The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 290

Ver. 23.-A man hath joy by the answer defined by Iandmnrke-stones- or some such of his month. 'fhe i<lee. of the preceding objects-nothing was easier than to remove verse concerning counsel ie maintained. A these altogether, or to alter their position. counsellor gives wise nnd skilt'nl advice, or That this was a, common form of fraud and makes 11, timely speech; and, knowing how oppression we gather from the stringency much harm is done by rash or evil words, he ot' the enactments ag-ainst the offence (see naturally rejoices that ho has been able to Deut, xix. 14; xxvii. 17; and comp. Job be useful, and has e.voi<led the errors which xxiv. 2; eh. xxii. 28). In the Babylonian the tongue is liable to incur. A word and Assyrian inscriptions which have been spoken in due see.son, sermo opportunus, is preserved, there are many invoking curses, advice given at the right moment and in curious and multifarious, against the dis- the most suitable manner, when the occasion turbers of boundaries. Such marks were nn<l the interests e.t stake demand it (comp. considered sacred and inviolable by the eh. x:n. 11). The LXX. connects this verse Greeks e.nd Romane (see Plato, 'De Leg.,' with the preceding, and renders, " The evil viii. 842, 843; Ovid, 'Faat.,' ii. 639, etc.). man will not hearken to it (counsel), nor Ver. 26.-T~ thoughts of the wicked (or, will he say aught in see.son or for the public evil de'l!ices) are an abomination to the Lord. good." Although the Decalogue, by forbiddin"' Ver. 24.-The way of life is above to the coveting, showed that God's Law touched wise ; Revised Version, to the wise the way the thought of the heart e.e well ae the out- of life goeth upward. The writer means ward action, the idea here refers to wicked primarily that the wise and good lead such plans or designs, rather than emphatically tL life as to preserve them from death ( eh. to the secret movements of the mind. These xiv. 32). The path may be steep and painful, he.ve been noticed in ver. 11. lint the words but e.t any rate it bas this compensation- of the pure are pleasant words; literally, it leads awa.y from destruction. It is obvious pure are words of pleasantness ; i.e. words to read into the passa.ge higher teaching. of soothing, comforting tone are, not an The good man's pa.th leads heavenward, to e. abomination to the Lord, as are the devices high life here, to happiness hereafter; his of the wicked, but they a.re pure in a conversation is in heaven (Phil. iii. 20), his ceremonial sense, as it were, a pure and affections are set on things above (Col. iii. 2). 11cceptable offering. Revised Version, Such an upward life tends to mnterial a.nd pleasant words are pure. Vnlgate, "Speech spiritual health, as it is added, that he may pure and pleasant is approved by him"- depart from hell (Sheol) beneath. Primarily, which is a phe.re.phrnse or the ol::i.use. Sep- a long and happy life is promised to the tuagin t, "The words of the pure are hououred man who fears the Lord, as in eh. iii. 16; (11'eµ.vcil)." secondarily, such a one avoids that down- Ver. 27.-He that is greedy of gain ward course which ends in the darkness of tronbleth his own house (eh. xi. 29). The hell. Vulgate, "'fhe path of life is above speci11l 1·eference is doubtless to vennljndges, the instructed man, to make him avoid who wrested judgment for lucre. Sueh the nethermost (novissimo) hell;" Septun- m!Llefactors were often reproved by the itint," The thoughts of the prudent man nre prophets (see Isa. i. 23 ; x. l, etc. ; Micah tho ways of life, that turning from He.<les iii. 11; vii. 3). But nil ill-gotten gnin he may be safe." brings sure retribution. Tho Greek,i have Ver. 25.-The Lord will destroy the house ma.ny mo.xims to this effect. Thus- oftheproud(ch.xii.7; xiv.11; xvi.IS). The Kipli1J 1TOV1JP4 (11µ(C1.I' ,i.l </>•p••· proud, self-confident mo.n, with his family e.nd household and wealth, she.11 be rooted Ande.gnin- up. The hea.then saw how retribution T.\ Ii' ai11'xpa tclp'611 o-vµ</>opas lp')'cl.(,.-a,. overtook the e.rrognnt. 'l'hus Euripides says (' Heracl.,' 387)- "Riches ill won bring ruin in their train." Twv <1>pov11µ,frow An avaricious man troubles his house i-n 'O Z•vs ,col..aO'T¾/s 'Twv 11:ycw vir•p</>p&vwv. another sense. He har1.1sses his family by niggardly economies nnd his domestics by "Zeus, the che.st.iser of too - ho.ughty overwork and under-feeding, deprives his thoughts." household of all comfort, and loses the lint he will establish the border of the blessing of God upon s righteous uso of \Vidow. Ho will t11ke the widow undrr earthly wee.Ith. 'fhe word "troubleth" his protection, and see that her landmark (alro.r, "to trouble") reminds one of the is not removed, and that her little portion story of Achan, who, in his greo<l, appro- is secured to her. The widow is ta.ken o.s priated some of the spoil of the banned thn type of weakness and desolation, e.s oity Jerioho, and brought destruction upon often in Scripture ( comp. Dent. x. 18; Ps. himself and his family, when, in punishment cxlvi. 9). In a country wh1;,re property was of the orimo, ho 11ncl all his were stoned in 296 'l'HE PROVERBS. [cII. XV. 1-33.