The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 28

acquired, 88 in oh. xxviii. 16, where it is xlix. 4 ; lxxviii. 15). As in oh. ix. 1 e.ud transle,ted " covetousness" (Authorized xxiv. 7, it is (e. pluralis excellentim of the Version); of. Isa. xxxiii. 15; oh. xv. 27. feminine gender, e. variety of the pluralis The idea of greed and covetousness enters extensivus, as Bottcher prefers to denomi- largely into the word. 'Which te.keth away nate it. Tbo feminine form may be deter- the life of the owners thereof. The pronoun mined by the general lnw which assooio.tes "which" does not occur in the original. purity and serenity with womanhood The nomine.tive to "tAketh away" (nR:, (Plumptro). The idea of plurality, however, yikhath) is "gain;" the "unjust gain" is not that of extension, but of comprehen- (betsa) takes away the life of its owners, i.e. sion, i.e. it is not so much all kinds of of those who a.re under its power. Owners wisdom which is presented to us, e.s 1111 the varieties under which wisdom par excellence thereof 0•~11:;i, b'a1.ayo) does not necessarily may be regarded and is comprehended. imply that they are in actual possession of The plural form of the word denotes the the unjust gain, but rather refers to the highest character or excellence in which influence which the lust for gain exercises wisdom .can be conceived; or, as the mar- over them. The expression in this second ginal reading expresses it, wisdoms, i.e. hemistich does not mean that the rapacious excellent wisdom. Other instances of the tAke the life of their comrades who possess the pluralis excellenti!B are met with in Holy gain, as Rabbi Salomon; nor, as the Vulgate, Writ, e.g. Elohim, God, i.e. "God of Gods," "the ways of the avaricious man tAke away either from the polytheistic view, or from the lives of those who possess them." For the monotheistic view ae expressive of the phrase, "taketh away the life," as import- God's might in manifestation, passim; ing a 'liolent taking away, cf. Ps. xxxi. 13; k'doshim, "the Holy (God)," eh. ix. 10; I Kings xix. 10. The sentiment of the xxx.3; adonim, for adon, "lord" (Gesenius, verse is well expressed in 1 Tim. vi. 10, 'Gram.,' § 108. 2 b). In the conception of "For the love of money is the root of all Wisdom here presented to ns in .the text e'lil; which while some coveted after, they we have the germ of an idea which, on the have erred from the faith, and pierced them- principles of expansion, developed subse- selves through with many sorrows." quently in the consciousness of the Chris- Vera. 20-33.-2. Seeond admonitory dis- tian Church into a definite identification of Wisdom with the Second Person of the course. Address of Wisdom personified, ez- blessed Trinity. There is a striking parallel 1,ibiting the folly of those who wilfully reject, to this passage in Luke xi. 49, where Christ and the security of those who hearken to, her speaks of himself as 7/ :i.o</)fa; Toii 0eoil, "the eov,nsels. The sacred writer, in this section, Wisdom of God," that shall send prophets as also in h. viii., nses the rhetorical figure and apostles into the world, and thereby identifies himself with Wisdom ( cf. this of prosopopreia, or impersonation. Wisdom with vers. 20, 21; eh. vii.). Again, a st1·iking i£ represented as speaking and as addressing similarity is observable between the teaching the simple, scorners, and fools. The address of Divine Wisdcini and that of the Incarnate itself iB one of the noblest specimens of w·ord, as much in their promises as in se.cred eloquence, expressing in rapid suc- their threats and warnings. But it is diffi- cult to determine with accuracy to what cession the strongest phases of feeling- extent the Messianio import of the personi- pathetic solicitnde with abundant promise, fication was present to the consciousness indignant scorn at the rejection of her of the sacred writers, and whether Wisdom appeal, the judicial severity of offended as here presented· to us is simply a poetio majesty upon offenders, and lastly the and abstract personification or a distinct hy- postatizing of the Word. Domer (' Pers. of judicial complacency which delights in Christ,' Introd., p. 16), with reference to mercy towards the obedient. The imagery eh. viii. 22, etc., says that though Wisdom in part is taken from the forces of nature is in trod need . speaking as e. personality in their irresistible e.ud overwhelming distinct from God, still the passage doee violence and destructive potency. not lead clearly to an hypostatizing of the Khochmab. Dollinger (' Heidenthum uud Ver. 20.-Wisdom crieth without. Wis- Judenthum,' bk. x. pt. iii. sec. 2 a, and dom. The Hebrew word (k/wchmoth) here ob. viii. 22, etc.) maintains that Wisdom is used to designate Wisdom seems to be an "the personified idea of the mind of God abstract derivation frow the ordinary in creation," rather tbo.n the presence of "a klwcJ.mah. The form is peculiar to the distinct hypostusis." Liicke (see references Proverbs and Psalms, in the former occur- in Liddon, ' Bampton Lects.') holds that in ring four ti.mes ( ch. L 22; ix.I; xiv.I; xxiv. Proverbs Wisdom is merely a personifloa- 7), e.nd iil the latter twice only (viz. Ps, tion. It ie clear that whe.tever is predice.ted (l]J, I, 1-33.] THE PROVERBS. 13