The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 549

This incongruity has been already notir.ed object of this commended foresight is mis- e.t eh. xix. 10 (where see note). And a fool taken ; bnt the statement, as that in eh. vi. when he is filled with mee.t. " Fool " is 6-8, is in accordance with the popular here nabal, a low, profligRte fellow, who is belief of the day, e.nd serves well to point rich e.nd without co.re. When such a one the more.I intended. We know certainly rises to high position, or has power over that in Europe these insects fill their nests others, he becomes arrogant, selfish, unbear- with heterogeneous articles-grain, seedil, e.ble (comp. ver. 9; eh. xxviii. 12; xxix. 2). husks, etc., not as stores to be consumed in Ver. 23.-l'or an odiollB woman when ehe the winter, but for warmth and comfort's Is married; or, under an unl01Jed woman sake. Scripture is not intended to teach when she is married. The sentence does not science; it speaks of such matters phenf)- refer to an unbeloved wife, a Leah, becom- menally, with no attempt at a precision ing the favourite, e. Rachel ; the expresaion, which would not have been understood or "when she is married," can hardly have appreciated by contemporaries. But in the this sense; but the gnome speaks of a present case more careful observation has woman who bas passed much of her life confirmed the correctness of the asser- without love, having nothing about her tions in our proverbs. In countries where attractive either in looks, attainments, or ants do not hybernate, they do make manner, and is consequently soured and granaries for themselves in the summer, nnd ill-tempered. lf such e. one does at last win use these supplies as food in tho winter a husband, she neee her new position to vex months (see note on eh. vi. 8). those who formerly depreciated her, e.nd to Ver 26.-The oonies are but a feeble folk. make them a.a misere.ble e.e she can. And a The term "coney" (cunicul!L8) is applied to handmaid that is heir to her mistress. The the rabbit, but this is not the animal here maidservant that obtains her mistress's pro- intended; and indeed rabbit• are not found perty, either by supplanting her or by right in Palestine. The word shaphan designates of inherite.nce, is supposed to make a bad the Hyraz SyriacuB, called by Bf)me the use of it, to become conceited, e.rrogant, and rock-badger(see Hart, •Animals of the Bible,' odious to e.ll a.round her. The LXX. trans- pp. 64, etc.). The coney,,says Dr. Geikie poses the last two members of the com- (' Holy Lo.nd and Bible,' ii. 90), "abound• in parison, ple.cing the unloved wome.n in the the gorge of the Kedron, o.nd along the foot fourth place os the most intolere.ble of all: of the mountains west of the Dead Sea. It "And if e. maidservant should cast out is of the size of the rabbit, but belongs to a. (; ,c/3&>.11, Gen. xxi. 10) her own mistress, very different order of animals, being placed and e. hateful woman should obto.in a good by naturo.list8 between the hippopotamus husband." o.nd rhinoceros. Its soft fnr is brownish- Vera. 2-1--28.-Four things smnll e.nd grey over the back, with long hlt\~k hairs wee.k, and yet wise. rising through this lighter cont, nncl is almost white on the stomach; the to.ii is Ver. 24.-There be four things which are very short. The Jews, who were not scien- little upon the earth, in contrast with the tific, deceived by the motion of its jo.ws in intolero.ble prcleneions of the Inst group. eating, which is exactly like thnt of The Vulgo.te has minima; but the original ruminnnt animnle, foncied it chewed the is not superlative, which would not be true cud, though it did not divide the hoof, nnd of some of the cree.turee named. But they so they put its flesh a.midst the.t which wns are exooeding wise; "quick of wit, wise," forbidden. It lives in compo.nies, and the participle D'i;l;>J::11;) meaning " rendered chooses a ready-ma.de cleft in the rocks for wise, cunning" (Delitzech). The Septuo.gint its home, so thnt, though the conies are hut o.nd Vulgate translate in the compe.rative, e. • feeble folk,' their refuge in the rocks "These a.re wiser than the wise,'' the in- gives them a security beyond tho.t of stronger stincts of these animals being more me.rvel- cree,tures. 'fhey are, moreover, 'exceeding loue thnn humo.n wisdom. wise,' so that it is very hnrd to cnpture one. Ver. 25.-The ants are a people not Indeed, they are said, on high authority, to strong. The e.nt is proposed e.e an exnmple have sentries regulurly plo.ced on the look to the sluggo.rd (eh. vi. 6, etc.). He calls out while the rest ore feeding; o. squeak the e.nts II people, am, bece,uee they live in from the watchman sufficing to send the a community, e.nd have authorities which flock scudding to their holes like rabbits. they obey, and their actions are regulo.ted The coney is found in many parts of Pe,les- by certain definite le.we. So Joel (i. 6) tine, from Leb11non to the Dea.cl So,\," Ill co.Us the locusts a nation, and Homer the rooks. This fa.et is noticed in Pa. oiv. (' Ilie.d,' ii. 87) speaks of t611em p.e>,.urcr&,,w 18. The Septuagint co.Us them xo,po'Ypv/1.• o.Swc/.0,11, "the tribes of thronging bees." >,.101 here and Ps. oiv. 18, o.lso in Lev. xi. 6 Yet they prepare their meat in the 1ummer. and Deut. xiv. 7. This notion of the 11nime.l In countries where ante hybernate.. the as u. kind of little pig is not moro accurate PROVERBS, 2 • 573 THE PROVERBS. [err. xx.x. 1-33.