13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she `is' thy life.
A tree of life she `is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her `is' happy.
And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
Because of this it behoveth `us' more abundantly to take heed to the things heard, lest we may glide aside,
and he saith, `Send me away, for the dawn hath ascended:' and he saith, `I send thee not away, except thou hast blessed me.'
For wisdom `is' a defense, money `is' a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom `is', She reviveth her possessors.
But a little I passed on from them, Till I found him whom my soul hath loved! I seized him, and let him not go, Till I brought him in unto the house of my mother -- And the chamber of her that conceived me.
and having begun from Moses, and from all the prophets, he was expounding to them in all the Writings the things about himself. And they came nigh to the village whither they were going, and he made an appearance of going on further, and they constrained him, saying, `Remain with us, for it is toward evening,' and the day did decline, and he went in to remain with them.
And from that city many believed in him, of the Samaritans, because of the word of the woman testifying, -- `He told me all things -- as many as I did.' When, then, the Samaritans came unto him, they were asking him to remain with them, and he remained there two days; and many more did believe because of his word, and said to the woman -- `No more because of thy speaking do we believe; for we ourselves have heard and known that this is truly the Saviour of the world -- the Christ.'
Simon Peter, therefore, answered him, `Sir, unto whom shall we go? thou hast sayings of life age-during;
who, having come, and having seen the grace of God, was glad, and was exhorting all with purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord,
all things prove; that which is good hold fast;
I have known thy works, and where thou dost dwell -- where the throne of the Adversary `is' -- and thou dost hold fast my name, and thou didst not deny my faith, even in the days in which Antipas `was' my faithful witness, who was put to death beside you, where the Adversary doth dwell.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 4
Commentary on Proverbs 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
When the things of God are to be taught precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, not only because the things themselves are of great worth and weight, but because men's minds, at the best, are unapt to admit them and commonly prejudiced against them; and therefore Solomon, in this chapter, with a great variety of expression and a pleasant powerful flood of divine eloquence, inculcates the same things that he had pressed upon us in the foregoing chapters. Here is,
So plainly, so pressingly, is the case laid before us, that we shall be for ever inexcusable if we perish in our folly.
Pro 4:1-13
Here we have,
Pro 4:14-19
Some make David's instructions to Solomon, which began v. 4, to continue to the end of the chapter; nay, some continue them to the end of the ninth chapter; but it is more probable that Solomon begins here again, if not sooner. In these verses, having exhorted us to walk in the paths of wisdom, he cautions us against the path of the wicked.
Pro 4:20-27
Solomon, having warned us not to do evil, here teaches us how to do well. It is not enough for us to shun the occasions of sin, but we must study the methods of duty.