The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 530

and was intended to be co-ordinate with the Lord's will, and made not reo.dy, nor did supreme secular authority. The prophet.s according to hie will, she,11 be beaten with were the instru.otors of the people in Divine many stripes" (Luke xii. 47). Septuagint, 1hings, standing witnesses of the truth and " For even if he understand, he will not power of religion, teaching a higher than obey." mere human morality. The fatal effect of Ver. 20.-Seeat thou a man that is hasty in the absence of such revelation of God's will his words 1 (comp. eh. xxvi. 12); Vulgate, is stated to be confusion, disorder, and re- velocem ad loquendum; Septuagint, .-axvv Jv 'bellion; the people, uncontrolled, fall into 11.&-yo,s. J as. i. 19," Let every man be swift to grievous exeesses, which nothing but high hear, slow to speak." "A talko.ti ve (-y/l.o,o-- principles can restrain. We note the Iicenoe crc!,li11s) man is de,ngeroue in his city; and he of Eli's time, when there we.11 no open vision that is rash ( 1rpo1rn'/is) in his words shall be (1 Sam. iii.); in Asa's days, when Israel had hated" (Ecclus. ix. 18). We might also long been without a teaching priest (2 translate, "hasty in his matters," "hasty in Chron. xv. 3); and when the impious Ahaz business," and the gnome would be equally "made Judah naked" (2 Chron. xxviii. 19); true (see note on eh. xix. 2). There is more or when the people were destroyed by reason hope of a fool than of him. The dull, stupid of lack of knowledge of Divine things (Hos. man (kesil) may be instructed and guided iv. 6). Thus the importance of prophecy in and made to listen to reason ; the hasty and rcg11 la ting the life and religion of the people ill-advised speaker consults no one, takea is lnll,r acknowledged by the writer, in no thought before he speaks, nor reflects on whooe time, doubtless, the prophetical office the effect of his words; such a. man it ia was in full exercise : but this seems to be almost impossible to reform (see Jas. iii. 5, the only passage in the book where such etc.). "Every one that speaks," says St. teaching is directly mentioned; the in- Gregory, "while he we.its for hie hearer's structors and preceptors elsewhere intro- sentence upon his words, is as it were sub- duced as disseminating the principles of the jected to the judgment of him by whom he c!wchmah being parents, or tutors, or pro- is heard. Accordingly, he that fears to be fessors, not inspired propb,ets. But he that condemned in respect of hie words ought keepeth the Le.w, happy is he ! " The Law" firat to put to the test that which he de- (torah) is not merely the written Mosaic livers-that there may be a kind of impartial La"II", but the announcement of God's will and sober umpire sitting between the hear~ Ly the month of his representatives; and and tongue, weighing with exactness whethe1 tLe thought is, not the blessedneRs of those tbe heart presents right words, which the who in a time of anarchy and irreligion keep tongue taking up with advantage may bring to the authorized enactments of the Sinaitio forward for the hearer'sjudgment" (' Moral.,' legislation, but a contrast between the law- viii. 5, Oxford trnnel.). lessness o.nd ruin of o. people uninfluenced Ver. 21.-He that delioately bringath up Ly religions guidance, and the happy state his serve.nt from e. ohild, The verb panak, of those who obey alike tbe voice of God, which is not found elsewhere in the Old whether conveyed in written ete,tutee or Testament, is rightly here translated as in by the teaching of living prophets. (For the Vulgate, qui delicate nutrit. It refers "happy iJ! he," comp. eh. xiv. 21; xvi. 20.) to the spoiling a person by over-refinement, Septuagint, "There shall be no interpreter luxury, and pampering-a treatment pecu- (l(TJYTJT7Js) to a sinful nation, but he that liarly unsuitable in the case of a bond- keepeth the Law is most blessed." servant, and one which makea such forgetful Ver. 19.-A serve.nt will not be oorreoted of hie dependent position. Septuagint, by words. Mere words will not suffice to "He that Ii veth wantonly (,ca.Tacr1ra.Ta./l.O teach a slave, any moro than a chihl, true, from childhood shall be a servant." Shall practical wisdom. He needs severer mea- have him become his son e.t the length; i.e. sures, even the correction of personal disci- at length, like "at the last," equivalent to pline. Septuagint, "By words a stubborn "at last" (eh. v. 11). The word rendered (o-,c/l.71p~s) slave will not be instructed." "son" (J\J~, manon) is of doubtful meaning, The next clause ghee e.n explanation of and ho.a been variously understood or mis- 1hio necessity. For though he understand understood by interpreters. Septungint, he will not answer. The answer is not 1 "Ano. in the end ebe,11 have pain (o5vv71- merely the verbal response to a command, e~o-•n1) over himself;" Symmachue, "sha.11 ea, "I go, sir;" but it implies obedience in have murmuring (fr-ra., -yoyyucrµ.&s);" Vul- eclion. '.fhe reluctant slave thoroughly un- gate, Postea sentiet eum contumacem. Ewald derstands the order given, but he pays no trimslateo " ungrateful; " Delitzsch, "place heed to it, will uut trouble himself to exe- of increase," i.e. a household of pampered cute it, and therefore must meet with stem scapegraces; but ono docs not see how the trcatm"ut (comp. ver. 15; eh. xxiii. 13, etc.; disaster co.n be calico. a placo 01· a house. uvi. 3). "Thu.t servant which knew biJ! It i,ccms safest in thiij uncertainty to adopt CJH, XXIX, 1-27,] THE PROVERBS. 557