The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 170

then proceeds to pnrUculo.rize the evil which those who weigh causes; the latter explana- tho Lord ho.tea, To.king the clause in this tion seems most suitable. Vulgate, lqum sense, we have no need to alter the persons condit<rres; Septuagint, ol 3vv&o--ra.,. These o.nd forms of the verbs to '' I fear the Lord, are said to decree justioe; literally, to engrave I ho.te evil," o.s Dathe and others suggest; just decrees on tabkts; -yp&<J>ovo-, 3,,ca100-61111v, still less to suppress the whole paragraph as Septnagint. Early expositors take these I\ lo.te insertion. These violent measures words as spoken by Christ, to whom they are arbitl'Bry and quite unnecessary, the ue very plainly applicable (comp. Isa. present text allowing a natural and sufficient xxxii. l). exposition. There can be no fellowship Ver. 16.-Princes; here sarim, "leaders." between light and darkness; be who serves All the judges of the earth. These words the Lord must renounce the works of the stand without a conjunction, in apposition devil. Pride and arroga.ncy, which are to wbathas preceded, by what is calledaS?Jn- opposed to the sovereign virtue of humility, deron s-ummatiwm (eh. i. 21 ),and gather in one are the first sins which Wisdom names. view kings, princes, and leaders. Thus the These are among the things which the Lord Book of Wisdom, which speaks of the duties is said to hate (eh. vi. 17, etc.). •• Initium of rulers, commences by addressing ol omnis peccati est superbia" (Ecclns. x. 15, 1tpivovns -r1Jv -yiiv, "ye that are ju<lges ot' Vet. Lat.). The evil way; i.e. sine of con- the earth." In the East judgment of causes duct, "way" being, as commonly, equivalent was an integral part of a monarch's duties. to " manner of life." The froward mouth ; The reading of the Authorized Version fa literally, momh of perverse11ess, sins of speech supported by the Septuagint, which gives (see on eh. ii. 12; and comp. x. 31); 1<pa-rovo-, -yiir. The Vulgate, Syriac, and Vulgate, os bilingue. Chaldee read, p,r, "justice," in place of y-m, Ver. 14.-Having said what she hates, "earth;" bnt this seems to have been an Wis<lom now says what she is, and what she alteration of the original text derived from can bestow on her followers. Counsel is some idea of the assertion there made being mine, and sound wisdom. There is some too comprehensive or universe.I. Nowack doubt about the meaning of the word compares Pa. ii. 10 and cxlviii. 11, "King11 translated "sound wisdom" (tushiyyah). of the earth, and a.11 people; princes, and The Vulgate has reqnitaa; the Septuagint, a.II judges of the earth.'' The Fathers bavs a.o-,pdll.<1a, "safety." The word occurs e;~e- taken these verses as spoken by God, and a11 where in this book and in Job, but only'"in asserting his supremacy and the providential two other places of Scripture, viz. Isa. xxviii. ordering of human government, according 29 and .Micah vi. 9. It means properly to St. Paul's saying, "There is no power bui "elevation" or "furtherance," or, as others of God; and the powers that be are ordained say, "substance;" nnd then that which is of God" (Rom. x:iii. 1; see St. Angnstine, essentially good and useful, which may be • De Civit. Dei,' v. 19). wisdom, aid, or security (see on eh. ii. 7). Ver. 17.-I love them that love me. So Wisdom affirms that she possesses counsel Christ says (John xiv. 21), "He that loveth and all that can help forward righteousness; me shall be loved of my Fa.ther, and I will see Job xii. 13, 16, passages very similar to love him, and will manifest myself unto the present (comp. Wisd. viii. 9, etc.). I him.'' Love attracts love. "Mo.goes runoris am understanding. Wisdom does not merely est e.mor.'' Thoy who love virtue and wis- possess these attributes ; they are her very clom are regarded with favour by God, whose noture, as it is said, " God is love." St. inspiration they have obeyed, obtaining Jerome'e mea est prudentia, and the LXX.'e grace for grace. So Ben Si:ra soya, "Them. iµ¾, ,Ppov.10-is, lose this trait. I have strength. thot love her the Lord doth love" (Ecc!us. iv. Wisdom directs the energies and powers of 14); so Wied. vii. 28, "God loveth none her pupils, which without her control would but him that dwelleth with Wisdom.'' The be spent wrongly or uselessly (comp. Eccles. Septuagint changes tho verbs in this clause, vii. 19). Wisdom, understanding, and though they are parts of the same word in might are named among the seven gifts of the Hebrew: 'E-yrl, -rol,s lµe ,p,11.oi,vTar a.-ya1rw. the Spirit in Isa. xi. 2 ; and we may see in Thie reminds one of tho po.sso.ge in the last the passo.ge generally an adumbration of chapter of St. John (xxi. 15-17), where a him who is called" Wonderful, Counsellor, similar interchange is made. Those that the Mighty God" (Isa. ix. 6). seek me early shall find me (see the con- Ver. 15.-By me kings reign. By posses- trast in eh. i. 28). "Ee.rly" may meo.n from sion of wisdom kings are enabled to discharge tender years; but more probably it is equi,e.- their functions duly and righteously. So lent to "earnestly," "strenuously," as people Solomon proyed for wieelom to tmable him deeply interested in any pursuit rise betimes to rule his subjects properly (1 Kings iii. !) ; to set about the necessary work (comp. Iso... Wiijd, ix. 4). Prinoes (rozenim, eh. xxxi. 4); xxvi. 9 ; Hos. v. 15). The Septuagint, either those who are weighty, inflexible, or "They who seek (f~Toiiv-ru) we shall fiud."  lG! THE PROVERDS. [en. vm. 1-30.