Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
Verſ. 2. WHen the righteous are in authority, the people rejoyce, &c.] It may be read alſo, When the righteous are encreaſed: but this is included in the other; for where the righteous are in authority, the number of the righteous amongſt the people will then encreaſe: ſee the Notes chap. 11.10. & 28.12, & 28. But where the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn; that is, though it may be they dare not openly complain, yet at leaſt they ſecretly ſigh and mourn; to wit, not only becauſe ſuch rulers are uſually great oppreſſours, but alſo becauſe the people for want of good order are then fearleſly injurious one to another, & running into all kind of wickedneſſe do caſt themſelves headlong into the pit of deſtruction, and becauſe the Lord alſo doth uſually then plague ſuch a people with manifold judgements.
Verſ. 3. Whoſo loveth wiſdome, rejoyceth his father, &c.] See the Notes chap. 10.1. & 15.20. The love of wiſdome is here oppoſed to the love of harlots, as appears by the following clauſe, but he that keepth company with harlots, ſpendeth his ſubſtance. See the Note chap. 5.9.
Verſ. 4. The king by judgement ſtablisheth the land, &c.] That is, by adminiſtring juſtice equally to all, he ſettleth both his kingdome and people in a ſafe and flouriſhing condition: but he that receiveth gifts; that is, the king that taketh bribes, whether it be for the putting of men into places of magiſtracy, or for the perverting of juſtice, by acquitting the guilty or condemning the innocent: overthroweth it; to wit, 1. becauſe by ſuch hope of impunity men will be encouraged in their injurious dealings, and in all kind of wickedneſſe, which often proves the ruine of kingdomes; 2. becauſe the people do hereupon become mutinous; and 3. becauſe ſuch injuſtice will however provoke God to deſtroy a people. That which is tranſlated, he that receiveth gifts, is in the Original, a man of oblations: and accordingly ſome underſtand this of ſacrilegious Princes, that ſeize upon thoſe things which have been given to God. And ſome Expoſitours conceive alſo, that becauſe Solomon ſaith not, a king that receiveth gifts, but he that receiveth gifts, this is to imply, either that ſuch an one deſerveth not the name of a king; or, that bribe-taking overthroweth kingdomes, whether it be done by the king himſelf, or by his ſubordinate officers.
Verſ. 5. A man that flattereth his neighbour ſpreadeth a net for his feet.] The meaning is, either 1. that flatterers are ſo far from being friends, that they are no better then deadly enemies, in that they doe that to thoſe they flatter, which is all one in effect as if they lay in wait to take away their lives, to wit, becauſe by flattering them in their vices, for which they ſhould reprove them, they encourage them to run on in thoſe waies of perdition, & by extolling them above meaſure, they puff them up with damnable pride & ſelf-conceit; or 2. that what-ever flatterers may pretend, their aime is always thereby to beguile & deceive thoſe they flatter, & ſo to enſnare them, & bring them into ſome danger, or to get them into their power, & to make a prey of them, according to that of the prophet, Mic. 7.2. they all lye in wait for bloud; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
Verſ. 6. In the tranſgreſsion of an evil man there is a ſnare, &c.] That is, though he may promiſe himſelf ſafety and content in his wicked way, yet it will bring judgements & terrours of conſcience upon him; ſee the Notes Deut. 7.16. & Prov. 5.22. & 11.5, 6. & 12.13. & Job 18.7, 8, 9. & ſo he ſhall mourn & howle: which is implyed by the following oppoſite clauſe, but the righteous doth ſing & rejoyce ▪ to wit, becauſe he is at peace with God, & is free both from ſuch ſnares & from the fear of them, & knoweth he hath juſt cauſe to rejoyce even in his afflictions. But ſome do otherwiſe underſtand this Proverb, as thus: In the tranſgreſsion of an evil man there is a ſnare; that is, he is inſnared by the evil he intendeth or doeth to the righteous: but the righteous doth ſing & rejoyce; to wit, both for his own deliverance, & Gods juſt judgement upon the wicked; ſee the Notes chap. 11.10. & Pſal. 58.10. Or thus: In the tranſgreſsion of an evil man there is a ſnare; becauſe he labours to draw others to partake with him in his wickedneſſe: but the righteous is delivered from this ſnare, and ſo rejoyceth.
Verſ. 7. The righteous conſidereth the cauſe of the poor, &c.] That is, If a man be righteous, whether judge or private perſon, though he will not reſpect the perſons of the poor, yet he will carefully ſearch into the juſtice of their cauſe, & will accordingly help & relieve them; ſee the Notes Job 29.16. & Pſal. 41.1: but the wicked regardeth not to know it; to wit, that he may the more freely ſlight and oppreſſe them.
Verſ. 8. Scornfull men, &c.] See the Notes chap. 1.22. and 8.8. and Pſal. 1.1: bring a city into a ſnare; that is, into deſperate dangers, to wit, by ſtirring up the wrath of God or the magiſtrate againſt the city, with their obſtinate and incorrigible wickedneſſe and rebellion; or by provoking with ſcornfull and opprobrious words or uſage, (as Hanun dealt with Davids embaſſadours, 2 Sam. 10.3, 4.) any that may be ſtirred up thereby to come in a hoſtile manner againſt them to ruine the city. But this may be read alſo, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, Scornfull men ſet a city on fire; to wit, by kindling diſſentions, or raiſing tumults therein; or by drawing down judgements from God by their wickedneſſe upon the inhabitants. But wiſe men turn away wrath; to wit, the wrath of God, or the ſupreme magiſtrate, or any other incenſed againſt the city; as namely by appeaſing mutinies, by their wiſe counſell, by their prayers and righteous converſation, and oppoſing the wickedneſſe of others; & ſo they deliver the city from danger.
Verſ. 9. If a wiſe man contended with a foolish man, &c.] To wit, as ſeeking thereby to pacify him, or to reclaim him from any evil way, or to convince him of any point of truth or right: whether he rage or laugh; that is, whether he doe it in a ſevere manner, with much vehemency of ſpirit, & with diſcovering himſelf to be highly offended at the fools preſumption & obſtinacy, or whether he doe it with all mildneſſe, in a ſmiling & jeſting way, as pitying & laughing at his impertinencies & folly: there is no reſt; that is, he ſhall never be able to quiet or content or ſatisfy the fool; or, he himſelf ſhall never be quiet, nor ſhall be ever able to free himſelf from him. But yet becauſe the expreſſions here uſed of raging & laughing do better fit the fooliſh then the wiſe man, I ſhould rather underſtand that clauſe of him; to wit, that when a wiſe man contendeth with a fool, whether the fool do rage againſt the wiſe man, or whether he laugh & ſcoff at him, there is no reſt, that is, there is no quieting of him; or he is as inſufferable to the wiſe man, when he laughs & is in ſport, as when he is furious and rageth.
Verſ. 10. The bloud-thirſty hate the upright, &c.] That is, even the upright man that is moſt harmleſſe & innocent in his life; or, they ſo hate him, that they will not ſpare his life: & that becauſe his upright life doth condemn their wickedneſſe; & becauſe upright men are wont to oppoſe ſuch bloudy men, and to endeavour to have them puniſhed: yea this may imply alſo, that even in hating him, they are no better then murderers in Gods ſight. But the juſt ſeek his ſoul, that is, they love the upright, & ſo ſeek to ſave his life, & ſo reſcue him from the malice of the bloud-thirſty; or, they will require his life of the bloud-thirſty that have ſlain him, by bringing them to ſuffer for it: yea & ſome underſtand it thus, that whereas the bloud-thirſty hate & ſlay the upright, the juſt and upright, on the other ſide, will ſeek to preſerve the life of the bloud-thirſty man.
Verſ. 11. A fool uttereth all his mind, &c.] See the Notes chap. 10.14. & 12.16, 23. & 14.33. & 15.28. & 17.27.
Verſ. 12. If a ruler hearken to lies, all his ſervants are wicked.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, he thinks them all ſuch, becauſe by thoſe liars, to whom he hearkens, they are reported to be ſuch; or rather, they are uſually wicked, to wit, flatterers & ſlanderers, & ſuch as will tell him all manner of lies, as hoping thereby to pleaſe him & get his favour: And then beſides 1. Servants are uſually ſuch as are their rulers; 2. ſuch rulers will, if it may be, have no other ſervants; & 3. God doth often in his wrath fit them with ſervants ſutable to their temper. Some conceive alſo, that it is not ſaid, all his ſervants are liars, but more generally, all his ſervants are wicked, becauſe lying is uſually a covert for all kind of wickedneſſe.
Verſ. 13. The poor and the deceitfull man (or, the uſurer,) meet together, &c.] That is, the poor and the rich, for he mentioned the uſurer, or the deceitfull man, only, becauſe rich men do uſually get their great eſtates by uſury and deceit: the Lord lighteneth both their eyes; that is, they both live by him, ſee the Note Pſal. 13.2. and he cauſeth his ſunne to ſhine upon them both; or, he ſheweth mercy and giveth the graces of his ſpirit equally to both, without any reſpect of perſons. But ſee the Note chap. 22.2.
Verſ. 15. The rod and reproof, &c.] That is, either of them ſeverally; or, the rod, when it is accompanied with reproof: give wiſdome; (ſo far is it from making children fools, as fond parents are wont to ſay it will do) & therefore ſuch a child will be an honour to his parents, which is implyed from the following words, but a child left to himſelf bringeth his mother to shame; to wit, through his folly and wickedneſſe: ſee the Note, chap. 10.1.
Verſ. 16. When the wicked are multiplied, tranſgreſsion encreaſeth, &c.] To wit, not only becauſe there are then the more to tranſgreſſe Gods laws, but alſo becauſe wicked men are wont to ſollicit others to ſin, to encourage & help one another in their wickedneſſe, yea their very example is infectious; & eſpecially becauſe the very multitude of the wicked is in it ſelf a ground of making them bold in all kind of wickedneſſe, in regard that they are prone to juſtify themſelves in that they doe, by the example of a multitude; at leaſt they become hereby fearleſſe of being hindered in the evil they would doe, or of being puniſhed for it when it is done, & may rather hope thereupon to be countenanced & favoured by many. And hence it is that the preſumption of the wicked Iſraelites is ſet forth by this, Hoſ. 4.7. As they were encreaſed, ſo they ſinned againſt me. As for the following clauſe, but the righteous shall ſee their fall, ſee the Note Pſal. 91.8. It is doubtleſs here added, either to ſecure the righteous from being drawn away by the throng of the wicked, to the encreaſe of their tranſgreſſions; or to comfort them both againſt their fear of being in danger in ſuch times, & againſt their ſorrow for ſuch abounding wickedneſſe, & ſo likewiſe to beat off wicked men from hoping to eſcape puniſhments becauſe of their multitudes, by giving them to underſtand, that the more their tranſgreſſions are encreaſed, the more the meaſure of their ſin is filled up, & ſo the nearer they are to deſtruction.
Verſ. 17. Correct thy ſon, and he shall give thee reſt, &c.] That is, though it may be irkſome and grievous to thee to doe it, yet afterwards it will free thee from all thoſe vexations which his former miſcarriages had brought upon thee; yea it will free thee from the fear of future trouble, becauſe coming to more years, he will be the more eaſily governed, ſo that thou maieſt ſleep quietly, and when thy time comes thou maieſt die the more peaceably. Beſides it may be meant of the reſt which ſuch a father may take in his old age, becauſe his ſon ſo made good by correction will ſo manage all his buſineſſe for him, that he may then ſit ſtill, & never trouble himſelf; or of the peace of conſcience which he may inwardly enjoy, however it fares with his child, becauſe he hath uſed the means that God hath appointed. As for the following clauſe, yea, he shall give delight unto his ſoul, ſee the Note chap. 10.1.
Verſ. 18. Where there is no viſion, &c.] That is, no prophecy & publick preaching: & that, either becauſe thoſe whoſe office it is to teach, do wholly neglect their duty; or becauſe the people will not endure teaching, at leaſt when it is faithfully diſcharged; or becauſe God, for the former wickedneſſe of a people, doth remove their teachers, (which muſt needs be a ſign of imminent deſtruction:) the people perish; to wit, becauſe for want of inſtruction they run into all kind of wickedneſſe, and ſo bring utter deſtruction upon themſelves; or, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, the people made naked, for which ſee the Note Ex. 32.25. As for the following clauſe, but he that keepeth the law, happy is be, that is added to imply, either 1. that though a people that enjoy not the publick miniſtry, are for the generality in great danger of periſhing thereby; yet it followeth not but that thoſe amongſt them that do conſcionably practiſe what they have formerly learned, may be truly happy: or 2. that though the want of a teaching miniſtry be enough to deſtroy a people; yet the enjoying of ſuch a miniſtry is not enough to make men happy, unleſſe they practiſe what is thereby taught them.
Verſ. 19. A ſervant will not be corrected by words, &c.] This may be meant either of one that is indeed a ſervant, or of one that is of a ſervile and ſtubborn diſpoſition: for though he underſtand, he will not anſwer; that is, he will not doe what he is injoyned; or, out of ſtoutneſſe and ſullenneſſe, he will not ſo much as give an anſwer when he is ſpoken to, he will not ſo much as ſay that he will doe what he is commanded, and ſo he carrieth himſelf as if he underſtood not what was ſaid to him, that he may have that for an excuſe for his not obeying. The meaning is, that ſuch an one doth not forbear to anſwer or to doe what was enjoyned him, becauſe he did not underſtand what was ſaid to him; but wilfully, out of ſtubbornneſſe or lazineſſe, and therefore he ought to be forced by ſtripes to doe his duty.
Ver. 20. Seest thou a man that is haſty in his words? &c.] To wit, as never conſidering before-hand of what he ſaith, & forward to anſwer men before he well underſtandeth what they ſay; or, ſeeſt thou a man that is haſty in his matters? for which ſee the Notes ch. 19.2. & 21.5: there is more hope of a fool then of him; ſee the Note ch. 26.12.
Verſ. 21. He that delicately bringeth up his ſervant from a child, &c.] That is, from a youth, a boy: (or, it may be meant of a bond-ſlave born in a mans houſe,) shall have him become his ſon at the length; that is, he will at laſt carry himſelf more like a ſon then a ſervant; he will no longer doe the work of a ſervant, he will carry himſelf inſolently & arrogantly towards the reſt of the ſervants, as if he were their equall. Yea ſome adde, that ſuch an one will not ſtick at laſt to make away the children, and to ſeize upon their inheritance.
Verſ. 22. An angry man ſtirreth up ſtrife, &c.] See the Notes ch. 15.18. & 26.21: and a furious man; that is, as it were mad with rage: aboundeth with tranſgreſsions; ſuch an one will curſe, ſwear, revile, ſlander, ſhed the bloud of others, and will not ſtick at any wickedneſſe whatſoever.
Verſ. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low, but honour shall uphold the humble in ſpirit.] That is, it ſhall raiſe him up, & keep him up; ſee the Notes ch. 11.2. & 15.33.
Verſ. 24. Whoſo is partner with a thief, &c.] To wit, by counſell, conſent, or any other way: hateth his own ſoul; ſee the Note ch. 6.32: he heareth curſing, & bewrayeth it not; that is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, he heareth the thief belch out curſes againſt God or man, (as indeed ſuch profane varlets thieves uſually are) and never maketh it known. But by the relation which the ſecond clauſe hath to the firſt, it ſeems clear to me, that thoſe words, & bewrayeth it not, muſt be underſtood of the thieves theft, thus: he heareth curſing, and bewrayeth it not; that is, he heareth the thief adjure him by a curſe not to reveal his theft, & thereupon accordingly he doth conceal it; or rather thus, he heareth thoſe that have loſt their goods curſing the thief, & thoſe that conceal his theft, it may be himſelf particularly, upon ſuſpicion; or, he heareth the judge adjuring him under a curſe, or ſome other in his preſence, to diſcover what he knoweth therein, & yet he concealeth it; for which ſee alſo the Note Lev. 5.1.
Verſ. 25. The fear of man bringeth a ſnare, &c.] By the fear of man may be meant any immoderate & inordinate fear in man; as when men lye under ſuch deſperate apprehenſions of Gods wrath, that thereupon they caſt away all hope of mercy, & all endeavour of doing any thing that God will be pleaſed, with; or when men lye under ſlaviſh fears of any evill or miſchief whatſoever. But becauſe in this Proverb there ſeems to be an oppoſition betwixt fearing of man & truſting in God, The fear of man bringeth a ſnare, but whoſo putteth his truſt in the Lord shall be ſafe, I rather think that by the fear of man here is meant mens being afraid of man, & of any evil that man can do them. However, of either of theſe fears it may be ſaid, that it bringeth a ſnare: either 1. becauſe ſuch men are uſually ſo continually perplexed & troubled, that they can ſeldome or never enjoy any peace or tranquillity of mind; 2. becauſe it makes others the readier to injure & hurt them; 3. becauſe it conſumes mens bodies, & diſables men ſeverall waies from doing any thing for their preſervation; & 4. eſpecially, becauſe it makes men neglect their duty, and puts them oftentimes upon many raſh & wicked & ruining reſolutions, and ſo involveth them in many miſchiefs both to ſoul & body, ſometimes thoſe very miſchiefs which by pleaſing men they ſought to eſcape. But whoſo putteth his truſt in the Lord, & ſo feareth not man, shall be ſafe, or, as it is in the Originall, shall be ſet on high; to wit, in that ſafety that men are on ſome high rock, where the waters cannot drown them, or in ſome inacceſſible high fortreſſe above the reach of danger.
Verſ. 26. Many ſeek the rulers favour, &c.] To wit, in any cauſe which they have to be decided by law: but every mans judgement cometh from the Lord; who orders the hearts & tongues of judges to give ſentence as he pleaſeth. Yet this may be underſtood more generally, of mens ſeeking the favour of great men in any reſpect whatſoever (It is in the Originall, the face of the ruler; becauſe the favour of men is uſually ſeen in the chearfulneſſe of their countenance.) And then the meaning of the following clauſe, but every mans judgement cometh from the Lord, muſt be, either that great perſons can doe nothing to thoſe that ſeek their favour, whether good or evill, but as God by his Providence is pleaſed to order it: or elſe, that God is the great judge, that ſhall at the laſt day paſſe ſentence of eternall ſalvation or damnation upon men, & that in regard thereof his favour was rather to be ſought then the favour of all the great men that are in the world.