26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and upon her tongue is the law of kindness.
The mouth of a righteous [man] putteth forth wisdom; but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
Let no corrupt word go out of your mouth, but if [there be] any good one for needful edification, that it may give grace to those that hear [it].
Finally, [be] all of one mind, sympathising, full of brotherly love, tender hearted, humble minded; not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but on the contrary, blessing [others], because ye have been called to this, that ye should inherit blessing.
but the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible [ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price. For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands;
Walk in wisdom towards those without, redeeming opportunities.
And *he* began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And Aquila and Priscilla, having heard him, took him to [them] and unfolded to him the way of God more exactly.
and cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed [art] *thou* amongst women, and blessed the fruit of thy womb. And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped with joy in my womb. And blessed [is] she that has believed, for there shall be a fulfilment of the things spoken to her from [the] Lord. And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he has looked upon the low estate of his bondmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done to me great things, and holy [is] his name; and his mercy [is] to generations and generations to them that fear him. He has wrought strength with his arm; he has scattered haughty [ones] in the thought of their heart. He has put down rulers from thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent away the rich empty. He has helped Israel his servant, in order to remember mercy, (as he spoke to our fathers,) to Abraham and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her house.
And Mary said, Behold the bondmaid of [the] Lord; be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Thy lips, [my] spouse, drop [as] the honeycomb; Honey and milk are under thy tongue; And the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all those that are left desolate. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and minister justice to the afflicted and needy.
Pleasant words are [as] a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health for the bones.
There is that babbleth like the piercings of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health.
And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device which he had devised against the Jews. And the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. And Esther arose and stood before the king, and said, If it please the king and if I have found grace before him, and the thing seem right to the king, and I be pleasing in his sight, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews that are in all the king's provinces. For how shall I endure to see the evil that shall befall my people? and how shall I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
And Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found grace in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request; for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the adversary could not compensate the king's damage. And king Ahasuerus spoke and said to Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he that has filled his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.
If I have found grace in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to-morrow according to the king's word.
And she said to them, Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: Tell the man that sent you to me, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof, all the words of the book that the king of Judah hath read. Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my fury is kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, thus shall ye say to him: Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel touching the words which thou hast heard: Because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before Jehovah, when thou heardest what I spoke against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and didst rend thy garments and weep before me, I also have heard [thee], saith Jehovah. Therefore, behold, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
And a wise woman cried out of the city, Hear, hear: say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I [am he]. And she said to him, Listen to the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I am listening. And she spoke saying, They were wont to speak in old time saying, Just inquire in Abel; and so they ended. I am peaceable [and] faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah? And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. The matter is not so; but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David: give up him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
and fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, [upon] me let the iniquity be; but let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear the words of thy handmaid. Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; and I thy handmaid did not see the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. And now, my lord, [as] Jehovah liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, seeing Jehovah has restrained thee from coming with bloodshed, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. And now this blessing which thy bondmaid has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men that follow my lord. I pray thee, forgive the transgression of thy handmaid: for Jehovah will certainly make my lord a lasting house; because my lord fights the battles of Jehovah, and evil has not been found in thee all thy days. And if a man is risen up to pursue thee and to seek thy life, the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with Jehovah thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out from the hollow of the sling. And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah shall do to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning thee, and shall appoint thee ruler over Israel, that this shall be no stumbling-block to thee, nor offence of heart for my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall deal well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.
But his wife said to him, "If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a cereal offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these."
And she said, Drink, my lord! And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him to drink. And when she had given him enough to drink, she said, I will draw [water] for thy camels also, until they have drunk enough. And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw [water]; and she drew for all his camels.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 31
Commentary on Proverbs 31 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 31
Pr 31:1-31.
1. On the title of this, the sixth part of the book, see Introduction.
prophecy—(See on Pr 30:1).
2. What, my son?—that is, What shall I say? Repetitions denote earnestness.
son of my womb—as our phrase, "my own son," a term of special affection.
son of my vows—as one dedicated to God; so the word "Lemuel" may mean.
3-9. Succinct but solemn warnings against vices to which kings are peculiarly tempted, as carnal pleasures and oppressive and unrighteous government are used to sustain sensual indulgence.
strength—mental and bodily resources for health and comfort.
thy ways—or course of life.
to that … kings—literally, "to the destroying of kings," avoid destructive pleasures (compare Pr 5:9; 7:22, 27; Ho 4:11).
4, 5. Stimulants enfeeble reason, pervert the heart, and do not suit rulers, who need clear and steady minds, and well-governed affections (compare Pr 20:1; 22:29).
pervert … afflicted—They give unrighteous decisions against the poor.
6, 7. The proper use of such drinks is to restore tone to feeble bodies and depressed minds (compare Ps 104:15).
8, 9. Open … cause—Plead for those who cannot plead for themselves, as the orphan, stranger, &c. (compare Ps 72:12; Isa 1:17).
appointed to destruction—who are otherwise ruined by their oppressors (compare Pr 29:14, 16).
10-31. This exquisite picture of a truly lovely wife is conceived and drawn in accordance with the customs of Eastern nations, but its moral teachings suit all climes. In Hebrew the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order (compare Introduction to Poetical Books).
Who … woman—The question implies that such are rare, though not entirely wanting (compare Pr 18:22; 19:14).
virtuous—literally, "of strength," that is, moral courage (compare Pr 12:4; Ru 3:11).
her price, &c.—(compare Pr 3:15).
11. heart … trust in her—He relies on her prudence and skill.
no need of spoil—does not lack profit or gain, especially, that obtained by the risk of war.
12. do … good—contribute good to him.
13, 14. Ancient women of rank thus wrought with their hands; and such, indeed, were the customs of Western women a few centuries since. In the East also, the fabrics were articles of merchandise.
15. She diligently attends to expending as well as gathering wealth;
16. and hence has means to purchase property.
17, 18. To energy she adds a watchfulness in bargains, and a protracted and painful industry. The last clause may figuratively denote that her prosperity (compare Pr 24:20) is not short lived.
19. No work, however mean, if honest, is disdained.
20. Industry enables her to be charitable.
21. scarlet—or, "purple," by reason of the dyes used, the best fabrics; as a matter of taste also; the color suits cold.
22. coverings of tapestry—or, "coverlets," that is, for beds.
silk—or, "linen" (compare Ex 26:1; 27:9)
and purple—that is, the most costly goods.
23. in the gates—(compare Pr 22:22). His domestic comfort promotes his advancement in public dignity.
24. fine linen—or, "linen shirts," or the material for them.
girdles—were often costly and highly valued (2Sa 18:11).
delivereth—or, "giveth as a present" or "to sell."
25. Strength and honour—Strong and beautiful is her clothing; or, figuratively, for moral character, vigorous and honorable.
shall rejoice … come—in confidence of certain maintenance.
26. Her conversation is wise and gentle.
27. (Compare 1Ti 5:14; Tit 2:5). She adds to her example a wise management of those under her control.
28. She is honored by those who best know her.
29. The words are those of her husband, praising her.
virtuously—(Compare Pr 31:10).
30. Favour—or, "Grace" of personal manner.
beauty—of face, or form (compare Pr 11:22). True piety alone commands permanent respect and affection (1Pe 3:3).
31. The result of her labor is her best eulogy. Nothing can add to the simple beauty of this admirable portrait. On the measure of its realization in the daughters of our own day rest untold results, in the domestic, and, therefore, the civil and religious, welfare of the people.