The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 69

l ifc, is unfounded. The scope of the promise xxv.10; xl.11; lvii.4-11'; cviii. 5; cxxxviii. bcl,,rc ns is ccmfined to the present stage of 2), ond, when predicated of ma.n, indic:ite the existence, nnd it is negatived nlso by the hi~hest normal standard or morol porfcction similar use of the plural in eh. xvi. 5, "Iu (Zockler). Tho two ideas are again brough~ the light of the king's countenance is life to eth~r i,n the New Testament phrase, /a,11- (hhayyim)," where hhayyim cannot possibly 9 ev a.-yd,rp," to speak the truth in love" 8.v«v refer to the future life. K1myyim stands for (Eph. iv. 15). There seems little gl'Ound life in its fulness. " Godliness" has indeed, for the remark ~f Salasius, that "mercy" as St. Paul wrote to Timothy, "promise of refers to our nmghbours, and "truth" to the life that now is, and of that which is to God. Ea.eh virtue, in fact, has o. twofold come" (1 Tim. i.. S). Peace (shalom). The reference-one to God, the other to man. verb shalam, from which the substantive The promise in ver. 4, that the exercise of shalom is dcrirnd, signifies "to be whole, these virl;ues procures favour with God and sound, safe," and hence "peace" means in- man, implies this twofold aspect. Bind them ternal and external contentment, and tran- about thy neck; either (1) aa ornaments· quillity of mind arising from the sense of worn about the neck (Gejerus, Zookler); oi: sRfety. In ver. 17 the ways of Wisdom are (2) as amulets or talismans, which were wo1·Q designated peace. While, on the one hand, from 11, superstitious notion to ward oil peace is represented by the psalmist as the danger (Umhreit and Vaihinger); or (3) as possession of those who love God's Law (Ps. treasures which one wears attacl:ied to the cxix. 165), on the other, it is denied the neck by .a chain to guo.rd against their loss wicked (Isa. xlviii. 22; Jvii. 21). Shall they (Hitzig); or (4) as a signet, which wail add to thee ; i.e. shall the precepts and carried on a string round the neck (Delitzsch). commands bring (Zockler) or heap upon The true reference of the passage seems to (lllutret) thee. lie between (1) and (3). 'l'he lo,tter adapts Ver. 3.-Mercy and truth (khesed vei'77!eth); itself to the paraliel expression, "Write properly, love and truth; Vulgate, miseri- them on the tablet of thine heart,'.' and also cordia et veritas; LXX., '11.e71µo<T6va.1 ,ca.i agrees with eh. vi. 21, '' Tie them about thy w-lrrr«s. With this .erse begin the com- neck," the idea being that of their careful' mandments which are alluded to in ver. I. preservation against loss. The former mean- The Hebrew khesed has to be understood in ing, however, seems preferable. Mercy and its widest sense, though the Vulgate and the truth a.re to .be ornam~nts of.the ·characteri, LXX. confine it to one aspect of its mean- to be bonnd·round the neck, i.e. worn at al ing, viz. that which refers to the relation of times (comp. eh, i. 9, "For they shall be o.n man to man, to the pity evoked by the sight ornament of grace unto· thine head, anil of another's misfortunes, and to almsgiving. chains about thy neck." See also Gen. xii. The radical meaning of the word is" ardent 42; Song of Sol.i. 10; iv. 9; Ezek. xvi. ll). desire," from the root 7chasad, "to eagerly or The, imagery of the binding is evidently 11.rdently desire." Delitzsch describes it as to.ken from Exod. xiii. 9 and Dent. vi. 8, and "well-affectedness." Predicated of God, it is suggestive of the tephil!.im, or phylac- indicates God's Jove and grace towards man; teries. Write·them upon the table of thine predicated of man, it signifies man's love to- heart ; i.e. inscribe them, mercy nud truth, wards God, i.e. piety,or man's lovetowardshis deeply there, impress them thoroughly and ueighbour, i.e. humanity. Where this mercy indelibly upon thine heart, so that they may or lo\'e is exhibited in man it finds expression never be forgotten, nod may form the main- in (]) mutual outward help; (2) forgiveness spring of your actions. The expres.,sion im. of nffences; (3) sympathy of feeling, which plies that the. hea1·t is to be in entire union leads to interchange of thought, and so to the with their dictates. 1.'he table (luakh) was development of the spiritual life (see Elater, the tablet expressly prepared for writing by in Zoe.). The word carries with it the ideas being polished, corresponding to the w-wa- of kindliness, benignity(Targum, benignitas ), ,clliwv, the writing-table of Luke i. 63, whioh_, ,md grace (Syriac, gratia). Truth (emefh); however, was probably covered with wax.; properly, firmness, or stability, and so fidelity The inscription was made with the stylus. in which one performs one's promise. Truth The same word is used of the tablJs of stone, is that absolute integrity of character, both on which the .ten commandments were in word and deed, which secures the unhesi- written with the finger of God, and allusion tating confidence of all (Wardlaw). Umbreit is in all probability here made to that fact e.ntl Elster designate it as inward truthfnl- (Exod. xxxi. 18; xxxiv.' 28). '1.'he expres- neHs, the pectus rectum, the very essence of a sion, "the t.o.bles of the heart," occurs in tru0 ruan. As lchesed excludes all selfishness eh. vii. 8; Jer. xvii. 1 (cf. 2 Cor. iii. 3); and hatr,, eo erneth excludes all hypocrisy and is used by lEechylus, 'Pro.,' 789, ab,.,.01 e,,"J tlissimnlation. These two virtues are fre- <flp•vwv, "the tablets of the heart." This •111r·ully combiuetl in the Proverbs (e.g.ch.xiv. do.use is omitted in the LXX. :C~; xvi. 16; xx. 28) and Psalms (e.g. Pa. Ver. 4.-Bo sha.lt thou find (vum'lsa)1 OlI, III, 1-35.] THE PROVERBS. 55