Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible · Proverbs 第24章

Proverbs 24:5. A wise man is strong— The LXX read, A wise man is better than a strong one, and a man of understanding than a strong labourer. This reading seems preferable to ours; which, however, may imply according to the original, A wise man is better than a strong one, and a man of knowledge than he who is mighty in strength. The following verse is connected with this, as a proof how much wisdom is preferable to strength. For by wise counsel, &c. i.e. "This is plainly seen in war itself, wherein success is often owing more to conduct than force." The LXX support this meaning.

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Proverbs 24:10. If thou faint, &c.— The plain meaning is, "Thou art not a man of courage, if thou canst not bear adversity with an equal mind." Some, however, paraphrase it, "If adversity deject thee, and break thy spirit, thou wilt be so much the more unable to get out of it."

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Proverbs 24:11. If thou forbear, &c.— Do not delay to deliver those who are led unto death, and who are now about to be slain. Houbigant. Or, Deliver them who are drawn unto death, and those who are ready to be slain, if thou canst prevent it. The wise man, in this and the following verse, inforces the necessity of giving our assistance towards the rescue of innocent persons when their lives are in danger, either by counselling them, or petitioning others in their behalf, or by doing any thing in our power for their deliverance. See Bishop Patrick.

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Proverbs 24:16. For a just man falleth seven times— i.e. Into trouble or affliction, not into wilful sin. The Hebrew word נפל napal, rendered falleth, is never applied to sin; but, when set in opposition to the word קום kum, riseth up, implies affliction or calamity; as in Micah 7:8. Amos 8:4. Jer 25:27 and Psalms 34:19-20. These words are commonly not only in sermons, but in books, applied to the falling into sin; and that men may the more securely indulge themselves in their sins, and yet think themselves good men, they have added something to them; for they are commonly, cited thus, A just man falleth seven times a day; which last words are not in any translation of the Bible, much less in the original; but only in some corrupt editions of the Vulgate. The plain meaning of the text is what we have given; and therefore we must take heed of reading the Holy Scriptures so carelessly, as to turn our medicine into poison; which is the fault of those, who, from such mistakes, give way to their evil affections, and let them carry them into sin.

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Proverbs 24:23. These things also belong to the wise— The meaning may be, that the following proverbs were selected from the books of the wise men who lived after Solomon, to the time of Hezekiah. The words at the head of this verse seem to be a new title to the proverbs which follow to chap. 25: Such is the opinion of Calmet, Grotius, Grey, &c. But may they not signify only and simply, "These things also which follow belong to the wise, holy, and virtuous conduct of life?"

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Proverbs 24:26. Every man shall kiss his lips, &c.— See Gen 41:40 in the margin of our bibles. The Egyptian translators of the LXX seem to have understood this verse in much the same sense as the passage referred to; Lips shall kiss those things which answer right words; "Shall kiss those writings by which a judge giveth just decisions." Solomon seems to be speaking of a dignified judge, as the preceding words lead us to suppose; for they express the effects which just or unjust judgments should have on the people: Proverbs 24:23. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment: Proverbs 24:24. He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, i.e. He who absolveth the guilty, him shall the people curse, &c. He that giveth a right answer then, in this verse, is apparently the description of a judge who pronounces right judgments on those causes which are brought before him to trial; and this kissing, agreeably to all that precedes, must refer to the people, the nation, not to the king for whom he judges. I do not, however, know whether a still more unexceptionable interpretation may not be proposed. The rescripts of authority were wont to be kissed, whether they were believed to be just or not, except in cases where persons assumed something of independence; nay, the letters of people of figure were treated after this manner by persons over whom they had no authority, and who knew not the contents of them, merely because they were letters of people of figure. It is possible, therefore, that these words may rather refer to another eastern custom which D'Arvieux gives an account of in his description of the Arabs of mount Carmel, who, when they present any petition to their Emir for a favour, offer their billets to him with their right hands, after having first kissed the papers. The Hebrew manner of expression is short, and proverbs have a peculiar shortness; Every lip shall kiss, one maketh to return a right answer; that is, "Every one "shall be ready to present the state of his case, kissing it as he delivers it, when there is a judge whose decisions are celebrated for their being equitable. So another of these apothegms of Solomon is delivered with something of the like turn of expression. A crown of glory the hoary head, in the way of righteousness it shall be found; that is, "The hoary head is a crown of glory, when it is found in the way of righteousness." See the Observations, p. 259.

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Proverbs 24:27. Prepare thy work without, &c.— He must begin to labour in his field, and perform the works without doors, before he builds his house: he must have wherewith to subsist, before he thinks of a commodious lodging: he must deliberate long, and reflect much, before he begins to build; but there must be no deliberation in point of sowing or tilling the ground: AEdificare diu cogitare oportet, (says Cato, de Re Rustic. cap. 3:) conferere cogitate non oportet, sed facere oportet. Our Saviour in the Gospel, Luk 14:28 requires him who thinks of building a tower to sit down first, and reckon with himself whether he has wherewith to go through with his undertaking, for fear of leaving his work imperfect, after having laid the foundations. In the moral sense, it is easy to make the application of this field, which must be cultivated before the building of a house, to the exercise of solid and interior graces and virtues, to a serious and profound study of the truths of religion, before the setting up to instruct or direct one's neighbour. A man must be a good labourer before he becomes an architect in the house of God. Some take the phrase to signify the engaging in marriage. "Begin with cultivating your lands, and you will be enabled to feed your family; and after this, if you will, you may think of marrying." See Calmet.

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