PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs
William J. Deane [1853-1943] & Stephen Taylor Taylor-Taswell · 558,136 words · 584 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 541
Ver. 27.-Row to l1ate the wiclced. There is n hatred we have to endure and there ie also a hCLtred which we have to cherish. The question of any difficulty is-What is the feeling we should cultivate in our hearts towards the guilty? We may glance at- I. :ruE_ HATRED o:v: us BY THE ~?KED. "He_ that is upright in the w…
800 wordsSECTION 542The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 542
et perdifficiles, tum ex phrasi quro involuta ch:uncter and elevation of subject, whioh est et renignmtica, tum ex sensu et materia, one expects in the enunciations of an in~ qure sublimis est et profunda." spired prophet. This view does not mili- tl\te against their cle.im to be reg1nded as Ver. 1.-The words of Ag…
973 wordsSECTION 543The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 543
to those who believe God, a.ml I ceo.se ; " for e. man;" I am a. mero irrational ber,st Tois 1r,rr.,.,tiourr, 0•cp being the translation of (comp. eh. xii. I; Pa. lxxiii. 22). And have the doubled Ithiel, equivo.lent to "Goel with not the understanding of e. man. I am not me," and 1,:iKi (1ratioµr,1) being considered t…
1,036 wordsSECTION 544The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 544
up tho waters in his thiok clouds· 1tnd the name written, which no one lmowoth but oload ie llot rent Ullder them." And again he himself" (Rev. xix. 12). It is useless (xxxviii. 37), "Who <'.aa number the clouds to put su~h question to o. fellow-man; no by wisdom? or wl10 can pour out the huwau mmd can fathom the na…
964 wordsSECTION 545The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 545
or thnt the wamlng agninst being reproved a.nd what is snfllcient (Tel llloVTtt ""! T<k as n liar ia corroborated by the prayer nge.inet awdpr,71)." vanity nnd lice (but see below, on ver. 9). Ver. 9.-The reason for the latter prayer It is the first of Agur's numerical proverbs. follows, unless, as some consider, the p…
988 wordsSECTION 546The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 546
sentences each, each quaternion having a BB cruel and remorselese in destroying others C'ertain connection in language and conoin- and despoiling them of their substanoe, a.a nity of idea. First (vers. 11-14) come t~e very ~te~l which they use in their opera- four g-enerations that are evil-four being t10us. Smnlarl…
928 wordsSECTION 547The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 547
te.stes of the leech is found elsewhere. Thus "Fire i~ ne,:er satisfied with fuel; nor the 'fheocritue, 'Idyll.,' ii. 55- ocean with nvers; nor death with all crea- At, u!, fp,,,1 /J.111upl, 'TI µ.•11 µ.l>.u11 '" xpobi tures; nor bright-eyed women with men." ..1,,. .. Ver, 17.-This is an independent proverb 'Eµ.,p~i .…
912 wordsSECTION 548The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 548
the thrro previous things leo.d up, all of them is guided ; nnd the fourth mystery is the being alike in this, that they leave no trace, incarnation of Jesus Obrist our Lord, when The facts are marvellous ; Agur feels like "the virgin (almah) conceived and bare a. Job," I have uttered that which I under- son" (Isa. …
1,010 wordsSECTION 549The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 549
This incongruity has been already notir.ed object of this commended foresight is mis- e.t eh. xix. 10 (where see note). And a fool taken ; bnt the statement, as that in eh. vi. when he is filled with mee.t. " Fool " is 6-8, is in accordance with the popular here nabal, a low, profligRte fellow, who is belief of the …
1,035 wordsSECTION 550The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 550
than tho.t of St. Jerome, who rendel'B the and dwelling in the pa.la.oe of the great term by lepu.soulua. King. Ver. 27.-The loonsts have no king (oh. Vera. 29-31.-Four things of stately vi. 7), yet they show discipline, guidance, nnd order. They go forth all of them by presence. bands; so that Joel (ii. 7, 8) speaks …
976 wordsSECTION 551The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 551
dogs for hunting purposes, though nowa.- article, and kum, " people," and consider the dllye the Are.be keep e. kind of Persian grey- meaning to l,e "a. king with whom is the hound for sporting, e.nd Assyrian monuments people," i.e. surrounded by hie people or he.ve familiarized us with the appearance of army. This is …
1,025 wordsSECTION 552The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 552
duced. This prooess could sosrcely be tain oircumstancea. Some or the Fathers, <'ailed "pressure," though, possibly, the commenting on tho Vulgato rendering (Qui squeezing of the udder is mesnt, as the fm·tif,er premit uber11 ad elicie11dum lac, e:&• Septuagint and Vulgatc take it. But most primit butyrum; et qui ve…
1,113 wordsSECTION 553The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 553
Vere. 5, 6.-.The purity of God's words. I. THE REFUGE FROM VAIN SPECULATION IS PRACTICAL REVELATION. '!'he search for God in thought aad nature has ended in weariness. But Agur does not subside into agnosticism, much less does be renounce all higher thinking as "vanity of vanities," and plunge into Sadduceaa worldlines…
685 wordsSECTION 554The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 554
V ers. 8, 9.-" Neither poverty nor riches." A wise man here points out the danger of the two extremes of poverty and riches, and seeks for himself the happier middle position. In the present day the enormous wealth of one class and the hard penury of another 8uggest serious social questions, and raise alarms as to g…
745 wordsSECTION 555The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 555
practice of sin with equanimity. For the sake of the peace of his mind, everybody nature.Uy desires to stand we] I with his own conscience. Therefore there is a strong motive to lie to it, hoodwink it, cajole it; or, if these measures fail, to gag it, drown it, brand, or t.:rush, or stamp it out--if possible to murder …
903 wordsSECTION 556The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 556
lamb. Love becomes e. cursed thing, near to hatred, when it is no better the.n a wild, unfettered passion. II. T~E SUBTLE SECRET OF THE SERPE~'T's TRAIL. This is a very ugly picture, from which we start back shuddering and in horror. There is a snake-like cunning in selfish lust that wickedly usurps the sacred name…
875 wordsSECTION 557The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 557
Vera. 29-31.-Fourfold triumph. Each of the foor here brought before us excites admiration for a successful course. As in former illustrations, the images rise up to a. climax, and what is exhibited separately in the earlier ones is united and completed in the final image, I. A _TRIUMPHANT COURSE EXOITF.S EMULATION,…
1,241 wordsSECTION 558The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 558
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-6.-.Agur's sayings: God's Word the fountain of all wisdom. These are the words, probably, of a believer in Jehovah who was a. stranger in a foreign land. Among the sworn foes of Israel and her faith, we have in him an example of Puritan rectitude, of unflinching :fidelity to con…
1,201 wordsSECTION 559The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 559
. IV. TaE GOL_DEN !-1EAN IS TREBEFORE TO BE DESIRED AND BOUGHT. (Comp. Phil. 1v. 11, 12; 1 Tim. v1. 6-10.) Horace says, "Whoever loves the golden mediocrity is safe, free from the sordid misery of the tumble-down dwelling, free from the envied hall in his sobriety" (' Ca.rm.,' ii. 10). But let us be careful to note tha…
732 wordsSECTION 560The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 560
Vere. 18-20.-77,e myBtery of actions. I. THERE ARE ACTIONS WHICH, LIKE THE PLIGHT OF THE EAGLE, OB THE PASSAGE OF THE BmP, LEAVE NO VISIBLE TRACE BEHIND. What seems to strike the mind of the simple-hearted Agur is the fact that criminal deeds may be committed and, seemingly, leave as little trace behind. II. BUT THE M…
979 wordsSECTION 561The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 561
Vers. I-6.-Reverence and docility. Whoever .Agur may have been, it is certain that be was a sage who could express his thoughts in strong. and trenchant language. If, e.s seems probable, these opening words had reference to the compliments or the questions of his disciples, we may glean, before we proceed further, t…
642 wordsSECTION 562The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 562
Vera. 7-9.-.A new yWJ·'s prayer. We have in these most instractive words a wise and good man- I. CALMLY CONFRONTING THE FUTURE. Whether we read "before I die" or "until I die" (Wardlaw), we have a good man deliberately facing the future of his life. He realizes that before him stretches out a tract of time which he ha…
932 wordsSECTION 563The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 563
Ver. 14.-From cruelty to kindness. To those who are even ordinarily humane the accounts which are sometimes given of horrible cruelty seem to be barely credibl~; it is difficult to understand how a heart that is anywise human can hold such fearful feelings as are thus expressed. On the other hand, to those who have …
817 wordsSECTION 564The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 564
moisture which saturates and suffices; beyond that, anything that falls or flows is redundant. , II. THE UNSATISFIED HUMAN HEART. Here there are practically no limitations, The human heart: 1. Is pain.fully conscious of its deep craving. Unlike the grave, unlike the fire, which seems animated indeed, but is actually u…
1,170 wordsSECTION 565The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 565
Vers. 29-31.-Spiritual comeliness. Agur mentions four things which are" comely" (Authorized Version) or are "stately" (Revised Version) in their going; their move- ment is regarded with plea.sure, with admiration, by those who observe it. Such demeanour on their pa.rt is suggestive of moral and spiritual attractiveness…
680 wordsSECTION 566The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 566
EXPOSITION. say what reading wa.s seen by the LXX., OHAPTER XXXI. who render, "My words have been spoken Vera. 1-9.-Part VIII. SECOND APPEN- by God, the oracle of a. king whom his DIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION, containing mother instructed." There a.re many wieo '' the words of Lemuel" on the subjects of women mentio…
777 wordsSECTION 567The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 567
life, conduct, and actions to the influence of regard of others' claims, an inability to ex- women, who, both by the dissipation and amine q_uestions impartially, a.ud consequent sensuality which they O<',casion, and the perversion of justice. Isaiah (v. 23) speaks quarrels which they provoke, and the evil of intoxi…
907 wordsSECTION 568The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 568
whatever is unable to plead his own co.use ; eh. xii. 4 (where see note). MvJ,ie,.em /err• he mny be of tender nge, or of lowly ste.tiou, tem, St. Jerome terms her; -yvv11i1C11 rlv6pr /11v or iguore.ut, timid, and boorish ; 11,nd the is the rendering of the LXX., which places prince is enjoined to plead for him e.ud…
986 wordsSECTION 569The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 569
lmsbnnd, nam1ted by St. Augustine in his to rise at midnight to replenish the oil, and • 0oufessions,' ix. 9 : "Having been given she often then begins her household work over to a husband, she served him ns her by gl'inding the oorn or prepp,ring some• lord: itnd busied herself to win hirn to thee, thing for next d…
996 wordsSECTION 570The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 570
npp1uelled, he bo.th girded himself with winds itself ae it ie spun. The hands con Id strength" (cf. Job xxxviii. 3). Strengthen- not be spared to hold the distaff BR well as eth her arms. By do.ily exercise she makes the spindle, so the first clause shonld run, her arms firm e.nd strong, o.nd ca.pable of " She stretch…
893 wordsSECTION 571The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 571
drift, nod the strange spectacle of snow (' Vie Devot.,' iii. 25). So the Church is lying unrnclted for two or three weeks was clothed in fine linen, clean and white, even seen in the hollows on the hillsides. the righteousness which Obrist bestows Thousands of years have wrought no (Rev. xix. 8), and invested in he…
937 wordsSECTION 572The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 572
her for girdle-money, Eis (w,nw 3,Boµlva, hearers. The Septuagint has this verse (Xen., • Ane.b.,' i. 4. 9). Cicero e.lludes t.o before ver. 25, and the first hemistich again the ea.me custom in his Verrine oration (ob. after ver. 27. So in Lam. ii., iii., iv., the pe iii 83): "Solera aiunt barba.ros reges Per- and ayi…
1,007 wordsSECTION 573The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 573
Thu~ the Vulgate, MuUre filire cong1·ega1Jemnt foe.r of the Lo1-d (eh, i. 7). Such, too, is tho divitias; Septue.gint," Many daughters have conclusion of Ecclesiastes (xii. 13), "Fear obte.ined wealth," But it adds another God, o.nd keep his commandments : for this rendering, "Me.ny have wrought power is tho whole d…
868 wordsSECTION 574The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 574
such ari image of- utterly unselfish, of completely eelf-so.crificing love as that of a. woman for her child. She almost gives her lifo for his infant existence. All through his helpless years she watches over him with untiring care. When he goes forth into the world, she follows him with never-flngging interest. He ma…
822 wordsSECTION 575The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 575
So energetic a woman might still be thought somewhat unlovable if we had not tl1i11 final trait: "in her tongue is the law of kindness" (ver. 26), How much ma.y the tone of a woman's conversation do to keep peace in a household, and shed over it a spirit of love and gentleness I 7. True religion, This is the root of th…
827 wordsSECTION 576The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 576
the self-elected advocates of women put forth a programme which the great body of wives and daughters repudiate, it is supposed that there is no ground for considering any complaint as to the legal and social treatment of women. But this is unreasonable and unjust. There are women's rights, and these rights are by no m…
806 wordsSECTION 577The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 577
I. ON WOMEN, OR THE DUTY OF CHASTITY. (Ver. 3.) The weakness of this passion was one of the things, Alexander the Great was wont to say, which reminded him that h~ 'l'l'.as mo:tal. Davi~. and Solomon were ..both ~~rnings and beacon-lights against yieldmg to 1t (2 Sam. xu. 9, 10; comp. eh. 11., v., vu.). IT. ON WINE, O…
791 wordsSECTION 578The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 578
She is not slothful in business, but glowing in spirit, and all that she does is done with heart. (4) Her benevolence. Her thrift is not of the odious form which begins and ends with home, and breeds a sordid miserliness out of hard-won gains. Her open hand outstretched to the poor (ver. 20) is one of the most winning …
1,008 wordsSECTION 579The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 579
Ver. 6.-The allowable as the exceptional. It is often the case that that which is wrong as a rule is right as an exception; what it would be unwise, if not unlawful to do under. ordinar:r circu_mstanc~s, it may be most wi_se and even obligatory to d~ in emergencies. This applies particularly, but not exclusively, to…
645 wordsSECTION 580The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 580
place and power ; they may inherit. it, or they may win their way to it by the force of their talent or their merit. When they have reached it, what should be the use they make of it? We may look first at- I. WHA":. HAS BEEN ITS HABIT. Only too often the actual use that has been made of high station and of civil or mi…
879 wordsSECTION 581The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 581
the "constant droppings" of censure, but by the never-failing stream or gentleness and encourngement. Love, not fear, is the sceptre which she holds, and is the sourc~ of her strength. 6. Beneficenre. (Ver. 20.) II. HER BEWABD. I . .Affection and honour on the part of those who are nearest to her. Her husband trusts …
1,184 wordsSECTION 582The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 582
TBBIIB P.i.G-t CHAPTER XI. "Obrist the Wisdom of God:" No, 2 179 TRltllB PA.OR The Oonvincing Argument 179 Juiit Weights 219 The Shame of Pride and the Wisdom of Humility 220 CHAPTER IX. The Tale-bearer .. , 221 The Banquet of Wiedom 185 The Mercifnl Man 222 Reproof 185 Meanness 222 An Open Mind 186 The Ways of Hono…
903 wordsSECTION 583The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 583
THEO PAO& TH'P.ME PAOE The Blessing of Hunger 324 The Wounded Spirit 361 Penal Jndgmente on Guilt 324 Hear the Other Side 362 The Gentle Life ... 324 Brethren at Strife 362 Ohance and Providence 324, The Unfailing Friend 363 Thought, Action, Prayer 324 The Penitent'e Review and Prospect 325 Honesty in Bneinees 326 CHAP…
879 wordsSECTION 584The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 584
CHAPTER XXV. THEME PAGB TBEIIB PAGE A Bird wandering from her Nest 522 Ancient Lore . .. .. , ... 486 Foresight of Evil 523 Apples of Gold in a 'Framework of The Adve.nta.ges of Society 524 Silver 487 Boastfulness, Jealousy, and Hypocrisy 525 11 Coe.ls of Fire" . .. 488 The Blessing of Contentment 525 "Good News from…
774 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.