The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 264

EXPOSITION. rightly, the latter following his own lusts, CHAPTER XIV. which lead him astray. Either interpreta- Ver. 1.-:Every wise woman buildeth her tion is ndmissible. Septuagint, "He that house. Wise women order well their house- walketh in crooked ways (tr1<0>..,J.(wv .,..,,'s hold matters and their families; they have cllio,r .,l,.,.ov) shall be dishonoured." The an important influence, and exercise it Vulgate gives quite a different turn to the beneficially. sentence, "He who walketh in the right ruvau,os ltr8>..,is '1tr'TI trC:.(..v ol1tlav. way and feo.reth the Lord is despised by him who pursueth the path of shame." "A good wife is the saving of a house." This intimo.tes the ho.tred which sinners The versions render as above. A different feel for the godly (comp. Job xii. 4; and pointing of the word translated " wise " especially Wied. ii. 10-20; and our Lord's ( chakhmoth) will give " wisdom" ( chokh- warning, John xv. 18-21). moth), which it seems best to read here, as Ver. 3.-In the mouth of the foolish is a the parallel to the abstract term " folly" in rod of pride. ,l!:lh (choter) "rod" or" shoot" the second member. So we have, "Wisdom is found also in.'Iso.. xi. 1.' Fro::O. the mouih bath builded her house" ( eh. ix. 1 ; comp. of the arrogant fool p1·oceeds a growth of ell. i. 20). Thus: "The wisdom of women vaunting and conceit, accompanied with in- buildeth their home" (eh. xii 4; xxiv. 3). solence towards others, for which he is often But the foolish pluoketh it down with her • chastised. So the tongue is compared to a hands; "but Folly plucketh it down with sword (e.g. Pa. lvii.4; !xiv. 3; Jer. xviii.18; her omi hands;" of course, the folly of Rev. i. 16). St. Gregory(' Mor. in Job.,' xxiv.) women is intended. applies this sentence to haughty preachers, ruv11 ;,ap ofK<p 1r7J/La 1<al trw'T"T/pla. who are anxious to appear superior to other people, e.nd study more to ohide and reprove "Bane or salvation to a house is woman." than to encourage ; " they know how to Foolish, unprincipled women, by their bad smite sharply, but not to sympathize with management or their evil doings, ruin their humility." Septuagint, "From the mouth families materially and morally. "The of fools cometh e. ate.ff of insolence." The lips husband should labour," says a Servian of the wise shall preserve them-the wise proverb; "the wife should save." ( eh. xiii. 3). These do not abuse speech Ver. 2.-He that wo.lketh in his upright- to insult and injure others; and their words. ness feareth the Lord. So the Septuagint. tend to conciliate others, and promote peace He who lives an upright life does so because and good will (comp. eh. xii. 6, 18); be fears the Lord; and his holy conversa- Ver. 4.-Where no oxen (cattle) e.re, the tion is an evidence that he is influenced by crib is olee.n. This does not mean, as some religious motives. The outward conduct take it, that labour he.s its rough, disagree- shows the inward feeling. So he that is able side, yet in the end brings profit; but perverse in his ways despiseth him-the rather that without bullocks to le.hour in Lord. A man is evil in his actions because the :fields, or cows to supply milk-that is, he has cast off the fear of God; and such without toil and industry, and necessary wickedness is a proof that he he.a lost all instruments-the crib is empty, there is reverence for God and care to please him. nothing to put in the granary, there are no Delitzsch renders, " He walketh in his beasts to fatten. The means must be adapted uprightness who feareth Jahve, and perverse to the end. Much increase is by the strength in his ways is he that despiseth him; " i.e. of the ox. Thie, again, is not an exhortation the conduct of the two shows the way in to kindness towards e.nime.ls, which makes which they severally regard God and religion, no antithesis to the first clause ; but it is the former acting coll8Cientiously and up- pl\rallel with eh. xii. 11, and means that OH. xrv. 1-35.] THE PROVERBS. 269