Bibelkommentare

XXV.

7.THE THIRD GREAT DIVISION OF THE BOOK; ANOTHER COLLECTION OF SOLOMONIC PROVERBS, CHIEFLY PARABOLIC IN CHARACTER (Proverbs 25-29).

(1) These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah copied out.—To this time they had existed, it may be, partly by oral tradition, partly in writing, but now Hezekiah, in his anxiety to preserve these sacred memorials of the past, had them copied out and formed into one collection. To his care we probably also owe the compilation of Books II. (Psalms 42-72) and III. (73-89) of the Psalter, in the former of which are included several psalms of David’s which had not found a place in Book I., though this last-named book consists almost, if not entirely, of psalms ascribed to him. In the same manner the present book (Proverbs 25-29) contains proverbs of Solomon which apparently were not known to the compiler of the previous collection.

(2) It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.—For the more we search into the mysteries of nature or revelation, the more do we discover depths of which we had no idea before. God has so ordered things that man may not presume to measure himself with his Maker, but may recognise his own insignificance. (Comp. Romans 11:33, ff.)

But the honour of kings is to search out a matter.—To see their way through political difficulties, and to unmask crime and fraud.

(3) The heart of kings is unsearchable.—A warning, it may be, against presuming upon the favour of a king from thinking that one knows all that is in his mind. (Comp. Proverbs 23:1-2.)

(4) And there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.—Or, So there results a vessel to the refiner, or silversmith. He is able to make one.

(5) His throne shall be established in righteousness—whereas violence and wrong pull it down. (Jeremiah 21:12; Jeremiah 22:3, sqq.; Zechariah 7:9, sqq.)

(7) In the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen, and whose place thou hast shamelessly taken. The same lesson was repeated by our Lord in Luke 14:10, sqq., and enforced on the ground of His own example. (Matthew 20:25, sqq.)

(8) When thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.—Proved thee to be in the wrong, and won his cause against thee.

(9) Debate thy cause with thy neighbour.—As our Lord says, “If thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone” (Matthew 18:15). Or it may mean, “If you must go to law with another, do not drag others into the matter by disclosing their secrets in order to help your cause.