17 The eye H5869 that mocketh H3932 at his father, H1 and despiseth H936 to obey H3349 his mother, H517 the ravens H6158 of the valley H5158 shall pick it out, H5365 and the young H1121 eagles H5404 shall eat H398 it.
Hearken H8085 unto thy father H1 that begat H3205 thee, and despise H936 not thy mother H517 when she is old. H2204
If a man H376 have a stubborn H5637 and rebellious H4784 son, H1121 which will not obey H8085 the voice H6963 of his father, H1 or the voice H6963 of his mother, H517 and that, when they have chastened H3256 him, will not hearken H8085 unto them: Then shall his father H1 and his mother H517 lay hold H8610 on him, and bring him out H3318 unto the elders H2205 of his city, H5892 and unto the gate H8179 of his place; H4725 And they shall say H559 unto the elders H2205 of his city, H5892 This our son H1121 is stubborn H5637 and rebellious, H4784 he will not obey H8085 our voice; H6963 he is a glutton, H2151 and a drunkard. H5433 And all the men H582 of his city H5892 shall stone H7275 him with stones, H68 that he die: H4191 so shalt thou put H1197 evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you; and all Israel H3478 shall hear, H8085 and fear. H3372
And he drank H8354 of the wine, H3196 and was drunken; H7937 and he was uncovered H1540 within H8432 his tent. H168 And Ham, H2526 the father H1 of Canaan, H3667 saw H7200 the nakedness H6172 of his father, H1 and told H5046 his two H8147 brethren H251 without. H2351 And Shem H8035 and Japheth H3315 took H3947 a garment, H8071 and laid H7760 it upon both H8147 their shoulders, H7926 and went H3212 backward, H322 and covered H3680 the nakedness H6172 of their father; H1 and their faces H6440 were backward, H322 and they saw H7200 not their father's H1 nakedness. H6172 And Noah H5146 awoke H3364 from his wine, H3196 and knew H3045 what his younger H6996 son H1121 had done H6213 unto him. And he said, H559 Cursed H779 be Canaan; H3667 a servant H5650 of servants H5650 shall he be unto his brethren. H251 And he said, H559 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of Shem; H8035 and Canaan H3667 shall be H1961 his servant. H5650 God H430 shall enlarge H6601 Japheth, H3315 and he shall dwell H7931 in the tents H168 of Shem; H8035 and Canaan H3667 shall be his servant. H5650
And the Philistine H6430 said H559 to David, H1732 Come H3212 to me, and I will give H5414 thy flesh H1320 unto the fowls H5775 of the air, H8064 and to the beasts H929 of the field. H7704
And Absalom H53 met H7122 the servants H6440 H5650 of David. H1732 And Absalom H53 rode H7392 upon a mule, H6505 and the mule H6505 went H935 under the thick boughs H7730 of a great H1419 oak, H424 and his head H7218 caught hold H2388 of the oak, H424 and he was taken up H5414 between the heaven H8064 and the earth; H776 and the mule H6505 that was under him went away. H5674 And a certain H259 man H376 saw H7200 it, and told H5046 Joab, H3097 and said, H559 Behold, I saw H7200 Absalom H53 hanged H8518 in an oak. H424
Then said H559 Joab, H3097 I may not tarry H3176 thus with thee. H6440 And he took H3947 three H7969 darts H7626 in his hand, H3709 and thrust H8628 them through the heart H3820 of Absalom, H53 while he was yet alive H2416 in the midst of the oak. H424 And ten H6235 young men H5288 that bare H5375 Joab's H3097 armour H3627 compassed about H5437 and smote H5221 Absalom, H53 and slew H4191 him. And Joab H3097 blew H8628 the trumpet, H7782 and the people H5971 returned H7725 from pursuing H7291 after H310 Israel: H3478 for Joab H3097 held back H2820 the people. H5971 And they took H3947 Absalom, H53 and cast H7993 him into a great H1419 pit H6354 in the wood, H3293 and laid H5324 a very H3966 great H1419 heap H1530 of stones H68 upon him: and all Israel H3478 fled H5127 every one H376 to his tent. H168
And Rizpah H7532 the daughter H1323 of Aiah H345 took H3947 sackcloth, H8242 and spread H5186 it for her upon the rock, H6697 from the beginning H8462 of harvest H7105 until water H4325 dropped H5413 upon them out of heaven, H8064 and suffered H5414 neither the birds H5775 of the air H8064 to rest H5117 on them by day, H3119 nor the beasts H2416 of the field H7704 by night. H3915
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 30
Commentary on Proverbs 30 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 30
Pr 30:1-33.
1. This is the title of this chapter (see Introduction).
the prophecy—literally, "the burden" (compare Isa 13:1; Zec 9:1), used for any divine instruction; not necessarily a prediction, which was only a kind of prophecy (1Ch 15:27, "a song"). Prophets were inspired men, who spoke for God to man, or for man to God (Ge 20:7; Ex 7:14, 15, 16). Such, also, were the New Testament prophets. In a general sense, Gad, Nathan, and others were such, who were divine teachers, though we do not learn that they ever predicted.
the man spake—literally, "the saying of the man"; an expression used to denote any solemn and important announcement (compare 2Sa 23:1; Ps 36:1; 110:1; Isa 1:24, &c.). Ithiel and Ucal were perhaps pupils.
2-4. brutish—stupid, a strong term to denote his lowly self-estimation; or he may speak of such as his natural condition, as contrasted with God's all-seeing comprehensive knowledge and almighty power. The questions of this clause emphatically deny the attributes mentioned to be those of any creature, thus impressively strengthening the implied reference of the former to God (compare De 30:12-14; Isa 40:12; Eph 4:8).
5. (Compare Ps 12:6; 119:140).
6. Add … words—implying that his sole reliance was on God's all-sufficient teaching.
reprove thee—or, "convict thee"—and so the falsehood will appear.
7-9. A prayer for exemption from wickedness, and the extremes of poverty and riches, the two things mentioned. Contentment is implied as desired.
8. vanity—all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).
9. be full … deny—that is, puffed up by the pride of prosperity.
take the name … vain—This is not (Hebrew) the form (compare Ex 20:7), but "take" rather denotes laying violent hold on any thing; that is, lest I assail God's name or attributes, as justice, mercy, &c., which the poor are tempted to do.
10. Accuse not—Slander not (Ps 10:7).
curse … guilty—lest, however lowly, he be exasperated to turn on thee, and your guilt be made to appear.
11-14. Four kinds of hateful persons—(1) graceless children, (2) hypocrites, (3) the proud, (4) cruel oppressors (compare on Pr 30:14; Ps 14:4; 52:2)—are now illustrated; (1) Pr 30:15, 16, the insatiability of prodigal children and their fate; (2) Pr 30:17, hypocrisy, or the concealment of real character; (3 and 4) Pr 30:18-20, various examples of pride and oppression.
15, 16. horse leech—supposed by some to be the vampire (a fabulous creature), as being literally insatiable; but the other subjects mentioned must be taken as this, comparatively insatiable. The use of a fabulous creature agreeably to popular notions is not inconsistent with inspiration.
There are three … yea, four—(Compare Pr 6:16).
17. The eye—for the person, with reference to the use of the organ to express mockery and contempt, and also as that by which punishment is received.
the ravens … eagles … eat—either as dying unnaturally, or being left unburied, or both.
18-20. Hypocrisy is illustrated by four examples of the concealment of all methods or traces of action, and a pertinent example of double dealing in actual vice is added, that is, the adulterous woman.
20. she eateth … mouth—that is, she hides the evidences of her shame and professes innocence.
21-23. Pride and cruelty, the undue exaltation of those unfit to hold power, produce those vices which disquiet society (compare Pr 19:10; 28:3).
23. heir … mistress—that is, takes her place as a wife (Ge 16:4).
24-31. These verses provide two classes of apt illustrations of various aspects of the moral world, which the reader is left to apply. By the first (Pr 30:25-28), diligence and providence are commended; the success of these insignificant animals being due to their instinctive sagacity and activity, rather than strength. The other class (Pr 30:30, 31) provides similes for whatever is majestic or comely, uniting efficiency with gracefulness.
26. conies—mountain mice, or rabbits.
28. spider—tolerated, even in palaces, to destroy flies.
taketh … hands—or, uses with activity the limbs provided for taking prey.
32. As none can hope, successfully, to resist such a king, suppress even the thought of an attempt.
lay … hand upon thy mouth—"lay" is well supplied (Jud 18:19; Job 29:9; 40:4).
33. That is, strife—or other ills, as surely arise from devising evil as natural effects from natural causes.