The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 391

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XXL Ver. 4.-An high look and a proud heart; Vulgato, eroltatio oculorum est dilatatio Ver. 1.-The king's heart is in the hand cord is, "The lifting up of the eyes is e. of the Lord, as the rivers of water. We s~velling of the heart." But it ie best to a.re to think of the little channels used for make the whole verse one idea, as in the irrigation. As these are altogether uuder the Authorized Version. 'fhe lifting of the eyes gardener's control, so the heart of the king, is e. term implying pride, as shown in super- who might seem to have no superior, is cilious looks, as if other people were of directed by God. Re tumeth it whither- inferior clay and not worthy of notice. So soever he will By hidden influences and we have "haughty eyes" in oh. vi. 17 providential arrangements God disposes the (where see note); and in eh. xxx. 13 we monarch to order his government so as to read, " There is a generation, oh how lofty onrry out his designs, to spread around joy are their eyes ! and their eyelids are lifted and plenty. The system of irrigation signi• up." "The enlargement of the heart" is fied in this passage is still to be seen in the cause of the proud look, for it signifies Eastern lands. " Flower-beds and gardens the evil affections and concupiscence of the of herbs are always made at a little lower will, wholly filled up with self, and con- lernl than the surrounding ground, and are trolling the actions and expression of the di.-:ided into small squares, a slight edging body. Septuagint, "A high-minded man of earth banking the whole round on each (µ.e-ya.A6cf,pwv) is stout-hearted in his pride." side. Water is then let in, and floods the .And the ploughing of the wicked is sin. entire surface till the soil is thoroughly The Autho1·ized Version takes the reading saturated ; after whlch the moisture is -g ( nir), which means " tillage " ( eh. xiii. turned off to another bed, by simply closing 23), or, as Deli tzsch supposes, "land ploughed the opening in the one nnder water, by a for the first time" (novale ). The proverb, tnm of the bare foot of the gardener, and taken thus, will mean, "high look, proud makin" another in the same way with the heart, even all the field which the godless foot, ~ the next bed, and thns the whole cultivate, all that they do, is sin." " Pride," garden is in due course watered. . . . Only, says the Talmud, "is worse than sin." But in this case, the hand is supposed to make another pointing gives a different and very the gap in the clay banJ::, of t~e. stre~mlet, appropriate (comp. eh. xiii. 9; xxiv. 20) and divert the current (Ge1k:ie, Holy meaning. -,_~ (ner) signifies "a lamp." Land and Bible,' i. 9). So in Virgil we find Thus the Vulgate, Lucerna impiorum pecca- (' Eel.,' iii 111)- tum, "The lamp of the wicked is sin ; " and .. Clandite jam rivoe, pueri; eat prate. bibe- the Septuagint, Aa.µ.w-r¾,p 8~ a.,1<fJwv a.µ.ap-rlm. 1 1·unt/ "Lamp" is, as ofton, a metaphor for pros- "Now close the cuts; enough the meads perity and happiness (comp. 2 Sam. xxii. have drunk." 29 ; 1 Kings xi. 36) ; and it is h~re said that the sinner's outward prosperity and Yer. 2.-This is similar to eh. xvi. 2 joyousness, spri?ging from no ·good source, (wht:re see note. Comp. also eh. xiv. ~2; being founded _m self, a?d not rcstmg _on xvi. 25; xx. 2:1:). See here a.. wal'll.ln~ virtue and godlmess, are 1n themselves Blll• against l!Clf-deception and that silly self- ful a.od displeasing to God. complacency which thinks ita own ways the Ver. 5.-The thoughts of the diligent best. Septuagint, "Every man appears to tend only to plenteousness. ~ati_ent in- himself righteoUB, but the Lord db:ects the dustry is rewarded by B certam moreaee heart:;." (comp. eh. xii. 1~; xiii._ ~l; xiv: 23).. Says Ver. 3.-To do justice and judgment is an Envlish maxim, "Diligence 1s e. fair for- more acceptable to the Lord t_ha.n aa.oriftce. tune, ~nd indust1·y a good estate." The The superiority of moral obedience to cere- Greek guomists have said tersely- m@nial worship is often inculcated (see note on eh. xv. 8, and below, ver. 27; and comp. • Awa.v-ra. 'TC ,ca.>..a 'TOU WOJIOVll'TO$ -y(-yvETa.l, Micah vi. 6-8 and Matt. xii. 7). "Justice" Tf -yap 11"0JIOVIITi Ka.I Elebs truMa.µ.f)d.JIEI• and "judgment" (tseda_~h and mishp<!_t) "To him who labours all good things accrue. are combined in Gen. xvm. 19; 2 Sam. v1u. The man who labours God himself assists." 15; Job xxxvii. 23; Isa. lvi. 1, etc. They imply equity and jUBtice proceeding, not But of every one that is hasty only to want. from bare regard to law,_but ,!row the_prin- Diligence is con~rasted with hastiness. _The ciple of love. Septuagint, To do Justly basting to be r1Ch by any, even nefarious, e.nd to speak the truth are more plea11ing to means (eh. xx. 21; xxviii. 20) will bring e. God thau the blood of NCri1icea." 111an to poverty. There are llUllltllOUB prir 011, XXI, 1-31.] THE PROVERBS. 405