The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 97

Solomon, and that the discourse is Solomonic. to yourself wisdom," so the one before ue Compo.re especially ver. 3 with 1 Chron. hM the same force, and signifies the ge.ining :uviii. 5 e.nd xxii. 9, and ver. 18 with the or appropriation of understanding, i.e. the last words of David in 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. faculty of discernment ex discrimino.tion. Hitzig renders, "to know with the under- Yer. 1.-Hee.r, ye children, the instruction standing; " i.e. to !mow intelligently, but of a father. This exhortation is identical this does not seem to be the meaning of with that in eh. i. S, except that the address, the phrase. "ye children," indicating a new departure, Ver. 2.-l!'or I give yon good doctrine. is now used instead of·• my son," which has This, while stating the reason for the been hitherto employed (see eh. i. S; ii. 1; exhortation in the previous verse, signifies iii. 1, 21), and "of thy father" is altered to that what the teacher has given nnd is "of a father.'' The verb is the same, giving, he has received from his father. I occurring here, of course, in the plural give; natliii:ti, literally, "I gave," is the kal number. The appeal is evidently intended perfect of nathii:n, "to give," but the perfect to rouse attention. Attention is especially is here used for the present, as denoting not necessary to secure a knowledge of Divine only a past action, but one that is et.ill truth. Ye children (bhanim). This address continuing (Gesenius, 'Heh. Gram.,' § 126. occurs again twice in the second group of 3). Good doctrine (lekii:1'h tov). The doctrine admonitory discourses-in eh. v. 7 and vii. 24, or instruction is "good," not only intrin- and also in the appeal of Wisdom personified sically, but as to the source from which it in eh. viii. 32, and, with these exceptions, was derived, and in ill! effects. Lllcii:kh is, nowhere else in the Proverbs. It is used by according to its root lakii.kh, "something David, and it is possible that when the which is received or taken." From the teacher penned these words he had in mind standpoint of the teacher it is that instruction Ps. x.xxiv. 11, "Come, ye children, hearken which he had received of his father. With unto me ; I will teach yon the fear of the respect to his hearers it is the instruction Lord." The similarity in the address serves which is communicated to them, and which to connect the teacher of wisdom with they receive (see on eh. i. 5). The LXX. David, and thus to identify him with renders, liwpov li-ya9ov; similarly the Vulgate, Solomon, while it also leads to the conclusion don um bonum, "a good gift." Forsake ye that the advice which follows in vers. 4-19 not ; ii.l-tii.iizovu, from , azii:v, "to leave, is in substance that which David had given forsake" (compare the corresponding phrase, hie son. On " instruction," see eh. i. 8. ii.l-tiltosh, from natiish, "to leave, forsake," Of a father (aD). It is difficult, owing in eh. i. 8). Law (tor,ii.h); as in eh. i. 8. to the want of the pronominal suffix, to Ver. 3.-l!'or I was my father's son. This determine accurately whether the teacher is is more than the mere statement of a physical referring to himself or to his own father in fact. It indicates that the teacher we.a in the expression, The following yerse (2) the highest degree an object of endearment would indicate that he is speaking of himself to his father, just as he ate.tea in the second in his cape.city e.s a teacher or instructor of hemistich that he held a unique position in youth. But it is quite possible that he the affection of his mother. The statement may be referring to his own father, whose agrees with the historical record. Solomon advice he had received, and which he is would be more than ordinarily dear to his uow about to lay before others in vers. 4-19. father, as being a child of promise, as " the Though attention to paternal advice in beloved of the Lord," and as the son whom general, i.e. instruction given by any father the Divine will had pointed as the suooessor to his children, is not intended here, still to his throne, and the one on whom was to the passage may be regarded as embodying devolve the building of the temple (see the principle that attention to parental 2 Sam. vii. 12, 13; xii. 24; 1 Chron. xxii. 9). advice is incumbent on children, and a Bertheau explains, " I also once stood in d.iBregard of it is the mark of ing-ro.titude the relation to my (actual) father in which and depravity. Rabbi Levi understands you stand to me your paternal instructor," tlie phrase as referring to our heavenly thus giving prominence rather to the con- Father. Attend (hakshivu, hiph. imperative secution of the passage, and prepllring the of kiishii'D). On the force of this verb as way for the reception of the father's ad vice signifying "earnest, absorbed attention," which is to follow. But this rather loses see eh. i. 24. To know understanding ' sight of what appears an important element (ladiiii.th Una); i.e. in order that you may in the instruction, that not only was it know or gain understanding. The infinitive "good," but that it was dictated by o.ffection. marks the design or object of the attention The writor is fortifying e.nd strengthening (cf. the Vulgate, ut sciatiB). Tlie expression his instruction by the authority of hie father, corresponds with ladaath khokrnah in eh. showing that what he was laying before i, 2, e.n\i j U.Bt as this signifies "to appropriate , others he had h~d placed before him ; Bild 0B, IV, 1-27,) THE PROVERBS, 85