10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
A man of [many] friends will come to ruin but there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, How do ye advise to return answer to this people? And they spoke to him saying, If this day thou wilt be a servant to this people, and wilt serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, that stood before him.
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Jehovah's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
But thou, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, my friend -- thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from the extremities thereof, and to whom I said, Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee and not rejected thee, -- Fear not, for I [am] with thee; be not dismayed, for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day of his disaster; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor have opened wide thy mouth in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity, nor have looked, even thou, on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither shouldest thou have laid [hands] on their substance in the day of their calamity; and thou shouldest not have stood on the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape, nor have delivered up those remaining of him in the day of distress.
And Jesus replying said, A certain man descended from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into [the hands of] robbers, who also, having stripped him and inflicted wounds, went away leaving him in a half-dead state. And a certain priest happened to go down that way, and seeing him, passed on on the opposite side; and in like manner also a Levite, being at the spot, came and looked [at him] and passed on on the opposite side. But a certain Samaritan journeying came to him, and seeing [him], was moved with compassion, and came up [to him] and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine; and having put him on his own beast, took him to [the] inn and took care of him. And on the morrow [as he left], taking out two denarii he gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Take care of him, and whatsoever thou shalt expend more, *I* will render to thee on my coming back. Which [now] of these three seems to thee to have been neighbour of him who fell into [the hands of] the robbers? And he said, He that shewed him mercy. And Jesus said to him, Go, and do *thou* likewise.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. Now he had neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came [again] in peace.
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, How do ye advise to return answer to this people? And they spoke to him saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, that stood before him.
And king Joash remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, Jehovah see and require [it]!
All the brethren of a poor [man] hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him: he pursueth [them] with words, -- they are not [to be found].
Thus saith Jehovah: What injustice have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and become vain?
And having called to [him] certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night. And [he ordered them] to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry [him] safe through to Felix the governor, having written a letter, couched in this form: Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting. This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out [of their hands], having learned that he was a Roman. And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council; whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him [making him] worthy of death or of bonds. But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man [by the Jews], I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. [Farewell.] The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris, and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress. And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him. And having read [it], and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that [he was] of Cilicia, he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 27
Commentary on Proverbs 27 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 27
Pr 27:1-27.
1. Do not confide implicitly in your plans (Pr 16:9; 19:21; Jas 4:13-15).
2. Avoid self-praise.
3. heavy—The literal sense of "heavy," applied to material subjects, illustrates its figurative, "grievous," applied to moral.
a fool's wrath—is unreasonable and excessive.
4. envy—or, "jealousy" (compare Margin; Pr 6:34), is more unappeasable than the simpler bad passions.
5, 6. secret love—not manifested in acts is useless; and even, if its exhibition by rebukes wounds us, such love is preferable to the frequent (compare Margin), and hence deceitful, kisses of an enemy.
7. The luxury of wealth confers less happiness than the healthy appetite of labor.
8. Such are not only out of place, but out of duty and in danger.
9. rejoice the heart—the organ of perceiving what pleases the senses.
sweetness … counsel—or, "wise counsel is also pleasing."
10. Adhere to tried friends. The ties of blood may be less reliable than those of genuine friendship.
11. The wisdom of children both reflects credit on parents and contributes to their aid in difficulties.
12, 13. (Compare Pr 20:16; 22:3).
14. Excessive zeal in praising raises suspicions of selfishness.
15. (Compare Pr 19:13).
very … day—literally, "a day of showers."
16. hideth—or, "restrains" (that is, tries to do it); is as fruitless an effort, as that of holding the wind.
the ointment of his right hand—the organ of power (Ps 17:7; 18:35). His right hand endeavors to repress perfume, but vainly. Some prefer: "His right hand comes on oil," that is, "cannot take hold." Such a woman cannot be tamed.
17. a man sharpeneth … friend—that is, conversation promotes intelligence, which the face exhibits.
18. Diligence secures a reward, even for the humble servant.
19. We may see our characters in the developed tempers of others.
20. Men's cupidity is as insatiable as the grave.
21. Praise tests character.
a man to his praise—according to his praise, as he bears it. Thus vain men seek it, weak men are inflated by it, wise men disregard it, &c.
22. The obstinate wickedness of such is incurable by the heaviest inflictions.
23, 24. flocks—constituted the staple of wealth. It is only by care and diligence that the most solid possessions can be perpetuated (Pr 23:5).
25-27. The fact that providential arrangements furnish the means of competence to those who properly use them is another motive to diligence (compare Ps 65:9-13).
The hay appeareth—literally, "Grass appeareth" (Job 40:15; Ps 104:14).
27. household—literally, "house," the family (Ac 16:15; 1Co 1:16).