9 Lest I be full, H7646 and deny H3584 thee, and say, H559 Who is the LORD? H3068 or lest I be poor, H3423 and steal, H1589 and take H8610 the name H8034 of my God H430 in vain.
Behold, this was the iniquity H5771 of thy sister H269 Sodom, H5467 pride, H1347 fulness H7653 of bread, H3899 and abundance H7962 of idleness H8252 was in her and in her daughters, H1323 neither did she strengthen H2388 the hand H3027 of the poor H6041 and needy. H34 And they were haughty, H1361 and committed H6213 abomination H8441 before H6440 me: therefore I took them away H5493 as I saw H7200 good.
If I have made H7760 gold H2091 my hope, H3689 or have said H559 to the fine gold, H3800 Thou art my confidence; H4009 If I rejoiced H8055 because my wealth H2428 was great, H7227 and because mine hand H3027 had gotten H4672 much; H3524 If I beheld H7200 the sun H216 when it shined, H1984 or the moon H3394 walking H1980 in brightness; H3368 And my heart H3820 hath been secretly H5643 enticed, H6601 or my mouth H6310 hath kissed H5401 my hand: H3027 This also were an iniquity H5771 to be punished by the judge: H6416 for I should have denied H3584 the God H410 that is above. H4605
When thou hast eaten H398 and art full, H7646 then thou shalt bless H1288 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 for the good H2896 land H776 which he hath given H5414 thee. Beware H8104 that thou forget H7911 not the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 in not keeping H8104 his commandments, H4687 and his judgments, H4941 and his statutes, H2708 which I command H6680 thee this day: H3117 Lest when thou hast eaten H398 and art full, H7646 and hast built H1129 goodly H2896 houses, H1004 and dwelt H3427 therein; And when thy herds H1241 and thy flocks H6629 multiply, H7235 and thy silver H3701 and thy gold H2091 is multiplied, H7235 and all that thou hast is multiplied; H7235 Then thine heart H3824 be lifted up, H7311 and thou forget H7911 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which brought thee forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage; H5650
And they took H3920 strong H1219 cities, H5892 and a fat H8082 land, H127 and possessed H3423 houses H1004 full H4392 of all goods, H2898 wells H953 digged, H2672 vineyards, H3754 and oliveyards, H2132 and fruit H3978 trees H6086 in abundance: H7230 so they did eat, H398 and were filled, H7646 and became fat, H8080 and delighted H5727 themselves in thy great H1419 goodness. H2898 Nevertheless they were disobedient, H4784 and rebelled H4775 against thee, and cast H7993 thy law H8451 behind H310 their backs, H1458 and slew H2026 thy prophets H5030 which testified H5749 against them to turn H7725 them to thee, and they wrought H6213 great H1419 provocations. H5007
And it shall be, when the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall have brought H935 thee into the land H776 which he sware H7650 unto thy fathers, H1 to Abraham, H85 to Isaac, H3327 and to Jacob, H3290 to give H5414 thee great H1419 and goodly H2896 cities, H5892 which thou buildedst H1129 not, And houses H1004 full H4392 of all good H2898 things, which thou filledst H4390 not, and wells H953 digged, H2672 which thou diggedst H2672 not, vineyards H3754 and olive trees, H2132 which thou plantedst H5193 not; when thou shalt have eaten H398 and be full; H7646 Then beware H8104 lest thou forget H7911 the LORD, H3068 which brought thee forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage. H5650
And G1161 the people G1218 gave a shout, G2019 saying, It is the voice G5456 of a god, G2316 and G2532 not G3756 of a man. G444 And G1161 immediately G3916 the angel G32 of the Lord G2962 smote G3960 him, G846 because G473 G3739 he gave G1325 not G3756 God G2316 the glory: G1391 and G2532 he was G1096 eaten of worms, G4662 and gave up the ghost. G1634
And thy renown H8034 went forth H3318 among the heathen H1471 for thy beauty: H3308 for it was perfect H3632 through my comeliness, H1926 which I had put H7760 upon thee, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 But thou didst trust H982 in thine own beauty, H3308 and playedst the harlot H2181 because of thy renown, H8034 and pouredst out H8210 thy fornications H8457 on every one that passed by; H5674 his it was.
Men do not despise H936 a thief, H1590 if he steal H1589 to satisfy H4390 his soul H5315 when he is hungry; H7456 But if he be found, H4672 he shall restore H7999 sevenfold; H7659 he shall give H5414 all the substance H1952 of his house. H1004
Now therefore let not H3808 Hezekiah H2396 deceive H5377 you, nor persuade H5496 you on this manner, neither yet believe H539 him: for no god H433 of any nation H1471 or kingdom H4467 was able H3201 to deliver H5337 his people H5971 out of mine hand, H3027 and out of the hand H3027 of my fathers: H1 how much less shall your God H430 deliver H5337 you out of mine hand? H3027 And his servants H5650 spake H1696 yet more against the LORD H3068 God, H430 and against his servant H5650 Hezekiah. H3169 He wrote H3789 also letters H5612 to rail H2778 on the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 and to speak H559 against him, saying, H559 As the gods H430 of the nations H1471 of other lands H776 have not delivered H5337 their people H5971 out of mine hand, H3027 so shall not the God H430 of Hezekiah H3169 deliver H5337 his people H5971 out of mine hand. H3027
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.