The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 80

Tho LXX. rencls, 1r-r&11rr111, pa1'orem. n-r611rru, in particular anyone who is to be the recipient in Pinto, Aristotle, and Plulnrch, is used of the good. But the Jewish interpreters subjectively, nnd mee.ns '' e.ny vehement generally (e.g. Ben Ezra.) understand it of emotion." The word only occurs once in the poor, egentibus. The Vulga.te puts the New Testament in 1 Pet. iii. 6, µ'I, an entirely different interpretation on the ,pofJ06µ,v11 µ716,µlav 1r-ro71<T111, where it is paEsage: Noli prohibere benefacere eum qui evidently quoted from the pe.sse.ge before us, potest; si 1'ales, et ipse benefac, " Do not in o.n objective sense, nnd designates some prohibit him who can from doing good; if external co.use of terror (cf. Authorized you are able, do good also yourself." It Version, "nnd be not afraid with any thus implies that we are to put no impedi- amazement ; " see also Book of Common ment in the way of any one who is willing Prayer: 'Solemnization of Matrimony,' ad to do good to others, and enjoins the duty fin.). on ourselves also. Good ( tov) ; i.e. " good" Vera. 27-35.-6. Sixth admonitory dis- under any form, any good deed or act of beneficence. The principle brought forward course. In this discourse the tee.char still in this passage is that what we possess and carries ou his object, which is to demon- is seemingly our own is in reality to be stre.te the condition& upon which true regarded as belonging to otherd. We are wisdom and happiness are to be ettained. only stewards of our wealth. In the power The discourse differs from the preceding in of thine hand (l'el yad'yka); literally, in the power of thine hands. F3r the dual, consisting of detached proverbs, and may yad'yka, the Keri substitutes the singulnr, be divided into two muin sections-the yad'ka, to harmonize it with the similar first (vers. 27-30) enjoining benevolence, expression, l'el yadi, "in the power of thy the.I love to one's neighbour which is the hand," which occurs in Gen. xxxi. 27; fulfilling of the Lo.w ; the second warning Deut. xxviii. 32; N eh. v. 5; Micah ii. 1, But there is no gramma.tical need for the against emulating the oppressor and associ- emendation. Both the LXX. and Targum ating with him, because of the fate of the employ the singular, "thy hand." Power wicked (vere. 31-35). It is observable that (el); here "strength" in the abstract. all the maxims have a ncge.tive form, aud Usually it means "tho strong," and is so thus present o. striking contrast to the form used as an appellation of Jehovah, though, as Geseniua so.ys, those little understand the adopted by our Lord in the Sermon on the phrase who would render el here "by Goel." Mount (Matt. v.), and to the admonitions The ~ prefixed to el indicates the condition. at the close of St. Paul's Epistles. In one The meaning of the pbro.se is, "While it is instance in particular (ver. 30), the teaching prncticable, and you have the opportunity does not reach the high moral standard of and meo.ns of doing good, do it." Do not the gospel (see Delitzsch and Lange). defer, but do good promptly. The po.sso.ge receives a remarkable illustrution in the Ver. 27.-Withhold not good from them language of St. Pnul, "While we have to whom it is due. This precept indicates opportunity, let us do good unto all men" the general principle of beneficence, and not (Gnl. vi. 10). merely, ns the words at first sight seem to Ver. 28.-The precept of this and that of imply, restitution (W! Cajet.). We are to the preceding verse nre very closely related. do good to those who are in need or deserving The former precept enjoined the general of it, whenever we have the means and principle of benevolence when we ho.ve the opportunity. From them to whom it is due means; this carries on the ideo, and is (nib'alayv); litemlly, from its owner, from directed ti.go.inst the postponement of giving biial, dominus, "lord" or owner of a thing. when we are in a position to give. In effect Cf. eh. xvi. 22, "Prudence is a fountain of it snys, "Do not defer till to-morrow what life to its owner (b'alayv);" i. 19; xvii. 8; you can do to-do.y." This "putting off" anci also Eccles, viii. 8; vii. 12 ;-in all of may arise from avarice, from indolence, or which passnges proprietorship in the thing from insolence and contempt. These under- or quality mentioned is expressed. The lying faults, which nre incompatible with owners of good nre those to whom good is neighbourly good will, are condemned by due or belongs either by lo.w or by morality, implication. Unto thy neighbour; l'reiiyka, whet.her hy desert or need. The hitter " to thy friends," the word being evidently qunlification is the one emphasized in the used distributively. Reth is "a compunion" LXX., M'I/ ii1ro<TXT1 lv 1ro«i'v ivB,,j, "Abstain or " friend" ( cf. Vulgate, amico itto ; Syriac. not from doing good to the needy." So the sodali tuo), and generally any other person, Arabio pauperi. The Targum and Syriao equivnleut to the Greek 6 'fl'A1/<Tlov, "neigh- put the precept in more generol terms, bour." 'fhe Authorized Version correctly "Cease not to do good," without indicating renders "como a.gain," 11s slniv is not mere!:, PilOVERBS, F  THE PROVERBS. [mr, III, 1-35.