor grow rich, and the rich become poor; the one goes uphill and the other downhill, and so meet in their passage. They meet together in all places of the earth; go where you will, there are rich and poor. The godly rich and poor meet together in one place to worship God; they meet together in a Gospel church state, enjoying the same privileges and ordinances; and will all meet the Lord, and all meet together at his judgment seat; and they will meet in heaven, and be together to all eternity, where the distinction will cease: and the wicked rich and poor meet together to commit sin; and they meet together in the grave ^q, where there is no difference; and they will meet at the bar of God at the last day, and in hell, where they will be together for evermore;

the Lord is the Maker of them all: not only as men, but as rich men and poor men; God gives riches to whom he pleases, and poverty to whom he pleases; riches and poverty are according to the order of divine Providence; and he can and does change scenes at his pleasure; wherefore the rich should consider themselves as dependent on him, and not despise and crush the poor; and the poor should be content with their state, as being allotted to them by the Lord, who can alter it when he thinks fit.

Gill: Pro 22:3 - A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself // but the simple pass on, and are punished

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself,.... A wise man, whose eyes are in his head, who looks about him and before him, and is cautious and careful of his conduct and behaviour; he foresees the evil of sin he is liable to be drawn into by such and such company, snares, and temptations; and therefore he keeps from them, and abstains from all appearance of evil, or what would lead him to it; and he foresees the evil of punishment, or the judgments of God that are coming on for sin; and he betakes himself to the Lord, to those hiding places and chambers of retreat and protection he has provided for his people, till the indignation be overpast; see Isa 26:20;

but the simple pass on, and are punished: foolish persons, devoid of the grace of God and the fear of him, go on careless and unconcerned in their sinful course of life, transgressing the law of God; they proceed from evil to evil, from lesser to greater sins; they go on in the broad road to destruction, and are punished with temporal judgments here, and with everlasting destruction hereafter.

Gill: Pro 22:4 - By humility and the fear of the Lord // are riches, and honour, and life

By humility and the fear of the Lord,.... Some render it, "the reward of humility, which is the fear of the Lord" ^r; so the Targum; an humble man is blessed with it. Jarchi's note is,

"because of humility, the fear of the Lord comes;''

humility leads on to the fear of the Lord; he that behaves humbly towards man comes at length to fear the Lord, and be truly religious: though these are rather to be considered as the graces of the Spirit of God, which go together where there is one, there is the other; he that is humbled under a sense of sin, and his own unworthiness, fears the Lord; and he that fears the Lord, and his goodness, will walk humbly before him; they both flow from the grace of God, are very ornamental, and attended with the following happy consequences;

are riches, and honour, and life; spiritual riches, the riches of grace and glory; honour with God and men now, and everlasting life in the world to come.

Gill: Pro 22:5 - Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward // he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward,.... Who walks contrary to the will and law of God; such a man meets with troubles, which are as thorns, grieving and distressing to him; and is taken in snares, and brought into difficulties, out of which he is not easily extricated; the thorns of affliction, and the snares of Satan: by the one his way is hedged up, and in the other his feet are taken;

he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them; he that is concerned for the good of his soul, is careful for the welfare of that, and takes heed to his ways where and how he walks, will be far both from the way of the froward, and from the thorns and snares which are in his way.

Gill: Pro 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go // and when he is old he will not depart from it

Train up a child in the way he should go,.... As Abraham trained up his children, and those born in his house, in the way of the Lord, in the paths of justice and judgment; which are the ways in which they should go, and which will be to their profit and advantage; see Gen 14:14; and which is the duty of parents and masters in all ages, and under the present Gospel dispensation, even to bring such who are under their care in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Eph 6:4; by praying with them and for them, by bringing them under the means of grace, the ministry of the word, by instructing them in the principles of religion, teaching them their duty to God and man, and setting them good examples of a holy life and conversation; and this is to be done according to their capacity, and as they are able to understand and receive the instructions given them: "according to the mouth of his way" ^s, as it may be literally rendered; as soon as he is able to speak or go, even from his infancy; or as children are fed by little bits, or a little at a time, as their mouths can receive it;

and when he is old he will not depart from it; not easily, nor ordinarily; there are exceptions to this observation; but generally, where there is a good education, the impressions of it do not easily wear off, nor do men ordinarily forsake a good way they have been brought up in ^t; and, however, when, being come to years of maturity and understanding, their hearts are seasoned with the grace of God, they are then enabled to put that in practice which before they had only in theory, and so continue in the paths of truth and holiness.

Gill: Pro 22:7 - The rich ruleth over the poor // and the borrower is servant to the lender

The rich ruleth over the poor,.... Usurps a dominion over them, and exercises it in a rigorous, oppressive, and tyrannical manner; otherwise they are generally the rich that rule, and if they rule well, in a lawful, gentle, and righteous manner, it is commendable;

and the borrower is servant to the lender; being under obligation to him, he is forced to be subject to him, and comply with his humours, and do and say as he would have him; it was a happiness promised to the Israelites, that they should lend to many nations, but not borrow, Deu 15:6; compare with this Neh 5:4.

Gill: Pro 22:8 - He that soweth iniquity ^(u) shall reap vanity // and the rod of his anger shall fail

He that soweth iniquity ^u shall reap vanity,.... He that practises sin, and is frequent in the commission of it; indulges to it in a profuse way, as the sower plentifully scatters his seed; such shall reaper possess nothing but sin and wickedness; for, what a man sows, that shall he reap; he shall eat the fruit of his doings, and have the reward of his works; see Job 4:8; or "nothing" ^w, mere emptiness; it shall not answer; he shall have in the end neither pleasure nor profit, but the contrary; "shall reap evil things", as the Septuagint, Arabic, and Vulgate Latin versions render it;

and the rod of his anger shall fail; with which he has ruled and smitten others in an angry and cruel manner; this shall be taken from him; his authority shall fail, and he shall become subject to others, and be used in like manner; see Isa 14:4. R. Joseph Kimchi interprets it of "the rod of the increase" of the earth, or the rod or flail with which the fruits of the earth are threshed or beaten out, which should fail before they were reaped; and Schultens ^x has reference to the same, and gives the sense, that a wicked man that sows iniquity, when he thinks his harvest is ripe, shall be beaten with the flail, by which he shall be consumed; and he that threshed others shall be threshed himself.

Gill: Pro 22:9 - He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed // for he giveth of his bread to the poor

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed,.... Or "a good eye" ^y; who looks about him for proper objects to do good unto; looks pleasantly on them, and deals out cheerfully and bountifully to them; he shall be blessed with an increase of temporal good things, with spiritual blessings, and with eternal glory and happiness; when he does what he does from principles of grace, with a view to the glory of God, not depending on what he does, but upon the grace of God, and the righteousness of Christ;

for he giveth of his bread to the poor; what is his own and a part of it; not all, for he reserves some as he ought for himself and his; but he does not eat his morsel alone, he gives of it to the necessitous; his beneficent hand is a proof of his bountiful eye and liberal heart.

Gill: Pro 22:10 - Cast out the scorner // and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease

Cast out the scorner,.... That makes a mock at sin, a jest at religion, and scoffs at all good men, and everything serious and spiritual; cast such an one out of all company and conversation; out of the family, as mocking Ishmael was cast out of Abraham's family; and out of the church, and all religious societies. Jarchi interprets it of the evil imagination or corruption of nature; but this will continue with a man as long as he lives, and, though it may be weakened and subdued, it is not cast out;

and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease; which are caused by the scorner, who stirs up contention and strife in all company where he is, in families, and churches; and is continually casting reproach on good men and things; but, when he is cast out, everything of this nature ceases, and peace and love take place.

Gill: Pro 22:11 - He that loveth pureness of heart // for the grace of his lips // the king shall be his friend

He that loveth pureness of heart,.... Though man's heart is naturally impure, and all that is in it, the thoughts, affections, mind, conscience, understanding, and will; yet there is such a thing as pureness of heart; as where the grace of God is; where there it pure love to God, Christ, and to holy and heavenly things and persons; where there is pure and unfeigned faith in Christ, and a purifying hope of eternal life by him; where the Holy Spirit dwells as a sanctifier, and Christ dwells by faith; where there is sincerity and integrity; and where the heart is sprinkled by the blood of Christ from an evil conscience: and, though none are entirely free from impurity of flesh and spirit, yet every good man hates the impurity that is in him, and loves purity, and is desirous of it, and makes use of all means for it; and he loves a man of a pure heart, as Aben Ezra interprets it; he loves pureness of heart in himself and others. Some versions understand this of God: the Septuagint and Arabic versions are, "God loveth holy hearts"; and so the Targum,

"God loveth the pure in heart:''

the Syriac version differs,

"he loves God that is pure in heart;''

but all wrong; the sense is as before given;

for the grace of his lips; or, "grace is in his lips"; or, "his lips are grace" ^z, or gracious; as the lips of Christ, though in a greater measure and degree, Psa 45:2; as is a man's heart, so are his lips, A man of a pure heart will speak a pure language; a good man will talk of good things; a wise man of wisdom, and a gracious man of the grace of God; of the doctrines of grace he has received; of the blessings of grace bestowed on him; of the promises of grace applied unto him; of the experiences of grace he has been favoured with; of things grateful and acceptable to others, which minister grace, and are to the use of edifying;

the king shall be his friend; carry himself friendly to him, admit him to familiarity with him, take him into his court, and make him of his privy council; this is what a king should do, and what a wise and good king will do, and it is his interest so to do: a man of an upright heart, and of a graceful speech, is or should be regarded by princes; as Hushai the Archite by David; and Daniel even by Nebuchadnezzar, a Heathen king. Jarchi's note is,

"the holy blessed God loves and embraces him;''

and this sense may very well be received: the Lord loves purity of heart; he is good to them that are of a clean heart; he loves graceful lips, or lips speaking grace, in prayer, praise, or Christian conversation: he is a friend to such; to the pure he shows himself pure; the pure in heart shall see him, and ever dwell with him: Christ, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, loves purity and righteousness, and hates iniquity; the lips of his people are pleasing to him, they are like a thread of scarlet; he loves to hear their voice, especially speaking of his own grace; he is a friend unto them, one that loves at all times, and sticks closer than a brother.

Gill: Pro 22:12 - The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge // and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor

The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,.... That is, the providence of God, whose eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth; these preserve the knowledge of himself, even among the Heathens in some measure; for what may be known of God is manifest in them, and showed to them: more particularly his providence has preserved the Scriptures, the means of knowledge, which men would have destroyed; and preserves men of knowledge, as Aben Ezra interprets it, the ministers of the word, the stars he holds in his right hand; and he preserves spiritual and experimental knowledge in the hearts of his people, and causes it to increase; and continues his Gospel and a Gospel ministry in the world, till they all come to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God. Or his eyes observe, look unto with delight and pleasure, knowledge and men of knowledge, that know him, and do his will;

and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor; the perfidious, treacherous man; the false teacher, that corrupts the word of God, and handles it deceitfully: the doctrines of such he overthrows, and confutes, and brings to nothing, by his Spirit in his faithful ministers; and causes truth to prevail, and all iniquity to stop its mouth: particularly the words and doctrines of the great transgressor, the lawless and wicked one, the man of sin, antichrist; these have been exposed and overthrown already, and will be more and more so in God's due time.

Gill: Pro 22:13 - The slothful man saith, there is a lion without // I shall be slain in the streets

The slothful man saith, there is a lion without,.... Or, "in the street". This he says within himself; or to those who call out to him, and put him on doing the business of his proper calling, whether in the field or elsewhere, which, through his slothfulness, he has a disinclination to; and therefore frames excuses, and suggests this and that difficulty or danger in the way, expressed by a "lion without"; and which shows the folly and weakness of his excuses, since lions do not usually walk in cities, towns, and villages, and in the streets of them, but in woods and mountains;

I shall be slain in the streets; by the lion there; or I shall never be able to get over the difficulties, and through the dangers, which attending to business will expose me to. Some apply this to the difficulties that slothful persons imagine in the learning of languages, arts, and sciences; as Jarchi applies it to the learning of the law.

Gill: Pro 22:14 - The mouth of strange women is a deep pit // he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit,.... The mouth of harlots; the kisses of their mouth, their fair speech and flattering words, their amorous talk, and lascivious and wanton language, ensnare and draw unwary persons to commit lewdness with them, which bring them into a pit of ruin and destruction; a filthy one, and very deep, out of which it is not easy nor usual to be extricated: the allusion is to beasts taken in a pit dug for them; and these are as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed;

he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein; who has been guilty of other sins, and such as have caused the Lord to abhor him, and therefore leaves him to fall into this: one sin not only leads on to another, but is the punishment of another; men are seldom guilty of this sin of whoredom, but who have been first abandoned to other vices very provoking to. God; see Ecc 7:26. Jarchi interprets all this of idolatry; and it may be very well applied to the whore of Rome, and the harlots she is mother of; who, by her fair words and false doctrines, by her mouth speaking blasphemies and lies in hypocrisy, by her golden cup in her hand full of abomination and filthiness of fornication, and by her sorceries, have deceived many, and brought them into the pit of perdition and ruin: and these are such whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life; but are rejected of God, and given up to believe a lie, that they might be damned, Rev 17:4.

Gill: Pro 22:15 - Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child // but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child,.... That is, sin, the greatest of all folly; this is naturally in the heart of man; it is in the heart of a child, it is in him from his infancy; it is bound in his heart, it is rooted and riveted in him, being conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity; it is what cleaves close to him, and he has a strong affection for and desire after: the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth, Gen 8:21; so that he is not easily brought off of sin, or becomes wise;

but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him; the rod used by parents, for the correction of sin and folly, is a means of making children wise, and of restraining the folly that is bound up in them; and of reclaiming them from those sinful ways, which the folly of their hearts leads them to, and so in some measure of driving it far from them.

Gill: Pro 22:16 - He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches // and he that giveth to the rich shall surely come to want

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches,.... By taking away from them the little they have; by keeping back their hire, defrauding them of the just wages of their labours; or by usury and extortion, or any other unjust method, whereby they distress the poor, and enrich themselves;

and he that giveth to the rich shall surely come to want: that gives to those that are richer than he; or that are in greater power and authority, that they may protect him in the possession of his ill gotten riches; yet, after all, it shall not thrive and prosper with him, it will all issue in poverty and want: or, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "he shall give to one more rich, and shall want"; he shall be forced to give it to another richer than he, and of greater power, and so shall get nothing by his oppression of the poor; but as he has served the poor, so shall he be served himself, and be brought to beggary and want; see Pro 21:13.

Gill: Pro 22:17 - Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise // and apply thine heart unto my knowledge

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise,.... Here begins a new part or division of this book. According to some, the "third"; the "first" ending with Pro 9:18, the "second" at Pro 22:16, and a "third", beginning here, and ending with Pro 24:34. It is certain that what follows from hence to the end of that is written in another style, by way of exhortation, caution; and instruction, and is directed to particular persons: as here an exhortation is made to Solomon's son, or to those that attended his instruction; or rather to the children of Wisdom, that is, Christ; to listen attentively to "the words of the wise"; of Solomon, and other wise men before him, or contemporary with him; or rather of Wisdom and her maidens, Christ, and the wise men sent by him; who are made wise to salvation, and furnished for every good work by him, from whom the words of the wise come; and who speak the wisdom of God in a mystery; and whose doctrines are to be heard and received, not as the word of men, but as the word of God;

and apply thine heart unto my knowledge; the knowledge of divine and spiritual things Christ instructs in, and the knowledge of himself; which is preferable to all other knowledge, and to thousands of gold and silver; and in comparison of which all things are but loss and dung; and therefore should be applied unto with intenseness of mind, and cordially received.

Gill: Pro 22:18 - For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee // they shall withal be fitted in thy lips

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee,.... Or, "in thy belly" ^a. That is, in thine heart, in the inmost recesses of it; where the words or doctrines of the wise should be received in the love of them, and carefully laid up and retained; which will upon reflection yield much pleasure, like Ezekiel's roll, which was in his belly as honey for sweetness; and which also is very profitable as an antidote against sin, Psa 119:11;

they shall withal be fitted in thy lips; become them, and be suitable and graceful to them: or, "shall be ordered and disposed in" or "by thy lips" ^b; being received into the heart, and digested there, they shall easily and freely go off the tongue, which shall be as the pen of a ready writer; they shall be delivered in a regular manner, with great liberty and facility; by a good digestion of Gospel truths, and a comfortable experience of them, persons become apt to teach others.

Gill: Pro 22:19 - That thy trust may be in the Lord // I have made known to thee this day, even to thee

That thy trust may be in the Lord,.... By means of the words of the wise, or doctrines of the Gospel, faith in Christ is first had; men are directed and encouraged hereby to believe in him; and by the same means faith is increased, confirmed, and established. This is the end of penning the Scriptures, and of the Gospel ministry, as follows:

I have made known to thee this day, even to thee; the said words and doctrines in the ministry of the word, by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of them; giving not only a notional, but a spiritual and experimental knowledge of them. The Lord has particular persons to whom he will make known these things in a saving way; it is "to thee, even to thee"; and to everyone whom God has chosen, and Christ has redeemed: and he has particular times and seasons for it, "this day"; which is a time of life and love; when darkness is removed, and the light of grace shines, and makes it day; and may respect the whole Gospel dispensation, which is the accepted time and day of salvation.

Gill: Pro 22:20 - Have not I written to thee excellent things // in counsels and knowledge

Have not I written to thee excellent things,.... In the Scriptures. Some render it, "three things" ^c; and think that Solomon refers to the three divisions of the Scriptures among the Jews, the law, the prophets, and holy writings; so Jarchi; but some of those writings then were not: or to the three books wrote by him; the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Others render it, "in a threefold way" ^d, as the Targum and several versions; that is, in various ways, in different forms and styles, in order the better to inform and instruct. But it is best, with Kimchi, Gersom, and Ben Melech, to render it, "excellent things", as we do; such are the truths of the Gospel; they are more excellent than those that are only known by the light of nature, or by the law of Moses: such as suspect the love and grace of God; the person and offices of Christ; peace, pardon, righteousness, atonement, life and salvation, by him. And these are said to lie

in counsels and knowledge; in disclosing the counsels of God, according to which they are; in giving the best of counsels to men; to perishing sinners, to look to Christ for salvation; to naked ones, to buy of him white raiment, or the robe of his righteousness; to guilty and filthy ones, to apply to his blood for pardon and cleansing; to hungry and thirsty ones, to come unto him for food, the bread of life, and water of life; and to weary ones, to him for rest; and all to do their duty both to God and men: and they also respect knowledge; the knowledge of divine and heavenly things; the knowledge of God in Christ, and of his perfections, as displayed in his salvation; the knowledge of Christ, what he is in himself, what he has done for his people, and is unto them; and especially the knowledge of salvation by him; all which the Gospel is a means of.

Gill: Pro 22:21 - That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth // that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth,.... Such are the doctrines of the Gospel; they are "the words of truth"; are written in the Scriptures of truth; come from the God of truth; the subject matter of which is Christ, who is the truth, and which the Spirit of truth leads into: there is a "certainty" in these; they are in the sure word of prophecy; are contained in the inspired and infallible word of God, and are no other than the Gospel of God; nothing is more sure than that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and truly and properly God; and that salvation is alone by him; and that whoever believes in him shall be saved; with many other things, which ministers of the word should affirm with boldness and assurance; and which others may come to a certain knowledge of, even to the riches of a full assurance of understanding; and which is the end of their being written in the word, and made known in the ministry of it;

that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee; or, "return" ^e them to those that send to know what are the words of truth; that inquire concerning them with meekness and fear, and to whom a reason of the hope is to be given; as such are capable of, who have had the certainty of these words made known unto them, or who have been assured of the truth of them: and so Jarchi interprets it, to them that ask of thee instruction; as if it was written, as Lyra says it should, לשואליך, "to them that inquire of thee". It may be rendered, "to them that send thee" ^f; to search for those things, and get the knowledge of them, in order to communicate them, which, when obtained, may be done. Unless God, Father, Son, and Spirit, should be intended, who are concerned in the sending of ministers to preach the Gospel to men; to whom they are to return an account of the words of truth, and of their dispensation of them to the souls of men; which when faithfully done, and success, they give up their account with joy, and not with grief.

Gill: Pro 22:22 - Rob not the poor, because he is poor // neither oppress the afflicted in the gate

Rob not the poor, because he is poor,.... And cannot help himself; cannot go to law with him that has injured him, and defend his own cause; which the other knowing, is the more emboldened to spoil and defraud him, which is an aggravation of his sin: or, "for he is poor" ^g; to rob any man is an evil and an injurious thing; but to rob the poor is cruel and barbarous; rather something should be given them, and not anything taken from them: or, "though he is poor" ^h; let not that be an inducement to injure him, but the contrary;

neither oppress the afflicted in the gate; or "the poor" ⁱ; the same as before, only a different word used: when he comes into a court of judicature, which was usually held in the gates of a city, Rth 4:1; and applies for redress of any grievance, do not crush him in the gate, or oppress him in judgment; nor wrest his cause, and do him wrong; but let him have justice done him, though poor. Some understand this of using the poor ill, when they come to their gates to beg; which sense is favoured by the Septuagint version; but the former is best. One might have expected, after such a preface or introduction as in the preceding verses, that something of more importance, something more spiritual and evangelical, would have followed: this shows the great regard the Lord has to the poor, and how much they are on his mind, and how near they lie to his heart; especially the poor of the flock, worried and spoiled by antichrist; see Zec 11:7.

Gill: Pro 22:23 - For the Lord will plead their cause // and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them

For the Lord will plead their cause,.... If counsellors at the bar will not, he will; if judges on the bench will not do them justice, he will; he will judge the poor of the people; he will plead their cause, and plead it thoroughly, till he has brought forth judgment unto victory: woe to the man against whom Jehovah pleads; happy the poor on whose side he is; for their Redeemer is mighty, the Lord of hosts is his name, Psa 72:4;

and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them; they could only spoil the poor of their goods, but the Lord can and will spoil and destroy the souls of the spoilers in hell: or, "spoil them that spoiled their soul" or "life" ^k; that is, who spoiled them of their goods, and took away that small pittance they had, which was their life or livelihood; they shall be spoiled themselves that spoil others; the same measure they have meted out shall be measured out to them again; God will destroy them that destroy the earth, even antichrist and his followers, the oppressors of Christ's poor on earth, Rev 11:18.

Gill: Pro 22:24 - Make no friendship with an angry man // and with a furious man thou shall not go

Make no friendship with an angry man,.... Do not associate with him; contract not a familiarity with him; make him not a companion; take him not into an intimacy, or use him as a particular friend and acquaintance: a man should be courteous, and carry it civilly to all men; but he should take care whom he admits as his bosom friend; he should be cautious in his choice of a familiar friend, and not receive any; and, among the rest, avoid an angry and passionate man, one who is much given to passion himself, and stirs it up in others; for there can be no lasting peace and pleasure in such a man's company and conversation;

and with a furious man thou shall not go: not take a walk with him, much less a journey; or shall not be frequently together. It may be rendered, "unto a man of wraths", or of great wrath and "fury, thou shall not come"; not enter into his house, nor seek his company, and court his conversation, which rather should be shunned.

Gill: Pro 22:25 - Lest thou learn his ways // and get a snare to thy soul

Lest thou learn his ways,.... And be as wrathful and furious, as quarrelsome and contentious, as he is. Evil works and ways are soon learned; men are more ready to imitate what is evil than what is good: Joseph learned to swear in Pharaoh's court; and the Israelites learned the works of the Heathen, among whom they were mingled; "evil communications corrupt good manners", 1Co 15:33. Many men, naturally mild and gentle, tenderhearted and compassionate, by being brought up among or conversing with bloodthirsty Papists, and imbibing their cruel notions and sentiments, have become fierce, and as furious persecutors of others;

and get a snare to thy soul; be drawn into sin, by speaking passionate words, or doing rash actions, which will bring on punishment, either in this world, or in that to come, or in both; which may affect the soul or life here; the taking of it away, or the eternal damnation of the soul hereafter.

Gill: Pro 22:26 - Be not thou one of them that strike hands // or of them that are sureties for debts

Be not thou one of them that strike hands,.... Or "among them" ^m, of the number of them, that do as they do, give their hand or their bond for others; he surety for them, as it is explained in the following clause; see Pro 6:1;

or of them that are sureties for debts; contracted by others; that engage for the payment of them, in case the principal fails: and it is much if persons that keep indifferent company, angry and furious men, who are often in broils and quarrels, and spend their time and substance in strife and contention, are not drawn into engagements of this kind.

Gill: Pro 22:27 - If thou hast nothing to pay // why should he take away thy bed from under thee

If thou hast nothing to pay,.... When the debtor this, and the creditor demands the debt of the surety: it is weakness in a man to be a surety for another, when he knows he is not able to pay the debt he is bound for, since it may be an injury to himself and family; but it is a piece of wickedness to engage for the payment of a debt, in case of insolvency, which he knows he is not able to answer; for this is deceiving and imposing upon the creditor; and therefore it is no wonder, being provoked by such ill usage, if he goes to extremity, as follows:

why should he take away thy bed from under thee? as in all likelihood he will, being irritated by such a conduct; and as he might, notwithstanding the law in Exo 22:26; for that respects a pledge, and not a debt; and raiment pledged, the covering of a man when in bed, and not the bed itself; for even wife and children might be taken for debt, 2Ki 4:1. This is said to deter from suretyship, especially in such circumstances; since a man may bring himself into such a condition as not to have a bed to lie on; yea, to have it taken from under him when upon it; and be turned out from house and home, naked and destitute.

Gill: Pro 22:28 - Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.

Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. Or, "the ancient border" or "boundary" ⁿ; by which lands, estates, and inheritances, were marked, bounded, and distinguished; set by ancestors in agreement with their neighbours; which to remove was contrary to a law, and a curse is denounced upon those that did it, Deu 19:14; and was always reckoned a very heinous crime in early times; See Gill on Job 24:2. This was so sacred a thing among the Romans, that they had a deity which presided over those bounds, and had its name from them. Some apply this, in a political sense, to laws of long standing, and customs of long prescription; and others interpret it, in a theological sense, of doctrines and practices settled by the fathers of the church; which, if understood of Christ and his apostles only, will be allowed; but if of the ancient fathers of the church that followed them, it should not be received; since they were but fallible men, and guilty of many errors and mistakes, both in doctrine and practice.

Gill: Pro 22:29 - Seest thou a man diligent in his business // he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men

Seest thou a man diligent in his business?.... In the business of his calling, be it what it will, whether for himself or his master; constant in it, swift, ready, and expeditious at it; who industriously pursues it, cheerfully attends it, makes quick dispatch of it; does it off of hand, at once, and is not slothful in it, nor weary of it; when you have observed and taken notice of such a man, which is not very common, you may, without a spirit of prophecy, foresee that such a man will rise in the world;

he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men, or "obscure persons" ^o; he shall not continue in the service of ignoble persons, or keep company with them; but he shall be taken into the service of princes and noble men, and be admitted into their presence, and receive favours from them; as Joseph, who was industrious and diligent in his business in Potiphar's house, was in process of time advanced, and stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt, Gen 39:4. This may be spiritually applied. Every good man has a work or business to do in a religious way; some in a higher sphere, as officers of churches, ministers and deacons; the work of the one lies in reading, study, meditation, and prayer, in the ministration of the word and ordinances, and other duties of their once; and the business of the others in taking care of the poor, and the secular affairs of the churches; others in a lower way, and common to all Christians, which lies in the exercise of grace, and performance of all good works, relative to themselves, their families, and the church of God. Now ministers that are diligent in teaching and ruling; and deacons that do their office well; and private Christians, who are steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; are ready to every good work, heartily engaged in it, and constantly at it; shall not be company for the sons of darkness, unregenerate men, who are in the dark, and darkness itself; what communion has light with darkness, with works of darkness, they should be not workers of? or have any fellowship with the prince of darkness, from whose power they are delivered; but shall have society with the saints, who are made kings and priests unto God; shall be admitted into the presence of the King of kings now, and have communion with him; and shall stand before him at the great day with confidence, and not be ashamed; shall stand at his right hand, and shall be for ever with him. So the Jews ^p interpret this place, "he shall not stand before dark ones", in hell; "he shall stand before kings", in the garden of Eden, in paradise; that is, in heaven.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Ayat / Catatan Kaki

NET Notes: Pro 22:1

¹ tn Heb “a name.” The idea of the name being “good” is implied; it has the connotation here of a reputation (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT).

² tn “To be chosen rather than” is a translation of the Niphal participle with the comparative degree taken into consideration. Cf. CEV “worth much more than.”

³ tn Heb “favor of goodness.” This is a somewhat difficult expression. Some English versions render the phrase “favor is better than silver or gold” (so NASB, NRSV) making it parallel to the first colon. But if “good” is retained as an attributive modifier, then it would mean one was well thought of, or one had engaging qualities (cf. ASV “loving favor; NLT “high esteem”). This fits with the idea of the reputation in the first colon, for a good name would bring with it the favor of others.

NET Notes: Pro 22:2

¹ tn The form of the verb is the Niphal perfect of פָּגַשׁ (pagash); it means “to meet together [or, each other]” (cf. KJV, ASV). The point is that rich and poor live side by side in this life, but they are both part of God’s creation (cf. NAB, NASB “have a common bond”). Some commentators have taken this to mean that they should live together because they are part of God’s creation; but the verb form will not sustain that meaning.

² tn Heb “all.” The Lord is sovereign over both groups, that is, he has had the final say whether a person is rich or poor. People would do well to treat all people with respect, for God can as easily reduce the rich to poverty as raise up the poor to wealth.

NET Notes: Pro 22:3

¹ sn The contrast is between the “shrewd” (prudent) person and the “simpleton.” The shrewd person knows where the dangers and pitfalls are in life and so can avoid them; the naive person is unwary, untrained, and gullible, unable to survive the dangers of the world and blundering into them.

² tn Heb “evil,” a term that is broad enough to include (1) “sin” as well as (2) any form of “danger” (NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT) or “trouble” (TEV, CEV). The second option is more likely what is meant here: The naive simpleton does not see the danger to be avoided and so suffers for it.

³ tn Heb “go on”; the word “right” is supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning: The naive person, oblivious to impending danger, meets it head on (cf. TEV “will walk right into it”).

⁴ tn The verb עָנַשׁ (’anash) means “to fine” specifically. In the Niphal stem it means “to be fined,” or more generally, “to be punished.” In this line the punishment is the consequence of blundering into trouble – they will pay for it.

NET Notes: Pro 22:4

¹ tn The Hebrew term עֵקֶב (’eqev, “reward”) is related to the term meaning “heel”; it refers to the consequences or the reward that follows (akin to the English expression “on the heels of”).

² tn “Humility” is used here in the religious sense of “piety”; it is appropriately joined with “the fear of the Lord.” Some commentators, however, make “the fear of the Lord” the first in the series of rewards for humility, but that arrangement is less likely here.

³ tn Heb “the fear of the Lord.” This is an objective genitive; the Lord is the object of the fear.

NET Notes: Pro 22:5

¹ tc Because MT reading צִנִּים (tsinnim, “thorns”) does not make a very good match with “traps,” it has created some difficulty for interpreters. The word “thorns” may be obscure, but it is supported by the LXX (“prickly plants”) and an apparent cognate “thorns” in Num 33:55 and Josh 23:13. But some (including the editors of BHS) suggest changing it to צַמִּים (tsammim, “traps” changing a נ [nun] to a מ [mem]). But BDB 855 s.v. צַמִּים acknowledges that this word is a doubtful word, attested only a couple of times in Job (e.g., 18:9). W. McKane traces a development from the idea of צֵן (tsen, “basket; trap”) to support this change (Proverbs [OTL], 565). The present translation (like many other English versions) has retained “thorns,” even though the parallelism with “traps” is not very good; as the harder reading it is preferred. The variant readings have little textual or philological support, and simplify the line.

sn “Thorns and snares” represent the dangers and threats to life. They would be implied comparisons (hypocatastasis): As a path strewn with thorns and traps, life for the wicked will be filled with dangers and difficulties.

NET Notes: Pro 22:6

¹ tn The verb חָנַךְ (khanakh) means “to train up; to dedicate” (BDB 335 s.v.; HALOT 334 s.v. חנך). The verb is used elsewhere to refer to dedicating a house (Deut 20:5; 1 Kgs 8:63; 2 Chr 7:5). The related noun חֲנֻכָה (khanukhah) means “dedication; consecration” (BDB 335 s.v.; HALOT 334 s.v.), and is used in reference to the dedication or consecration of altars (Num 7:10; 2 Chr 7:9), the temple (Ps 30:1), and town walls (Neh 12:27). The related adjective חָנִיךְ (khanikh) describes “trained, tried, experienced” men (BDB 335 s.v.; Gen 14:14). In the related cognate languages the verb has similar meanings: Aramaic “to train,” Ethiopic “to initiate,” and Arabic IV “to learn; to make experienced” (HALOT 334 s.v.). This proverb pictures a child who is dedicated by parents to the Lord and morally trained to follow him. On the other hand, a popular expositional approach suggests that it means “to motivate.” This view is based on a cognate Arabic root II which (among many other things) refers to the practice of rubbing the palate of a newborn child with date juice or olive oil to motivate the child to suck. While this makes an interesting sermon illustration, it is highly unlikely that this concept was behind this Hebrew verb. The Arabic meaning is late and secondary – the Arabic term did not have this meaning until nearly a millennium after this proverb was written.

² tn The term נַעַר (na’ar) is traditionally translated “child” here (so almost all English versions), but might mean “youth.” The noun can refer to a broad range of ages (see BDB 654-55 s.v.; HALOT 707 s.v.): infant (Exod 2:6), weaned child (1 Sam 1:24), young child (Jer 1:6), lad (Gen 22:12), adolescent (Gen 37:2), or young man of marriageable age (Gen 34:19). The context focuses on the child’s young, formative years. The Talmud says this would be up to the age of twenty-four.

³ tn The expression in Hebrew is עַל־פִּי דַּרְכּוֹ (’al-pi darko), which can be rendered “according to his way”; NEB “Start a boy on the right road.” The expression “his way” is “the way he should go”; it reflects the point the book of Proverbs is making that there is a standard of life to which he must attain. Saadia, a Jewish scholar who lived a.d. 882-942, first suggested that this could mean the child should be trained according to his inclination or bent of mind. This may have some merit in practice, but it is not likely what the proverb had in mind. In the book of Proverbs there are only two ways that a person can go, the way of the wise or righteousness, and the way of the fool. One takes training, and the other does not. Ralbag, in fact, offered a satirical interpretation: “Train a child according to his evil inclinations (let him have his will) and he will continue in his evil way throughout life” (J. H. Greenstone, Proverbs, 234). C. H. Toy says the expression means “in accordance with the manner of life to which he is destined (Proverbs [ICC], 415). W. McKane says, “There is only one right way – the way of life – and the educational discipline which directs young men along this way is uniform” (Proverbs [OTL], 564). This phrase does not describe the concept perpetuated by a modern psychological interpretation of the verse: Train a child according to his personality trait.

⁴ sn The expected consequence of such training is that it will last throughout life. The sages were confident of the character-forming quality of their training. However, proverbs are not universal truths. One can anticipate positive results from careful child-training – but there may be an occasional exception.

NET Notes: Pro 22:7

¹ sn The proverb is making an observation on life. The synonymous parallelism matches “rule over” with “servant” to show how poverty makes people dependent on, or obligated to, others.

² tn Or “slave” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV, CEV). This may refer to the practice in Israel of people selling themselves into slavery to pay off debts (Exod 21:2-7).

NET Notes: Pro 22:8

¹ sn The verse is making an implied comparison (a figure of speech known as hypocatastasis) between sowing and sinning. One who sins is like one who sows, for there will be a “harvest” or a return on the sin – trouble.

² tc There is a variant reading in the LXX; instead of “the rod of his wrath” it reads “the punishment of his deeds.” C. H. Toy wishes to emend שֵׁבֶט (shevet) to שֶׁבֶר (shever), “the produce of his work” (Proverbs [ICC], 416). But the Hebrew text is not obscure, and שֶׁבֶר does not exactly mean “produce.” The expression “rod of his wrath” may not follow the imagery of 8a very closely, but it is nonetheless understandable. The “rod” is a symbol of power; “wrath” is a metonymy of cause indicating what wrath will do, and an objective genitive. The expression signifies that in reaping trouble for his sins this person will no longer be able to unleash his fury on others. The LXX adds: “A man who is cheerful and a giver God blesses” (e.g., 2 Cor 9:7).

NET Notes: Pro 22:9

¹ tn Heb “good of eye.” This expression is an attributed genitive meaning “bountiful of eye” (cf. KJV, ASV “He that hath a bountiful eye”). This is the opposite of the “evil eye” which is covetous and wicked. The “eye” is a metonymy representing looking well to people’s needs. So this refers to the generous person (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

² tn The form יְבֹרָךְ (yÿvorakh) is a Pual imperfect (here in pause) from בָּרַךְ (barakh); the word means “blessed” in the sense of “enriched,” implying there is a practical reward for being generous to the poor.

³ sn It is from his own food that he gives to the poor. Of the many observations that could be made, it is worth noting that in blessing this kind of person God is in fact providing for the poor, because out of his blessing he will surely continue to share more.

NET Notes: Pro 22:10

¹ sn This proverb, written in loose synonymous parallelism, instructs that the scorner should be removed because he causes strife. The “scorner” is לֵץ (lets), the one the book of Proverbs says cannot be changed with discipline or correction, but despises and disrupts anything that is morally or socially constructive.

² tc The LXX freely adds “when he sits in council (ἐν συνεδρίῳ, ejn sunedriw), he insults everyone.” The MT does not suggest that the setting is in a court of law; so the LXX addition is highly unlikely.

NET Notes: Pro 22:11

¹ sn The “heart” is a metonymy of subject; it represents the intentions and choices that are made. “Pure of heart” uses “heart” as a genitive of specification. The expression refers to someone who has honest and clear intentions.

² tn Heb “grace of his lips” (so KJV, ASV). The “lips” are a metonymy of cause representing what is said; it also functions as a genitive of specification.

sn This individual is gracious or kind in what he says; thus the verse is commending honest intentions and gracious words.

³ tn The syntax of the line is somewhat difficult, because “grace of his lips” seems to be intruding on the point of the verse with little explanation. Therefore the LXX rendered it “The Lord loves the pure in heart; all who are blameless in their ways are acceptable to him.” This has very little correspondence with the Hebrew; nevertheless commentators attempt to reconstruct the verse using it, and the NAB follows the first clause of the LXX here. Some have suggested taking “king” as the subject of the whole verse (“the king loves…”), but this is forced.

NET Notes: Pro 22:12

¹ sn The “eyes of the Lord” is an anthropomorphic expression; the omniscience of God is the intended meaning. When scripture uses the “eyes” of the Lord, it usually means evaluation, superintending, or safeguarding.

² tn There is a slight difficulty in that the abstract noun “knowledge” is used nowhere else in the book of Proverbs with the word “watch.” C. H. Toy (Proverbs [ICC], 418) wants to make a major change to read “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,” but there is no support for this and it reduces the line to a common idea. D. W. Thomas suggests changing the word “knowledge” to “lawsuit” based on an Arabic cognate (“A Note on דַּעַת in Proverbs 22:12,” JTS 14 [1963]: 93-94).

³ tn The object of the verb is the “words of the traitor” (בֹגֵד דִּבְרֵי, divre voged); cf. NASB “the words of the treacherous man.” What treacherous people say is treachery. In this context “traitor, treacherous” refers to one who is “unfaithful” (cf. NIV).

sn The proverb affirms that God in safeguarding true knowledge will frustrate deception from faithless people – what they say will not have its intended effect.

NET Notes: Pro 22:13

¹ sn The proverb humorously describes the sluggard as making ridiculous excuses for not working – he might be eaten by a lion (e.g., 26:13). It is possible that “lion” is figurative, intended to represent someone who is like a lion, but this detracts from the humor of the exaggeration.

² tc The LXX changes the phrase to read “murderers in the street” to form a better parallelism, possibly because the verb רָצַח (ratsakh) is used only of humans, not wild animals. The NIV attempts to solve the problem by making the second line a separate claim by the sluggard: “or, ‘I will be murdered in the streets!’”

NET Notes: Pro 22:14

¹ sn The word “mouth” is a metonymy of cause; it refers to the seductive speech of the strange woman (e.g., 2:16-22; and chs. 5, 7).

² tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied for the sake of clarity.

³ sn The point of the metaphor is that what the adulteress says is like a deep pit. The pit is like the hunter’s snare; it is a trap that is difficult to escape. So to succumb to the adulteress – or to any other folly this represents – is to get oneself into a difficulty that has no easy escape.

⁴ tn Heb “the one who is cursed by the Lord” (cf. NASB). The construction uses the passive participle in construct with Yahweh. The “Lord” is genitive of agency after the passive form. The verb means “be indignant, express indignation.” So it is talking about one against whom the Lord is angry.

⁵ tn Heb “will fall there.” The “falling” could refer to the curse itself or to the result of the curse.

sn The proverb is saying that the Lord will use the seductive, deceptive words of the adulteress to bring about the downfall of one who is inclined to such folly.

NET Notes: Pro 22:15

¹ sn The passive participle is figurative (implied comparison with “binding”); it means that folly forms part of a child’s nature (J. H. Greenstone, Proverbs, 238).

² tn The “heart of a child” (לֶב־נָעַר, lev-na’ar) refers here to the natural inclination of a child to foolishness. The younger child is meant in this context, but the word can include youth. R. N. Whybray suggests that this idea might be described as a doctrine of “original folly” (Proverbs [CBC], 125). Cf. TEV “Children just naturally do silly, careless things.”

³ tn The word “rod” is a metonymy of adjunct; it represents physical chastening for direction or punishment, to suppress folly and develop potential. The genitive (“discipline”) may be taken as an attributive genitive (“a chastening rod”) or an objective genitive, (“a rod [= punishment] that brings about correction/discipline”).

NET Notes: Pro 22:16

¹ tn Heb “oppressing the poor, it is gain; giving to the rich, it is loss.” The Hebrew is cryptic, but two sins are mentioned here that will be punished by poverty: extortion and bribery. Perhaps the proverb is simply saying it is easy to oppress the poor for gain, but it is a waste of money to try to buy or bribe a patron (D. Kidner, Proverbs [TOTC], 149).

NET Notes: Pro 22:17

¹ sn A new collection of sayings begins here, forming the fourth section of the book of Proverbs. This collection is not like that of 1:1–9:18; here the introductory material is more personal than 1:1-7, and the style differs, showing great similarity to the Instruction of Amenemope in Egypt (especially the thirty precepts of the sages in 22:17–24:22). Verses 17-21 form the introduction, and then the sayings begin in v. 22. After the thirty sayings are given, there are further sayings in 24:23-34. There is much literature on this material: see W. K. Simpson, ed., Literature of Ancient Egypt; ANET 412-425; and A. Cody, “Notes on Proverbs 22:21 and 22:23b,” Bib 61 (1980): 418-26.

² sn To “incline the ear” means to “listen carefully” (cf. NCV); the expression is metonymical in that the ear is the instrument for hearing. It is like telling someone to lean over to hear better.

³ tn Heb “knowledge” (so KJV, NASB); in this context it refers to the knowledge that is spoken by the wise, hence “instruction.”

NET Notes: Pro 22:18

¹ tn Or “when” (so NIV).

² tn Heb “keep them,” referring to the words of the wise expressed in these sayings. The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn The term “and” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation.

⁴ sn If the teachings are preserved in the heart/mind of the disciple, then that individual will always be ready to speak what was retained.

NET Notes: Pro 22:19

¹ tn The form לִהְיוֹת (lihyot, “to be”) is the infinitive construct indicating the purpose (or result) of the teaching (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV).

² tn Heb “I cause you to know.” The term “today” indicates that the verb should have the instantaneous nuance, and so an English present tense is used in the translation (“am making…known”).

NET Notes: Pro 22:20

¹ tn Older English versions and a few more recent ones render this phrase as either “excellent things” following the Qere (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), “officers,” or “heretofore” [day before yesterday], following the Kethib. However (as in most recent English versions) the Qere should be rendered “thirty,” referring to the number in the collection (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

² tn The term “sayings” does not appear in the Hebrew text but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

NET Notes: Pro 22:21

¹ tn Heb “to cause you to know the truth of words of truth” (NASB similar).

² tn Heb “to return true words”; NAB “a dependable report”; NIV “sound answers.”

NET Notes: Pro 22:22

¹ tn Two negated jussives form the instruction here: אַל־תִּגְזָל (’al-tigzal, “do not exploit”) and וְאַל־תְּדַכֵּא (ve’al-tÿdakke’, “do not crush”).

sn Robbing or oppressing the poor is easy because they are defenseless. But this makes the crime tempting as well as contemptible. What is envisioned may be in bounds legally (just) but out of bounds morally.

² tn Heb “in the gate” (so KJV); NAB, NASB, NRSV “at the gate.” The “gate” of the city was the center of activity, the place of business as well as the place for settling legal disputes. The language of the next verse suggests a legal setting, so “court” is an appropriate translation here.

NET Notes: Pro 22:23

¹ tn The construction uses the verb יָרִיב (yariv) with its cognate accusative. It can mean “to strive,” but here it probably means “to argue a case, plead a case” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV). How the Lord will do this is not specified – either through righteous people or by direct intervention.

² tn The verb קָבַע (qava’, “to rob; to spoil; to plunder”) is used here in both places to reflect the principle of talionic justice. What the oppressors did to the poor will be turned back on them by the Lord.

NET Notes: Pro 22:24

¹ tn Heb “possessor of anger.” This expression is an idiom for “wrathful person” or “an angry person” (cf. NAB “a hotheaded man”; NLT “short-tempered people”). These are people characterized by anger, meaning the anger is not a rare occurrence with them.

NET Notes: Pro 22:25

¹ tn The verb פֶּן־תֶּאֱלַף (pen-te’elaf) is translated “lest you learn.” The idea is more precisely “become familiar with his ways.” The construction indicates that if one associates with such people he will become like them (cf. TEV “you might learn their habits”).

² sn The warning in this proverb is to avoid associating with a hothead because his influence could be fatal (a similar idea is found in the Instruction of Amenemope, chap. 9, 11:13-14 [ANET 423]).

NET Notes: Pro 22:27

¹ tn The “bed” may be a metonymy of adjunct, meaning the garment that covers the bed (e.g., Exod 22:26). At any rate, it represents the individual’s last possession (like the English expression “the shirt off his back”).

² tn Heb “If you cannot pay, why should he take the bed from under you?” This rhetorical question is used to affirm the statement. The rhetorical interrogative לָמָּה (lamah, “why?”) appears in MT but not in the ancient versions; it may be in the Hebrew text by dittography.

³ sn The third saying deals with rash vows: If people foolishly pledge what they have, they could lose everything (e.g., 6:1-5; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; there is no Egyptian parallel).

NET Notes: Pro 22:28

¹ sn Moving a boundary stone was (and still is) a major problem. The boundaries that were established by the forefathers were to be preserved, but no law would stop such violations if people lacked integrity (e.g., Deut 19:14; 27:17; 1 Kgs 21:16-19). Boundaries in Israel were sacred because God owned the land and he apportioned the property to the tribes. To extend one’s property illegally by moving a neighbor’s boundary marker was a violation of covenant and oath. Of course, disputes could arise when both sides claim their ancestors established a boundary.

² tn Heb “your fathers” (so NAB, NASB).

sn The fourth saying deals with respect for property that belongs to other people (cf. Instruction of Amenemope, chap. 6, 7:12-13 [ANET 422]).

NET Notes: Pro 22:29

¹ sn The word translated “skilled” is general enough to apply to any crafts; but it may refer to a scribe or an official (R. N. Whybray, Proverbs [CBC], 134).

² tn The verb form used twice here is יִתְיַצֵּב (yityatsev), the Hitpael imperfect of יָצַב (yatsav), which means “to set or station oneself; to take one’s stand” in this stem. With the form לִפְנֵי (life) it means “to present oneself before” someone; so here it has the idea of serving as a courtier in the presence of a king.

³ sn The fifth saying affirms that true skill earns recognition and advancement (cf. Instruction of Amenemope, chap. 30, 27:16-17 [ANET 424]).

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:1

A [good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] ^{( a )} loving favour rather than silver and gold.

^{( a )} Which comes by well doing.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:2

The rich and poor ^{( b )} meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all.

^{( b )} Live together, and have need the one of the other.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:3

A prudent [man] ^{( c )} foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

^{( c )} That is, the punishment, which is prepared for the wicked and flees to God for help.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:6

Train up a child ^{( d )} in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

^{( d )} Bring him up virtuously and he will continue so.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:8

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the ^{( e )} rod of his anger shall fail.

^{( e )} His authority by which he oppressed others, will be taken from him.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:9

He that hath a bountiful ^{( f )} eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

^{( f )} He that is merciful and liberal.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:11

He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the ^{( g )} king [shall be] his friend.

^{( g )} He shows that princes should use their familiarity, whose conscience is good, and their talk wise and godly.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:12

The eyes of the LORD preserve ^{( h )} knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

^{( h )} Favour them that love knowledge.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:13

The slothful [man] saith, ^{( i )} [There is] a lion outside, I shall be slain in the streets.

^{( i )} He derides them that invent vain excuses, because they would not do their duty.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:14

The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit: he that is abhorred by the LORD ^{( k )} shall fall in it.

^{( k )} So God punishes one sin by another, when he suffers the wicked to fall into the acquaintance of a harlot.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:15

Foolishness [is] bound ^{( l )} in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

^{( l )} He is naturally given to it.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:19

That thy trust may be in ^{( m )} the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

^{( m )} He shows what the end of wisdom is: that is, to direct us to the Lord.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:20

Have not I written to thee ^{( n )} excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

^{( n )} That is, various times.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:24

Make ^{( o )} no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

^{( o )} Have nothing to do with him that is not able to rule his affections: for he would hurt you by his evil conversation.

Geneva Bible: Pro 22:26

Be not thou [one] of them that ^{( p )} strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.

^{( p )} Who rashly put themselves in danger for others, as in (Pro 6:2).

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Rentang Ayat

MHCC: Pro 22:1

We should be more careful to do that by which we may get and keep a good name, than to raise or add unto a great estate.

MHCC: Pro 22:2

Divine Providence has so ordered it, that some are rich, and others poor, but all are guilty before God; and at the throne of God's grace the poor are as welcome as the rich.

MHCC: Pro 22:3

Faith foresees the evil coming upon sinners, and looks to Jesus Christ as the sure refuge from the storm.

MHCC: Pro 22:4

Where the fear of God is, there will be humility. And much is to be enjoyed by it; spiritual riches, and eternal life at last.

MHCC: Pro 22:5

The way of sin is vexatious and dangerous. But the way of duty is safe and easy.

MHCC: Pro 22:6

Train children, not in the way they would go, that of their corrupt hearts, but in the way they should go; in which, if you love them, you would have them go. As soon as possible every child should be led to the knowledge of the Saviour.

MHCC: Pro 22:7

This shows how important it is for every man to keep out of debt. As to the things of this life, there is a difference between the rich and the poor; but let the poor remember, it is the Lord that made the difference.

MHCC: Pro 22:8

The power which many abuse, will soon fail them.

MHCC: Pro 22:9

He that seeks to relieve the wants and miseries of others shall be blessed.

MHCC: Pro 22:10

Profane scoffers and revilers disturb the peace.

MHCC: Pro 22:11

God will be the Friend of a man in whose spirit there is no guile; this honour have all the saints.

MHCC: Pro 22:12

God turns the counsels and designs of treacherous men to their own confusion.

MHCC: Pro 22:13

The slothful man talks of a lion without, but considers not his real danger from the devil, that roaring lion within, and from his own slothfulness, which kills him.

MHCC: Pro 22:14

The vile sin of licentiousness commonly besots the mind beyond recovery.

MHCC: Pro 22:15

Sin is foolishness, it is in the heart, there is an inward inclination to sin: children bring it into the world with them; and it cleaves close to the soul. We all need to be corrected by our heavenly Father.

MHCC: Pro 22:16

We are but stewards, and must distribute what God intrusts to our care, according to his will.

MHCC: Pro 22:17-21

To these words, to this knowledge, the ear must be bowed down, and the heart applied by faith and love. To live a life of delight in God and dependence on him, is the foundation of all practical religion. The way to know the certainty of the word of truth, is to make conscience of our duty.

MHCC: Pro 22:22-23

He that robs and oppresses the poor, does so at his peril. And if men will not appear for them, God will.

MHCC: Pro 22:24-25

Our corrupt hearts have so much tinder in them, that it is dangerous to have to do with those that throw about the sparks of their passion.

MHCC: Pro 22:26-27

Every man ought to be just to himself, and his family; those are not so, who, by folly or other carelessness, waste what they have.

MHCC: Pro 22:28

We are taught not to trespass on another man's right. And it is hard to find a truly industrious man. Such a man will rise. Seest thou a man diligent in the business of religion? He is likely to excel. Let us then be diligent in God's work.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:1

Here are two things which are more valuable and which we should covet more than great riches: - 1. To be well spoken of: A name (that is, a good name, a name for good things with God and good people) is rather to be chosen than great riches; that is, we should be more careful to do that by which we may get and keep a good name than that by which we may raise and increase a great estate. Great riches bring great cares with them, expose men to danger, and add no real value to a man. A fool and a knave may have great riches, but a good name makes a man easy and safe, supposes a man wise and honest, redounds to the glory of God, and gives a man a greater opportunity of doing good. By great riches we may relieve the bodily wants of others, but by a good name we may recommend religion to them. 2. To be well beloved, to have an interest in the esteem and affections of all about us; this is better than silver and gold. Christ has neither silver nor gold, but he grew in favour with God and man, Luk 2:52. This should teach us to look with a holy contempt upon the wealth of this world, not to set our hearts upon that, but with all possible care to think of those things that are lovely and of good report, Phi 4:8.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:2

Note, 1. Among the children of men divine Providence has so ordered it that some are rich and others poor, and these are intermixed in societies: The Lord is the Maker of both, both the author of their being and the disposer of their lot. The greatest man in the world must acknowledge God to be his Maker, and is under the same obligations to be subject to him that the meanest is; and the poorest has the honour to be the work of God's hands as much as the greatest. Have they not all one Father? Mal 2:10; Job 31:15. God makes some rich, that they may be charitable to the poor, and others poor, that they may be serviceable to the rich; and they have need of one another, 1Co 12:21. He make some poor, to exercise their patience, and contentment, and dependence upon God, and others rich, to exercise their thankfulness and beneficence. Even the poor we have always with us; they shall never cease out of the land, nor the rich neither. 2. Notwithstanding the distance that is in many respects between rich and poor, yet in most things they meet together, especially before the Lord, who is the Maker of them all, and regards not the rich more than the poor, Job 34:19. Rich and poor meet together at the bar of God's justice, all guilty before God, concluded under sin, and shapen in iniquity, the rich as much as the poor; and they meet at the throne of God's grace; the poor are as welcome there as the rich. There is the same Christ, the same scripture, the same Spirit, the same covenant of promises, for them both. There is the same heaven for poor saints that there is for rich: Lazarus is in the bosom of Abraham. And there is the same hell for rich sinners that there is for poor. All stand upon the same level before God, as they do also in the grave. The small and great are there.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:3

See here, 1. The benefit of wisdom and consideration: A prudent man, by the help of his prudence, will foresee an evil, before it comes, and hide himself; he will be aware when he is entering into a temptation and will put on his armour and stand on his guard. When the clouds are gathering for a storm he takes the warning, and flies to the name of the Lord as his strong tower. Noah foresaw the deluge, Joseph the years of famine, and provided accordingly. 2. The mischief of rashness and inconsideration. The simple, who believe every word that flatters them, will believe none that warns them, and so they pass on and are punished. They venture upon sin, though they are told what will be in the end thereof; they throw themselves into trouble, notwithstanding the fair warning given them, and they repent their presumption when it is too late. See an instance of both these, Exo 9:20, Exo 9:21. Nothing is so fatal to precious souls as this, they will not take warning.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:4

See here, 1. Wherein religion does very much consist - in humility and the fear of the Lord; that is, walking humbly with God. We must so reverence God's majesty and authority as to submit with all humility to the commands of his word and the disposals of his providence. We must have such low thoughts of ourselves as to behave humbly towards God and man. Where the fear of God is there will be humility. 2. What is to be gotten by it - riches, and honour, and comfort, and long life, in this world, as far as God sees good, at least spiritual riches and honour in the favour of God, and the promises and privileges of the covenant of grace, and eternal life at last.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:5

Note 1. The way of sin is vexatious and dangerous: In the way of the froward, that crooked way, which is contrary to the will and word of God, thorns and snares are found, thorns of grief for past sins and snares entangling them in further sin. He that makes no conscience of what he says and does will find himself hampered by that imaginary liberty, and tormented by his pleasures. Froward people, who are soon angry, expose themselves to trouble at every step. Every thing will fret and vex him that will fret and vex at every thing. 2. The way of duty is safe and easy: He that keeps his soul, that watches carefully over his own heart and ways, is far from those thorns and snares, for his way is both plain and pleasant.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:6

Here is, 1. A great duty enjoined, particularly to those that are the parents and instructors of children, in order to the propagating of wisdom, that it may not die with them: Train up children in that age of vanity, to keep them from the sins and snares of it, in that learning age, to prepare them for what they are designed for. Catechise them; initiate them; keep them under discipline. Train them as soldiers, who are taught to handle their arms, keep rank, and observe the word of command. Train them up, not in the way they would go (the bias of their corrupt hearts would draw them aside), but in the way they should go, the way in which, if you love them, you would have them go. Train up a child according as he is capable (as some take it), with a gentle hand, as nurses feed children, little and often, Deu 6:7. 2. A good reason for it, taken from the great advantage of this care and pains with children: When they grow up, when they grow old, it is to be hoped, they will not depart from it. Good impressions made upon them then will abide upon them all their days. Ordinarily the vessel retains the savour with which it was first seasoned. Many indeed have departed from the good way in which they were trained up; Solomon himself did so. But early training may be a means of their recovering themselves, as it is supposed Solomon did. At least the parents will have the comfort of having done their duty and used the means.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:7

He had said (Pro 22:2.), Rich and poor meet together; but here he finds, here he shows, that, as to the things of this life, there is a great difference; for, 1. Those that have little will be in subjection to those that have much, because they have dependence upon them, they have received, and expect to receive, support from them: The rich rule over the poor, and too often more than becomes them, with pride and rigour, unlike to God, who, though he be great, yet despises not any. It is part of the affliction of the poor that they must expect to be trampled upon, and part of their duty to be serviceable, as far as they can, to those that are kind to them, and study to be grateful. 2. Those that are but going behindhand find themselves to lie much at the mercy of those that are before hand: The borrower is servant to the lender, is obliged to him, and must sometimes beg, Have patience with me. Therefore it is part of Israel's promised happiness that they should lend and borrow, Deu 28:12. And it should be our endeavour to keep as much as may be out of debt. Some sell their liberty to gratify their luxury.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:8

Note 1. Ill-gotten gains will not prosper: He that sows iniquity, that does an unjust thing in hopes to get by it, shall reap vanity; what he gets will never do him any good nor give him any satisfaction. He will meet nothing but disappointment. Those that create trouble to others do but prepare trouble for themselves. Men shall reap as they sow. 2. Abused power will not last. If the rod of authority turn into a rod of anger, if men rule by passion instead of prudence, and, instead of the public welfare, aim at nothing so much as the gratifying of their own resentments, it shall fail and be broken, and their power shall not bear them out in their exorbitances, Isa 10:24, Isa 10:25.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:9

Here is, 1. The description of a charitable man; he has a bountiful eye, opposed to the evil eye (Pro 23:6) and the same with the single eye (Mat 6:22), - an eye that seeks out objects of charity, besides those that offer themselves, - an eye that, upon the sight of one in want and misery, affects the heart with compassion, - an eye that with the alms gives a pleasant look, which makes the alms doubly acceptable. He has also a liberal hand: He gives of his bread to those that need - his bread, the bread appointed for his own eating. He will rather abridge himself than see the poor perish for want; yet he does not give all his bread, but of his bread; the poor shall have their share with his own family. 2. The blessedness of such a man. The loins of the poor will bless them, all about him will speak well of him, and God himself will bless him, in answer to many a good prayer put up for him, and he shall be blessed.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:10

See here, 1. What the scorner does. It is implied that he sows discord and makes mischief wherever he comes. Much of the strife and contention which disturb the peace of all societies is owing to the evil interpreter (as some read it), that construes every thing into the worst, to those that despise and deride every one that comes in their way and take a pride in bantering and abusing all mankind. 2. What is to be done with the scorner that will not be reclaimed: Cast him out of your society, as Ishmael, when he mocked Isaac, was thrust out of Abraham's family. Those that would secure the peace must exclude the scorner.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:11

Here is, 1. The qualification of an accomplished, a complete gentleman, that is fit to be employed in public business. He must be an honest man, a man that loves pureness of heart and hates all impurity, not only pure from all fleshly lusts, but from all deceit and dissimulation, from all selfishness and sinister designs, that takes care to approve himself a man of sincerity, is just and fair from principle, and delights in nothing more than in keeping his own conscience clean and void of offence. He must also be able to speak with a good grace, not to daub and flatter, but to deliver his sentiments decently and ingeniously, in language clean and smooth as his spirit. 2. The preferment such a man stands fair for: The king, if he be wise and good, and understand his own and his people's interest, will be his friend, will make him of his cabinet-council, as there was one in David's court, and another in Solomon's, that was called the king's friend; or, in any business that he has, the king will befriend him. Some understand it of the King of kings. A man in whose spirit there is no guile, and whose speech is always with grace, God will be his friend, Messiah, the Prince, will be his friend. This honour have all the saints.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:12

Here is, 1. The special care God takes to preserve knowledge, that is, to keep up religion in the world by keeping up among men the knowledge of himself and of good and evil, notwithstanding the corruption of mankind, and the artifices of Satan to blind men's minds and keep them in ignorance. It is a wonderful instance of the power and goodness of the eyes of the Lord, that is, his watchful providence. He preserves men of knowledge, wise and good men (2Ch 16:9), particularly faithful witnesses, who speak what they know; God protects such, and prospers their counsels. He does by his grace preserve knowledge in such, secures his own work and interest in them. See Pro 2:7, Pro 2:8. 2. The just vengeance God takes on those that speak and act against knowledge and against the interests of knowledge and religion in the world: He overthrows the words of the transgressor, and preserves knowledge in spite of him. He defeats all the counsels and designs of false and treacherous men, and turns them to their own confusion.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:13

Note, 1. Those that have no love for their business will never want excuses to shake it off. Multitudes are ruined, both for soul and body, by their slothfulness, and yet still they have something or other to say for themselves, so ingenious are men in putting a cheat upon their own souls. And who, I pray, will be the gainer at last, when the pretences will be all rejected as vain and frivolous? 2. Many frighten themselves from real duties by imaginary difficulties: The slothful man has work to do without in the fields, but he fancies there is a lion there; nay, he pretends he dares not go along the streets for fear somebody or other should meet him and kill him. He does not himself think so; he only says so to those that call him up. He talks of a lion without, but considers not his real danger from the devil, that roaring lion, which is in bed with him, and from his own slothfulness, which kills him.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:14

This is designed to warn all young men against the lusts of uncleanness. As they regard the welfare of their souls, let them take heed of strange women, lewd women, whom they ought to be strange to, of the mouth of strange women, of the kisses of their lips (Pro 7:13), of the words of their lips, their charms and enticements. Dread them; have nothing to do with them; for, 1. Those who abandon themselves to that sin give proof that they are abandoned of God: it is a deep pit, which those fall into that are abhorred of the Lord, who leaves them to themselves to enter into that temptation, and takes off the bridle of his restraining grace, to punish them for other sins. Value not thyself upon thy being in favour with such women, when it proclaims thee under the wrath of God. 2. It is seldom that they recover themselves, for it is a deep pit; it will be hard getting out of it, it so besots the mind and debauches the conscience, by pleasing the flesh.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:15

We have here two very sad considerations: - 1. That corruption is woven into our nature. Sin is foolishness; it is contrary both to our right reason and to our true interest. It is in the heart; there is an inward inclination to sin, to speak and act foolishly. It is in the heart of children; they bring it into the world with them; it is what they were shapen and conceived in. It is not only found there, but it is bound there; it is annexed to the heart (so some); vicious dispositions cleave closely to the soul, are bound to it as the cion to the stock into which it is grafted, which quite alters the property. There is a knot tied between the soul and sin, a true lover's knot; they two became one flesh. It is true of ourselves, it is true of our children, whom we have begotten in our own likeness. O God! thou knowest this foolishness. 2. That correction is necessary to the cure of it. It will not be got out by fair means and gentle methods; there must be strictness and severity, and that which will cause grief. Children need to be corrected, and kept under discipline, by their parents; and we all need to be corrected by our heavenly Father (Heb 12:6, Heb 12:7), and under the correction we must stroke down folly and kiss the rod.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:16

This shows what evil courses rich men sometimes take, by which, in the end, they will impoverish themselves and provoke God, notwithstanding their abundance, to bring them to want; they oppress the poor and give to the rich. 1. They will not in charity relieve the poor, but withhold from them, that by saving that which is really the best, but which they think the most needless part of their expenses, they may increase their riches; but they will make presents to the rich, and give them great entertainments, either in pride and vain-glory, that they may look great, or in policy, that they may receive it again with advantage. Such shall surely come to want. Many have been beggared by a foolish generosity, but never any by a prudent charity. Christ bids us to invite the poor, Luk 14:12, Luk 14:13. 2. They not only will not relieve the poor, but they oppress them, rob the spital, extort from their poor tenants and neighbours, invade the rights of those who have not wherewithal to defend themselves, and then give bribes to the rich, to protect and countenance them in it. But it is all in vain; they shall come to want. Those that rob God, and so make him the enemy, cannot secure themselves by giving to the rich, to make them their friends.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:17-21

Solomon here changes his style and manner of speaking. Hitherto, for the most part, since the beginning of ch. 10, he had laid down doctrinal truths, and but now and then dropped a word of exhortation, leaving us to make the application as we went along; but here, to the end of ch. 24, he directs his speech to his son, his pupil, his reader, his hearer, speaking as to a particular person. Hitherto, for the most part, his sense was comprised in one verse, but here usually it is drawn out further. See how Wisdom tries variety of methods with us, lest we should be cloyed with any one. To awaken attention and to assist our application the method of direct address is here adopted. Ministers must not think it enough to preach before their hearers, but must preach to them, nor enough to preach to them all in general, but should address themselves to particular persons, as here: Do thou do so and so. Here is,

I. An earnest exhortation to get wisdom and grace, by attending to the words of the wise men, both written and preached, the words of the prophets and priests, and particularly to that knowledge which Solomon in this book gives men of good and evil, sin and duty, rewards and punishments. To these words, to this knowledge, the ear must be bowed down in humility and serious attention and the heart applied by faith, and love, and close consideration. The ear will not serve without the heart.

II. Arguments to enforce this exhortation. Consider,

1. The worth and weight of the things themselves which Solomon in this book gives us the knowledge of. They are not trivial things, for amusements and diversion, not jocular proverbs, to be repeated in sport and in order to pass away time. No; they are excellent things, which concern the glory of God, the holiness and happiness of our souls, the welfare of mankind and all communities; they are princely things (so the word is), fit for kings to speak and senates to hear; they are things that concern counsels and knowledge, that is, wise counsels, relating to the most important concerns; things which will not only make us knowing ourselves, but enable us to advise others.

2. The clearness of the discovery of these things and the directing of them to us in particular. "They are made known, publicly known, that all may read, - plainly known, that he that runs may read, - made known this day more fully than ever before, in this day of light and knowledge, - made known in this thy day. But it is only a little while that this light is with thee; perhaps the things that are this day made known to thee, if thou improve not the day of thy visitation, may, before tomorrow, be hidden from thy eyes. They are written, for the greater certainty, and that they may be received and the more safely transmitted pure and entire to posterity. But that which the emphasis is here most laid upon is that they are made known to thee, even to thee, and written to thee, as if it were a letter directed to thee by name. It is suited to thee and to thy case; thou mayest in this glass see thy own face; it is intended for thee, to be a rule to thee, and by it thou must be judged."We cannot say of these things, "They are good things, but they are nothing to us;"no, they are of the greatest concern imaginable to us.

3. The agreeableness of these things to us, in respect both of comfort and credit. (1.) If we hide them in our hearts, they will be very pleasing and yield us an abundant satisfaction (Pro 22:18): " It is a pleasant thing, and will be thy constant entertainment, if thou keep them within thee; if thou digest them, and be actuated and governed by them, and delivered into them as into a mould."The form of godliness, when that is rested in, is but a force put upon a man, and he does but do penance in that white clothing; those only that submit to the power of godliness, and make heart-work of it, find the pleasure of it, Pro 2:10. (2.) If we make use of them in our discourse, they will be very becoming, and gain us a good reputation. They shall be fitted in thy lips. "Speak of these things, and thou speakest like thyself, and as is fit for thee to speak considering thy character; thou wilt also have pleasure in speaking of these things as well as in thinking of them."

4. The advantage designed us by them. The excellent things which God has written to us are not like the commands which the master gives his servant, which are all intended for the benefit of the master, but like those which the master gives his scholar, which are all intended for the benefit of the scholar. These things must be kept by us, for they are written to us, (1.) That we may have a confidence in him and communion with him. That thy trust may be in the Lord, Pro 22:19. We cannot trust in God except in the way of duty; we are therefore taught our duty, that we may have reason to trust in God. Nay, this is itself one great duty we are to learn, and a duty that is the foundation of all practical religion, to live a life of delight in God and dependence on him. (2.) That we may have a satisfaction in our own judgment: " That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mayest know what is truth, mayest plainly distinguish between it and falsehood, and mayest know upon what grounds thou receivest and believest the truths of God."Note, [1.] It is a desirable thing to know, not only the words of truth, but the certainty of them, that our faith may be intelligent and rational, and may grow up to a full assurance. [2.] The way to know the certainty of the words of truth is to make conscience of our duty; for, if any man do his will, he shall know for certain that the doctrine is of God, Joh 7:17. (3.) That we may be useful and serviceable to others for their instruction: " That thou mayest give a good account of the words of truth to those that send to thee to consult thee as an oracle,"or (as the margin reads it) " to those that send thee, that employ thee as an agent or ambassador in any business."Knowledge is given us to do good with, that others may light their candle at our lamp, and that we may in our place serve our generation according to the will of God; and those who make conscience of keeping God's commandments will be best able to give a reason of the hope that is in them.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:22-23

After this solemn preface, one would have expected something new and surprising; but no; here is a plain and common, but very needful caution against the barbarous and inhuman practices of oppressing poor people. Observe,

I. The sin itself, and that is robbing the poor and making them poorer, taking from those that have but little to lose and so leaving them nothing. It is bad to rob any man, but most absurd to rob the poor, whom we should relieve, - to squeeze those with our power whom we should water with our bounty, - to oppress the afflicted, and so to add affliction to them, - to give judgment against them, and so to patronise those that do rob them, which is as bad as if we robbed them ourselves. Rich men will not suffer themselves to be wronged; poor men cannot help themselves, and therefore we ought to be the more careful not to wrong them.

II. The aggravations of the sin. 1. If their inability, by reason of their poverty, to right themselves, embolden us to rob them, it is so much the worse; this is robbing the poor because he is poor; this is not only a base and cowardly thing, to take advantage against a man because he is helpless, but it is unnatural, and proves men worse than beasts. 2. Or, if it be done under the colour of law and justice, that is oppressing the afflicted in the gate, where they ought to be protected from wrong and to have justice done them against those that oppress them.

III. The danger that attends this sin. He that robs and oppresses the poor does it at his peril; for, 1. The oppressed will find God their powerful patron. He will plead their cause, and not suffer them to be run down and trampled upon. If men will not appear for them, God will. 2. The oppressors will find him a just avenger. He will make reprisals upon them, will spoil the souls of those that spoil them; he will repay them in spiritual judgments, in curses to their souls. He that robs the poor will be found in the end a murderer of himself.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:24-25

Here is, 1. A good caution against being intimate with a passionate man. It is the law of friendship that we accommodate ourselves to our friends and be ready to serve them, and therefore we ought to be wise and wary in the choice of a friend, that we come not under the sacred tie to any one whom it would be our folly to accommodate ourselves to. Thought we must be civil to all, yet we must be careful whom we lay in our bosoms and contract a familiarity with. And, among others, a man who is easily provoked, touchy, and apt to resent affronts, who, when he is in a passion, cares not what he says or does, but grows outrageous, such a one is not fit to be made a friend or companion, for he will be ever and anon angry with us and that will be our trouble, and he will expect that we should, like him, be angry with others, and that will be our sin. 2. Good cause given for this caution: Lest thou learn his way. Those we go with we are apt to grow like. Our corrupt hearts have so much tinder in them that it is dangerous conversing with those that throw about the sparks of their passion. We shall thereby get a snare to our souls, for a disposition to anger is a great snare to any man, and an occasion of much sin. He does not say, "Lest thou have ill language given thee or get a broken head,"but, which is must worse, "Lest thou imitate him, to humour him, and so contract an ill habit."

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:26-27

We have here, as often before, a caution against suretiship, as a thing both imprudent and unjust. 1. We must not associate ourselves, nor contract an intimacy, with men of broken fortunes, and reputations, who need and will urge their friends to be bound for them, that they may cheat their neighbours to feed their lusts, and by keeping up a little longer may do the more damage at last to those that give them credit. Have nothing to do with such; be not thou among them. 2. We must not cheat people of their money, by striking hands ourselves, or becoming surety for others, when we have not to pay. If a man by the divine providence is disabled to pay his debts, he ought to be pitied and helped; but he that takes up money or goods himself, or is bound for another, when he knows that he has not wherewithal to pay, or that what he has is so settled that the creditors cannot come at it, does in effect pick his neighbour's pocket, and though, in all cases, compassion is to be used, yet he may thank himself if the law have its course and his bed be taken from under him, which might be taken for a pledge to secure a debt, Exo 22:26, Exo 22:27. For, if a man appeared to be so poor that he had nothing else to give for security, he ought to be relieved, and it was honestly done to own it; but, for the recovery of a debt, it seems it might be taken by the summum jus - the strict operation of law. 3. We must not ruin our own estates and families. Every man ought to be just to himself and to his wife and children; those are not so who live above what they have, who by the mismanagement of their own affairs, or by encumbering themselves with debts of others, waste what they have and bring themselves to poverty. We may take joyfully the spoiling of our goods if it be for the testimony of a good conscience; but, if be for our own rashness and folly, we cannot but take it heavily.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:28

1. We are here taught not to invade another man's right, though we can find ways of doing it ever so secretly and plausibly, clandestinely and by fraud, without any open force. Let not property in general be entrenched upon, by robbing men of their liberties and privileges, or of any just ways of maintaining them. Let not the property of particular persons be encroached upon. The land-marks, or meer-stones, are standing witnesses to every man's right; let not those be removed quite away, for thence come wars, and fightings, and endless disputes; let them not be removed so as to take from thy neighbour's lot to thy own, for that is downright robbing him and entailing the fraud upon posterity. 2. We may infer hence that a deference is to be paid, in all civil matters, to usages that have prevailed time out of mind and the settled constitutions of government, in which it becomes us to acquiesce, lest an attempt to change it, under pretence of changing it for the better, prove of dangerous consequence.

Matthew Henry: Pro 22:29

Here is, 1. A plain intimation what a hard thing it is to find a truly ingenious industrious man: " Seest thou a man diligent in his business? Thou wilt not see many such, so epidemical are dulness and slothfulness."He is here commended who lays out himself to get business, though it be but in a very low and narrow sphere, and is not easy when he is out of business, who loves business, is quick and active in it, and goes through it, not only with constancy and resolution, but with dexterity and expedition, a man of despatch, who knows how to bring a deal of business into a little compass. 2. A moral prognostication of the preferment of such a man; though now he stands before mean men, is employed by them and attends upon them, yet he will rise, and is likely enough to stand before kings, as an ambassador to foreign kings or prime-minister of state to his own. Seest thou a man diligent in the business of religion? He is likely to excel in virtue, and shall stand before the King of kings.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:1-2

Pro 21:1

1 A good name has the preference above great riches;

For more than silver and gold is grace.

The proverb is constructed chiastically; the commencing word נבחר (cf. Pro 21:3), and the concluding word טוב , are the parallel predicates; rightly, none of the old translators have been misled to take together חן טוב , after the analogy of שׂכל טוב , Pro 3:14; Pro 13:15. שׁם also does not need טוב for nearer determination; the more modern idiom uses שׁם טוב ,

(Note: e.g. , Aboth iv. 17: there are three crowns: the crown of the Tôra, the crown of the priesthood, and the crown of royalty; but כתר שׁם טוב , the crown of a good name, excels them all.)

the more ancient uses שׁם alone ( e.g. , Ecc 7:1), in the sense of ὄνομα καλόν (thus here lxx); for being well known (renowned) is equivalent to a name, and the contrary to being nameless (Job 30:8); to make oneself a name, is equivalent to build a monument in honour of oneself; possibly the derivation of the word from שׁמה , to be high, prominent, known, may have contributed to this meaning of the word sensu eximio , for שׁם has the same root word as שׁמים . Luther translates שׁם by steplang7 Das Gerücht [rumour, fame], in the same pregnant sense; even to the present day, renom , recommée , riputazione , and the like, are thus used. The parallel חן signifies grace and favour (being beloved); grace, which brings favour (Pro 11:16); and favour, which is the consequence of a graceful appearance, courtesy, and demeanour ( e.g. , Est 2:15).

Pro 22:2

2 The rich and the poor meet together;

The creator of them all is Jahve.

From this, that God made them all, i.e. , rich and poor in the totality of their individuals, it follows that the meeting together is His will and His ordinance; they shall in life push one against another, and for what other purpose than that this relationship of mutual intercourse should be a school of virtue: the poor shall not envy the rich (Pro 3:31), and the rich shall not despise the poor, who has the same God and Father as himself (Pro 14:31; Pro 17:5; Pro 31:15); they shall remain conscious of this, that the intermingling of the diversities of station is for this end, that the lowly should serve the exalted, and the exalted should serve the lowly. Pro 29:13 is a variation; there also for both, but particularly for the rich, lies in the proverb a solemn warning.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:3

The group of proverbs beginning here terminates at Pro 22:7, where, like the preceding, it closes with a proverb of the rich and the poor.

3 The prudent seeth the evil, and hideth himself;

But the simple go forward, and suffer injury.

This proverb repeats itself with insignificant variations, Pro 27:12. The Kerı̂ ונסתּר makes it more conformable to the words there used. The Chethı̂b is not to be read ויסתּר , for this Kal is inusit ., but ויסּתר , or much rather ויּסּתר , since it is intended to be said what immediate consequence on the part of a prudent man arises from his perceiving an evil standing before him; he sees, e.g. , the approaching overthrow of a decaying house, or in a sudden storm the fearful flood, and betimes betakes himself to a place of safety; the simple, on the contrary, go blindly forward into the threatening danger, and must bear the punishment of their carelessness. The fut. consec. 3a denotes the hiding of oneself as that which immediately follows from the being observant; the two perf. 3b, on the other hand, with or without ו , denote the going forward and meeting with punishment as occurring contemporaneously (cf. Psa 48:6, and regarding these diverse forms of construction, at Hab 3:10). "The interchange of the sing. and plur. gives us to understand that several or many simple ones are found for one prudent man"(Hitzig). The Niph . of ענשׁ signifies properly to be punished by pecuniary fine (Exo 21:22) (cf. the post-bibl. קנס , קנס , to threaten punishment, which appears to have arisen from censere, to estimate, to lay on taxes); here it has the general meaning of being punished, viz., of the self-punishment of want of foresight.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:4

4 The reward of humility is the fear of Jahve,

Is riches, and honour, and life.

As ענוה־צדק , Psa 45:5, is understood of the two virtues, meekness and righteousness, so here the three Göttingen divines (Ewald, Bertheau, and Elster), as also Dunasch, see in ' ענוה יראת ה an asyndeton; the poet would then have omitted vav , because instead of the copulative connection he preferred the appositional (Schultens: praemium mansuetudinis quae est reverentia Jehovae ) or the permutative (the reward of humility; more accurately expressed: the fear of God). It is in favour of this interpretation that the verse following (Pro 22:5) also shows an asyndeton. Luther otherwise: where one abides in the fear of the Lord; and Oetinger: the reward of humility, endurance, calmness in the fear of the Lord, is...; Fleischer also interprets ' יראת ה as Pro 21:4, חטאת ( lucerna impiroum vitiosa ), as the accus. of the nearer definition. But then is the nearest-lying construction: the reward of humility is the fear of God, as all old interpreters understand 4a ( e.g. , Symmachus, ὕστερον πραΰ́τητος φόβος κυρίου ), a thought so incomprehensible, that one must adopt one or other of these expedients? On the one side, we may indeed say that the fear of God brings humility with it; but, on the other hand, it is just as conformable to experience that the fear of God is a consequence of humility; for actually to subordinate oneself to God, and to give honour to Him alone, one must have broken his self-will, and come to the knowledge of himself in his dependence, nothingness, and sin; and one consequence by which humility is rewarded, may be called the fear of God, because it is the root of all wisdom, or as is here said (cf. Pro 3:16; Pro 8:18), because riches, and honour, and life are in its train. Thus 4a is a concluded sentence, which in 4b is so continued, that from 4a the predicate is to be continued: the reward of humility is the fear of God; it is at the same time riches... Hitzig conjectures ' ראוּת ה , the beholding Jahve; but the visio Dei ( beatifica ) is not a dogmatic idea thus expressed in the O.T. עקב denotes what follows a thing, from עקב , to tread on the heels (Fleischer); for עקב (Arab. 'aḳib ) is the heels, as the incurvation of the foot; and עקב , the consequence (cf. Arab. 'aḳb , 'ukb , posteritas ), is mediated through the v. denom . עקב , to tread on the heels, to follow on the heels (cf. denominatives, such as Arab. batn , zahr , 'ân , עין , to strike the body, the back, the eye).

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:5

5 Thorns, snares, are on the way of the crooked;

He that guardeth his soul, let him keep far from them.

Rightly the Venet . ἄκανθαι παγίδες ἐν ὁδῷ στρεβλοῦ . The meaning of צנּים (plur. of צן , or צנּה , the same as צנינים ) and פּחים (from פּח , Arab. faḥ ), stands fast, though it be not etymologically verified; the placing together of these two words (the lxx obliterating the asyndeton: τρίβολος καὶ παγίδες ) follows the scheme שׁמשׁ ירח , Hab 3:11. The עקּשׁ־לב (perverse of heart, crooked, Pro 17:20; Pro 11:20) drives his crooked winding way, corresponding to his habit of mind, which is the contrast and the perversion of that which is just, a way in which there are thorns which entangle and wound those who enter thereon, snares which unexpectedly bring them down and hold them fast as prisoners; the hedge of thorns, Pro 15:19, was a figure of the hindrances in the way of the wicked themselves. The thorn and snares here are a figure of the hindrances and dangers which go forth from the deceitful and the false in the way of others, of those who keep their souls, i.e. , who outwardly and morally take heed to their life (Pro 16:17; Pro 13:3, pred. here subj.), who will keep, or are disposed to keep, themselves from these thorns, these snares into which the deceitful and perverse-hearted seek to entice them.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:6

6 Give to the child instruction conformably to His way;

So he will not, when he becomes old, depart from it.

The first instruction is meant which, communicated to the child, should be על־פּי , after the measure (Gen 43:7 = post-bibl. לפי and כּפי ) of his way, i.e. , not: of his calling, which he must by and by enter upon (Bertheau, Zöckler), which דּרכּו of itself cannot mean; also not: of the way which he must keep in during life ( Kidduschin 30a); nor: of his individual nature (Elster); but: of the nature of the child as such, for דּרך נער is the child's way, as e.g. , derek col -haarets , Gen 19:31, the general custom of the land; derek Mitsrâyim , Isa 10:24, the way (the manner of acting) of the Egyptians. The instruction of youth, the education of youth, ought to be conformed to the nature of youth; the matter of instruction, the manner of instruction, ought to regulate itself according to the stage of life, and its peculiarities; the method ought to be arranged according to the degree of development which the mental and bodily life of the youth has arrived at. The verb חנך is a denominative like עקב , Pro 22:4; it signifies to affect the taste, חך (= חנך ), in the Arab. to put date syrup into the mouth of the suckling; so that we may compare with it the saying of Horace, Ep . i. 2, 69: Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu . In the post-bibl. Heb. חנּוּך denotes that which in the language of the Church is called catechizatio ; חנוך ( לנער ) ספר is the usual title of the catechisms. It is the fundamental and first requisite of all educational instruction which the proverb formulates, a suitable motto for the lesson-books of pedagogues and catechists. ממּנּה [from it] refers to that training of youth, in conformity with his nature, which becomes a second nature, that which is imprinted, inbred, becomes accustomed. Pro 22:6 is wanting in the lxx; where it exists in MSS of the lxx, it is supplied from Theodotion; the Complut. translates independently from the Heb. text.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:7

7 A rich man will rule over the poor,

And the borrower is subject to the man who lends.

"This is the course of the world. As regards the sing. and plur. in 7a, there are many poor for one rich; and in the Orient the rule is generally in the hands of one"(Hitzig). The fut. denotes how it will and must happen, and the substantival clause 7b, which as such is an expression of continuance (Arab. thabât , i.e. , of the remaining and continuing), denotes that contracting of debt brings naturally with it a slavish relation of dependence. לוה , properly he who binds himself to one se ei obligat , and מלוה , as Pro 19:17 ( vid ., l.c.), qui alterum ( mutui datione ) obligat , from לוה , Arab. lwy , to wind, turn, twist round (cog. root laff ), whence with Fleischer is also to be derived the Aram. לות , "into connection;"so אל , properly "pushing against,"refers to the radically related אלה (= ולה ), contiguum esse . אישׁ מלוה is one who puts himself in the way of lending, although not directly in a professional manner. The pred. precedes its subject according to rule. Luther rightly translates: and he who borrows is the lender's servant, whence the pun on the proper names: "Borghart [= the borrower] is Lehnhart's [= lender's] servant."

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:8

The group now following extends to the end of this first collection of Solomon's proverbs; it closes also with a proverb of the poor and the rich.

8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity;

And the rod of his fury shall vanish away.

"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap"(Gal 6:7); he that soweth good reapeth good, Pro 11:18; he that soweth evil reapeth evil, Job 4:8; cf. Hos 10:12. עולה is the direct contrast of צדקה or ישׁר ( e.g. , Psa 125:3; Psa 107:42), proceeding from the idea that the good is right, i.e. , straight, rectum ; the evil, that which departs from the straight line, and is crooked. Regarding און , which means both perversity of mind and conduct, as well as destiny, calamity, vid ., Pro 12:21. That which the poet particularly means by עולה is shown in 8b, viz., unsympathizing tyranny, cruel misconduct toward a neighbour. שׁבט עברתו is the rod which he who soweth iniquity makes another to feel in his anger. The saying, that an end will be to this rod of his fury, agrees with that which is said of the despot's sceptre, Isa 14:5.; Psa 125:3. Rightly Fleischer: baculus insolentiae ejus consumetur h. e. facultas qua pollet alios insolenter tractandi evanescet . Hitzig's objection, that a rod does not vanish away, but is broken, is answered by this, that the rod is thought of as brandished; besides, one uses כּלה of anything which has an end, e.g. , Isa 16:4. Other interpreters understand "the rod of his fury"of the rod of God's anger, which will strike the עוּל and יכלה , as at Eze 5:13; Dan 12:7 : "and the rod of His punishment will surely come"(Ewald, and similarly Schultens, Euchel, Umbreit). This though also hovers before the lxx: πληγὴν δὲ ἔργων αὐτοῦ ( עבדתו ) συντελέσει ( יכלּה ). But if the rod of punishment which is appointed for the unrighteous be meant, then we would have expected כּלהו . Taken in the future, the כּלות of the שׁבט is not its confectio in the sense of completion, but its termination or annihilation; and besides, it lies nearer after 8a to take the suffix of עברתו subjectively (Isa 14:6; Isa 16:6) than objectively. The lxx has, after Pro 22:8, a distich: -

ἄνδρα ἱλαρὸν καὶ δότην εὐλογεῖ ὁ θεὸς

ματαιότητα δὲ ἔργων αὐτοῦ συντελέσει .

The first line (2Co 9:7) is a variant translation of 9a (cf. Pro 21:17), the second ( ושׁוא עבדתו ) is a similar rendering of 8b.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:9

9 He who is friendly is blessed;

Because he giveth of his bread to the poor.

The thought is the same as at Pro 11:25. טוב עין (thus to be written without Makkeph , with Munach of the first word, with correct Codd., also 1294 and Jaman), the contrast of רע עין , Pro 23:6; Pro 22:22, i.e. , the envious, evil-eyed, ungracious (post-bibl. also צר עין ), is one who looks kindly, is good-hearted, and as ἱλαρὸς δότης , shows himself benevolent. Such gentleness and kindness is called in the Mishna עין טובה ( Aboth ii. 13), or עין יפה . Such a friend is blessed, for he has also himself scattered blessings (cf. גּם־הוּא , Pro 11:25; Pro 21:13); he has, as is said, looking back from the blessing that has happened to him, given of his bread (Luther, as the lxx, with partitive genitive: steplang7 seines brots = of his bread) to the poor; cf. the unfolding of this blessing of self-denying love, Isa 8. The lxx has also here another distich:

Νίκην καὶ τιμὴν περιποιεῖται ὁ δῶρα δοὺς ,

Τὴν μέντοι ψυχὴν ἀφαιρεῖται τῶν κεκτημένων .

The first line appears a variant translation of Pro 19:6, and the second of Pro 1:19, according to which selfishness, in contrast to liberality, is the subject to be thought of. Ewald translates the second line: And he (who distributes gifts) conquers the soul of the recipients. But κεκτημένος = בּעל ( בּעלים ) signifies the possessor, not the recipient of anything as a gift, who cannot also be here meant because of the μέντοι .

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:10

10 Chase away the scorner, and contention goeth out,

And strife and reproach rest.

If in a company, a circle of friends, a society (lxx ἔκβαλε ἐκ συνεδρίου ), a wicked man is found who ( vid ., the definition of לץ , Pro 21:24) treats religious questions without respect, moral questions in a frivolous way, serious things jestingly, and in his scornful spirit, his passion for witticism, his love of anecdote, places himself above the duty of showing reverence, veneration, and respect, there will arise ceaseless contentions and conflicts. Such a man one ought to chase away; then there will immediately go forth along with him dispeace ( מדון ), there will then be rest from strife and disgrace, viz., of the strife which such a one draws forth, and the disgrace which it brings on the society, and continually prepares for it. קלון is commonly understood of the injury, abuse, which others have to suffer from the scoffer, or also (thus Fleischer, Hitzig) of the opprobria of the contentious against one another. But קלון is not so used; it means always disgrace, as something that happens, an experience, vid ., at Pro 18:3. The praise of one who is the direct contrast of a לץ is celebrated in the next verse.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:11

11 He that loveth heart-purity,

Whose is grace of lips, the king is his friend.

Thus with Hitzig, it is to be translated not: he who loveth with a pure heart - we may interpret טהור־לב syntactically in the sense of puritate cordis or purus corde (Ralbag, Ewald, after Pro 20:7), for that which follows אהב and is its supplement has to stand where possible as the accus. of the object; thus not: qui amat puritatem cordis, gratiosa erunt labia ejus (de Dieu, Geier, Schultens, C. B. Michaelis, Fleischer), for between heart-purity and graciousness of speech there exists a moral relation, but yet no necessary connection of sequence; also not: he who loves purity of heart, and grace on his lips (Aben Ezra, Schelling, Bertheau), for "to love the grace of one's own lips"is an awkward expression, which sounds more like reprehensible self-complacency than a praiseworthy endeavour after gracious speech. Excellently Luther:

"He who has a true heart and amiable speech,

The king is his friend."

טהור־לב is not adjectival, but substantival; טהר־ is thus not the constr. of the mas. טהור , as Job 17:10, but of the segolate טהר , or (since the ground-form of גּבהּ , 1Sa 16:7, may be גּבהּ as well as גּבהּ ) of the neut. טהור , like קדשׁ , Psa 46:5; Psa 65:5 : that which is pure, the being pure = purity (Schultens). הן שׂפתיו (gracefulness of his lips) is the second subject with the force of a relative clause, although not exactly thus thought of, but: one loving heart-purity, gracefulness on his lips - the king is his friend. Ewald otherwise: "he will be the king's friend,"after the scheme Pro 13:4; but here unnecessarily refined. A counsellor and associate who is governed by a pure intention, and connects therewith a gentle and amiable manner of speech and conversation, attaches the king to himself; the king is the רעה ( רע ), the friend of such an one, and he also is "the friend of the king,"1Ki 4:5. It is a Solomonic proverb, the same in idea as Pro 16:13. The lxx, Syr., and Targ. introduce after אהב the name of God; but 11b does not syntactically admit of this addition. But it is worth while to take notice of an interpretation which is proposed by Jewish interpreters: the friend of such an one is a king, i.e. , he can royally rejoice in him and boast of him. The thought is beautiful; but, as the comparison of other proverbs speaking of the king shows, is not intended.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:12

12 The eyes of Jahve preserve knowledge;

So he frustrateth the words of the false.

The phrase "to preserve knowledge"is found at Pro 5:2; there, in the sense of to keep, retain; here, of protecting, guarding; for it cannot possibly be said that the eyes of God keep themselves by the rule of knowledge, and thus preserve knowledge; this predicate is not in accord with the eyes, and is, as used of God, even inappropriate. On the other hand, after "to preserve,"in the sense of watching, guarding a concrete object is to be expected, cf. Isa 26:3. We need not thus with Ewald supply יודע ; the ancients are right that דעת , knowledge, stands metonymically for אישׁ (Meîri), or אנשׁי (Aben Ezra), or יודעי דעת (Arama); Schultens rightly: Cognitio veritatis ac virtutis practica fertur ad homines eam colentes ac praestantes . Where knowledge of the true and the good exists, there does it stand under the protection of God. 12b shows how that is meant, for there the perf. is continued in the second consec. modus ( fut. consec .): there is thus protection against the assaults of enemies who oppose the knowledge which they hate, and seek to triumph over it, and to suppress it by their crooked policy. But God stands on the side of knowledge and protects it, and consequently makes vain the words (the outspoken resolutions) of the deceitful. Regarding סלף ( סלף ), vid ., Pro 11:3 and Pro 19:3. The meaning of סלּף דּברי is here essentially different from that in Exo 23:8; Deu 16:19 : he perverteth their words, for he giveth them a bearing that is false, i.e. , not leading to the end. Hitzig reads רעות [wickedness] for דעת , which Zöckler is inclined to favour: God keeps the evil which is done in His eyes, and hinders its success; but "to observe wickedness"is an ambiguous, untenable expression; the only passage that can be quoted in favour of this "to observe"is Job 7:20. The word דעת , handed down without variation, is much rather justified.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:13

13 The sluggard saith, "A lion is without,

I shall be slain in the midst of the streets."

Otherwise rendered, Pro 26:13. There, as here, the perf. אמר has the meaning of an abstract present, Gesen. §126. 3. The activity of the industrious has its nearest sphere at home; but here a work is supposed which requires him to go forth (Psa 104:3) into the field (Pro 24:27). Therefore חוּץ stands first, a word of wide signification, which here denotes the open country outside the city, where the sluggard fears to meet a lion, as in the streets, i.e. , the rows of houses forming them, to meet a רצח ( מרצּח ), i.e. , a murder from motives of robbery of revenge. This strong word, properly to destroy, crush, Arab. raḍkh , is intentionally chosen: there is designed to be set forth the ridiculous hyperbolical pretence which the sluggard seeks for his slothfulness (Fleischer). Luther right well: "I might be murdered on the streets."But there is intentionally the absence of אוּלי [perhaps] and of פּן [lest]. Meîri here quotes a passage of the moralists: ממופתי העצל הנבואה (prophesying) belongs to the evidences of the sluggard; and Euchel, the proverb העצלים מתנבאים (the sluggard's prophecy), i.e. , the sluggard acts like a prophet, that he may palliate his slothfulness.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:14

14 A deep pit is the mouth of a strange woman;

He that is cursed of God falleth therein.

The first line appears in a different form as a synonymous distich, Pro 23:27. The lxx translate στόμα παρανόμου without certainly indicating which word they here read, whether רע (Pro 4:14), or רשׁע (Pro 29:12), or נלוז (Pro 3:32). Pro 23:27 is adduced in support of זרות ( vid ., Pro 2:16); זנות (harlots) are meant, and it is not necessary thus to read with Ewald. The mouth of this strange woman or depraved Israelitess is a deep ditch ( שׁוּחה עמקּה , otherwise עמקה , as Pro 23:27, where also occurs עמוּקה

(Note: The text to Immanuel's Comment . (Naples 1487) has in both instances עמוּקה .)

namely, a snare-pit into which he is enticed by her wanton words; the man who stands in fellowship with God is armed against this syren voice; but the ' זעוּם ה , i.e. , he who is an object of the divine זעם ( Venet . κεχολωμένος τῷ ὀντωτῇ ), indignation, punishing evil with evil, falls into the pit, yielding to the seduction and the ruin. Schultens explains ' זעום ה by, is in quem despumat indignabundus ; but the meaning despumat is not substantiated; זעם , cf. Arab. zaghm , is probably a word which by its sound denoted anger as a hollow roaring, and like pealing thunder. The lxx has, after Pro 22:14, three tedious moralizing lines.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:15

15 Folly is bound to the heart of a child;

The rod of correction driveth it forth.

Folly, i.e. , pleasure in stupid tricks, silly sport, and foolish behaviour, is the portion of children as such; their heart is as yet childish, and folly is bound up in it. Education first driveth forth this childish, foolish nature (for, as Menander says:

Ὁ μὴ δαρεὶς ἄνθρωπος οὐ παιδεύεται ),

and if effects this when it is unindulgently severe: the שׁבט מוּסר ( vid ., Pro 23:13) removeth אוּלת from the heart, for it imparts intelligence and makes wise (Pro 29:15). The lxx is right in rendering 16a: ἄνοια ἐξῆπται (from ἐξάπτειν ) καρδίας νέου ; but the Syr. has "here mangled the lxx, and in haste has read ἀνοίᾳ ἐξίπταται : folly makes the understanding of the child fly away"(Lagarde).

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:16

16 Whosoever oppresseth the lowly, it is gain to him;

Whosoever giveth to the rich, it is only loss.

It is before all clear that להרבּות and למחסור , as at Pro 21:5, למותר and למחסור , are contrasted words, and form the conclusions to the participles used, with the force of hypothetical antecedents. Jerome recognises this: qui calumniatur pauperem, ut augeat divitias suas, dabit ipse ditiori et egebit . So Rashi, who by עשׁיר thinks on heathen potentates. Proportionally better Euchel, referring עשׁק and נתן , not to one person, but to two classes of men: he who oppresses the poor to enrich himself, and is liberal toward the rich, falls under want. The antithetic distich thus becomes an integral one - the antithesis manifestly intended is not brought out. This may be said also against Bertheau, who too ingeniously explains: He who oppresses the poor to enrich himself gives to a rich man, i.e. , to himself, the enriched, only to want, i.e. , only to lose again that which he gained unrighteously. Ralbag is on the right track, for he suggests the explanation: he who oppresses the poor, does it to his gain, for he thereby impels him to a more energetic exercise of his strength; he who gives to the rich man does it to his own loss, because the rich man does not thank him for it, and still continues to look down on him. But if one refers לּו to the poor, then it lies nearer to interpret אך למחסור of the rich: he who gives presents to the rich only thereby promotes his sleepy indolence, and so much the more robs him of activity (Elster); for that which one gives to him is only swallowed up in the whirlpool of his extravagance (Zöckler). Thus Hitzig also explains, who remarks, under 17a: "Oppression produces reaction, awakens energy, and thus God on the whole overrules events"(Exo 1:12). Similarly also Ewald, who thinks on a mercenary, unrighteous rich man: God finally lifts up the oppressed poor man; the rich man always becoming richer, on the contrary, is "punished for all his wickedness only more and more."But with all these explanations there is too much read between the lines. Since אך למחדור (Pro 11:24; Pro 21:5) refers back to the subject: himself to mere loss, so also will it be here; and the lxx, Symmachus, Jerome (cf. also the Syr. auget malum suum ) are right when they also refer לו , not to the poor man, but to the oppressor of the poor. We explain: he who extorts from the poor enriches himself thereby; but he who gives to the rich has nothing, and less than nothing, thereby - he robs himself, has no thanks, only brings himself by many gifts lower and lower down. In the first case at least, 17a, the result corresponds to the intention; but in this latter case, 17b, one gains only bitter disappointment.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:17-19

Pro 22:17-21, forming the introduction to this appendix, are these Words of the Wise:

17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of the wise,

And direct thine heart to my knowledge!

18 For it is pleasant if thou keep them in thine heart;

Let them abide together on thy lips.

19 That thy trust may be placed in Jahve,

I have taught thee to-day, even thee!

20 Have not I written unto thee choice proverbs,

Containing counsels and knowledge,

21 To make thee to know the rule of the words of truth,

That thou mightest bring back words which are truth to them that send thee?

From Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16 are the "Proverbs of Solomon,"and not "The Words of the Wise;"thus the above παραίνεσις is not an epilogue, but a prologue to the following proverbs. The perfects הודעתּיך and כתבתּי refer, not to the Solomonic proverbial discourses, but to the appendix following them; the preface commends the worth and intention of this appendix, and uses perfects because it was written after the forming of the collection. The author of this preface ( vid ., pp. 23, 36, vol. i.) is no other than the author of chap. 1-9. The הט (with Mehuppach , after Thorath Emeth , p. 27) reminds us of Pro 4:20; Pro 5:1. The phrase שׁית לב , animum advertere , occurs again in the second appendix, Pro 24:32. נעים is repeated at Pro 23:8; Pro 24:4; but נעם with נעם is common in the preface, chap. 1-9. כּי־נעים contains, as at Psa 135:3; Psa 147:1, its subject in itself. כּי־תּשׁמרם is not this subject: this that thou preservest them, which would have required rather the infin. שׁמרם (Psa 133:1) or לשׁמרם ; but it supposes the case in which appears that which is amiable and praiseworthy: if thou preservest them in thy heart, i.e. , makest them thoughtfully become thy mental possession. The suffix ēm refers to the Words of the Wise, and mediately also to לדעתּי , for the author designates his practical wisdom דעתי , which is laid down in the following proverbs, which, although not composed by him, are yet penetrated by his subjectivity. Regarding בּטן , which, from meaning the inner parts of the body, is transferred to the inner parts of the mind, vid ., under Pro 20:27. The clause 18b, if not dependent on כי , would begin with ויכּנוּ . The absence of the copula and the antecedence of the verb bring the optative rendering nearer. Different is the syntactical relation of Pro 5:2, where the infin. is continued in the fin. The fut. Niph . יכּנוּ , which, Pro 4:27, meant to be rightly placed, rightly directed, here means: to stand erect, to have continuance, stabilem esse . In Pro 22:19, the fact of instruction precedes the statement of its object, which is, that the disciple may place his confidence in Jahve, for he does that which is according to His will, and is subject to His rule. מבטחך , in Codd. and correct editions with Pathach ( vid ., Michlol 184b); the ח is as virtually doubled; vid ., under Pro 21:22. In 19b the accentuation הודעתיך היום is contrary to the syntax; Codd. and old editions have rightly הודעתיך היום , for אף־אתּה is, after Gesen. §121. 3, an emphatic repetition of "thee;" אף , like גּם , Pro 23:15; 1Ki 21:19. Hitzig knows of no contrast which justifies the emphasis. But the prominence thus effected is not always of the nature of contrast (cf. Zec 7:5, have ye truly fasted to me, i.e. , to serve me thereby), here it is strong individualizing; the te etiam te is equivalent to, thee as others, and thee in particular. Also that, as Hitzig remarks, there does not appear any reason for the emphasizing of "to-day,"is incorrect: היּום is of the same signification as at Psa 95:7; the reader of the following proverbs shall remember later, not merely in general, that he once on a time read them, but that he to-day, that he on this definite day, received the lessons of wisdom contained therein, and then, from that time forth, became responsible for his obedience or his disobedience.

In 20a the Chethı̂b שלשום denotes no definite date; besides, this word occurs only always along with תּמול ( עתמול ). Umbreit, Ewald, Bertheau, however, accept this "formerly (lately),"and suppose that the author here refers to a "Book for Youths,"composed at an earlier period, without one seeing what this reference, which had a meaning only for his contemporaries, here denotes. The lxx reads כתבתּ , and finds in 20a, contrary to the syntax and the usus loq ., the exhortation that he who is addressed ought to write these good doctrines thrice ( τρισσῶς ) on the tablet of his heart; the Syr. and Targ. suppose the author to say that he wrote them three times; Jerome, that he wrote them threefold - both without any visible meaning, since threefold cannot be equivalent to steplang7 manchfeltiglich (Luther) [= several times, in various ways]. Also the Kerı̂ שׁלשׁים , which without doubt is the authentic word, is interpreted in many unacceptable ways; Rashi and Elia Wilna, following a Midrash explanation, think on the lessons of the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa; Arama, on those which are referable to three classes of youth; Malbim (as if here the author of the whole Book of Proverbs, from 1 to 31, spake), on the supposed three chief parts of the Mishle ; Dächsel better, on chap. 1-9, as the product of the same author as this appendix. Schultens compares Ecc 4:12, and translates triplici filo nexa . Kimchi, Meîri, and others, are right, who gloss שׁלישׁים by דברים נכבדים , and compare נגידים , Pro 8:6; accordingly the Veneta , with the happy quid pro quo , by τρισμέγιστα . The lxx translates the military שׁלישׁ by τριστάτης ; but this Greek word is itself obscure, and is explained by Hesychius (as well as by Suidas, and in the Etymologicum ) by Regii satellites qui ternas hastas manu tenebant , which is certainly false. Another Greek, whom Angellius quotes, says, under Exo 15:4, that τριστάτης was the name given to the warriors who fought from a chariot, every three of whom had one war-chariot among them; and this appears, according to Exo 14:7; Exo 15:4, to be really the primary meaning. In the period of David we meet with the word שׁלישׁים as the name of the heroes (the Gibbôrı̂m ) who stood nearest the king. The shalish -men form the élite troops that stood highest in rank, at whose head stood two triads of heroes - Jashobeam at the head of the first trias, and thus of the shalish -men generally; Abishai at the head of the second trias, who held an honourable place among the shalish -men, but yet reached not to that first trias, 2Sa 23:8. (= 1Ch 11:11.). The name השּׁלישׁים ( Apoc . 2Sa 23:8, השּׁלשׁי , and 2Sa 23:13, 1Ch 27:6, incorrectly השּׁלשׁים ) occurs here with reference to the threefold division of this principal host; and in regard to the use of the word in the time of Pharaoh, as well as in the time of the kings, it may be granted that shalish denotes the Three-man ( triumvir ), and then generally a high military officer; so that שׁלשׁים here has the same relation to נגידים , Pro 8:6, as ducalia to principalia . The name of the chief men (members of the chief troop) is transferred to the chief proverbs, as, Jam 2:8, that law which stands as a king at the head of all the others is called the "royal law;"or, as Plato names the chief powers of the soul, μέρη ἡγεμόνες . As in this Platonic word-form, so shalishim here, like negidim there, is understood neut. cf. under Pro 8:6, and ריקים , Pro 12:11; ישׁרים , Pro 16:13. The ב of בּמעצות (occurring at Pro 1:31 also) Fleischer rightly explains as the ב of uniting or accompanying: chief proverbs which contain good counsels and solid knowledge.

In the statement of the object in Pro 22:21, we interpret that which follows להודיעך not permutat.: ut te docerem recta, verba vera (Fleischer); but קשׁט (ground-form to קשׁט , Psa 60:6) is the bearer of the threefold idea: rectitudinem , or, better, regulam verborum veritatis . The (Arab.) verb ḳasiṭa means to be straight, stiff, inflexible (synon. צדק , to be hard, tight, proportionately direct); and the name ḳisṭ denotes not only the right conduct, the right measure ( quantitas justa ), but also the balance, and thus the rule or the norm. In 21b, אמרים אמת (as e.g. , Zec 1:13; vid ., Philippi, Status Constr . p. 86f.) is equivalent to אמרי אמת ; the author has this second time intentionally chosen the appositional relation of connection: words which are truth; the idea of truth presents itself in this form of expression more prominently. Impossible, because contrary to the usus loq ., is the translation: ut respondeas verba vera iis qui ad te mittunt (Schultens, Fleischer), because שׁלח , with the accus. following, never means "to send any one."Without doubt השׁיב and שׁלח stand in correlation to each other: he who lets himself be instructed must be supposed to be in circumstances to bring home, to those that sent him out to learn, doctrines which are truth, and thus to approve himself. The subject spoken of here is not a right answer or a true report brought back to one giving a commission; and it lies beyond the purpose and power of the following proverbs to afford a universal means whereby persons sent out are made skilful. The שׁלחים [senders] are here the parents or guardians who send him who is to be instructed to the school of the teacher of wisdom (Hitzig). Yet it appears strange that he who is the learner is just here not addressed as "my son,"which would go to the support of the expression, "to send to school,"which is elsewhere unused in Old Hebrew, and the שׁלחי of another are elsewhere called those who make him their mandatar , Pro 10:26; Pro 25:13; 2Sa 24:13. The reference to the parents would also be excluded if, with Norzi and other editors, לשׁלחך were to be read instead of לשׁלחיך (the Venet . 1521, and most editions). Therefore the phrase לשׁעליך , which is preferred by Ewald, recommends itself, according to which the lxx translates, τοῖς προβαλλομένοις σοι , which the Syro-Hexap. renders

(Note: The Syr. n. fem . awchda ( אוּחדא , Psa 49:5, Targ.) is equivalent to Heb. חידה , from (Syr.) achd , אחד = אחז , Neh 7:3, to shut up, properly, to lay hold on and retain; the Arab. akhdhat means magic, incantation; as seizing and making fast.)

by להנון דאחדין לך אוחדתא yb , i.e. , to those who lay problems before thee ( vid ., Lagarde). The teacher of wisdom seeks to qualify him who reads the following proverbs, and permits himself to be influenced by them, to give the right answer to those who question him and go to him for counsel, and thus to become himself a teacher of wisdom.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:22-23

After these ten lines of preliminary exhortation, there now begins the collection of the "Words of the Wise"thus introduced. A tetrastich which, in its contents, connects itself with the last proverb of the Solomonic collection, Pro 22:16, forms the commencement of this collection:

22 Rob not the lowly because he is lowly;

And oppress not the humble in the gate.

23 For Jahve will conduct their cause,

And rob their spoilers of life.

Though it may bring gain, as said Pro 22:16, to oppress the דּל , the lowly or humble, yet at last the oppressor comes to ruin. The poet here warns against robbing the lowly because he is lowly, and thus without power of defence, and not to be feared; and against doing injustice to the עני , the bowed down, and therefore incapable of resisting in the gate, i.e. , in the court of justice. These poor men have not indeed high human patrons, but One in heaven to undertake their cause: Jahve will conduct their cause ( יריב ריבם , as at Pro 23:10), i.e. , will undertake their vindication, and be their avenger. דּכּא ( דּכּה ), Aram. and Arab. daḳḳ (cf. דּקק , Arab. daḳḳ ), signifies to crush anything so that it becomes broad and flat, figuratively to oppress, synon. עשׁק (Fleischer). The verb קבע has, in Chald. and Syr., the signification to stick, to fix (according to which Aquila here translates καθηλοῦν , to nail; Jerome, configere ); and as root-word to קבּעת , the signification to be arched, like (Arab.) ḳab' , to be humpbacked; both significations are here unsuitable. The connection here requires the meaning to rob; and for Mal 3:8 also, this same meaning is to be adopted, robbery and taking from one by force (Parchon, Kimchi), not: to deceive (Köhler, Keil), although it might have the sense of robbing by withholding or refraining from doing that which is due, thus of a sacrilege committed by omission or deception. The Talm. does not know the verb קבע in this meaning; but it is variously found as a dialectic word for גזל .

(Note: Thus Rosch ha-schana 26b: Levi came once to N.N. There a man came to meet him, and cried out קבען פלניא . Levi knew not what he would say, and went into the Madrash-house to ask. One answered him: He is a robber ( גזלן ) said that one to thee; for it is said in the Scriptures (Mal 3:8), "Will a man rob God?"etc. ( vid ., Wissenschaft Kunst Judenthum , p. 243). In the Midrash, שׁוחר טוב , to Psa 57:1-11, R. Levi says that אתה קיבע לי is used in the sense of אתה גוזל לי . And in the Midrash Tanchuma , P. תרומה , R. Levi answers the question, "What is the meaning of קבע , Mal 3:8?"- It is an Arabic expression. An Arabian, when he wishes to say to another מה אתה גוזלני , says instead of it, מה אתה קובעני . Perhaps קבע is cogn. to קבץ ; the R. קב coincides in several groups of languages (also the Turkish ḳb ) with the Lat. capere .)

Schultens' etymological explanation, capitium injicere (after Arab. ḳab' , to draw back and conceal the head), is not satisfactory. The construction, with the double accus., follows the analogy of הכּהוּ נפשׁ and the like, Gesen. §139. 2. Regarding the sing. נפשׁ , even where several are spoken of, vid ., under Pro 1:19.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:24-25

Another tetrastich follows:

24 Have no intercourse with an angry man,

And with a furious man go thou not;

25 Lest thou adopt his ways,

And bring destruction upon thy soul.

The Piel רעה , Jdg 14:20, signifies to make or choose any one as a friend or companion ( רעה , רע ); the Hithpa . התרעה (cf. at Pro 18:24), to take to oneself (for oneself) any one as a friend, or to converse with one; אל־תּתרע sounds like אל־תּשׁתּע , Isa 41:10, with Pathach of the closed syllable from the apocope. The angry man is called בּעל אף , as the covetous man בּעל נפשׁ , Pro 23:2, and the mischievous man בּעל מזמּות , Pro 24:8; vid ., regarding בּעל at Pro 1:19 and Pro 18:9. אישׁ חמות is related superlat. to אישׁ חמה , Pro 15:18 (cf. Pro 29:22), and signifies a hot-head of the highest degree. לא תבוא is meant as warning (cf. Pro 16:10). בּוא את , or בוא עם , Psa 26:4, to come along with one, is equivalent to go into fellowship or companionship with one, which is expressed by הלך את , Pro 13:20, as בוא ב means, Jos 23:7, Jos 23:12, to enter into communion with one, venire in consuetudinem . This בוא את is not a trace of a more recent period of the language. Also תּאלף , discas , cannot be an equivalent for it: Heb. poetry has at all times made use of Aramaisms as elegancies. אלף , Arab. אלף , ילף , Arab. âlifa , signifies to be entrusted with anything = to learn ( Piel אלּף , to teach, Job 15:15, and in Elihu's speeches), or also to become confidential with one (whence אלּוּף , companion, confidant, Pro 2:17); this אלף is never a Heb. prose word; the bibl. אלּוּף is only used at a later period in the sense of teacher. ארחות .reh are the ways, the conduct (Pro 2:20, etc.), or manner of life (Pro 1:19) which any one enters upon and follows out, thus manners as well as lot, condition. In the phrase "to bring destruction," לקח is used as in our phrase steplang7 Schaden nehmen [to suffer injury]; the ancient language also represented the forced entrance of one into a state as a being laid hold on, e.g. , Job 18:20, cf. Isa 13:8; here מוקשׁ is not merely equivalent to danger (Ewald, falsely: that thou takest not danger for thy soul), but is equivalent to destruction, sin itself is a snare (Pro 29:6); to bring a snare for oneself is equivalent to suffer from being ensnared. Whosoever comes into a near relation with a passionate, furious, man, easily accommodates himself to his manners, and, hurried forward by him and like him to outbreaks of anger, which does that which is not right before God, falls into ruinous complications.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:26-27

A third distich follows:

26 Be not among those who strike hands,

Among those who become surety for loans.

27 If thou hast nothing to pay,

Why shall he take away thy bed from under thee?

To strike hands is equivalent to, to be responsible to any one for another, to stake one's goods and honour for him, Pro 6:1; Pro 11:15; Pro 17:18 - in a word, ערב , seq. acc ., to pledge oneself for him (Gen 43:9), or for the loan received by him, משּׁאה , Deu 24:10 (from השּׁה , with ב , of the person and accus. of the thing: to lend something to one on interest). The proverb warns against being one of such sureties (write בּערבים with Cod. 1294, and old impressions such as the Venice, 1521), against acting as they do; for why wouldest thou come to this, that when thou cast not pay ( שׁלּם , to render a full equivalent reckoning, and, generally, to pay, Pro 6:31),

(Note: After Ben-Asher, the pointing is אם־אין־לך ; while, on the contrary, Ben-Naphtali prefers אם־אין לך ; vid ., my Genesis (1869), pp. 74 (under Gen 1:3) and 81. So, without any bearing on the sense, Ben-Asher points למּה with Tarcha , Ben-Naphtali with Mercha .)

he (the creditor) take away thy bed from under thee? - for, as Pro 20:16 says, thus improvident suretyships are wont to be punished.

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:28

A fourth proverb - a distich - beginning with the warning אל :

28 Remove not the perpetual landmark

Which thy ancestors have set up.

28a = Pro 23:10. Regarding the inviolability of boundaries established by the law, vid ., at Pro 15:25. גּבוּל עולם denotes "the boundary mark set up from ancient times, the removal of which were a double transgression, because it is rendered sacred by its antiquity"( Orelli , p. 76). נסג = סוּג signifies to remove back, Hiph . to shove back, to move away. אשׁר has the meaning of ( ὅριον ) ὅ , τι , quippe quod . Instead of עולם , the Mishna reads, Pea v. 6, עולים , which in the Jerusalem Gemara one Rabbi understands of those brought up out of Egypt, another of the poor; for "to rise"(in the world) is a euphemism ( לשׁון כבוד ) for "to come down"(be reduced in circumstances).

(Note: As an analogical example, סגּי נהור , seeing clearly = blind.)

Keil-Delitzsch: Pro 22:29

After these four proverbs beginning with אל , a new series begins with the following tristich:

29 Seest thou a man who is expert in his calling -

Before kings may he stand;

Not stand before obscure men;

i.e. , he can enter into the service of kings, and needs not to enter into the service of mean men = he is entitled to claim the highest official post. חזית , in Pro 26:12 = Pro 29:20, interchanging with ראית , is perf. hypotheticum (cf. Pro 24:10; Pro 25:16): si videris ; the conclusion which might begin with דּע כּי expresses further what he who sees will have occasion to observe. Rightly Luther: steplang7 Sihestu einen Man endelich ( vid ., at Pro 21:5) steplang7 in seinem geschefft, u.s.w . = seest thou a man expert in his business, etc.. מהיר denotes in all the three chief dialects one who is skilful in a manner not merely by virtue of external artistic ability, but also by means of intellectual mastery of it. התיצּב לפני , to enter on the situation of a servant before any one; cf. Job 1:6; Job 2:1. עמד לפני , 1Sa 16:21; 1Ki 10:8. Along with the pausal form יתיצּב , there is also found in Codd. the form יתיצּב (the ground-form to יתיצּב , whence that pausal form is lengthened), which Ben-Bileam defends, for he reckons this word among "the pathachized pausal forms." חשׁכּים , in contrast to מלכים , are the obscuri = ignobiles . The Targ. translate the Heb. דּל and אביון by חשׁיך and חשׁוך . Kimchi compares Jer 39:10, where העם הדּלּים is translated by חשׁיכיּא (cf. 2Ki 24:14; 2Ki 25:12). חלכּה ( חלכּה ) is the old Heb. synonym in Ps 10. The poet seems here to transfer the Aram. usus loq . into the Heb.

Constable: Pro 10:1--22:17

II. COUPLETS EXPRESSING WISDOM 10:1--22:16

Chapters 1-9, as we have seen, contain discourses that Solomon evidently wrote urging his sons to choose the way of wisdom for their lives.⁹² At 10:1 we begin the part of the book that sets forth what the wise way is in a variety of life situations.

"Until now the book of Proverbs has been identifying the truly wise man. Form this point on, it will describe how such a man should conduct his life from day to day. This logical topical order appears in many New Testament epistles, where the saved person is first identified, and then the daily life he should live is described [e.g., Rom. 1-5 and 6-8; Eph. 1-3 and 4-6]."⁹³

There are 184 maxims in chapters 10-15 and 191 in chapters 16-22 for a total of 375.⁹⁴ This represents only a few of the 3,000 proverbs Solomon wrote (1 Kings 4:32). Most of the proverbs in this section are one verse long and contain two lines each; they are couplets. The second line contrasts, compares, or completes the idea expressed in the first line. In chapters 10-15 most couplets contain antithetic parallelism. The key word is "but." In chapters 16-22 there are more synonymous parallelisms marked by the conjunction "and." There are also continuous sentences in which the second line continues the thought of the first line (e.g., 14:26). Some couplets contain comparisons in which the relative value of two things is set forth (e.g., 11:31). Some contain a statement in the first line followed by an explanation in the second line (e.g., 20:2).⁹⁵

Is there any logic to the arrangement of these seemingly unrelated proverbs? In some places there is a general association of ideas, and in some places there is a recurring key word (e.g., "king" in 16:12-15, and "Yahweh" in 16:1-7). However many of these couplets have no logical connection with what immediately precedes or follows in the context. This anthology style is typical of other ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature.

"The absence of a systematic arrangement is due to the traditional character of the contents. There is no need of a closely knit argument; striking images, incisive wording are all that is required to give a fresh appeal to the truth of familiar viewpoints."⁹⁶

"It is also surprising to find lofty precepts mixed with more trivial' apothegms. Of course, this is a misconception based on the modern-day viewpoint of life. From the sages' perspective each proverb is an expression of wisdom,' which is . . . the fixed order of reality. Viewed from this perspective no sentence is trivial . . ."⁹⁷

Why did the Holy Spirit not arrange these proverbs topically so we could study all of them that deal with one subject together? Probably He did so because the method He chose is "a course of education in the life of wisdom."⁹⁸

"As we read Proverbs chapter by chapter, the Spirit of God has the freedom to teach us about many subjects, and we never know from day to day which topic we'll need the most. Just as the Bible itself isn't arranged like a systematic theology, neither is Proverbs. What Solomon wrote is more like a kaleidoscope than a stained-glass window: We never know what the next pattern will be."⁹⁹

In the notes that follow (on 10:1-22:16) I have commented only on those proverbs that appear to me to need clarification in the NASB.

Constable: Pro 19:1--22:17

4. Further advice for pleasing God 19:1-22:16

As was true in the chapter 10-15 section, this one (16:1-22:16) also becomes more difficult to outline as it ends because there are fewer groupings of proverbs.

19:7 The first part of this verse is hyperbole (overstatement to make a point). The point is that people avoid the poor--their relatives do, and even more, their friends do. Even their own overtures of friendship are ineffective (7c).

19:18 If a parent does not discipline his child while there is hope of correcting him, he is really, though perhaps not consciously, willing for him to die. The child's folly will lead to his death if his parents do not curb it with discipline.¹⁴¹ Some parents allow their children to go astray out of neglect. "Discipline" (Heb. yasser) includes chastisement as well as instruction.

"Better the child is corrected by a parent than by a law enforcement officer in a correctional institution."¹⁴²

19:19 An uncontrolled temper will repeatedly send its owner into fresh trouble. The implication is that it is an exercise in futility to bail such a person out of the trouble he gets himself into with his temper.

19:24 This humorous picture is of a person so lazy that he cannot even lift his food from his plate to his mouth (cf. 26:15). The point is that a lazy person will bear the consequences of his own laziness. This warning is applicable to those who are too lazy to finish the projects they begin.¹⁴³

20:16 Solomon advised that a person who takes on the obligations of another person who is a stranger or a foreigner to him is not very wise. Such a stranger is a bad risk. If you lend to him, make sure you have some collateral such as his garment or some other pledge so he will repay you. The proverb encourages us to hold people to their obligations. Much more than simply giving a pledge for a prostitute must be in view.¹⁴⁴

20:21 The inheritance in view evidently comes prematurely by request or by dishonesty (cf. 19:26; Luke 15:12). In either case the consequence is often lack of divine blessing.

"Such wealth may be squandered and often squelches initiative and work."¹⁴⁵

20:25 The situation in view here is that of a person who impulsively pledges something to God and then upon reconsidering wishes that he had not done so (cf. Eccles. 5:5; Mark 7:11). It is better to wait to make the pledge until we think through the implications of the decision carefully. In a larger application, we should aviod all unconsidered action.¹⁴⁶

"Too many people will make promises under the inspiration of the hour only later to realize that they have strapped themselves; they then try to go back on their word."¹⁴⁷

20:27 God searches out our innermost thoughts and feelings. Solomon compared our "spirit" (lit. "breath," Heb. nishmat, cf. Gen. 2:7) to a lamp God uses to investigate all the darkened crannies of our being in this very graphic proverb. Here the spirit is almost equivalent to the conscience.

21:4 The "lamp" of the wicked seems to be their life (cf. 13:9b) or, more particularly, their conscience (cf. 20:27). If this is so, the verse is saying that arrogance and pride are the sum and substance of the life of the wicked, and that is sin.

21:9 This proverb makes sense if we keep in mind that roofs in the ancient Near East were flat and people used them as patios. It is better to live alone outside, exposed to the elements, than in the sheltered, comfortable interior of one's house if one has to share the inside with a scolding woman. Spartan conditions with peace are better than physical comforts with strife.

21:18 A ransom is a payment given to free a person from some penalty he has incurred similar to posting bail to get out of jail. In this case it appears that God punishes the wicked and in doing so sets the righteous free. Such would be the case if the wicked were oppressing the righteous (cf. 11:8). God delivers the righteous by punishing the wicked who oppress them.

21:28 The contrast is between the person who listens to falsehood and repeats it, and the person who listens to the truth and repeats it. The first person has little concern for listening carefully, but the second person does. Heeding the truth makes all the difference.

"The key phrase is a man who hears: his first aim is to know and understand, not to grind some axe. . . . the man who listens (Is. 50:4) is the man worth listening to."¹⁴⁸

Ross believed that the verse teaches that "false witnesses will be discredited and destroyed."¹⁴⁹

21:29 A wicked man puts up a show of confidence, but it is a bluff. His bold face reflects a hard heart that holds the opinions and views of others in contempt.¹⁵⁰ The upright on the other hand does not need to pretend to be something he is not because he is walking on the right path.

22:6 "Train" (Heb. hanak) means to dedicate (cf. Deut. 20:5; 1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chron. 7:5; Dan. 3:2). It has the idea of narrowing and in this verse implies channeling the child's conduct into the way of wisdom. That guidance might include dedicating him or her to God and preparing the child for future responsibilities and adulthood.¹⁵¹

"In the way he should go" is literally "according to his way." It may mean according to his own personality, temperament, responses, or stage in life. On the other hand it could mean the way in which he ought to go. The Hebrew grammar permits either interpretation. However the context favors the latter view. "Way" in Proverbs usually means the path a person takes through life, not one's personality, disposition, or stage in life. Consequently the verse is saying the parent should train up a child in the way of wisdom to live in the fear of God.¹⁵²

The second part of this verse has challenged the faith of many a godly parent. Obviously many children who have received good training have repudiated the way of wisdom later in life. The explanation for this seemingly broken promise lies in a correct understanding of what a proverb is.

"A proverb is a literary device whereby a general truth is brought to bear on a specific situation. Many of the proverbs are not absolute guarantees for they express truths that are necessarily conditioned by prevailing circumstances. For example, verses 3-4, 9, 11, 16, 29 do not express promises that are always binding. Though the proverbs are generally and usually true, occasional exceptions may be noted. This may be because of the self-will or deliberate disobedience of an individual who chooses to go his own way--the way of folly instead of the way of wisdom . . . It is generally true, however, that most children who are brought up in Christian homes, under the influence of godly parents who teach and live God's standards (cf. Eph. 6:4), follow that training."¹⁵³

This proverb clearly does not state a Scriptural promise. Rather, the revelation of Scripture elsewhere is that God always allows people to make their own decisions. He does not force them to do what is right.

22:7 This verse does not forbid borrowing. In Israel the Jews borrowed from one another. The Mosaic Law permitted this but condemned charging other Jews interest (Exod. 22:25; Deut. 23:19), though the Israelites could charge foreigners interest (Deut. 23:20). The New Testament does not forbid borrowing. It forbids not paying debts (Rom. 13:6-8). It may be unwise to go into debt in some situations, but it is going too far to say that the Bible condemns going into debt.

"While a certain amount of honest debt is expected in today's world, and everybody wants to achieve a good credit rating, we must be careful not to mistake presumption for faith. As the familiar adage puts it, When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep is your downfall.'"¹⁵⁴

This verse warns the borrower that he puts himself in a vulnerable position by borrowing. He becomes dependent on another or others by borrowing. An unscrupulous lender might take advantage of him. Most lenders will not take unfair advantage of someone who borrows from them, but the borrower should be aware of this possibility.

"The verse may be referring to the apparently common practice of Israelites selling themselves into slavery to pay off debts (see Exod 21:2-7). It is not appreciably different from the modern debtor who is working to pay off bills."¹⁵⁵

22:8 This verse provides encouragement for the oppressed. The last line assures the sufferer that God will eventually break the oppressing rod of the person who sows iniquity.

Constable: Pro 22:17--25:1

III. WISE SAYINGS 22:17--24:34

A third major section of the Book of Proverbs begins with 22:17. This is clear from several indicators. The proverbs lengthen out again from the typical one verse couplet that characterizes 10:1-26:16 (cf. chs. 1-9). The phrase "my son" appears again as in chapters 1-9. The reason the writer gave the following proverbs (22:17-21) introduces the first sub-section (22:17-23:11). We read in 22:20 (in the Hebrew text) that a group of 30 sayings will follow.

The emphasis in 22:17-24:34 is on the importance of applying the instruction previously given.

Emphasis	Section
The value of wisdom	chs. 1-9
The examples of wisdom	10:1-22:16
The application of wisdom	22:17-24:34

The reason many scholars believe Solomon did not write the 36 sayings of the wise (22:17-24:34) is this. The title, "These also are sayings of the wise [or sages, plural]," in 24:23a suggests several writers rather than one.

"The plur. sages points to the existence of a special class of wise men, who were oral teachers or writers. The utterances of these men formed a distinct body of thought, part of which is preserved in the Book of Proverbs . . ."¹⁵⁶

The word "also" in 24:23a apparently refers to the similar title in 22:17 suggesting that these sages, not Solomon, wrote the proverbs in 22:17-24:22.

The 36 sayings divide into two groups: "the [30] words of the wise" (22:17), and six more "sayings of the wise" (24:23).

Constable: Pro 22:17--24:23

A. Thirty Sayings of the Wise 22:17-24:22

Many scholars have called attention to the similarities between Proverbs 22:17-24:22, the 30 sayings of the wise, and The Instruction of Amen-em-Ope.¹⁵⁷ The Instruction of Amen-em-Ope is a piece of Egyptian wisdom literature that scholars have dated in the New Kingdom period (ca. 1558-1085 B.C.). Both sets of proverbs contain 30 sayings each, both use the "my son" terminology, and both follow the same structural design. This design includes an introduction stating why the writer gave the instruction followed by 30 independent sections of sayings on diverse subjects. However a difference between these two collections is significant. The writer or writers of the biblical proverbs, evidently not Solomon, said their purpose was that the readers' "trust may be in the Lord" (22:19). However, Amen-em-Ope expressed no such hope nor any belief in a personal God. As I mentioned earlier in these notes, the biblical writers' purpose and faith distinguish the Book of Proverbs from all other ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature.¹⁵⁸

Constable: Pro 22:17-21

Introduction to the first 10 sayings 22:17-21

As in chapters 1-9, the writer began this section of the book with an exhortation to hear and give heed to the words of wisdom that follow (22:17-21).

"This extended introduction reminds us that the wise sayings were not curiosity pieces; they were revelation, and revelation demands a response."¹⁵⁹

First, there is a call (v. 17) followed by three motivations: a pleasing store of wisdom (v. 18), a deeper trust in the Lord (v. 19), and a greater reliability (vv. 20-21).¹⁶⁰

The Hebrew word translated "excellent things" (v. 20; slswm) has also been rendered "heretofore" (RV margin), "triply" (Septuagint, Vulgate), and "30 sayings" (RSV, NIV). Since 30 sayings follow, that seems to be the best option for translation. "Him who sent you" (v. 21) is probably the original reader's teacher, who may have been his father.

"Notwithstanding the difficulties of the text, the general thought of the paragraph is plain: the pupil is to devote himself to study, in order that his religious life may be firmly established, and that he may be able to give wise counsel to those who seek advice."¹⁶¹

Constable: Pro 22:22--23:12

The first 10 sayings 22:22-23:11

22:22-23 Note the chiastic structure in these four lines that unifies the thought of the passage: violence, litigation, litigation, violence. God will avenge the poor on those who oppress them.

22:24-25 The writer gave a reason for almost all the pieces of advice contained in the 30 sayings (cf. 1:10-19). The influence of a hothead can prove fatal (cf. 1:10-19; 14:17, 29; 15:1).

22:26-27 Solomon previously warned of the folly of making promises to cover the debts of others (6:1-5; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16). This is a good way to lose what one has.

22:28 Moving boundaries in fields resulted in individuals losing and gaining property and wealth. In Israel this was also a sin against God since God owned and apportioned all the land. In the Roman Empire, people suffered execution for doing this. The warning is against appropriating someone else's property.

22:29 The quality of a person's work, not his bribes or flattery, will ultimately determine how his career progresses. Therefore a person should seek to improve his or her skills.

"Anyone who puts his workmanship before his prospects towers above the thrusters and climbers of the adjacent paragraphs."¹⁶²

23:1-3 The point of this advice is to be humble and restrained in the presence of a prestigious host. The guest should put a knife to his throat rather than to his food (i.e., curb his appetite, control himself).¹⁶³ The fact that the host serves delicacies may not indicate that he esteems the guest highly. The host may simply be getting him in a good mood for his own selfish reasons. He may want something from him or be evaluating him. "What" (v. 1) is better than "who."¹⁶⁴

23:4-5 Wealth is just as illusive as social prestige (cf. Luke 12:20; 1 Tim. 6:7-10). Therefore, people should not wear themselves out trying to get rich.

23:6-8 It is better to decline a dinner invitation from a miser because if you accept you will only have a miserable experience. One writer paraphrased verse 8 as follows: "It takes away the relish . . . to have one's grudging host . . . doing mental arithmetic (7a) with each dish."¹⁶⁵

23:9 "Hearing" should be "ears." The speaker is addressing a fool. His words are not what the fool overhears. As always in Proverbs, the fool is one who rejects God's words. The words spoken on this occasion are in harmony with God's since they are words containing wisdom. Trying to teach a fool wisdom is a waste of time.

23:10-11 Here the writer added a reason to the warning in the fourth saying (22:28). God is the rescuing avenger of the defenseless in Genesis 28:16; Exodus 6:6; Job 19:25; and many times in Isaiah 41-63. Here it is evidently God who is in view rather than a human kinsman redeemer (Heb. goel, cf. Gen. 48:16; Exod. 6:6; Job 19:25; Isa. 41-63). This is another warning against taking unfair advantage of a defenseless person.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Lainnya

Evidence: Pro 22:1

We must guard our name, character, and reputation for the sake of the gospel. If men think evil of us, let it be only for the cause of righteousness.

Evidence: Pro 22:4

Those who refuse to humble themselves will eventually lose their possessions, their dignity, and their very life. However, those who walk in humility of heart and obey God store up an eternal treasure in heaven. They will preserve their life and be honored by God Himself. See Joh 12:25 .

Evidence: Pro 22:6

Training our children. " Let the children...be carefully instructed in the principles and obligations of the Christian religion. This is the most essential part of education. The great enemy of the salvation of man, in my opinion, never invented a more effectual means of extirpating [removing] Christianity from the world than by persuading mankind that it was improper to read the Bible at schools." Benjamin Rush (See also Pro 4:1-5 and Eph 6:4 footnotes.)

Pendahuluan / Garis Besar

JFB: Proverbs (Pendahuluan Kitab)

THE NATURE AND USE OF PROVERBS.--A proverb is a pithy sentence, concisely expressing some well-established truth susceptible of various illustrations and applications. The word is of Latin derivation, literally meaning for a word, speech, or discourse; that is, one expression for many. The Hebrew word for "proverb" (mashal) means a "comparison." Many suppose it was used, because the form or matter of the proverb, or both, involved the idea of comparison. Most of the proverbs are in couplets or triplets, or some modifications of them, the members of which correspond in structure and length, as if arranged to be compared one with another. They illustrate the varieties of parallelism, a distinguishing feature of Hebrew poetry. Compare Introduction to Poetical Books. Many also clearly involve the idea of comparison in the sentiments expressed (compare Pro 12:1-10; Pro 25:10-15; Pro 26:1-9). Sometimes, however, the designed omission of one member of the comparison, exercising the reader's sagacity or study for its supply, presents the proverb as a "riddle" or "dark saying" (compare Pro. 30:15-33; Pro 1:6; Psa 49:4). The sententious form of expression, which thus became a marked feature of the proverbial style, was also adopted for continuous discourse, even when not always preserving traces of comparison, either in form or matter (compare Pro. 1:1-9:18). In Eze 17:1; Eze 24:3, we find the same word properly translated "parable," to designate an illustrative discourse. Then the Greek translators have used a word, parabola ("parable"), which the gospel writers (except John) employ for our Lord's discourses of the same character, and which also seems to involve the idea of comparison, though that may not be its primary meaning. It might seem, therefore, that the proverbial and parabolic styles of writing were originally and essentially the same. The proverb is a "concentrated parable, and the parable an extension of the proverb by a full illustration." The proverb is thus the moral or theme of a parable, which sometimes precedes it, as in Mat 19:30 (compare Pro 20:1); or succeeds it, as in Mat. 22:1-16; Luk 15:1-10. The style being poetical, and adapted to the expression of a high order of poetical sentiment, such as prophecy, we find the same term used to designate such compositions (compare Num 23:7; Mic 2:4; Hab 2:6).

Though the Hebrews used the same term for proverb and parable, the Greek employs two, though the sacred writers have not always appeared to recognize a distinction. The term for proverb is, paroimia, which the Greek translators employ for the title of this book, evidently with special reference to the later definition of a proverb, as a trite, sententious form of speech, which appears to be the best meaning of the term. John uses the same term to designate our Saviour's instructions, in view of their characteristic obscurity (compare Pro 16:25-29, Greek), and even for his illustrative discourses (Pro 10:6), whose sense was not at once obvious to all his hearers. This form of instruction was well adapted to aid the learner. The parallel structure of sentences, the repetition, contrast, or comparison of thought, were all calculated to facilitate the efforts of memory; and precepts of practical wisdom which, extended into logical discourses, might have failed to make abiding impressions by reason of their length or complicated character, were thus compressed into pithy, and, for the most part, very plain statements. Such a mode of instruction has distinguished the written or traditional literature of all nations, and was, and still is, peculiarly current in the East.

In this book, however, we are supplied with a proverbial wisdom commended by the seal of divine inspiration. God has condescended to become our teacher on the practical affairs belonging to all the relations of life. He has adapted His instruction to the plain and unlettered, and presented, in this striking and impressive method, the great principles of duty to Him and to our fellow men. To the prime motive of all right conduct, the fear of God, are added all lawful and subordinate incentives, such as honor, interest, love, fear, and natural affection. Besides the terror excited by an apprehension of God's justly provoked judgments, we are warned against evil-doing by the exhibition of the inevitable temporal results of impiety, injustice, profligacy, idleness, laziness, indolence, drunkenness, and debauchery. To the rewards of true piety which follow in eternity, are promised the peace, security, love, and approbation of the good, and the comforts of a clear conscience, which render this life truly happy.

INSPIRATION AND AUTHORSHIP.--With no important exception, Jewish and Christian writers have received this book as the inspired production of Solomon. It is the first book of the Bible prefaced by the name of the author. The New Testament abounds with citations from the Proverbs. Its intrinsic excellence commends it to us as the production of a higher authority than the apocryphal writings, such as Wisdom or Ecclesiasticus. Solomon lived five hundred years before the "seven wise men" of Greece, and seven hundred before the age of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. It is thus very evident, whatever theory of his sources of knowledge be adopted, that he did not draw upon any heathen repositories with which we are acquainted. It is far more probable, that by the various migrations, captivities, and dispersions of the Jews, heathen philosophers drew from this inspired fountain many of those streams which continue to refresh mankind amid the otherwise barren and parched deserts of profane literature.

As, however, the Psalms are ascribed to David, because he was the leading author, so the ascription of this book to Solomon is entirely consistent with the titles of the thirtieth and thirty-first chapters, which assign those chapters to Agur and Lemuel respectively. Of these persons we know nothing. This is not the place for discussing the various speculations respecting them. By a slight change of reading some propose to translate Pro 30:1 : "The words of Agur, the son of her who was obeyed Massa," that is, "the queen of Massa"; and Pro 31:1 : "The words of Lemuel, king of Massa"; but to this the earliest versions are contradictory, and nothing other than the strongest exegetical necessity ought to be allowed to justify a departure from a well-established reading and version when nothing useful to our knowledge is gained. It is better to confess ignorance than indulge in useless conjectures.

It is probable that out of the "three thousand proverbs" (1Ki 4:32) which Solomon spoke, he selected and edited Pro. 1:1-24:34 during his life. Pro. 25:1-29:27 were also of his production, and copied out in the days of Hezekiah, by his "men," perhaps the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah. Such a work was evidently in the spirit of this pious monarch, who set his heart so fully on a reformation of God's worship. Learned men have endeavored to establish the theory that Solomon himself was only a collector; or that the other parts of the book, as these chapters, were also selections by later hands; but the reasons adduced to maintain these views have never appeared so satisfactory as to change the usual opinions on the subject, which have the sanction of the most ancient and reliable authorities.

DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK.--Such a work is, of course, not susceptible of any logical analysis. There are, however, some well-defined marks of division, so that very generally the book is divided into five or six parts.

1. The first contains nine chapters, in which are discussed and enforced by illustration, admonition, and encouragement the principles and blessings of wisdom, and the pernicious schemes and practices of sinful persons. These chapters are introductory. With few specimens of the proper proverb, they are distinguished by its conciseness and terseness. The sentences follow very strictly the form of parallelism, and generally of the synonymous species, only forty of the synthetic and four (Pro 3:32-35) of the antithetic appearing. The style is ornate, the figures bolder and fuller, and the illustrations more striking and extended.

2. The antithetic and synthetic parallelism to the exclusion of the synonymous distinguish Pro. 10:1-22:16, and the verses are entirely unconnected, each containing a complete sense in itself.

3. Pro. 22:16-24:34 present a series of admonitions as if addressed to a pupil, and generally each topic occupies two or more verses.

4. Pro. 25:1-29:27 are entitled to be regarded as a distinct portion, for the reason given above as to its origin. The style is very much mixed; of the peculiarities, compare parts two and three.

5. Pro. 30:1-33 is peculiar not only for its authorship, but as a specimen of the kind of proverb which has been described as "dark sayings" or "riddles."

6. To a few pregnant but concise admonitions, suitable for a king, is added a most inimitable portraiture of female character. In both parts five and six the distinctive peculiarity of the original proverbial style gives place to the modifications already mentioned as marking a later composition, though both retain the concise and nervous method of stating truth, equally valuable for its deep impression and permanent retention by the memory.

TSK: Proverbs (Pendahuluan Kitab)

The wisdom of all ages, from the highest antiquity, has chosen to compress and communicate its lessons in short, compendious sentences, and in poetic language, which were readily conceived and easily retained, and circulated in society as useful principles, to be unfolded as occasion required. Indeed, such short maxims, comprehending much instruction in a few words, and carrying their own evidence with them, are admirably adapted to direct the conduct, without overburdening the memory, or perplexing the mind with abstract reasonings; and hence there are, in all countries and in all languages, old proverbs, or common sayings, which have great authority and influence on the opinions and actions of mankind. Such maxims, however, want their proper basis, the sanction of a Divine Original; and being generally the mere result of worldly prudence, are often calculated to impose on the judgment, and to mislead those who are directed by them. But the proverbs in this book not only are far more ancient than any others extant in the world, and infinitely surpass all the ethical sayings of the ancient sages; but have also received a Divine imprimatur, and are infallible rules to direct our conduct in every circumstance of human life. They are so justly founded on the principles of human nature, and so adapted to the permanent interests of man, that they agree with the manners of every age; and are adapted to every period, condition, or rank in life, however varied in its complexion or diversified by circumstance. Kings and subjects, rich and poor, wise and foolish, old and young, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, masters and servants, may here learn their respective duties, and read lessons of instruction for the regulation of their conduct in their various circumstances; while the most powerful motives, derived from honour, interest, love, fear, natural affection, and piety, are exhibited to inspire an ardent love of wisdom and virtue, and the greatest detestation of ignorance and vice. These maxims are laid down so clearly, copiously, impressively, and in such variety, that every man who wishes to be instructed may take what he chooses, and, among multitudes, those which he likes best. " He is wise," say St. Basil, " not only who hath arrived at a complete habit of wisdom, but who hath made some progress towards it; nay, who doth as yet but love it, or desire it, and listen to it. Such as these, by reading this book, shall be made wiser; for they shall be instructed in much divine, and in no less human learning....It bridles the injurious tongue, corrects the wanton eye, and ties the unjust hand in chains. It persecutes sloth, chastises all absurd desires, teaches prudence, raises man’s courage, and represents temperance and chastity after such a fashion that one cannot but have them in veneration."

TSK: Proverbs 22 (Pendahuluan Pasal)

Overview

Poole: Proverbs 22 (Pendahuluan Pasal)

CHAPTER 22

MHCC: Proverbs (Pendahuluan Kitab)

The subject of this book may be thus stated by an enlargement on the opening verses. 1. The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. 2. Which treat of the knowledge of wisdom, of piety towards God, of instruction and moral discipline, of the understanding wise and prudent counsels. 3. Which treat of the attainment of instruction in wisdom, which wisdom is to be shown in the conduct of life, and consists in righteousness with regard to our fellow-creatures. 4. Which treat of the giving to the simple sagacity to discover what is right, by supplying them with just principles, and correct views of virtue and vice; and to the young man knowledge, so that he need not err through ignorance; and discretion, so that by pondering well these precepts, he may not err through obstinacy. Take the proverbs of other nations, and we shall find great numbers founded upon selfishness, cunning, pride, injustice, national contempt, and animosities. The principles of the Proverbs of Solomon are piety, charity, justice, benevolence, and true prudence. Their universal purity proves that they are the word of God.

Matthew Henry: Proverbs (Pendahuluan Kitab)

An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of The Proverbs

We have now before us, I. A new author, or penman rather, or pen (if you will) made use of by the Holy Ghost for making known the mind of God to us, writing as moved by the finger of God (so the Spirit of God is called), and that is Solomon; through his hand came this book of Scripture and the two that follow it, Ecclesiastes and Canticles, a sermon and a song. Some think he wrote Canticles when he was very young, Proverbs in the midst of his days, and Ecclesiastes when he was old. In the title of his song he only writes himself Solomon, perhaps because he wrote it before his accession to the throne, being filled with the Holy Ghost when he was young. In the title of his Proverbs he writes himself the son of David, king of Israel, for then he ruled over all Israel. In the title of his Ecclesiastes he writes himself the son of David, king of Jerusalem, because then perhaps his influence had grown less upon the distant tribes, and he confined himself very much in Jerusalem. Concerning this author we may observe, 1. That he was a king, and a king's son. The penmen of scripture, hitherto, were most of them men of the first rank in the world, as Moses and Joshua, Samuel and David, and now Solomon; but, after him, the inspired writers were generally poor prophets, men of no figure in the world, because that dispensation was approaching in the which God would choose the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and mighty and the poor should be employed to evangelize. Solomon was a very rich king, and his dominions were very large, a king of the first magnitude, and yet he addicted himself to the study of divine things, and was a prophet and a prophet's son. It is no disparagement to the greatest princes and potentates in the world to instruct those about them in religion and the laws of it. 2. That he was one whom God endued with extraordinary measures of wisdom and knowledge, in answer to his prayers at his accession to the throne. His prayer was exemplary: Give me a wise and an understanding heart; the answer to it was encouraging: he had what he desired and all other things were added to him. Now here we find what good use he made of the wisdom God gave him; he not only governed himself and his kingdom with it, but he gave rules of wisdom to others also, and transmitted them to posterity. Thus must we trade with the talents with which we are entrusted, according as they are. 3. That he was one who had his faults, and in his latter end turned aside from those good ways of God which in this book he had directed others in. We have the story of it 1 Kings 11, and a sad story it is, that the penman of such a book as this should apostatize as he did. Tell it not in Gath. But let those who are most eminently useful take warning by this not to be proud or secure; and let us all learn not to think the worse of good instructions though we have them from those who do not themselves altogether live up to them.

II. A new way of writing, in which divine wisdom is taught us by Proverbs, or short sentences, which contain their whole design within themselves and are not connected with one another. We have had divine laws, histories, and songs, and how divine proverbs; such various methods has Infinite Wisdom used for our instruction, that, no stone being left unturned to do us good, we may be inexcusable if we perish in our folly. Teaching by proverbs was, 1. An ancient way of teaching. It was the most ancient way among the Greeks; each of the seven wise men of Greece had some one saying that he valued himself upon, and that made him famous. These sentences were inscribed on pillars, and had in great veneration as that which was said to come down from heaven. A coelo descendit, Gnōthi seauton - Know thyself is a precept which came down from heaven. 2. It was a plain and easy way of teaching, which cost neither the teachers nor the learners much pains, nor put their understandings nor their memories to the stretch. Long periods, and arguments far-fetched, must be laboured both by him that frames them and by him that would understand them, while a proverb, which carries both its sense and its evidence in a little compass, is quickly apprehended and subscribed to, and is easily retained. Both David's devotions and Solomon's instructions are sententious, which may recommend that way of expression to those who minister about holy things, both in praying and preaching. 3. It was a very profitable way of teaching, and served admirably well to answer the end. The word Mashal, here used for a proverb, comes from a word that signifies to rule or have dominion, because of the commanding power and influence which wise and weighty sayings have upon the children of men; he that teaches by them dominatur in concionibus - rules his auditory. It is easy to observe how the world is governed by proverbs. As saith the proverb of the ancients (1Sa 24:13), or (as we commonly express it) As the old saying is, goes very far with most men in forming their notions and fixing their resolves. Much of the wisdom of the ancients has been handed down to posterity by proverbs; and some think we may judge of the temper and character of a nation by the complexion of its vulgar proverbs. Proverbs in conversation are like axious in philosophy, maxims in law, and postulata in the mathematics, which nobody disputes, but every one endeavours to expound so as to have them on his side. Yet there are many corrupt proverbs, which tend to debauch men's minds and harden them in sin. The devil has his proverbs, and the world and the flesh have their proverbs, which reflect reproach on God and religion (as Eze 12:22; Eze 18:2), to guard us against the corrupt influences of which God has his proverbs, which are all wise and good, and tend to make us so. These proverbs of Solomon were not merely a collection of the wise sayings that had been formerly delivered, as some have imagined, but were the dictates of the Spirit of God in Solomon. The very first of them (Pro 1:7) agrees with what God said to man in the beginning (Job 28:28, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom ); so that though Solomon was great, and his name may serve as much as any man's to recommend his writings, yet, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. It is God, by Solomon, that here speaks to us: I say, to us; for these proverbs were written for our learning, and, when Solomon speaks to his son, the exhortation is said to speak to us as unto children, Heb 12:5. And, as we have no book so useful to us in our devotions as David's psalms, so have we none so serviceable to us, for the right ordering of our conversations, as Solomon's proverbs, which as David says of the commandments, are exceedingly broad, containing, in a little compass, a complete body of divine ethics, politics, and economics, exposing every vice, recommending every virtue, and suggesting rules for the government of ourselves in every relation and condition, and every turn of the conversation. The learned bishop Hall has drawn up a system of moral philosophy out of Solomon's Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. The first nine chapters of this book are reckoned as a preface, by way of exhortation to the study and practice of wisdom's rules, and caution against those things that would hinder therein. We have then the first volume of Solomon's proverbs (ch. 10-24); after that a second volume (ch. 25-29); and then Agur's prophecy (ch. 30), and Lemuel's (ch. 31). The scope of all is one and the same, to direct us so to order our conversation aright as that in the end we may see the salvation of the Lord. The best comment on these rules is to be ruled by them.

Topical Index of Proverbs

Twenty chapters of the book of Proverbs (beginning with ch. 10 and ending with ch. 29), consisting mostly of entire sentences in each verse, could not well be reduced to proper heads, and the contents of them gathered; I have therefore here put the contents of all these chapters together, which perhaps may be of some use to those who desire to see at once all that is said of any one head in these chapters. Some of the verses, perhaps, I have not put under the same heads that another would have put them under, but the most of them fall (I hope) naturally enough to the places I have assigned them.

1. Of the comfort, or grief, parents have in their children, according as they are wise or foolish, godly or ungodly, Pro 10:1; Pro 15:20; Pro 17:21, Pro 17:25; Pro 19:13, Pro 19:26; Pro 23:15, Pro 23:16, Pro 23:24, Pro 23:25; Pro 27:11; Pro 29:3

2. Of the world's insufficiency, and religion's sufficiency, to make us happy (Pro 10:2, Pro 10:3; Pro 11:4) and the preference to be therefore given to the gains of virtue above those of this world, Pro 15:16, Pro 15:17; Pro 16:8, Pro 16:16; Pro 17:1; Pro 19:1; Pro 28:6, Pro 28:11

3. Of slothfulness and diligence, Pro 10:4, Pro 10:26; Pro 12:11, Pro 12:24, Pro 12:27; Pro 13:4, Pro 13:23; Pro 15:19; Pro 16:26; Pro 18:9; Pro 19:15, Pro 19:24; Pro 20:4, Pro 20:13; Pro 21:5, Pro 21:25, Pro 21:26; Pro 22:13, Pro 22:29; Pro 24:30-34; Pro 26:13-16; Pro 27:18, Pro 27:23, Pro 27:27; Pro 28:19. Particularly the improving or neglecting opportunities, Pro 6:6; Pro 10:5

4. The happiness of the righteous, and the misery of the wicked, Pro 10:6, Pro 10:9, Pro 10:16, Pro 10:24, Pro 10:25, Pro 10:27-30; Pro 11:3, Pro 11:5-8, Pro 11:18-21, Pro 11:31; Pro 12:2, Pro 12:3, Pro 12:7, Pro 12:13, Pro 12:14, Pro 12:21, Pro 12:26, Pro 12:28; Pro 13:6, Pro 13:9, Pro 13:14 15, 21, 22, 25; Pro 14:11, Pro 14:14, Pro 14:19, Pro 14:32; Pro 15:6, Pro 15:8, Pro 15:9, Pro 15:24, Pro 15:26, Pro 15:29; Pro 20:7; Pro 21:12, Pro 21:15, Pro 21:16, Pro 21:18, Pro 21:21; Pro 22:12; Pro 28:10, Pro 28:18; Pro 29:6

5. Of honour and dishonour, Pro 10:7; Pro 12:8, Pro 12:9; Pro 18:3; Pro 26:1; Pro 27:21. And of vain-glory, Pro 25:14, Pro 25:27; Pro 27:2

6. The wisdom of obedience, and folly of disobedience, Pro 10:8, Pro 10:17; Pro 12:1, Pro 12:15; Pro 13:1, Pro 13:13, Pro 13:18; Pro 15:5, Pro 15:10, Pro 15:12, Pro 15:31, Pro 15:32; Pro 19:16; Pro 28:4, Pro 28:7, Pro 28:9

7. Of mischievousness and usefulness, Pro 10:10, Pro 10:23; Pro 11:9-11, Pro 11:23, Pro 11:27; Pro 12:5, Pro 12:6, Pro 12:12, Pro 12:18, Pro 12:20; Pro 13:2; Pro 14:22; Pro 16:29, Pro 16:30; Pro 17:11; Pro 21:10; Pro 24:8; Pro 26:23, Pro 26:27

8. The praise of wise and good discourse, and the hurt and shame of an ungoverned tongue, Pro 10:11, Pro 10:13, Pro 10:14, Pro 10:20, Pro 10:21, Pro 10:31, Pro 10:32; Pro 11:30; Pro 14:3; Pro 15:2, Pro 15:4, Pro 15:7, Pro 15:23, Pro 15:28; Pro 16:20, Pro 16:23, Pro 16:24; Pro 17:7; Pro 18:4, Pro 18:7, Pro 18:20, Pro 18:21; Pro 20:15; Pro 21:23; Pro 23:9; Pro 24:26; Pro 25:11

9. Of love and hatred, peaceableness and contention, Pro 10:12; Pro 15:17; Pro 17:1, Pro 17:9, Pro 17:14, Pro 17:19; Pro 18:6, Pro 18:17-19; Pro 20:3; Pro 25:8; Pro 26:17, Pro 26:21; Pro 29:9

10. Of the rich and poor, Pro 10:5, Pro 10:22; Pro 11:28; Pro 13:7, Pro 13:8; Pro 14:20, Pro 14:24; Pro 18:11, Pro 18:23; Pro 19:1, Pro 19:4, Pro 19:7, Pro 19:22; Pro 22:2, Pro 22:7; Pro 28:6, Pro 28:11; Pro 29:13

11. Of lying, fraud, and dissimulation, and of truth and sincerity, Pro 10:18; Pro 12:17, Pro 12:19, Pro 12:22; Pro 13:5; Pro 17:4; Pro 20:14, Pro 20:17; Pro 26:18, Pro 26:19, Pro 26:24-26, Pro 26:28

12. Of slandering, Pro 10:18; Pro 16:27; Pro 25:23

13. Of talkativeness and silence, Pro 10:19; Pro 11:12; Pro 12:23; Pro 13:3; Pro 17:27, Pro 17:28; Pro 29:11, Pro 29:20

14. Of justice and injustice, Pro 11:1; Pro 13:16; Pro 16:8, Pro 16:11; Pro 17:15, Pro 17:26; Pro 18:5; Pro 20:10, Pro 20:23; Pro 22:28; Pro 23:10, Pro 23:11; Pro 29:24

15. Of pride and humility, Pro 11:2; Pro 13:10; Pro 15:25, Pro 15:33; Pro 16:5, Pro 16:18, Pro 16:19; Pro 18:12; Pro 21:4; Pro 25:6, Pro 25:7; Pro 28:25; Pro 29:23

16. Of despising and respecting others, Pro 11:12; Pro 14:21

17. Of tale-bearing, Pro 11:13; Pro 16:28; Pro 18:8; Pro 20:19; Pro 26:20, Pro 26:22

18. Of rashness and deliberation, Pro 11:14; Pro 15:22; Pro 18:13; Pro 19:2; Pro 20:5, Pro 20:18; Pro 21:29; Pro 22:3; Pro 25:8-10

19. Of suretiship, Pro 11:15; Pro 17:18; Pro 20:16; Pro 22:26, Pro 22:27; Pro 27:13

20. Of good and bad women, or wives, Pro 11:16, Pro 11:22; Pro 12:4; Pro 14:1; Pro 18:22; Pro 19:13, Pro 19:14; Pro 21:9, Pro 21:19; Pro 25:24; Pro 27:15, Pro 27:16

21. Of mercifulness and unmercifulness, Pro 11:17; Pro 12:10; Pro 14:21; Pro 19:17; Pro 21:13

22. Of charity to the poor, and uncharitableness, Pro 11:24-26; Pro 14:31; Pro 17:5; Pro 22:9, Pro 22:16, Pro 22:22, Pro 22:23; Pro 28:27; Pro 29:7

23. Of covetousness and contentment, Pro 11:29; Pro 15:16, Pro 15:17, Pro 15:27; Pro 23:4, Pro 23:5

24. Of anger and meekness, Pro 12:16; Pro 14:17, Pro 14:29; Pro 15:1, Pro 15:18; Pro 16:32; Pro 17:12, Pro 17:26; Pro 19:11, Pro 19:19; Pro 22:24, Pro 22:25; Pro 25:15, Pro 25:28; Pro 26:21; Pro 29:22

25. Of melancholy and cheerfulness, Pro 12:25; Pro 14:10, Pro 14:13; Pro 15:13, Pro 15:15; Pro 17:22; Pro 18:14; Pro 25:20, Pro 25:25

26. Of hope and expectation, Pro 13:12, Pro 13:19

27. Of prudence and foolishness, Pro 13:16; Pro 14:8, Pro 14:18, Pro 14:33; Pro 15:14, Pro 15:21; Pro 16:21, Pro 16:22; Pro 17:24; Pro 18:2, Pro 18:15; Pro 24:3-7; Pro 7:27; Pro 26:6-11; Pro 28:5

28. Of treachery and fidelity, Pro 13:17; Pro 25:13, Pro 25:19

29. Of good and bad company, Pro 13:20; Pro 14:7; Pro 28:7; Pro 29:3

30. Of the education of children, Pro 13:24; Pro 19:18; Pro 20:11; Pro 22:6, Pro 22:15; Pro 23:12; Pro 14:14; Pro 29:15, Pro 29:17

31. Of the fear of the Lord, Pro 14:2, Pro 14:26, Pro 14:27; Pro 15:16, Pro 15:33; Pro 16:6; Pro 19:23; Pro 22:4; Pro 23:17, Pro 23:18

32. Of true and false witness-bearing, Pro 14:5, Pro 14:25; Pro 19:5, Pro 19:9, Pro 19:28; Pro 21:28; Pro 24:28; Pro 25:18

33. Of scorners, Pro 14:6, Pro 14:9; Pro 21:24; Pro 22:10; Pro 24:9; Pro 29:9

34. Of credulity and caution, Pro 14:15, Pro 14:16; Pro 27:12

35. Of kings and their subjects, Pro 14:28, Pro 14:34, Pro 14:35; Pro 16:10, Pro 16:12-15; Pro 19:6, Pro 19:12; Pro 20:2, Pro 20:8, Pro 20:26, Pro 20:28; Pro 22:11; Pro 24:23-25; Pro 30:2-5; Pro 28:2, Pro 28:3, Pro 28:15, Pro 28:16; Pro 29:5, Pro 29:12, Pro 29:14, Pro 29:26

36. Of envy, especially envying sinners, Pro 14:30; Pro 23:17, Pro 23:18; Pro 24:1, Pro 24:2, Pro 24:19, Pro 24:20; Pro 27:4

37. Of God's omniscience, and his universal providence, Pro 15:3, Pro 15:11; Pro 16:1, Pro 16:4, Pro 16:9, Pro 16:33; Pro 17:3; Pro 19:21; Pro 20:12, Pro 20:24; Pro 21:1, Pro 21:30, Pro 21:31; Pro 29:26

38. Of a good and ill name, Pro 15:30; Pro 22:1

39. Of men's good opinion of themselves, Pro 14:12; Pro 16:2, Pro 16:25; Pro 20:6; Pro 21:2; Pro 26:12; Pro 28:26

40. Of devotion towards God, and dependence on him, Pro 16:3; Pro 18:10; Pro 23:26; Pro 27:1; Pro 28:25; Pro 29:25

41. Of the happiness of God's favour, Pro 16:7; Pro 29:26

42. Excitements to get wisdom, Pro 16:16; Pro 18:1; Pro 19:8, Pro 19:20; Pro 22:17-21; Pro 23:15, Pro 23:16, Pro 23:22-25; Pro 24:13, Pro 24:14; Pro 27:11

43. Cautions against temptations, Pro 16:17; Pro 29:27

44. Of old age and youth, Pro 16:31; Pro 17:6; Pro 20:29

45. Of servants, Pro 17:2; Pro 19:10; Pro 29:19, Pro 29:21

46. Of bribery, Pro 17:8, Pro 17:23; Pro 18:16; Pro 21:14; Pro 28:21

47. Of reproof and correction, Pro 17:10; Pro 19:25, Pro 19:29; Pro 20:30; Pro 21:11; Pro 25:12; Pro 26:3; Pro 27:5, Pro 27:6, Pro 27:22; Pro 28:23; Pro 29:1

48. Of ingratitude, Pro 17:13

49. Of friendship, Pro 17:17; Pro 18:24; Pro 27:9, Pro 27:10, Pro 27:14, Pro 27:17

50. Of sensual pleasures, Pro 21:17; Pro 23:1-3, Pro 23:6-8, Pro 23:19-21; Pro 27:7

51. Of drunkenness, Pro 20:1; Pro 23:23, Pro 23:29-35

52. Of the universal corruption of nature, Pro 20:9

53. Of flattery, Pro 20:19; Pro 26:28; Pro 28:23; Pro 29:5

54. Of undutiful children, Pro 20:20; Pro 28:24

55. Of the short continuance of what is ill-gotten, Pro 20:21; Pro 21:6, Pro 21:7; Pro 22:8; Pro 28:8

56. Of revenge, Pro 20:22; Pro 24:17, Pro 24:18, Pro 24:29

57. Of sacrilege, Pro 20:25

58. Of conscience, Pro 20:27; Pro 27:19

59. Of the preference of moral duties before ceremonial, Pro 15:8; Pro 21:3, Pro 21:27

60. Of prodigality and wastefulness, Pro 21:20

61. The triumphs of wisdom and godliness, Pro 21:22; Pro 24:15, Pro 24:16

62. Of frowardness and tractableness, Pro 22:5

63. Of uncleanness, Pro 22:14; Pro 23:27, Pro 23:28

64. Of fainting in affliction, Pro 24:10

65. Of helping the distressed, Pro 14:11, Pro 14:12

66. Of loyalty to the government, Pro 24:21, Pro 24:22

67. Of forgiving enemies, Pro 25:21, Pro 25:22

68. Of causeless curse, Pro 26:2

69. Of answering fools, Pro 26:4, Pro 26:5

70. Of unsettledness and unsatisfiedness, Pro 27:8, Pro 27:20

71. Of cowardliness and courage, Pro 28:1

72. The people's interest in the character of their rulers, Pro 28:12, Pro 28:28; Pro 29:2, Pro 29:16; Pro 11:10, Pro 11:11

73. The benefit of repentance and holy fear, Pro 28:13, Pro 28:14

74. The punishment of murder, Pro 28:17

75. Of hastening to be rich, Pro 28:20, Pro 28:22

76. The enmity of the wicked against the godly, Pro 29:10, Pro 29:27

77. The necessity of the means of grace, Pro 29:18

Constable: Proverbs (Pendahuluan Kitab)

Introduction

Title

The title of this book in the Hebrew Bible is "The Proverbs of Solomon, the Son of David, King in Israel" (cf. 1:1). The Greek Septuagint called this book "Proverbs of Solomon." The Latin Vulgate named it "The Book of Proverbs."

There is some debate about whether 1:1 is the title of the whole book or just the title of the first section (chs. 1-9). The first view has in its favor the fact that the Hebrew Bible took the verse as the title of the book. According to this view the references to Solomon in 1:1 are an indication that he was the primary author of the proverbs in the book.¹

The second view is that 1:1 simply introduces the first major section of the book. The support for this view is that some succeeding sections begin with a similar caption (cf. 10:1; 24:23; 25:1; 30:1; 31:1).²

In either case the book got its title from the proverbs it contains. The whole book is a book of proverbs so the title is appropriate.

"To read straight through a few chapters of Proverbs is like trying to have a conversation with someone who always replies with a one-liner."³

Writer

Proverbs claims to be a compendium of the wise sayings of several different individuals.⁴ Solomon originated some of them (10:1-22:16 and chs. 25-29 definitely, and probably chs. 1-9 as well).⁵ Unnamed wise men (sages) wrote other parts (22:17-24:34 definitely, and possibly chs. 1-9). Hezekiah's men copied some of Solomon's proverbs and added them to this collection (chs. 25-29). Agur and King Lemuel produced chapters 30 and 31 respectively.

We do not know who the sages were who wrote 22:17-24:34 nor do we know the names of the men whom King Hezekiah instructed to compile some of Solomon's sayings. Agur and Lemuel are unknown to us also, though Lemuel seems to have been a non-Israelite monarch.⁶

Some of the proverbs appear to have been copied from, or at least influenced by, earlier Mesopotamian and Egyptian books of wisdom.⁷

". . . whatever the Spirit of God inspired the ancient writers to include became a part of the Word of the Lord. Such inclusions then took on a new and greater meaning when they formed part of Scripture; in a word, they became authoritative and binding, part of the communication of the divine will."⁸

Date

Solomon reigned from 971 to 931 B.C. and Hezekiah from 715 to 686 B.C.⁹ We do not know when the sages, Agur, or Lemuel lived.

The earliest the Book of Proverbs could have been in its final form was in Hezekiah's day, but it may have reached this stage later than that. We have no way to tell.

The contents of the book could have been in existence in Solomon's lifetime though not assembled into the collection we know as the Book of Proverbs.

Message¹⁰

The Book of Proverbs contains no history. It is purely didactic. It is a book of explicit instruction. Like the other Old Testament wisdom books, Job and Ecclesiastes, it does not contain references to Israel's laws, rituals, sacrifices, or ceremonies. It deals with philosophy primarily. A philosopher is by definition a lover of wisdom. Proverbs is a book that focuses primarily on wisdom, as do Job and Ecclesiastes. In this sense these books are philosophical.

There is a fundamental difference between the philosophy we find in these books and all other philosophy. Other philosophies begin with a question. Hebrew philosophy begins with an affirmation. Its basic affirmation is that God exists. Therefore we can know ultimate truth only by divine revelation.

To many people the Book of Proverbs seems to be a grab bag of wise sayings that lacks any system or order. Nevertheless in a sense this is the most carefully organized of all the books of the Old Testament.

The first verse is its title page. Verses 2-7 are its preface that contains an explanation of the purpose of the book, the method of the Author, and the fundamental affirmation of the book (in v. 7). Then follow three parts of the body of the book. First, there are discourses in defense and application of the fundamental affirmation (1:8--ch. 9). Then we have proverbs Solomon collected and arranged to provide wisdom (chs. 10-24). Next there are additional wise words from Solomon that other people collected after Solomon died (chs. 25-29). An appendix that contains specific words of wisdom by two other sages, Agur and Lemuel, concludes the book (chs. 30-31).

Proverbs is one of the most timeless Old Testament books. The reader needs very little knowledge of ancient Hebrew life and culture to understand and appreciate it. We can understand the contents fairly easily and can apply them directly to modern life.

Let's look first at the fundamental affirmation and then observe how the application of that declaration unfolds in the chapters that follow.

The fundamental affirmation is the deepest insight in Hebrew philosophy (1:7).

There is a presupposition in this statement. It is that God is all wise. We can only find wisdom in God ultimately. This presupposition underlies all of what we read in Job and Ecclesiastes as well as in Proverbs. Furthermore the Hebrews assumed that God expressed His wisdom in all His works and in all His ways. They believed that all natural phenomena revealed God's wisdom. Wherever they looked, they saw God: on land, at sea, in the earth, or in the sky. We can see that viewpoint clearly in Genesis 1:1 (cf. John 14:6).

This fundamental affirmation also contains an inevitable deduction: if wisdom is perfect in God, then wisdom in man consists in the fear of God. A person is wise to the extent that he or she apprehends and fears God. The "fear" of God does not mean a dread that results in hiding from God. It is rather an emotional recognition of God. It is not fear that He may hurt me but fear that I may hurt Him. That is the kind of fear that produces holy character and righteous conduct. Intellectual apprehension of God precedes this emotional recognition, and volitional submission to God's will follows it. When a person comes to this emotional recognition of God he or she comes to the condition for being wise, not that in so doing he or she becomes wise (1:7). We can begin to be wise only when we come into proper relation to God as ultimate Wisdom.

Beginning with 1:8 and continuing to the end of the book, what we have is the application of that affirmation to the various situations and circumstances of life.

I would like to consider what God revealed here in the three spheres of life dealt with in the book: the home, friendship, and the world. In the home, the child must learn wisdom. In friendship, the youth must apply wisdom. In the world, the adult must demonstrate wisdom.

The first sphere is that of the home (1:8-9). God did not teach the responsibility of the father and mother here but took for granted that they would instruct their children. The child needs to hear parental instruction to live in the fear of the Lord. Young children cannot grasp abstract concepts. For them God is incarnate in father and mother. Fathers and mothers reflect the image of God to their children. Both parents are necessary to reveal God to the child fully. Children see some of God's character in the mother's attitudes and actions (cf. Matt. 23:37). They see other aspects of God's character in the father. You do not have to try to teach your young child systematic theology. Just live in the fear of God yourself, and your child will learn what he or she needs to learn about God, for that stage in life, just by observing you. I do not mean to exclude verbal instruction. My point is that young children learn wisdom by observing their parents as well as by listening to them.

The second sphere of life is friendship (1:10-19). The day must come when the child, in the natural process of development, moves out into a wider circle of experience.

Personally I believe the Bible presents two duties that children have to their parents.

When the child's sphere of life is his home, he is to obey his parents. However, that duty does not continue forever. When he moves into the larger sphere of life outside the home, his duty is to honor his parents. This duty does continue forever.

When a child enters this second sphere of life, guided at first by parental council but then finally on its own, wisdom gives important instruction (1:10). He should avoid certain friendships. He should beware of people who seek to make friends with him because they have selfish interests and unscrupulous methods. We have many warnings in Proverbs against people who are not true friends. There is no more important stage in a young person's development than when he or she begins to choose companions. Then, and from then on, he or she must follow the wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord. The youth must submit to the Lord's wisdom, having learned that in the sphere of the home, to succeed in the larger arenas of life. The choice of a mate is one of these companion decisions.

The third sphere of life is the world, symbolized in Proverbs by the street, the gates, and the city (1:20-33; cf. chs. 2-9).

The first word of warning to the youth who leaves home to enter the world on his own is this. Beware of the evil way of those who do not fear the Lord (1:20-32). There is also a gracious promise (1:33). Wisdom does not say withdraw from the world. Wisdom says remember the fate of those who forget God. Wisdom promises that those who live in the fear of the Lord will be quiet and safe even in the turmoil of the world. Do you see how important preparation for living in this sphere of life is? Children must learn to take God into account in the home, and then in their friendships, before they launch out into the world. This instruction is what really prepares them for life.

The series of discourses beginning, "My son," represents the voice of home sounding in the youth's ears who has left home and is living in the world (chs. 2-7). The father tells his son how his father instructed him in wisdom and how this enabled him to live successfully in the world. Then specific warnings follow concerning impurity, laziness, bad companions, and adultery. As the young man climbs toward a higher position in life, wisdom comes to him again with instruction concerning how he can avoid the pitfalls of that stage of his life (ch. 8). The discourses close with a contrast in which Solomon personified wisdom and folly as two women (ch. 9). One is a woman of virtue and beauty, and the other is a woman of vice and ugliness. Solomon contrasted the value and victory of wisdom with the disaster and defeat of folly. He contrasted the wisdom of fearing God with the folly of forgetting God.

I would summarize the message of Proverbs this way. The person who learns the fear of God (an emotional recognition of God) in every sphere of life will be successful, but those who forget God will fail. By an emotional recognition of God I mean taking God into account, being aware of His reality and presence, making decisions in view of His existence and revelation. This is what fearing God means.

The precepts urging a life of wisdom center on 3:1-10. This passage concentrates on that subject. Proverbs 3:5-6 is some of the best advice anyone ever gave.

The practice of wisdom centers on 8:32-36.

The power for living a life of wisdom centers on 1:8 (cf. James 1:5; 3:37; Col. 2:3).

Constable: Proverbs (Garis Besar)

Outline

I. Discourses on wisdom chs. 1-9

A. Introduction to the book 1:1-7

1. The title of the book 1:1

2. The purpose of the book 1:2-6

3. The thesis of the book 1:7

B. Instruction for young people 1:8-7:27

1. Warning against consorting with sinners 1:8-19

2. Wisdom's appeal 1:20-33

3. Wisdom as a treasure chs. 2-3

4. Encouragements to obey these instructions ch. 4

5. Warnings against unfaithfulness in marriage ch. 5

6. Other dangerous temptations 6:1-19

7. Further warnings against adultery 6:20-7:27

C. The value of wisdom and wise conduct chs. 8-9

1. The function of wisdom ch. 8

2. Wisdom and folly contrasted ch. 9

II. Couplets expressing wisdom 10:1-22:16

A. The marks of wise living chs. 10-15

1. Things that produce profit 10:1-14

2. Things of true value 10:15-32

3. Wise living in various contexts 11:1-15

4. Wise investments 11:16-31

5. The value of righteousness 12:1-12

6. Avoiding trouble 12:13-28

7. Fruits of wise living ch. 13

8. Further advice for wise living chs. 14-15

B. How to please God 16:1-22:16

1. Trusting God ch. 16

2. Peacemakers and troublemakers ch. 17

3. Friendship and folly ch. 18

4. Further advice for pleasing God 19:1-22:16

III. Wise sayings 22:17-24:34

A. Thirty sayings of the wise 22:17-24:22

1. The first group 22:17-23:11

2. The second group 23:12-24:22

B. Six more sayings of the wise 24:23-34

IV. Maxims expressing wisdom chs. 25-29

A. Instructive analogies 25:1-27:22

1. Wise and foolish conduct ch. 25

2. Fools and folly ch. 26

3. Virtues and vices 27:1-22

B. A discourse on prudence 27:23-27

C. Instructive contrasts chs. 28-29

V. Two discourses by other wise men chs. 30-31

A. The wisdom of Agur ch. 30

1. The introduction of Agur 30:1

2. Wisdom about God 30:2-9

3. Wisdom about life 30:10-33

B. The wisdom of Lemuel ch. 31

1. The introduction of Lemuel 31:1

2. The wise king 31:2-9

3. The wise woman 31:10-31

Constable: Proverbs

Proverbs

Bibliography

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: Proverbs (Pendahuluan Kitab)

THE BOOK OF PROVERBS.

INTRODUCTION.

This book is so called, because it consists of wise and weighty sentences, regulating the morals of men; and directing them to wisdom and virtue. And these sentences are also called Parables, because great truths are often couched in them under certain figures and similitudes. (Challoner) --- Wisdom is introduced speaking in the nine first chapters. Then to chap. xxv. more particular precepts are given. (Worthington) --- Ezechias caused to be collected (Haydock) what comes in the five next chapters, and in the two last. Some other, or rather Solomon himself, under (Worthington) different titles, gives us Agur's and his mother's instructions, and his own commendations of a valiant woman, (Haydock) which is prophetical of the Catholic Church. He also wrote the two next works, besides many other things, which have been lost. This is the first of those five, which are called "sapiential," giving instructions how to direct our lives, by the dictates of sound reason. (Worthington) --- It is the most important of Solomon's works, though collected by different authors. (Calmet) --- T. Paine treats Solomon as a witty jester. But his jests are of a very serious nature, and no one had before heard of his wit. (Watson)

Gill: Proverbs (Pendahuluan Kitab)

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS

This book is called, in some printed Hebrew copies, "Sepher Mishle", the Book of Proverbs; the title of it in the Vulgate Latin version is,

"the Book of Proverbs, which the Hebrews call "Misle":''

in the Septuagint version it has the name of the writer, the Proverbs of Solomon; and so in the Syriac version, with the addition of his titles,

"the son of David, king of Israel.''

This and Ecclesiastes are both of them by the Jews ^a called Books of Wisdom: and it is common with the ancient Christian writers ^b to call the book of Proverbs by the names of "Wisdom" and "Panaretos"; names they give also to the apocryphal books of Ecclesiasticus and the Wisdom of Solomon; and therefore this is to be carefully distinguished from them. The author of this book was King Solomon, as the "first" verse, which contains the inscription of it, shows; for he was not a collector of these proverbs, as Grotius is of opinion, but the author of them, at least of the far greater part; and not only the author, but the writer of them: the Jews ^c say that Hezekiah and this men wrote them; it is true indeed the men of Hezekiah copied some, Pro 25:1; but even those were written by Solomon. R. Gedaliah ^d would have it that Isaiah the prophet wrote this book; but without any foundation. At what time it was written is not certain; the Jewish writers generally say ^e it was written by Solomon, as were the books of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs, in his old age, when near the time of his death; though some think it was written before his fall: and it may be it was not written all at once, but at certain times, when these proverbs occurred unto him and were spoken by him, and as occasion served: however, it is not to he doubted but that they were written under the inspiration of God. The Jews once thought to have made this book of Proverbs an apocryphal one, because of some seeming contradictions in it; but finding that these were capable of a reconciliation, changed their minds, as became them ^f. Among Christians, Theodore of Mopsuest, in the sixth century, denied the divine authority of this book, and attributed it merely to human wisdom; which opinion of his was condemned in the second council at Constantinople: and in later times it has been treated with contempt by the Socinians, and particularly by Father Simon and Le Clerc; but the authority of it is confirmed by the writers of the New Testament, who have cited passages out of it; see Rom 12:20 from Pro 25:21. The book consists of "five" parts; "first", a preface or introduction, which takes up the first "nine" chapters; the "second", the proverbs of Solomon, put together by himself, beginning at the tenth chapter to the twenty-fifth; the "third", the proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah, beginning at the twenty-fifth chapter to the thirtieth; the "fourth", the words of Agur, the thirtieth chapter, the "fifth", the instruction of Solomon's mother, Bathsheba, the thirty-first chapter.