Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
Verſ. 1. BE not thou envious againſt evil men, &c.] See the Note Pſal. 3.7: neither deſire to be with them; to wit, as thinking to joyn with them in their wickedneſſe, that thou maieſt ſhare with them in their proſperitie.
Verſ. 2. For their heart ſtudieth deſtruction, and their lips talk of miſchief.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, By this means they become great, and thus they make uſe of their greatneſſe; & therefore who would ſhare with them in it? But now ſome of our beſt Expoſitours underſtand the words thus, that in all the miſchief which wicked men deviſe and ſpeak againſt others, they do indeed ſtudy & talk how to deſtroy themſelves; which is not improbable. But however obſervable it is, that he ſaith their heart, thereby implying that the wicked are uſually of one heart and of one mind for the working of miſchief.
Verſ. 3. Through wiſdome iS an houſe builded, &c.] As if he had ſaid, with reference to what went before verſ. 1, 2. This therefore is a better way that we may thrive and proſper in the world, then to joyn with the wicked in their curſed ways, But ſee the Note chap. 14.1.
Verſ. 5. A wiſe man is ſtrong, &c.] To wit, not only for acts of ſpirituall fortitude, ſee the Note chap. 16.32; but alſo for the accompliſhing of thoſe externall enterpriſes, which are uſually effected by diligence and ſtrength of body: ſee the Note chap. 21.22.
Verſ. 6. For by wiſe counſell thou shalt make thy war; and in multitude of counſellors there is ſafety.] See the Notes chap. 15.22. and 20.18.
Verſ. 7. Wiſdome is too high for a fool, &c.] That is, he apprehendeth it to be above his reach, and ſo will take no pains to get it; or, being wholly intent upon earthly things, wiſdome is above his ſight, that he cannot diſcern the preciouſneſſe of it, yea it is above the reach of his naturall capacity, 1 Cor. 2.14. the naturall man receiveth not the things of the ſpirit of God; for they are foolishneſſe unto him: neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. So it follows, he openeth not his mouth in the gate; that is, he ſhall not be able to ſpeak a word in his own defence, when he ſhall be queſtioned before the magiſtrate; as on the contrary it is ſaid of others, Pſal. 127.5. they shall not be ashamed, but they shall ſpeak with the enemies in the gate: or rather, ſuch an one ſhall never be called to any place of magiſtracy, which is a place for wiſe men; or if he be, he will not dare to offer to ſpeak, or, he will not be able to ſpeak, or at leaſt, not to ſpeak any thing to the purpoſe.
Verſ. 10. If thou faint in the day of adverſity, thy ſtrength is ſmall.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, it will fail more & more, and will become very ſmall; if thou doſt not hearten & encourage thy ſelf, but ſuffereſt thy heart to faint within thee, thy ſtrength will grow leſſe & leſſe: or rather thus, Though thou ſeemeſt never ſo couragious in a proſperous eſtate, yet if thou faint when adverſity comes, as apprehending that thou ſhalt never be able to endure it, or that there is no hope of eſcape, this is a clear ſign that thy ſtrength is ſmall; ſince it is not ſo much the quality or the greatneſſe of the affliction, that maketh a man faint, as the cowardlineſſe or weakneſſe of his own ſpirit.
Verſ. 11. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, &c.] To wit, by unjuſt violence; if thou doeſt not what might be lawfully done towards their deliverance: and thoſe that are ready to be ſlain; that is, thoſe that are in ſome danger of death, by reaſon of ſome plot that is in hand againſt them, or rather, that are in preſent danger of death, juſt ready to be ſlain.
Verſ. 12. If thou ſayeſt, Behold, we knew it not, &c.] To wit, neither did I know it, nor thoſe that were about me, who otherwiſe would certainly have informed me. And the meaning may be, either that they knew not how to deliver them; or rather, that they knew not the danger he was in, or that he was unjuſtly in danger. Doth not he that pondereth the heart conſider it? that is, doth not he exactly know, whether it be ſo or no? and he that keepeth thy ſoul, doth not he know it? where Gods keeping and preſerving mans ſoul is mentioned, to imply, either 1. that he that keepeth the ſoul muſt needs know the thoughts of the ſoul; or 2. that Gods preſerving the life of a man might well be an engagement to make him the more carefull to preſerve the lives of others when they were in danger, eſpecially conſidering that it might be that for that very end God had preſerved him; or 3. that God having every mans life at his command, every man had cauſe to be very carefull, that they did not by ſlighting others in their dangers provoke him to diſpleaſure; or 4. that God was able to preſerve any man, if he ſhould be brought into any danger, by appearing for thoſe that were unjuſtly oppreſſed: and shall not be render to every man according to his works? and therefore will he not reward thee, if thou ſheweſt mercy to the oppreſſed, or on the other ſide puniſh thee, if thou diſſembleſt, and neglecteſt to aid thoſe that are in danger, cauſing others likewiſe to be as pitileſſe towards thee?
Verſ. 13. My ſon, eat thou honey, becauſe it is good, &c.] That is, both wholeſome and ſweet: and the honey-comb, which is ſweet to thy taſt; ſee the Note Pſal. 19.10. It is as if he had ſaid, As men naturally love honey for its ſweetneſſe, ſo ſhould they love wiſdome, as is expreſſed in the next verſe.
Verſ. 14. So shall the knowledge of wiſdome be unto thy ſoul, &c.] To wit, ſo profitable and pleaſing: when thou haſt found it; to wit, when with much labour thou haſt at laſt truly attained it, and durſt not flatter thy ſelf with a vain imagination that thou haſt it, when indeed there is no ſuch thing: then there shall be a reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut off; and ſo though at firſt thou doſt not find the benefit of it, yet at laſt thou ſhalt. But ſee the Note chap. 23.18.
Verſ. 15. Lay not wait (O wicked man) againſt the dwelling of the righteous, &c.] Some would have the meaning hereof to be this; Watch not ſecretly to diſcover any wickedneſs in the righteous man, that thou mayſt ſome way to his hurt charge it upon him. But the following clauſe, ſpoil not his reſting-place, maketh it methinks very clear, that the full ſcope of theſe words is to charge men, that they ſhould not ſeek to bring any hurt or diſquiet upon the righteous man, his family, or any thing that belongs to him, either by ſecret fraud, or open violence.
Verſ. 16. For a juſt man falleth ſeven times, and riſeth up again, &c.] This alſo ſome would have to be meant of the juſt mans falling often into ſin, & riſing again by repentance. But by the foregoing verſe it is clear that the meaning of this is, either 1. that though the righteous ſeem often to be much caſt down & overwhelmed with their afflictions, yet they do as often rouſe up & encourage themſelves again; or elſe that though they are often afflicted, yet they are alwaies again delivered: for which ſee the Note Pſal. 37.24. But the wicked shall fall into miſchief; to wit, irrecoverably, never riſing again.
Verſ. 17. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth, &c.] See the Notes Job 31.29. and Pſal. 58.10.
Verſ. 18. Leſt the Lord ſee it, & it diſpleaſe him, & he turn away his wrath from him.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, Leſt God remove his judgements from him, & ſo thine enemy become again able to doe thee a miſchief, and thy triumphing over him be turned into confuſion, grief & ſhame; or rather, Leſt God turn away his wrath from him, to wit, upon thee▪ & ſo then he ſhall inſult over thee, as thou didſt before over him. However, doubtleſſe Solomon doth not by this expreſſion intend, that men ſhould be unwilling that their enemies ſhould be freed from any judgements that God had brought upon them, (for this all men ought rather to deſire) but only that men ſhould take heed that by their rejoycing at their enemies miſeries, they did not bring their miſeries upon themſelves.
Verſ. 19. Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evil men, &c.] See the Notes chap. 24.1. and Pſal. 37.1, 3.
Verſ. 20. For there shall be no reward to the evil man, &c.] That is, no good reward: though he may flouriſh for a time, yet it ſhall be ſeen at laſt, that the good things he enjoyed here were not given him in way of a reward, as if God had approved of his waies, becauſe at laſt God ſhall cut him off, & his plagues and miſeries ſhall be perpetuall; though he may flatter himſelf with hope, that even after this life he ſhall fare as well as others, yet it ſhall not be ſo: when the righteous after all their miſery ſhall receive the reward of their piety, there ſhall be no happineſs nor ſalvation for him: the candle of the wicked shall be put out; ſee the Notes chap. 13.9. and 20.20. Job 18.5, 6. and 21.17.
Verſ. 21. My ſon, fear thou the Lord & the king, &c.] God is firſt mentioned, both becauſe in all things our fear of him muſt have the preeminence, and we muſt no farther obey earthly magiſtrates then may ſtand with our obedience to God; & alſo becauſe we muſt fear princes for conſcience ſake, out of the reverence we bear to God, & as looking upon them as Gods vice-gerents: & meddle not with them that are given to change; that is, to change & break the laws of God & the king; or, to revolt from their obedience to God or the king. I conceive it is chiefly meant of ſeditious perſons, that are given to make changes and alterations in kingdomes and commonwealths, as by ſubverting their fundamentall laws and cuſtomes, by treaſonable practices againſt their princes, &c.
Verſ. 22. For their calamity shall riſe ſuddenly, &c.] That is, it ſhall come upon them ere they are aware, when perhaps they think they have carried their deſigns ſo ſecretly that they cannot be diſcovered, yea that all things are ſo ordered that they ſhall ſurely prevail. And indeed Princes are wont to make quick diſpatch of ſeditious perſons & traitors for fear of danger. And who knoweth the ruine of them both? that is, ſay many Expoſitours, who can foreſee it? It comes upon them uſually more ſwiftly & unexpectedly then is conceived. And thus if we underſtand the ſecond clauſe, it is the ſame in effect with the firſt. But doubtleſſe this expreſſion implyeth alſo, that their ruine, the puniſhments & torments which they ſhall undergoe, will be more horrible and inſufferable then is uſually imagined. And indeed if hell torments, which are frequently the juſt reward of ſuch perſons, be alſo included, we may well ſay that no man can conceive what they will be. As for the word both, I conceive thus of it: that no man can well conceive the ruine and deſtruction either 1. which both God and the king ſhall bring upon ſuch men; or 2. which will come upon both thoſe that are ſeditious & given to change, and thoſe alſo that meddle with them; or 3. both thoſe that fear not God, and thoſe likewiſe that fear not the king. But yet ſome extend the word farther, and ſay it is meant of the wicked mentioned verſ. 19, 20. and of thoſe ſeditious perſons mentioned verſ. 21.
Verſ. 23. Theſe things alſo belong to the wiſe, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, to Judges and Magiſtrates; and they underſtand it of thoſe ſentences which follow in this & the next three verſes, & that becauſe they concern matters of judgement: or rather, Theſe following Proverbs are fit to be minded & obſerved by thoſe that will carry themſelves as becomes wiſe men. But becauſe I ſee no probable reaſon, why upon any ſuch grounds this preface ſhould be here prefixed; I rather conceive that this is prefixed, to ſhew that though the Proverbs and ſentences that follow from hence to the end of the chapter were not Solomons, yet they were the ſayings of other famous wiſe men, and therefore inſerted in this place with the Proverbs of Solomon.
Verſ. 24. He that ſaith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, &c.] That is, that in a way of flattery applaudeth the perſon of a wicked man, or any of his wicked waies, eſpecially if it be a wicked prince or magiſtrate (as indeed of ſuch the Proverbs here joyned together ſeem to ſpeak;) or rather, He that from the ſeat of juſtice ſhall acquit & juſtify any guilty party: him shall the people curſe; to wit, ſome by praying to God to puniſh him, others by hard cenſures, revilings & imprecations, which though they may not be lawfull, yet they are a puniſhment to them that undergoe them; ſee alſo the Note chap. 11.26. However the meaning is, that not God only, but all men generally muſt needs condemn and abhor ſuch men: (as indeed thoſe that ſeem to favour them moſt do uſually deteſt them in their hearts) and that both becauſe nothing can be by the very light of nature more odious, then that thoſe, whoſe place & buſineſs it is to maintain juſtice, ſhould themſelves pervert it; and likewiſe becauſe this muſt needs encourage and harden men in their ſins, & doth indeed directly tend to the utter ruine of kingdomes and commonwealths.
Verſ. 25. But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, God & man ſhall delight in ſuch men. But the meaning rather is, either that thoſe that ſhall faithfully reprove the wicked, (whether princes or others) or that being judges ſhall cenſure & puniſh them, ſhall enjoy the delight of a good conſcience, & of the comfort of knowing that both God and men do favour them, (as indeed the wicked themſelves, if ever they truly repent of their wickedneſſe, will commend them and pray for them;) or, that God ſhall beſtow many bleſſings upon them, which ſhall yield them much delight. And then it is the ſame in effect with the following clauſe, and a good bleſsing shall come upon them; for which ſee the Notes Job 29.11, 12. Though faithfull reproofs may be better to the wicked, and provoke them to much anger and rage, yet to them that therein diſcharge a good conſcience they ſhall yield much ſweet refreſhing.
Ver. 26. Every man shall kiſſe his lips that giveth a right anſwer.] That is, that from the judgement-ſeat pronounceth a juſt ſentence; or more generally, that in be… ring witneſſe, or in giving advice and counſell, or in any other way, doth alwaies ſpeak that which is true, juſt and equall, without all flattery or diſſimulation; or, that ſpeaketh fitly & to the purpoſe in any cauſe or matter propounded to him. And by every mans kiſſing ſuch a mans lips is meant, that every one will dearly love and highly honour him, and will be ready to doe him any ſervice he is able, and that becauſe of the great good which ſuch a man doeth by his ſpeaking, and becauſe ſuch faithfull lips are ſo rarely found; for of theſe things kiſſing was a token and pledge: ſee the Note 1 Sam. 10.1.
Verſ. 27. Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thy ſelf in the field, and afterwards build thine houſe.] The drift of this Proverb is, to teach us, that we muſt never undertake any enterpriſe, till we are ſure of the means whereby to effect it. But indeed the generality of Expoſitours underſtand the words otherwiſe: Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thy ſelf in the field; that is, firſt get grounds, and ſtore them with cattel, & ſow and plant them, & every way husband them ſo, that they may yield thee much fruit, and that the fruit thereof may be carefully gathered and inned; and when by this means (or, which is proportionably the ſame, when by learning ſome trade or calling, and following it diligently) thou haſt gotten ſomewhat whereon to live comfortably, and well to maintain thy ſelf & family, then trim and enlarge & furniſh thy houſe according to thy eſtate, or build thee a new houſe, fairer then that which thou hadſt before; or, then get thee a wife, & provide for poſterity. And ſome alſo conceive Solomons intent to be, that theſe works of husbandry muſt firſt be done in their ſeaſon, becauſe the ſeaſon being paſſed, they cannot be done at any time. But however both the one & the other conceive the drift of the Proverb to be this, that men muſt firſt provide for things neceſſary and of greateſt importance, and then afterwards for thoſe things that are of leſſe moment.
Verſ. 28. Be not a witneſſe againſt thy neighbour without cauſe, &c.] That is, without juſt ground, as by accuſing him of that as a fault which is not a fault, or by teſtifying that againſt him whereof he is guiltleſſe, which thou doeſt upon mere uncertainties, or againſt thine own conſcience, when he hath given thee no cauſe ſo to wrong him, or to raiſe ſuch a report of him. And if we thus underſtand the firſt clauſe, the ſecond may be to the ſame effect, and deceive not with thy lips; to wit, by miſinforming men, and making them believe that to be truth which is not, or, making ſhew hereby that thou art a faithfull honeſt man, when indeed it is not ſo, or, by colouring over a bad cauſe with a varniſh of fair words, thereby to deceive thoſe that hear thee, and not ſpeaking the truth ſimply & plainly. Or elſe we may underſtand the firſt clauſe thus, Be not a witneſſe againſt thy neighbour without cauſe; to wit, not being legally cited and called thereunto; offer not thy ſelf herein of thine own accord, which will imply that thou doeſt it raſhly, out of ill will or envy, or in a way of revenge: and deceive not with thy lips; to wit, by flattering men, or by deceitfull promiſes and pretences of love. So the firſt clauſe may forbid deceiving men by falſe witneſſe, and the ſecond deceiving them by flatteries. Or if we underſtand the firſt clauſe, as moſt do, of backbiters, the meaning of the whole ſentence may be briefly this; Do not ſlander him ſecretly, and in the mean ſeaſon flatter him to his face.
Verſ. 29. Say not, I will doe ſo to him as he hath done to me, &c.] See the Note chap. 20.22: I will render to the man according to his works; as if he had ſaid, thereby proudly ſpeaking of thy ſelf in the very language of God. But now ſome underſtand this particularly, with reference to the foregoing verſe, of a mans reſolving to deceive or bear falſe witneſſe againſt his neighbour in a way of revenge, becauſe he had formerly done ſo to him.
Verſ. 34. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, &c.] See the Note chap. 6.11.