The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 343

reo.son that is proper to man, must needs the confession of sin done, but the righteous live o.lono like o. bee.at." man doth not refrain his mouth, in tl,at fore- Ver. 15.-The first clo.use is similar to stalling the wrath of the searching J'udge eh. xv. 14; the second gives a kind of ex- he falls wroth upon himself in words of plano.tion of the former-the understanding self-confession. Hence it is written, 'The of the wise mo.n is o.lways expanding e.ntl just man is first the accuser of himself•" increasing its stores, because his ear is opeu (so lib. xxii. 33). to instruction, and his ability grows by Ver. 18.-The lot causeth contentions to wholesome exercise (comp. eh. L 5). Daath, cease (comp. eh. xvi. 33). If this verse is "knowledge," which is used in both clauses, taken in connection with the preceding, ii the LXX. translates by two words, aJrr811rr<11 refers to the decision in doubtf□ l cases, ancl t 11110 ,a.v. where the evidence is conflicting and ordi- Ver. 16.-A man's gift maketh room for nary investigation fails to elicit the truth him (comp. eh. xix. 6), Maltam, "gift," satisfactorily. The lot, being considered to has beeu taken in different senses. Some show the judgrnent of God, settled the consider it to mean a bribe offered for under- question. And parteth between the mighty. hand or frauduleut purposes; but the cou- If it were not for the decision by lot, persons text does not lead to this cone! usion, and of eminence and power wonld settle their the parallel passage mentioned above makes differences by violent means. Thi~ peaceful against it. Hitzig sees in it a spiritual solution obviates all such contentions. The gift, equivalent to x&.p,rrµ,a.; but such a Septue.gint, in place of" lot" (Kll.ijpos), reads meaning is not elsewhere attached to the now rr,'Y'/p&s, "silent;" but it is evidently word. '.fhe term here signifies the present originally a clerical error, perpetuated by which duty or friendship offers to one whom copyists. The error is noted by a second one wishes to please. This paves a man's hand in the margin of the Sinaitic Manu- way to a great person's presence. llringeth script. him before great men. The Oriental custom Ver. 19.-A brother oft'ended is harder to of offering suitable gifts to one in authority, be won than e. strong city. Somethiog must when a favour or an audience is desired, is be supplied on which the comparative notion here alluded to (comp. l Sam. x. 27; 1 Kings min, "than," depends. So we may under- iv. 21; x. 25). So the l\Iagi brought gifts stand "resists more," or something similar. to the new-horn King at Bethlehem (Matt. A brother or a once close friend, when injured ii. 11). In a spiritual oense, the right use or deceived, becomes e. potent and irrecon- of riches opens the way to eternal life, cilable enemy. The idea. of the preceding evincing a man's practical love of God and verses is carried on, and the primary thought man; as Christ says (Luke rvi. 9), '' Make is still concerning lawsuits o.nd matters to yourselves friends by means of the brought before o. judge. This is shown in mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it the second clause by the nse of the word shall f11il, they may receive you into the "contentions" (midyanim). And their oon- eternal te.bemacles" (Revised Version). tentions a.re like the bars of a oastle. They Ver. 17.-He tho.t is first in his own cause close the door against reconciliation, shut seometh just ; Revised Version, he that the heo.rt against all feeling of tenderness. pleadeth liis cause first scemetl1 just. A mo.n True it is, Xa./1.e,rol ..-oll.eµ,o, a.6e>,.~cuv (Eurip., who tells his own story, and is the first to 'Fmgm.'). And e.go.in, • Iph. Aul.,' 376- open his case before the judge or e. third party, seems for the moment to have justice AElvbv, Ka.rr,-,v~-ro,rr, -,C-,veo-8a., 11.6-,,ous on his side. llut his neighbour oometh and Mdxcu B', HTa.v 'll"OT' iµ.r.Eawa.v Eis tpiv. searoheth him out (eh. xxviii. 11). The Aristotle e.lso writes thus(' De Republ.,' vii. "neighbour" is the opposing party-d a.v-rC- 7): "If men receive no return from those lh1<os, Septuagint, which reoe.lls Matt. v. 25- to whom they ho.ve shown kindness, they he sifts and scrutinizes the sto.tements deem themselves, not only defro.uded of due o.Jrearly given, shows them to be erroneous, gro.titude, but actm1lly injured. Whence it or weakens the evidence which appeared to is so.id, • Bitter are the 'I narrels of friends; ' support them. Thus the me.xims, "One and, • Those who love beyond mea.snrti also story is good till the other is told," and "Audi hate beyond meo.sure.'" An English m11xim altero.m partem," receive confirmation. gloomily decides, '' Friendship once injured Vulgato, Justus prior est accusator sui. So is for ever lost." Pliny ('Hist.Nat.,' x.-,:xvii. Septuagint," 'l'he righteous is his own o.ccuser 4), "Ut ad1,mas, si frangi contiug11t malleis, in opening the suit (iv ,..porroll.o"(C~)-" Ho in minutis~imo.s dissidit crustas, adeo ut vix cuts the ground from under the adversary's oculis corni qucant; ita o.rcti~siina necessi- foot by o.t once ownio~ his fault, St. Grngory tudo, si quo.ndo contingat dirimi, in sum- more tho.n onoe, in his 'Moralis,' adduces mam vertitur eimult11tem, et ex urctis~imis this rendering. Thus on Job vii. 11, "To fwderibus, si eemel rumpantur, maxim111 put the mouth to w.bou; is to employ it in ne.sountur diesidiri." Ecclus. vi. 9, "Thero 352 THE PROVERBS. [on. xvm. 1-24.