urrangee hie expen<liture that he he.a to face; is shameless (o.s eh. vii. 13), and is give to him that needeth (Eph. iv. 28). insensible to rebuke or any soft feeling. Septuagint, "An ungodly man devises evil This obduracy he shows with his counte- devices all the day long, but the righteous nance. Septuagint, "An ungodly man pitieth e.nd showeth compassion unspar- shamelessly withstands with his face." But ingly." as for the upright, he direoteth his way. Ver. 27.-The first hemistich occurs in He gives it the right direction (2 Cbron. eh. xv. 8 (where see note). How much more, xxvii. 6). This is the rearling of the Khetib, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind ! )';J; but, though generally adopted by the rather, for evil, equivalent to "in order to versions (except the Septuagint), it does not atone for wickedness." The sacrifice of the make a suit.able antithesis to the rash stub- sinner is abominable, as offered formally bornness of the wicked. Hence modern without repentance and faith; much more commentators prefer the reading of the e.bominable, when he brings his offering to Keri, r;i:, "be cousideretb, provetb," his win, as it were, God's connivance in the sin which he commits and bas no intention of re- wav; he acts only after due thought, giving nouncing,-brings it as a kind of bribe and proper weight to all circumstances. Septua- recompense to compensate for his transgres- gint, "But the upright man himself under- sion. Buch an outrage on God's purity and st.ands (uvv<Ei') his ways." The contrast lies justice may well be called an abomination. in the audacious self-confidence of the un- Septuagint, "The sacrifices of the ungodly principled man, and the calm circumspec- are abomination unto the Lord, for they tion and prudence of the saint. offer them wickedly (1re&pav6µ.o,s)." The Ver. 30.-There is no wisdom, nor under- notion of propitiating the Deity by sharing standing, nor counsel against the Lord; i.e. with him the proceeds of sin is expressed in in opposition to him, which can be com- proverbial language. We have the homely pared with his, or which can avail against saw, "Steal tbe goose, and give the giblets him (comp. Job v. 13; Ps. x=iii. 10, 11; in alms;" and the Spaniards say, "Huerto Isa. xxix. 14; I Cor. i. 20 ; iii. 19). Sep- el puerco, y dar los pies por Dios," " Stea.I tuagint, "There is no wisdom, there is no the pig, and givo away the pettitoes for courage (lr.vBpele&), there is no counsel, in God's sake" (Kelly). (See _Ecclus. xu:i. respect of the ungodly;" 1rpos Tov eu,,Bij, 18, etc.) neged Jahve, beiug taken as "that which is against Jn.bve," equivalent to "impious." Ver. 28.-(For the first hemisticb, see eh. Wordsworth quotes Horace,' Co.rm.,' iii. 6. vi.19; xix. 5, 9.) Shall perish. His testimony 5, etc.- is worthless, and both he and it come to no- thing. The man that heareth apeaketh oon- "Dis te minorem quocl geris, imperas: ste.ntly; Vulgate, 'Vir obediens; Septuagint, Hine omne priucipium, hue refer exitum." 'Al'¾ip (/7"J1<oos 4>ull.e&trtr6µ.,vos l\e&ll.f,u,i, "An The following verse carries on and applies obedient man will speak guardedly." "The the import of this one : As men's wisdom man that beareth" is one who is attentive, is nothing worth, equally vain is all trust in who listens before he speaks, and reports external meo.ns and appli1mces. only what he has heard. Such a one will Ver. 31.-The horse is prepared against speak "for continuance," so that what he the day of battle. The horse is an emblem says is never falsified, or silenced, or re- of military power and activity. To the futed. Vulga.te, loquetur 'llictoriam. And earlier J ewe, who were unaccustomed to its so Aquila, Tbeodotion, and Symmachus, use, and indeed forbidden to employ it ,is vl,cos. Revised Version, unchallenged. (Deut. xvii. 16), the horse and horse-drawn The expression thus rendered is lanetsach, chariots were objects of extreme terrnr(Josb. which means, in Hebrew at any rate, in xvii.16; Judg. iv. 3), and though Solomon perpetuum, "for continuance." But St. had largely imported them from Egypt Jerome's rendering has been much used by (1 Kings iv. 26; x. 26, etc.), these animals the Fathers, who have drawn tberefrom were used exclusi vcly for war, and, at this lessons of obedience. Thus St. Augustine, time, their services were never applied to • In Psalm.,' lxx., •• Soll\ obedientia tenet agricultural purposes. 'fhe proverb asserts po.Imam, sola inobediontia invenit pcenam." that, though all preparations are made for St. Gregory, 'Moral.,' xxxv. 28, "An obe- the battle, and materi>1l fo'.·ces are of the dient man in truth speo.ketb of victories, best and strongest description, but safety because, when we humbly submit ourselves ('Victory) is of the Lord (sec P6. xx. 7; to the voice of another, we overcome our- xxxiii. 16, etc.). Septuagint," But from the selves in our heart" (Oxford trnnsl.). See Lord is the help (~ {Jol)8,ia.)." The great a. long dissertation on obedience in the truth hero taught may be e.pplied to spiritual note of Coru. ll. Lapido on thiii passage of matters. The only safety LLgainst spiritual Proverbs. cuomies is tho grnoe of God; we can cry, Ver. 29,-A wicked man ha.rdeneth his with St, P,.ul (1 Cor. xv. 57), "Thuuki! b., ,10 THE PROVERBS. [OR, XXI, 1-81.
to Goo, whieh giTr.th ne the vicl.ory thrcmgh pared,' lltc.: bcaaueo tho mind prep1Lrea our Lord ,lc•m Christ." "Jly tho nFLmo lt,cl r Indeed aguln ■ t tompto.Uon, but con- • hono,'" l!FLYB St. Gregory (' Moral.,' x:i:xl. tond1 not healthfully u11lc11 U bo Ol■lttod 43), "ta under•tood the preparation of right from o.bovo." intontion, Ill it is 11·riUcu, • Tho bol'IO l1 pro-