PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Proverbs
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 266,170 words · 546 reading sections
Proverbs 1:1
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Proverbs 1:1 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…
1,254 wordsSECTION 2Proverbs 1:2
Proverbs 1:2 Ver. 2. To know wisdom and instruction,.... That is, these proverbs were made, and written, and published, to make known or to teach men wisdom and knowledge; not only in things moral, and therefore these proverbs are by some called Solomon's "ethics"; and indeed they do contain the best system of moralit…
424 wordsSECTION 3Proverbs 1:3
Proverbs 1:3 Ver. 3. To receive the instruction of wisdom,.... Or "prudence" {h}; of wise and prudent men; and especially of Christ himself, who bears those names, whose instructions this book is full of; and the design of which is to engage the attention of men to them, and prevail upon them to receive them, and act …
173 wordsSECTION 4Proverbs 1:4
Proverbs 1:4 Ver. 4. To give subtlety to the simple,.... Men of mean abilities, weak capacities, shallow understandings, incautious, credulous, and easily imposed upon: these, by attending to what is herein contained, may arrive to a serpentine subtlety; though they are simple and harmless as doves, may become as wise…
249 wordsSECTION 5Proverbs 1:5
Proverbs 1:5 Ver. 5. A wise [man] will hear,.... With great attention, and hearken to the proverbs and wise sayings herein delivered; for here are many things entertaining to men of years and wisdom, as well as instructive to young men and simple ones; and will increase learning; or "add" {k} to his stock of learning…
393 wordsSECTION 6Proverbs 1:6
Proverbs 1:6 Ver. 6. To understand a proverb, and the interpretation,.... This may be connected either with the first verse, "the proverbs of Solomon", &c. are written, as for the above ends and purposes, so for these; or with Pr 1:5, a wise and understanding man, by hearkening and attending to what is here delivered,…
205 wordsSECTION 7Proverbs 1:7
Proverbs 1:7 Ver. 7. The fear of the Lord [is] the beginning of knowledge,.... Here properly the book begins, and this is the first of the proverbs, and an excellent one; it is such an one as is not to be found in all the writings of the Heathens. By "the fear of the Lord" is not meant a servile fear, a fear of punish…
497 wordsSECTION 8Proverbs 1:8
Proverbs 1:8 Ver. 8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father,.... This is not to be understood of God the Father of mankind, and of that law which he has given them, as Jarchi and Gersom interpret it, but of Solomon and his son in a literal sense; and of anyone that came to him for instruction, any pupil, hearer, o…
354 wordsSECTION 9Proverbs 1:9
Proverbs 1:9 Ver. 9. For they [shall be] an ornament of grace unto thy head,.... The instructions and laws of parents being attended unto and obeyed by children, render them more lovely and amiable than any beautiful ornament whatever that can be put upon their heads; and chains about thy neck; be that unto them as c…
120 wordsSECTION 10Proverbs 1:10
Proverbs 1:10 Ver. 10. My son, if sinners entice thee,.... Endeavour to seduce thee from thy parents, and draw thee aside from them, from listening to their instructions, advice, and commands; and make use of all plausible arguments to persuade thee to join with them in the sins they are addicted unto, and are continu…
248 wordsSECTION 11Proverbs 1:11
Proverbs 1:11 Ver. 11. If they say, come with us,.... Leave your father's house, and the business of life in which you are; make one of us, and become a member of our society, and go along with us upon the highway; let us lay wait for blood; lie in ambush under some hedge or another, waiting till a rich traveller com…
254 wordsSECTION 12Proverbs 1:12
Proverbs 1:12 Ver. 12. Let us swallow them up alive as the grave,.... The innocent person, and those that are with him, his servants; our gang is so numerous that we can very easily dispatch him and all his attendants, and bury them out of sight at once, as if they were swallowed up alive in a grave, and so no more to…
188 wordsSECTION 13Proverbs 1:13
Proverbs 1:13 Ver. 13. We shall find all precious substance,.... Among one or another we meet with; gold and silver and precious stones, everything that is valuable; not considering that hereby they were in danger of losing the more precious substance, their immortal souls; and the most precious substance of all, the …
198 wordsSECTION 14Proverbs 1:14
Proverbs 1:14 Ver. 14. Cast in thy lot among us,.... Or "thou shall cause thy lot to fall among us" {u}; though just entered, as soon as any booty is taken thou shalt cast lots with us, and have thy full share with those that have been longer engaged; let us all have one purse; or "we will all have one purse" {w}; wi…
231 wordsSECTION 15Proverbs 1:15
Proverbs 1:15 Ver. 15. My son, walk not thou in the way with them,.... In the same way as they do, which is the broad way that leads unto destruction; set not one foot in it; make no trial of it, whether it will be pleasant and profitable walking in it; the experiment will be dangerous; refrain thy foot from their pa…
118 wordsSECTION 16Proverbs 1:16
Proverbs 1:16 Ver. 16. For their feet run to evil,.... To the evil of sin, to commit robberies and murder, and all manner of iniquity; they are eager upon it, and in haste and swift to do it, Pr 6:18 {x}; being carried away with their inordinate affections, which are as feet to the soul; and drawn aside with their lus…
189 wordsSECTION 17Proverbs 1:17
Proverbs 1:17 Ver. 17. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. Or "without cause" {y}, as the word is rendered in Pr 1:11; and so the words are an illustration of the preceding; showing that the blood of innocent persons is shed without cause, no injury being done by them to those that do it, but is…
247 wordsSECTION 18Proverbs 1:18
Proverbs 1:18 Ver. 18. And they lay wait for their [own] blood,.... While they lie in wait for the blood of others, they lie in wait for their own; and when they shed the blood of innocent persons, it in the issue comes upon their own heads, and is the cause of their own blood being shed; vengeance pursues them, and j…
4,562 wordsSECTION 19Proverbs 2:1
Proverbs 2:1 INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 2 This chapter directs to the means of attaining to the knowledge of divine things, and shows the profit and advantage arising from thence. The means are, embracing the doctrines of the Gospel, and retaining in memory and affection the ordinances of it, Pr 2:1; and an inclination…
516 wordsSECTION 20Proverbs 2:2
Proverbs 2:2 Ver. 2. So that thou incline thine ear unto Wisdom,.... Hearken to Wisdom, that is, Christ; or rather to the instruction of Wisdom, which is the Gospel; so called, because it is the produce of divine wisdom, what the wisdom of man could never have devised, and which it opposes; and in which there is a mos…
178 wordsSECTION 21Proverbs 2:3
Proverbs 2:3 Ver. 3. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge,.... Of God, Christ, and the Gospel; not only bow the ear and bend the mind to these things, but importunately and fervently pray for them; not only attend the ministry of the word by men, but cry to God to give the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowled…
199 wordsSECTION 22Proverbs 2:4
Proverbs 2:4 Ver. 4. If thou seekest her as silver,.... That is, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding; which all signify and relate unto one and the same thing, expressed here by "her": namely, the doctrine of wisdom, or Christ; that is, the Gospel, and a spiritual and experimental knowledge and understanding of it, a…
610 wordsSECTION 23Proverbs 2:5
Proverbs 2:5 Ver. 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord,.... The grace of fear, and the exercise of it: which is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge, and is a treasure itself, Pr 1:7. By means of the Gospel the Lord works it in the hearts of his people by his Spirit; and by the same leads them into the …
540 wordsSECTION 24Proverbs 2:6
Proverbs 2:6 Ver. 6. For the Lord giveth wisdom,.... Natural wisdom in all its branches, with all its improvements, and in its utmost latitude and perfection; and spiritual wisdom, which lies in the knowledge of a man's self, his own folly, impurity, impotence, and misery; being wise unto salvation; in the knowledge o…
458 wordsSECTION 25Proverbs 2:7
Proverbs 2:7 Ver. 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous,.... In order to give it to them that seek for it; which is another encouragement to search after it. By "sound wisdom" may be meant, not the law, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; so called, because it endures for ever, when all beings are defective and come to…
652 wordsSECTION 26Proverbs 2:8
Proverbs 2:8 Ver. 8. He keepeth the paths of judgment,.... That is, the Lord keeps them; he does that which is just and right himself, in the course of his providence, and in the methods of his grace; and as he guides the feet of his people in the ways of righteousness and holiness, he keeps them there from turning ou…
260 wordsSECTION 27Proverbs 2:9
Proverbs 2:9 Ver. 9. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment,.... This is another fruit and effect of the Gospel, and of a spiritual understanding of it; that besides the knowledge of God, and how to behave with reverence towards him, Pr 2:5; it leads men into a notion of doing that which is right and ju…
363 wordsSECTION 28Proverbs 2:10
Proverbs 2:10 Ver. 10. When wisdom entereth into thine heart,.... Either Christ, the Wisdom of God; who enters there at conversion, and sets up a throne in the heart, and dwells there by faith: or else the Gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery; which enters not into the head only, as in hypocrites and formal professo…
229 wordsSECTION 29Proverbs 2:11
Proverbs 2:11 Ver. 11. Discretion shall preserve thee,.... Which wisdom or the Gospel gives, or the Lord by the means of it; for the Gospel makes a man wise and discreet in the business of salvation, and in his conduct and deportment; and the discretion it gives him will put him upon his guard, and direct him to watch…
171 wordsSECTION 30Proverbs 2:12
Proverbs 2:12 Ver. 12. To deliver thee from the way of the evil [man],.... Who is so by nature and practice, who is hardened in sin and abandoned to it, whose course of life is evil, and who endeavours to draw others into the same evil practices; now the Gospel, and a spiritual knowledge of it, are a means of preservi…
326 wordsSECTION 31Proverbs 2:13
Proverbs 2:13 Ver. 13. Who leave the paths of uprightness,.... Or "righteousness", or the "right [and plain] ways" {u}; which the light of nature and the law of God, and especially the Gospel of Christ, direct to; and in which they have been trained up, having had a religious education; for it supposes them to have be…
187 wordsSECTION 32Proverbs 2:14
Proverbs 2:14 Ver. 14. Who rejoice to do evil,.... At the doing of it, or when they have done it; they are glad of an opportunity of doing mischief, and glory when they have done it; it is a sport and pastime to them, Pr 10:2; they take pleasure in the act of sin, and have no remorse of conscience afterwards; they spe…
203 wordsSECTION 33Proverbs 2:15
Proverbs 2:15 Ver. 15. Whose ways [are] crooked,.... Which swerve from and are not agreeably to the rule of the divine word, either the law of God or the Gospel of Christ; sin is an aberration, a straying from the rule of God's word, a transgression of his law; and a walk in it is unbecoming the Gospel of Christ; it h…
112 wordsSECTION 34Proverbs 2:16
Proverbs 2:16 Ver. 16. To deliver thee from the strange woman,.... As the Gospel of Christ and its doctrines, or the instructions of wisdom, are a means of delivering persons from the evil man, his company, ways, and works; so from a naughty woman, an adulteress, called a "strange" woman; not because of another nation…
214 wordsSECTION 35Proverbs 2:17
Proverbs 2:17 Ver. 17. Which forsaketh the guide of her youth,.... Not God, the God of her life, and who had provided for her from her youth up; nor her parent that had taken care of her in her infancy, and had been the guardian of her virgin state; but her husband, to whom she was married in her youth, and to whom sh…
402 wordsSECTION 36Proverbs 2:18
Proverbs 2:18 Ver. 18. For her house inclineth unto death,.... Bends, verges, and points that way; it lies in the way to death, and brings unto it, and sinks into it as into a ditch; or all that are in her house, that are familiar with her, live and dwell with her, and commit wickedness with her; these incline or are …
1,503 wordsSECTION 37Proverbs 3:1
Proverbs 3:1 INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 3 In this chapter, Wisdom, or Christ, delivers out some fresh lessons and instructions to his children; as not to forget his doctrine, but heartily attend to his precepts and ordinances, seeing these are the means of lengthening out their days, and of enjoying peace, Pr 3:1; as w…
463 wordsSECTION 38Proverbs 3:2
Proverbs 3:2 Ver. 2. For length of days, and long life,.... Or, "years of life", or "lives" {f}; a long life of usefulness and comfort here, and eternal life hereafter: the law of Moses promised a long life to the observers of it; but the Gospel of Christ brings an immortal life to light and promises to all believers …
213 wordsSECTION 39Proverbs 3:3
Proverbs 3:3 Ver. 3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee,.... Or, forsake not them, and the exercise of them; show "mercy" to fellow creatures, to sinful men, to the bodies of men, by relieving their wants; and to their souls, by pitying and praying for them, and by giving them wholesome counsel and advice: to fellow…
567 wordsSECTION 40Proverbs 3:4
Proverbs 3:4 Ver. 4. So shall thou find favour,.... Or "grace" {i}; the grace of God, and larger measures of it; as Noah did, Ge 6:8; which are communicated to men when in the way of their duty: or good will, esteem, and respect, among men; as Joseph had with Potiphar, and the keeper of the prison, Ge 39:4; and good …
167 wordsSECTION 41Proverbs 3:5
Proverbs 3:5 Ver. 5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart,.... Not in a creature, the best, the holiest, and the highest; not in any creature enjoyment, as riches, strength, and wisdom; nor in any outward privilege, arising from natural descent and education; not in a man's self, in his own heart, which is deceitful…
756 wordsSECTION 42Proverbs 3:6
Proverbs 3:6 Ver. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him,.... Or "know him" {l}; the Lord: set him before thee; have him always in view; consider him as ever present with thee, observing every step thou takest; and take not one step without his leave, and without his advice; ask wisdom of him who gives liberally; consult …
226 wordsSECTION 43Proverbs 3:7
Proverbs 3:7 Ver. 7. Be not wise in thine own eyes,.... So as to act independently of God; not to trust in him, nor acknowledge him, nor seek to him for help and direction; nor ask nor take the advice of others; but, being conceited and self-sufficient, lean to thine own understanding, as being wise enough to conduct …
337 wordsSECTION 44Proverbs 3:8
Proverbs 3:8 Ver. 8. It shall be health to thy navel,.... That part of the body which is the knot of the intestines; and may be put for the bowels and inward parts, which being sound, the body is in health; and these may be put for the whole body: and so the Septuagint version renders it, "to thy body"; and this may b…
263 wordsSECTION 45Proverbs 3:9
Proverbs 3:9 Ver. 9. Honour the Lord with thy substance,.... Or, "out of thy substance" {n}; for as it should be a man's own that he gives, and not another's, and therefore called "thy substance"; or, as the Septuagint version, "out of thy just labours", what is righteously and lawfully gotten, and not by fraud and op…
430 wordsSECTION 46Proverbs 3:10
Proverbs 3:10 Ver. 10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,.... With plenty of corn; so that there will be a sufficient provision of bread for the eater for the ensuing year, and of seed for the sower when the time of sowing returns; so far should they be, it suggests, from being losers by honouring the Lord with…
212 wordsSECTION 47Proverbs 3:11
Proverbs 3:11 Ver. 11. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord,.... This seems to be introduced to prevent an objection that may be made to the above promise of plenty; seeing the children of God are often afflicted in this world; even the wise and pious, and those that fear the Lord, and honour him; which is a…
704 wordsSECTION 48Proverbs 3:12
Proverbs 3:12 Ver. 12. For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth,.... This is a reason why the children of God should not despise corrections, nor be weary of them; since they spring from love, are given in love, nor is there any abatement of it in them: when the Lord chastens and corrects, he does not take away his lovi…
8,299 wordsSECTION 49Proverbs 4:1
Proverbs 4:1 INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 4 In this chapter Solomon advises to seek after wisdom, to avoid bad company, and to continue in the right paths of goodness and truth: he excites attention to what he had to say, from the relation he stood in to the persons addressed; from the nature of his instructions, which w…
383 wordsSECTION 50Proverbs 4:2
Proverbs 4:2 Ver. 2. For I give you good doctrine,.... Whose author, matter, use, and tendency, are good, and therefore should be received; so the Gospel is called, 1Ti 4:6; and no other is here meant: it is the doctrine concerning Wisdom or Christ, as the following verses show; which serves to exalt him, and makes fo…
150 wordsSECTION 51Proverbs 4:3
Proverbs 4:3 Ver. 3. For I was my father's son,.... Or, "a son to my father" {p}; so Solomon was to God, his heavenly Father, 2Sa 7:14; which Jarchi observes, and gives as the sense of this place: but his father David is meant, whose son he was; though he was not his only one, he had others besides him. But the sense …
261 wordsSECTION 52Proverbs 4:4
Proverbs 4:4 Ver. 4. He taught me also, and said unto me,.... The Targum is, "they taught me,'' his father and his mother; and so the Septuagint version, "who said and taught me;'' and the Arabic version, "they both taught me, and said unto me;'' but in the Hebrew it is singular, and is restrained to the father.…
396 wordsSECTION 53Proverbs 4:5
Proverbs 4:5 Ver. 5. Get wisdom, get understanding,.... Not only moral and political wisdom and understanding, but that which is spiritual and evangelical; Christ, and the knowledge of him; he being the only happy man that has an interest in him, and is possessed of him by faith, which is the meaning of getting him; S…
171 wordsSECTION 54Proverbs 4:6
Proverbs 4:6 Ver. 6. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee,.... That is, Wisdom, or Christ. Men may be said to forsake Christ when they forsake the assembly of his church and people, which are his other self; when they forsake his ministers, his ambassadors, and representatives; when they forsake his word and o…
452 wordsSECTION 55Proverbs 4:7
Proverbs 4:7 Ver. 7. Wisdom [is] the principal thing,.... Or principal, one; the principal of persons and things; the principal of persons, angels or men: Christ is superior to angels, having a more excellent name and nature than they; he is the God, the Creator, and head of them, and is above them in the human nature…
569 wordsSECTION 56Proverbs 4:8
Proverbs 4:8 Ver. 8. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee,.... Christ is to be exalted in his person, by asserting his proper deity; by ascribing all divine perfections to him; by allowing him to be the author of all divine works; by giving him divine worship and homage; by owning his divine and eternal sonship, and …
355 wordsSECTION 57Proverbs 4:9
Proverbs 4:9 Ver. 9. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace,.... This, and the following clause, explain what that honour is Christ promotes and brings his followers to here and hereafter: he gives them grace and more grace; "an increase of grace", so the Vulgate Latin version renders it; and some think Jam…
497 wordsSECTION 58Proverbs 4:10
Proverbs 4:10 Ver. 10. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings,.... Some think David is still speaking to his son Solomon, or Solomon continues relating what his father said to him; though I rather think these are Solomon's words to his son, to everyone of his children that came to him for instruction, or he took upon …
123 wordsSECTION 59Proverbs 4:11
Proverbs 4:11 Ver. 11. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom,.... In the way that leads to it, or is concerning it; in the Gospel, which is the wisdom of God in a mystery, the manifold wisdom of God, and which directs to Christ and the knowledge of him, who is true wisdom; this is another reason or argument why the …
121 wordsSECTION 60Proverbs 4:12
Proverbs 4:12 Ver. 12. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened,.... By enemies, or attended with difficulties and obstructions, or subject to dangers, but be at freedom and liberty in walking; for though saints do not walk in the broad road with sinners, yet they are brought into a large place, and their st…
160 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.