24 There are friends who may be a man's destruction, but there is a lover who keeps nearer than a brother.
A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.
Oil and perfume make glad the heart, and the wise suggestion of a friend is sweet to the soul.
All these men of war, expert in ordering the fight, came to Hebron with the full purpose of making David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were united in their desire to make David king. For three days they were there with David, feasting at his table, for their brothers had made ready food for them. And those who were near, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came with food on asses and camels and mules and oxen, with meal for food and cakes of figs and masses of grapes, and wine and oil and oxen and sheep in great numbers, for there was joy in Israel.
And straight away he came to Jesus and said, Master! and gave him a kiss. And Jesus said to him, Friend, do that for which you have come. Then they came and put hands on Jesus, and took him.
Greater love has no man than this, that a man gives up his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I give you orders to do. No longer do I give you the name of servants; because a servant is without knowledge of what his master is doing: I give you the name of friends, because I have given you knowledge of all the things which my Father has said to me.
And Jonathan gave his father Saul a good account of David, and said to him, Let not the king do wrong against his servant, against David; because he has done you no wrong, and all his acts have had a good outcome for you: For he put his life in danger and overcame the Philistine, and the Lord gave all Israel salvation: you saw it and were glad: why then are you sinning against him who has done no wrong, desiring the death of David without cause?
And when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the goods to the responsible men of Judah, and to his friends, saying, Here is an offering for you from the goods of those who were fighting against the Lord; He sent to those who were in Beth-el, and in Ramah of the South, and in Jattir; And to those in Arara and Eshtemoa and Carmel and in the towns of the Jerahmeelites, and in the towns of the Kenites; And to those who were in Hormah and in Bor-ashan and in Athach; And in Hebron, and to all the places where David and his men had been living.
I am full of grief for you, my brother Jonathan: very dear have you been to me: your love for me was a wonder, greater than the love of women.
And David said, Is there still anyone of Saul's family living, so that I may be a friend to him, because of Jonathan? Now there was of Saul's people a servant named Ziba, and they sent him to David; and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, I am. And the king said, Is there anyone of Saul's family still living, to whom I may be a friend in God's name? And Ziba said, There is a son of Jonathan, whose feet are damaged. And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, He is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar. Then King David sent, and had him taken from Lo-debar, from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel. And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, came to David, and falling down on his face, gave him honour. And David said, Mephibosheth. And answering he said, Your servant is here. And David said to him, Have no fear: for truly I will be good to you, because of your father Jonathan, and I will give back to you all the land which was Saul's; and you will have a place at my table at all times. And he went down on his face before the king, and said, What is your servant, for you to take note of a dead dog such as I am? Then the king sent for Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, All the property of Saul and of his family I have given to your master's son. And you and your sons and your servants are to take care of the land for him, and get in the fruit of it, so that your master's son may have food: but Mephibosheth, your master's son, will have a place at my table at all times. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, Every order which you have given to your servant will be done. As for Mephibosheth, he had a place at David's table, like one of the king's sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. And all the people living in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth went on living in Jerusalem; for he took all his meals at the king's table; and he had not the use of his feet.
And Absalom said, Is this your love for your friend? why did you not go with your friend?
Now when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi, the son of Nahash of Rabbah, the Ammonite, and Machir, the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, Came with beds and basins and pots, and grain and meal, and all sorts of dry foods, And honey and butter and sheep and milk-cheeses, for David and his people: for they said, This people is in the waste land, needing food and drink and rest.
And Mephibosheth said, Let him take it all, now that my lord the king has come back to his house in peace! And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went on as far as Jordan with the king to take him across Jordan. Now Barzillai was a very old man, as much as eighty years old: and he had given the king everything he had need of, while he was at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man. And the king said to Barzillai, Come over with me, and I will take care of you in Jerusalem. And Barzillai said to the king, How much of my life is still before me, for me to go up to Jerusalem with the king? I am now eighty years old: good and bad are the same to me; have meat and drink any taste for me now? am I able to take pleasure in the voices of men or women in song? why then am I to be a trouble to my lord the king? Your servant's desire was only to take the king over Jordan; why is the king to give me such a reward? Let your servant now go back again, so that when death comes to me, it may be in my town and by the resting-place of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham: let him go with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you. And the king said in answer, Let Chimham go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you: and whatever your desire is, I will do it for you. Then all the people went over Jordan, and the king went over: and the king gave Barzillai a kiss, with his blessing; and he went back to his place.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 18
Commentary on Proverbs 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Pr 18:1-24.
1. Through desire … seeketh—that is, seeks selfish gratification.
intermeddleth … wisdom—or, "rushes on" (Pr 17:14) against all wisdom, or what is valuable (Pr 2:7).
2. that his heart … itself—that is, takes pleasure in revealing his folly (Pr 12:23; 15:2).
3. So surely are sin and punishment connected (Pr 16:4).
wicked, for "wickedness," answers to
ignominy, or the state of such; and
contempt, the feeling of others to them; and to
reproach, a manifestation of contempt.
4. Wise speech is like an exhaustless stream of benefit.
5. accept the person—(Compare Ps 82:2). "It is not good" is to be supplied before "to overthrow."
6, 7. The quarrelsome bring trouble on themselves. Their rash language ensnares them (Pr 6:2).
8. (Compare Pr 16:28).
as wounds—not sustained by the Hebrew; better, as "sweet morsels," which men gladly swallow.
innermost … belly—the mind, or heart (compare Pr 20:27-30; Ps 22:14).
9. One by failing to get, the other by wasting wealth, grows poor.
waster—literally, "master of washing," a prodigal.
10. name of the Lord—manifested perfections (Ps 8:1; 20:2), as faithfulness, power, mercy, &c., on which men rely.
is safe—literally, "set on high, out of danger" (Ps 18:2; 91:4).
11. contrasts with Pr 18:10 (compare Pr 10:15). Such is a vain trust (compare Ps 73:6).
12. (Compare Pr 15:33; 16:18).
13. Hasty speech evinces self-conceit, and ensures shame (Pr 26:12).
14. infirmity—bodily sickness, or outward evil. The spirit, which sustains, being wounded, no support is left, except, as implied, in God.
15. (Compare Pr 1:5, 15, 31).
16. (Compare Pr 17:8, 23). Disapproval of the fact stated is implied.
17. One-sided statements are not reliable.
searcheth—thoroughly (Pr 17:9, 19).
18. The lot—whose disposal is of God (Pr 16:13), may, properly used, be a right mode of settling disputes.
19. No feuds so difficult of adjustment as those of relatives; hence great care should be used to avoid them.
20. (Compare Pr 12:14; 13:2). Men's words are the fruit, or, increase of his lips, and when good, benefit them.
satisfied with—(Compare Pr 1:31; 14:14).
21. Death and life—or, the greatest evil and good.
that love it—that is, the tongue, or its use for good or evil.
eat … fruit—(Compare Pr 18:19; Jas 1:19).
22. The old versions supply "good" before the "wife," as the last clause and Pr 19:14 imply (compare Pr 31:10).
23. the rich … roughly—He is tolerated because rich, implying that the estimate of men by wealth is wrong.
24. A man … friendly—better, "A man … (is) to, or, may triumph (Ps 108:9), or, shout for joy (Ps 5:11), that is, may congratulate himself." Indeed, there is a Friend who is better than a brother; such is the "Friend of sinners" [Mt 11:19; Lu 7:34], who may have been before the writer's mind.