The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 30

the ga!es, lffld so used antit.hetically (88 Wisdom, in vers. 22 and 23, is expressive Umbre1t, BertheRU,_Hitzig). The publicity of the most tender and earnest solioitude. of the teaohing of Wisdom, observable in the , Ver. 23.-Tu:rn you at my reproof, A ooll plnces she selects for that purpose, also 1s here made to repentance. The meaning marked the public ministry of our Lord and seems to be "return to·my reproof," i.e. plaoe his disciples, and finds an illustration in yourselves under my reproof (BB Gejerlis, his command, "What ye hear iu the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops" (Matt. Del_itzsch), the ~ being represented by ad, x. 27); i.e. give it all the publicity possible. a:i lll the Vulgate :, convertimini ad correp- 'l'hc spirit of Wisdom, like that of Chris- tionem meam, It 1s susceptible, ho~ever, tianity, is aggressi,e(see Wardlaw, 'Lectures of a different reading, i.e. "in consequence on Proverbs iv.,' vol. i. pp. 40, 41). of, or because' of '(propter), my reproof," the Yer. 22.-B:ow long, ye simple ones, will prefix 7 being found in Numb. xvi. 34, ye love simplicity ! etc. From this verse to "Tbey fled at the c1·y," i.e. because of the tbe end of the chapter the sacred writer puts cry. Reproof (ni:,;?ln, thochaklmtk); i.e. re- before us the words of Wisdom herself. buke, or correction, by words. The LXX. The discourse begins in the same way as in ¥11.,;,xos conveys the argumentative con- Ps. iv. 2 (Zockler),and the clo.5sification of the viction which will be pre8ent in the reproof. persons ad?ressed-the simple, the scorners, The word occurs again in vers. 23, 2s; and 30 and the smners-closely resembles that of of this chapter,.and also in oh. iiL 11; v. 12; Ps. i. 1. In the order there is a progression vi. 23; xxvii. 5; xx:ix. 15. Behold, ·r will from the least to the most cnlpable. The pour out my Spirit unto -you. The promise B'imple (.:i:;:,;i, p'tl;ayim), as in ver. 4, those consequent upon, and the encou;ragement to, who are indifferent through thoughtlessness repentance. The promise is conditioned-if and inconsiderateness, and are thereby open those addressed will heed the reproof of Wisdom, then she will pour .forth her Spirit to evil. The soomers (.:i•~!?, 1.etsim); or, upon them, e.nd canse them to 'know her mnckers, the same as the (]ii:~, latson) words. The verb kibbia 01'?l'.1), I, to stre11,m "scornful men" of oh. xx:ix. 8, derived from forth, or gush out," is here used figur11-tively. the root y1S (luts), "to deride, mock," pro- The outflow of the Spirito( Wisdom will be like the abundant ,and. continuous gushing bably by imitating the voice in derision. forth of water from the spring or fountain. The mockers are those who bold all things The verb unites in it the figures of abundant in derision, both hnman and Divine, who fu!ness and refreshing invigoration (U mbreit, contemn God's admonitions, and treat with Elster); comp. eh. xv. 2, 28; Ps. lix. 7; ridicule both tbreatenings and promises cxix. 171; Eccles. x. I. We have here a alike. Fools; 0•7"p (ch'silim), a different striking anticipation of the prophecy of Joel word from the evi1im of ver. 7, but signify- (ii. 28). The Spirit is that of Wisdom "and ing much the same, i.e. the obdurate, the understanding, the Spirit ·of counsel and hardened, stolidi, those who walk after the godly strength, the Spirit of knowledge and sight of their eyes and the imagination of true godliness" (see Confirmation Office), tLeir hearts-a class not ignorant of know- The explanation of Beda, that it signifies ledge, but hating it because of the restraint her- anger, is clearly inadmissible. I will it puts them under. The word occurs in make known my words unto you ; i.e. as the oh. x ru. 10, in the sense of the incorrigible; LXX., "I will teach you my word" (8,8&(111 ), in eh. xxvL 3, 4 as a term of the greatest or as the Vulgate "show" (ostendam), "ex- contempt. The enallage, or interchange of pound, or make clear." My word.a (d'vari); tenses in the original-the verbs" love "and i.e. precepts, or doctrine, or secrets. An inti- "bate" being future, and "delight" being mate relation subsists between the "Spirit" perfect-is not reproducible in English. The of Wisdom and her "words,'' with -whioh it perfect is used interchangeably with the is p11.rallel. The former is the illuminating, future where the action or state is repre- invigorating principle which infuses life sented as first coming to pass or in progress, and power into the " words " of • Wisdom, and, as Zockler remarks, may be inchoative, which she has already given, and wbich and BO be rendered "become fond of," are alree.dy in our, possession. Wisdom instead of "be fond of." But it appears stands in the same relation to her 'words as to represent not so much e. state or action the Divine Logos does to his utterances, first coming to pass as in progress ( see into which be infuses himself. " It is the Gesenius, ' Gram.,' § 126. 3). Bottcher Spirit that quickeneth;. the flesh proflteth (~ 948. 2) translates it by c011Cupiverint, i.e. nothing: the words that 'I, speak unto you, "How long shall ye have delighted in scorn- they are spirit, and t)ley are lifa" (John ing? " The futures express "love" and vi. 63. See ,Delitzsch, Wardlaw, i,i ?ac.). "hate" as habitual sentiments (De!itzsch). . Ver. 24.-Becaus11 X have oalle~, !Lnd ye refused. A pause may b e irl:la~n~, e.11~ 1 It is to be noted that the language of 1 OH, I, 1-33.] THE PROVERBS. 15