The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 464

in vcrs. 14, 18, 19, 2G, 28). There is e. tion. Nezem, in eh. xi. 22, WM e. nose-rin"', doubt about the meaning of the word here probably e.n earring is meant; chaU, rendered "pictures," maBkith (see on eh. "ornament," is e. trinket or jewel worn sus- xviii. 11). It seems to be used generally in pencled on neck or breast. The two, whether the sense of " image," "sculpture," being worn by one peroon or more, form a lovely derived from the verb ;i;,\:', "to see; " from combination, ancl set off the wearer's grace this it comes to signify "ornament," and ancl beanty. Vulgate, Inauris aurea et here most appropriately is " basket," e.n<l, margaritum fulgena, "A golden earring RB some understand, of filagree work. St. and a brilliant pearl." Septnagint, "A Jerome mistakes the word, rendering, in golden ee.rring a precious sardius also is lectis argenteiB, The Septuagint liRS, iv set." So is a wise reprover upon an obedient opJLiamp 11aplilov, "on a necklace of sardius." ee.r. The obedient tar receives the precepts "Apples of gol<l" are apples or other fruits of the wise reprover, and wears them as a of a golden colour, not made of gold, which valued ornament. In eh. i. 9 the instruction would be very costly and heavy; nor would of parents is compared to e. chaplet on the the comparison with artificial fruits be as head and a fe.ir chain on tile neck. Septu11- suitable e.s that with natural. The "word" gint, '' A wise word on an obedient ear." is the fruit set off by its circumstances, as the Ver. 13.-A comparative tristich con- latter's beauty is enhanced by the grnce of cerning words. As the cold of snow in the the vessel which contains it. The "apple" time of harvest. This, of cou:rse, does not has been supposed to be the orange ( called mean a snowstorm or hailstorm in the timo in late Latin pomum aurantium) or the of harvest, which would be anything but a citron. We may cite here tlie opinion of e. blessing (eh. xxvi. 1 ; I Sam. xii. 17, 18), competent traveller: "For my own part," but either the distant view of the snow on says Canon Tristram (' Land of Israel,' p. ' Hermon or Lebanon, which gave an idea of 605 ), "I have no hesitation in expressing refreshment in the heat of autnmn, or more my conviction that the apricot alone is the probe.bly snow used to cool drink in warm •apple' of Scripture. . . . Everywhere the weather. This luxury was not unknown in apricot is common; perhaps it is, with the time of Solomon, who had a snmmer the single exception of the fig, the most paliico on Lebanon (1 Kings ix. 19), though abundant fruit of the country. In highlands it could have been enjoyed by very few, a.u<l ancl lowlands alike, by the shores of the would not speak to the personal experience Mediterranean and on the banks of the of the burgher class, to whom the 1m;verb8 Jordo.n, in the nooks of Judiea, under soem to havo been ndt.!ressecl. Xenophon the heights of Lebanon, in the recesses of writes of the use of snow to cool wine GalileP., and in the glades of Gilead, the (' Momora.b.,' ii. I. 30). Hitzig quotes a apricot flourishes, and yields a crop of pro- passage from the old history of the Orusa.rles, digious abundance. Its characteristics meet called • Gesta Dei per Franeos,' which rnns every condition of the • to.ppuach' of Scrip- thus: "Nix frigidissima n monte Libuuo ture. 'I sat down under his shadow with defertur, ut vino commixta, tanquam glaciem gren t delight, and his fruit was sweet to ipsum frigidum recldut." So in the pre,ent my to.ate' (Cant. ii. 8). Near Dame.sous, clay snow is sold in Dumnsous bnza.ars. ,The and on the banks of the Barada, we have LXX., not realizing whnt harm such an un- pitched our tents under its shade, and spread timely storm might effect, translates, " As CL our carpets secure from the rays of the sun. fall (lco6os) of snow in harvest is of use • Tho smell of thy nose (shall be) like tap- against heat, so a faithful messenger benefits punch' (Cant. vii. 8). There can scarcely tlwse who sent him." So is a faithful be a more deliciously perfumed fruit than messenger to them that send him. (For tho apricot; and what fruit oan better flt "faithful messenger,'' see on oh. xiii. 17; and the epithet of Solomon, • apples of gold in for "thom that ij!lud," see on eh. xxii. 21.) pictures of silver,' than this golden fruit, as 'fho comparison is explained. For he re- its branches bend under the weight in their fresheth the soul of his masters. Ho brings setting of bright yet pnlefoliago?" Imagery as great refreshment to his musters' mind LIB similar to that found in this verse occurs would a drink of snow-coolot.! water i.::. the in eh. x. 81 ; xii. 14; xiii. 2; xviii. 20. Thero burning ha.rvest-fielcl. is a famous Rrticlo on the analogies between Vor. 14.-The Hebrew is, Clouds and wind flowers and men's oha.rncters in the Spectator, without rain-he that bonsteth himself in No. 455. a gift of falsehood (see on ver. II). The Ver. 12.-Another distich concerning the proverb is concerned with promisos dis- seRsonable word, of the same ohare.oter as appointed. Clouds and wind are generally tho last. As an earring of gold, and an in the East thti precursors of heavy rain, as ornament of 11.ne gold. In this, as in many wo read in 1 Kings xviii. 45, "In a littlo of the proverbs, the comparison is not ox- while the heaven was black with clouds all([ P.rcssetl, but is mertily implied by ju1te.poei- wincl, uncl thore was a great rain." Aftc ,· rnovERBB, • 2 I  482 '1.'HE PROVERBS. [OH, XXV, 1-28.