25 It is a snare H4170 to the man H120 who devoureth H3216 that which is holy, H6944 and after H310 vows H5088 to make enquiry. H1239
If a soul H5315 commit H4603 a trespass, H4604 and sin H2398 through ignorance, H7684 in the holy things H6944 of the LORD; H3068 then he shall bring H935 for his trespass H817 unto the LORD H3068 a ram H352 without blemish H8549 out of the flocks, H6629 with thy estimation H6187 by shekels H8255 of silver, H3701 after the shekel H8255 of the sanctuary, H6944 for a trespass offering: H817
There shall no stranger H2114 eat H398 of the holy thing: H6944 a sojourner H8453 of the priest, H3548 or an hired servant, H7916 shall not eat H398 of the holy thing. H6944 But if the priest H3548 buy H7069 any soul H5315 with H7075 his money, H3701 he shall eat H398 of it, and he that is born H3211 in his house: H1004 they shall eat H398 of his meat. H3899 If the priest's H3548 daughter H1323 also be married unto a stranger, H376 H2114 she may not eat H398 of an offering H8641 of the holy things. H6944 But if the priest's H3548 daughter H1323 be a widow, H490 or divorced, H1644 and have no child, H2233 and is returned H7725 unto her father's H1 house, H1004 as in her youth, H5271 she shall eat H398 of her father's H1 meat: H3899 but there shall no stranger H2114 eat H398 thereof. And if a man H376 eat H398 of the holy thing H6944 unwittingly, H7684 then he shall put H3254 the fifth H2549 part thereof unto it, and shall give H5414 it unto the priest H3548 with the holy thing. H6944 And they shall not profane H2490 the holy things H6944 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which they offer H7311 unto the LORD; H3068
And if it be a beast, H929 whereof men bring H7126 an offering H7133 unto the LORD, H3068 all that any man giveth H5414 of such unto the LORD H3068 shall be holy. H6944 He shall not alter H2498 it, nor change H4171 it, a good H2896 for a bad, H7451 or a bad H7451 for a good: H2896 and if he shall at all H4171 change H4171 beast H929 for beast, H929 then it and the exchange H8545 thereof shall be holy. H6944
And all the tithe H4643 of the land, H776 whether of the seed H2233 of the land, H776 or of the fruit H6529 of the tree, H6086 is the LORD'S: H3068 it is holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068 And if a man H376 will at all H1350 redeem H1350 ought of his tithes, H4643 he shall add H3254 thereto the fifth H2549 part thereof.
If a man H376 vow H5087 a vow H5088 unto the LORD, H3068 or swear H7650 an oath H7621 to bind H631 his soul H5315 with a bond; H632 he shall not break H2490 his word, H1697 he shall do H6213 according to all that proceedeth H3318 out of his mouth. H6310 If a woman H802 also vow H5087 a vow H5088 unto the LORD, H3068 and bind H631 herself by a bond, H632 being in her father's H1 house H1004 in her youth; H5271 And her father H1 hear H8085 her vow, H5088 and her bond H632 wherewith she hath bound H631 her soul, H5315 and her father H1 shall hold his peace H2790 at her: then all her vows H5088 shall stand, H6965 and every bond H632 wherewith she hath bound H631 her soul H5315 shall stand. H6965 But if her father H1 disallow H5106 her in the day H3117 that he heareth; H8085 not any of her vows, H5088 or of her bonds H632 wherewith she hath bound H631 her soul, H5315 shall stand: H6965 and the LORD H3068 shall forgive H5545 her, because her father H1 disallowed H5106 her. And if she had at all an husband, H376 when she vowed, H5088 or uttered H4008 ought out of her lips, H8193 wherewith she bound H631 her soul; H5315 And her husband H376 heard H8085 it, and held his peace H2790 at her in the day H3117 that he heard H8085 it: then her vows H5088 shall stand, H6965 and her bonds H632 wherewith she bound H631 her soul H5315 shall stand. H6965 But if her husband H376 disallowed H5106 her on the day H3117 that he heard H8085 it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, H5088 and that which she uttered H4008 with her lips, H8193 wherewith she bound H631 her soul, H5315 of none effect: H6565 and the LORD H3068 shall forgive H5545 her. But every vow H5088 of a widow, H490 and of her that is divorced, H1644 wherewith they have bound H631 their souls, H5315 shall stand H6965 against her. And if she vowed H5087 in her husband's H376 house, H1004 or bound H631 her soul H5315 by a bond H632 with an oath; H7621 And her husband H376 heard H8085 it, and held his peace H2790 at her, and disallowed H5106 her not: then all her vows H5088 shall stand, H6965 and every bond H632 wherewith she bound H631 her soul H5315 shall stand. H6965 But if her husband H376 hath utterly H6565 made them void H6565 on the day H3117 he heard H8085 them; then whatsoever proceeded H4161 out of her lips H8193 concerning her vows, H5088 or concerning the bond H632 of her soul, H5315 shall not stand: H6965 her husband H376 hath made them void; H6565 and the LORD H3068 shall forgive H5545 her. Every vow, H5088 and every binding H632 oath H7621 to afflict H6031 the soul, H5315 her husband H376 may establish H6965 it, or her husband H376 may make it void. H6565 But if her husband H376 altogether H2790 hold his peace H2790 at her from day H3117 to day; H3117 then he establisheth H6965 all her vows, H5088 or all her bonds, H632 which are upon her: he confirmeth H6965 them, because he held his peace H2790 at her in the day H3117 that he heard H8085 them. But if he shall any ways H6565 make them void H6565 after H310 that he hath heard H8085 them; then he shall bear H5375 her iniquity. H5771 These are the statutes, H2706 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses, H4872 between a man H376 and his wife, H802 between the father H1 and his daughter, H1323 being yet in her youth H5271 in her father's H1 house. H1004
When thou vowest H5087 a vow H5088 unto God, H430 defer H309 not to pay H7999 it; for he hath no pleasure H2656 in fools: H3684 pay H7999 that which thou hast vowed. H5087 Better H2896 is it that thou shouldest not vow, H5087 than that thou shouldest vow H5087 and not pay. H7999 Suffer H5414 not thy mouth H6310 to cause thy flesh H1320 to sin; H2398 neither say H559 thou before H6440 the angel, H4397 that it was an error: H7684 wherefore should God H430 be angry H7107 at thy voice, H6963 and destroy H2254 the work H4639 of thine hands? H3027
Will a man H120 rob H6906 God? H430 Yet ye have robbed H6906 me. But ye say, H559 Wherein have we robbed H6906 thee? In tithes H4643 and offerings. H8641 Ye are cursed H779 with a curse: H3994 for ye have robbed H6906 me, even this whole nation. H1471 Bring H935 ye all the tithes H4643 into the storehouse, H214 that there may be meat H2964 in mine house, H1004 and prove H974 me now herewith, H2063 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 if I will not open H6605 you the windows H699 of heaven, H8064 and pour you out H7324 a blessing, H1293 that there shall not be room enough H1767 to receive it.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 20
Commentary on Proverbs 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Pr 20:1-30.
1. mocker—scorner. Such men are made by wine.
strong drink—made by spicing wine (compare Isa 5:11, 22); and it may include wine.
raging—or boisterous as a drunkard.
deceived—literally, "erring," or reeling.
2. (Compare Pr 19:12). Men who resist authority injure themselves (Ro 13:2).
3. to cease from strife—or, better, "to dwell from or without strife," denoting the habit of life.
fool … meddling—(Pr 17:14).
4. shall … beg—literally, "ask" (in this sense, Ps 109:10).
5. Counsel … water—that is, deeply hidden (Pr 18:4; Ps 13:2). The wise can discern well.
6. Boasters are unreliable.
goodness—or, "kind disposition."
7. The conduct of good men proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good example secure blessing to their children (Pr 4:26; Ps 112:1, 2).
8. As in Pr 14:35; 16:10, 15, this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.
9. The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14; Ec 7:20).
10. Various measures, implying that some are wrong (compare Pr 11:1; 16:11).
11. The conduct of children even is the best test of principle (compare Mt 7:16).
12. Hence, of course, God will know all you do (Ps 94:9).
13. Activity and diligence contrasted with sloth (Pr 6:9; 10:11).
lest … poverty—literally, "be deprived of inheritance."
14. when … his way—implying that he goes about boasting of his bargains.
15. The contrast denotes the greater value of knowledge (compare Pr 3:14-16).
16. Take his garment—implies severe exaction, justified by the surety's rashness.
a strange woman—by some readings "strangers," but the former here, and in Pr 27:13, is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is less reliable than the merely careless.
17. Bread … sweet—either as unlawfully (Pr 9:17) or easily obtained.
mouth … gravel—well expresses the pain and grief given at last.
18. (Compare Pr 15:22). Be careful and considerate in important plans.
19. Those who love to tell news will hardly keep secrets.
flattereth … lips—(compare Margin; Pr 1:10).
meddle … him—literally, "join," or "associate with."
20. his lamp—(Compare Pr 13:9; 24:20).
21. gotten hastily—contrary to God's providence (Pr 28:20), implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare Pr 20:17).
22. (Compare Ps 27:14; Ro 12:17-19).
23. (Compare Pr 20:10; 11:1).
24. Man's goings—literally, "Stately steppings of a strong man."
a man—any common man.
understand—or, "perceive."
25. devoureth … holy—or, better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly vowing.
26. (Compare Pr 20:8).
bringeth … over them—The wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity (compare Am 1:3).
27. The spirit … Lord—Men's minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare Pr 20:5; Pr 18:8, 17; 1Co 2:11).
28. (Compare Pr 3:3; 16:6, 12).
29. The glory of young men … the beauty of old men—Each age has its peculiar excellence (Pr 16:31).
30. blueness—literally, "joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound throws off purulent matter.
stripes … belly—So punishment provides healing of soul (Pr 18:8), by deterring from evil courses.