foil.
The two periods which .are generally selected in op- position to the above views of the Solomonic author-hip
for the composition ol various parts of the I k are the
reign of Hezekiah and the times subsequent to the cap- tivity. Neither of these periods seems to suit the gen- eral character <d' Proverbs at .all so well as the reign ol Solo i. Hezekiah found his kingdom in great domes- tic misery -immersed in idolatry and subject to foreign it home his pre-eminent character « as that of a social and religious reformer, struggling against the sins and evils ofhis times; abroad the most active period of »as distinguished by a series of wars, during some of which his kingdom was reduced to the verge
of ruin, the whole land overrun by hostile armies, its
fenced cities taken, and the king forced to submission.
'the terror of an Assyrian invasion also 1 -over the
land for years. The later period ofhis reign, indeed, • tul: hut the evils of preceding reigns were far
from being eradicated, and he had before him the cer- tain prospect, convej e.i ii\ prophecj . of the utter pros-
6 PROVERBS
i rat ion of his kingdom. Hi- chief works seem to have been the making a pool and conduit to bring water to Jerusalem. « m Id- death Judah relapsed into idolatry. 1 hi Hue - subsequent in the captivity were marked by equally strong characteristics, and chiefly of a mournful
kind — a feeble, struggling, and t. ften languid and
depressed remnant, striving amid many difficulties to maintain their ground and hear up amid manifold dis-
t-. Wiih ten hi r of these pi riods doi - the
haracter ol Proverbs agree. Royalty marks it throughout, sharply distinguishing it from any period subsequent tothecaptu it) ; as by other marked features it hear- the impress oi a time different from Hezekiah's. Its warnings are not against the public sins which dis-
1 it period, nor .are its consolations suited to the public trials which were threatening to bring both king and kingdom to the ground. Its pointed allusions to a powerful monarchy, a numerous and wealthy people, and such sins as readily spring up in a time of plenty; its tine linens of Egypt, its high places thronged, its roads covered with travel let--, it- gates and cities crowd- ed and rejoicing, its precious stoms and line gold and architectural illustrations, its people living beneath the eye of their monarch and dependent on his good-will. all seem to mark a reign when an absolute monarch ruled over a great and wealthy people, who lived at east' at home, and had no dreaded" enemy on their borders; < who traded to distant lauds and brought their products into common use; when the worship of Jehovah pre- vailed through the land, and men had leisure lor learn- ing; when wisdom sal on the tin ■. personified in
Solomon, and the evil- which mu-t ever exist while man is a fallen being were evils inseparable from any condition of humanity, and especially from one abound- ing with the elements of material prosperity. Si e Sol- omon.
VII. Commentaries. — The following are the special exegetical helps on the whole book; a few of the most important of them are designated by an asterisk: < >ri- gen, Commentarii (in Opp. vol. iii); also Scholia (in ISili!. J'dir. Gallandii, vol. xiv 1 : Basil, Commentarii (in Opp. II. i); Bede, Expositio (in Opp. vol.iv; also in Works, vol. ix); Honorius, Commentarius fin H/i/>. ]>. 1140); Ralbag [Levi ben-Gershon], CJI^S [with Ben- Meira's commentary '. by Bafiolcs 1 l.eiiia. 1 192, fol.; af- terwards in the Hah. Bibles; also [with Aben-Ezra, etc.] in Latin by Ghiggheo, Amst. 1638, Ito); Arama, ~"'^;X ~P (Constant inop. s. a. 4to; with notes by Berlin, Leips. 1859, 8vo); Imm. hen -Salon,-. GJ'HB [with Kimchi on Psa.] (Naples, I486, fol.); Shalom ben-Abraham, "jr:* ~p (Salonica, 1522, fol.: also in Frankfurter's Bible); Melancthon, Explico 1525, and elsewhere later. 8vo); Munster, Adi (Basil. L525, 8vo); Jos. ibn-Jachja, OIIB [with Job, etc.] (Bologna, 1538, fol.; also in Frankfurtei - Cajetan [Rom. Cath.], Enarratio (Lugd. 1545, fol.); Kohiaii. ~~:~r (Constantinop. 1548, Ito); Arboreus I Rom. Cath.1. Commentarim (Par. 1549, fol.) ; Malven- da [ Rom. Cath. |, Explicatio tin Opp. Lugd. 1550, fol.); Bayne, Commentarii (Par. 1555, fol. ; also in the Critici Sacri,vo\. iiii; I.avater. Commentarii < rigur. 1562, Ito. 1565, 1572, 1586, fol.); Strigel, Scholia (Lips. 1565, Ne- o-t. 1571, 8vo); Jansenius Rom. Cath. . \dnotationes 1 1. ova n. 1568. 8vo, and elsewhere later, with Psa., etc.); Sidonius | Rom. Cath. . Commentarii < Mog. I"i7i>. fol.); Mercer, Commentarii (Genev. 1 ■'>..:. Fol.; also (with
n 1. 1651, fol.) ; < lopt . 1 insL by
Outrerd,L 1. 1580, I Mard. ben-Jakob, "OCE I
co«. 1582, Ito); Is. hen-Mo-,. -,*-;-- C»P (Lublin, 1592, Ito); Drabit, A uslegung (Erf. 1595, 8vo); Musset, Commentain i Lond. 1596, 8vo); W ile 11 ks, ( ommentary (in Works); Alspach, =""2 31 (Ven. 1601, It..; ami hit. r el-, n here, fol. 1 < Heaver, Explanation (Lond. 1608, 1616, li"i; Hod. Exposition [on ch. ix-xvii] (Loud,
PROVERBS
707
PROVIDENCE