9 for in the law of Moses it hath been written, `thou shalt not muzzle an ox treading out corn;' for the oxen doth God care?
for the Writing saith, `An ox treading out thou shalt not muzzle,' and `Worthy `is' the workman of his reward.'
The eyes of all unto Thee do look, And Thou art giving to them their food in its season, Opening Thy hand, and satisfying The desire of every living thing.
And Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, `What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?' and Balaam saith to the ass, `Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain thee;' and the ass saith unto Balaam, `Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden since `I was' thine unto this day? have I at all been accustomed to do to thee thus?' and he saith, `No.' And Jehovah uncovereth the eyes of Balaam, and he seeeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and he boweth and doth obeisance, to his face; and the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, `Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I -- I have come out for an adversary, for `thy' way hath been perverse before me, and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.' And Balaam saith unto the messenger of Jehovah, `I have sinned, for I did not know that thou `art' standing to meet me in the way; and now, if evil in thine eyes -- I turn back by myself.' And the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Balaam, `Go with the men; and only the word which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost speak;' and Balaam goeth with the princes of Balak.
and the seventh day `is' a sabbath to Jehovah thy God; thou dost not do any work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and thine ox, and thine ass, and all thy cattle, and thy sojourner who `is' within thy gates; so that thy man-servant, and thy handmaid doth rest like thyself;
`Thou dost not see the ox of thy brother or his sheep driven away, and hast hidden thyself from them, thou dost certainly turn them back to thy brother; and if thy brother `is' not near unto thee, and thou hast not known him, then thou hast removed it unto the midst of thy house, and it hath been with thee till thy brother seek it, and thou hast given it back to him; and so thou dost to his ass, and so thou dost to his garment, and so thou dost to any lost thing of thy brother's, which is lost by him, and thou hast found it; thou art not able to hide thyself. `Thou dost not see the ass of thy brother, or his ox, falling in the way, and hast hid thyself from them; thou dost certainly raise `them' up with him.
Who is covering the heavens with clouds, Who is preparing for the earth rain, Who is causing grass to spring up `on' mountains, Giving to the beast its food, To the young of the ravens that call.
look to the fowls of the heaven, for they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into storehouses, and your heavenly Father doth nourish them; are not ye much better than they? `And who of you, being anxious, is able to add to his age one cubit? and about clothing why are ye anxious? consider well the lilies of the field; how do they grow? they do not labour, nor do they spin; and I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. `And if the herb of the field, that to-day is, and to-morrow is cast to the furnace, God doth so clothe -- not much more you, O ye of little faith?
`Consider the ravens, that they sow not, nor reap, to which there is no barn nor storehouse, and God doth nourish them; how much better are ye than the fowls? and who of you, being anxious, is able to add to his age one cubit? If, then, ye are not able for the least -- why for the rest are ye anxious? `Consider the lilies, how do they grow? they labour not, nor do they spin, and I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these; and if the herbage in the field, that to-day is, and to-morrow into an oven is cast, God doth so clothe, how much more you -- ye of little faith?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Corinthians 9
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
In this chapter the apostle seems to answer some cavils against himself.
1Cr 9:1-2
Blessed Paul, in the work of his ministry, not only met with opposition from those without, but discouragement from those within. He was under reproach; false brethren questioned his apostleship, and were very industrious to lessen his character and sink his reputation; particularly here at Corinth, a place to which he had been instrumental in doing much good, and from which he had deserved well; and yet there were those among them who upon these heads created him great uneasiness. Note, It is no strange nor new thing for a minister to meet with very unkind returns for great good-will to a people, and diligent and successful services among them. Some among the Corinthians questioned, if they did not disown, his apostolical character. To their cavils he here answers, and in such a manner as to set forth himself as a remarkable example of that self-denial, for the good of others, which he had been recommending in the former chapter. And,
1Cr 9:3-14
Having asserted his apostolical authority, he proceeds to claim the rights belonging to his office, especially that of being maintained by it.
1Cr 9:15-18
Here he tells them that he had, notwithstanding, waived his privilege, and lays down his reason for doing it.
1Cr 9:19-23
The apostle takes occasion from what he had before discoursed to mention some other instances of his self-denial and parting with his liberty for the benefit of others.
1Cr 9:24-27
In these verses the apostle hints at the great encouragement he had to act in this manner. He had a glorious prize, an incorruptible crown, in view. Upon this head he compares himself to the racers and combatants in the Isthmian games, an allusion well known to the Corinthians, because they were celebrated in their neighbourhood: "Know you not that those who run in a race run all, but one obtaineth the prize? v. 24. All run at your games, but only one gets the race and wins the crown.' And here,