stately eloquent way of speaking which they say becometh not a fool because when he speaketh so he speaketh not like himself no more then a prince doth as it followeth in the next clause when he tells lies But the most and best of Expositours do by excellent speech understand any grave speech discourse or counsell concerning high and weighty excellent things as namely concerning matters of great importance tending to the welfare of common-wealths which becometh not a fool because the vanity and weaknesse of such a mans mind the great importance of such affairs do not suit well together it becomes grave learned men to give their judgement in such things whose worth and renown will adde weight to their words or else concerning the holy things of God Christ and his Church as faith and repentance c. the reproving of vice and commending of any thing that is good which becomes not an ignorant wicked sot that understands not nor practiseth what he saith Vers 8. A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it c. That is it is most acceptable to him to whom it is given even as precious stones which men are wont earnestly to desire highly to esteem or rather it is so in the eyes of him that hath it to give Rich men that have gifts to give look upon them as effectuall alluring baits like a precious stone that draweth the eyes of beholders to it they think to doe what they please with their gifts whithersoever it turneth it prospereth that is it prevails for the most part with any man to whom it is given it will make him that receives it to understand the mind of the giver and to doe whatever he desires of him Vers 9. He that covereth a transgression c. That is any fault which a man hath committed or any injury done whether by word or deed against himself or others see the Note chap. 10.12 seeketh or procureth love that is he gaineth or preserveth the love of the man whose transgression he so covereth and by so doing he takes also the best way to make peace and to preserve friendship amongst others but he that repeateth a matter that is that reports abroad the faults men have committed or upbraids them with former injuries or being to make peace between party and party rips up old offences separateth very friends that is he makes his best friends weary of him yâ—a to become his enemies or he makes divisions betwixt the most intimate friends see the Note chap. 16.28 Vers 11. An evil man seeketh only rebellion c. That is A carnall man in all that he doeth sins against God so that his whole life is one continued course of rebellion against him yea he delights in nothing so much as that even when he doeth any thing that is evil it is not so much any outward temptation of pleasure or profit that draweth him thereto as his own perverse inclination to rebell against Gods commands which therefore he many times doth when there is no outward bait of any advantage to himself that may tempt him to it Or it may be understood with reference to men to wit that a wicked man minds nothing so much as that he may carry himself stubbornly rebelliously against those that either by words or stripes seek to reclaim him from his evil waies Therefore a cruell messenger shall be sent against him to wit either from God or man see the Note chap. 16.14 And by this cruell messenger may be meant an accusing torturing conscience or death or the devil to whom God gives over wicked men as the just executioner of his wrath But I conceive it best to understand it generally of all punishments sent from God and all executioners of vengeance imployed by the civill magistrate Vers 12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather then a fool in his folly That is in the extremity of his wickednesse rage And the reason is because a bear may be resisted and shunned but there will be no withstanding or avoiding the rage of such a fool and because by such an one men may be not only bereaved of their lives but also of their good name their estate which should be the livelyhood of their children after them Vers 14. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water c. That is strife is easily begun as it is an easie matter to make some little passage through a bank to let out waters but contention being once begun will soon grow more and more violent so that it will be within a while almost impossible to make up the breach but it will proceed haply to the utter ruine of families kingdomes even as waters so let out through a bank are wont quickly to make such a breach greater and greater and so to carry away all that stands in their way with unresistable violence nor can the breach be made up again almost by any means Therefore leave off contention before it be medled with that is doe not any thing that is likely to be an occasion of strife or though another man gives occasion of strife yet forbear Vers 16. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdome seeing he hath no heart to it That is say some Expositours seeing he is not capable of being taught wisdome or rather seeing he hath no mind or desire to be wise or good It is therefore all one in effect as if he had said that he is unworthy of riches that will not make use of them to get wisdome or that such a mans riches are to no purpose because he knoweth not how to imploy them for his own good but rather is usually the worse for them Vers 17. A friend c. That is A true friend whose friendship is grounded upon unchangeable things the vertue and piety of those whom he makes his friends loveth at all times to wit in adversity as well as in prosperity for that this is chiefly meant the following clause sheweth and a brother is born for adversityâ— that is a brother or near kinsman is by the bond of nature engaged to help his brother in adversity So that the meaning of the Proverb is clearly this that they only shew themselves true friends brothers that manifest themselves to be such in the hour of distresse trouble Yet some conceive that the second clause concerning brothers is added to shew that therefore the man that sheweth himself loving to his friend in adversity doth herein carry himself as a brother ought so to be esteemed Vers 18. A man void of understanding striketh hands and becometh surety in the presence of his friend That is rashly at the very first sight presence of his friend in a manner before he desires him to doe it without ever looking into the businesse or considering the danger that is in it or in
a fools wrath be expressed by some great mischief which may well be compared to some huge massy stonâ—e or by many frequent quarrellings and lesser wrongs which may well be compared to a load of sand it is heavier theâ— either stone or sand that is it is more intolerable and harder to be born and that because a fools wrath is usually causelesse and against all reason it is boundlesse and endlesse there is no dealing with such men no pacifying of them and it is also more mischievous to men and that especially because it crusheth and oppresseth the minds and souls of men whose pressures are most grievous neither are any indeed but the wiser sort of men able to bear the burthen of it Vers 4. Wrath is cruell and anger is outragious c. In the Hebrew it is and anger an overflowing that is it will not be kept within bounds but breaks out and is like overflowing waters that carry all before them with unresistable violence but who can stand before envy or jealousie for which see the Note chap. 6.34 The meaning is that envy is more dangerous then either wrath or anger and that 1. because envy which hideth it self as being ashamed of its cause doth secretly seek the ruine of men and so cannot be avoided whereas wrath and anger do presently shew themselves and 2. because whereas wrath and anger will of it self soon be over and come to nothing at least they may be appeased especially with benefits envy is rather encreased by such meanes and can no way be appeased but is endlesse and boundlesse in its rage See the Note also chap. 14.30 Vers 5. Open rebuke is better then secret love By open rebuke is not meant a publick rebuke before many witnesses for that in many cases is not fitting but a plain and free reproof without any dissimulation and to a mans face rather then behind his back And this is said to be better then secret love that is good will pretended but no way expressed or not discovered as it ought to be by reproving men for their sins And the reason is because such open reproofs discover the reprovers to be faithfull friends and tend to the good of the reproved which secret love doth not Yea this may be extended also to the reproof of an enemy that cares not how he shames a man by blazing his faults openly and thus even such reproofs may be said to be better that is more profitable then secret love Vers 6. Faithfull are the wounds of a friend c. That is the sharp and piercing reproofs and chastisements of a friend to wit because they proceed from an upright heart and a sincere desire of the good of the party reproved and because men in so doing doe the part of a faithfull friend but the kisses that is the fawnings and flatteries of an enemy are deceitfull or as it is in the margin of our Bibles earnest or frequent to wit that under the pretence of very fervent love he may the better deceive Vers 8. As a bird that wandereth from her nest so is a man that wandereth from his place This is severall waies understood by Expositours as 1. that as a bird leaveth not her nest but to seek meat for her self and her young ones so neither ought a man to leave his calling family but upon such necessary occasions or 2. that as God by his providence feedeth the bird that thus flyeth abroad for her provision so will God provide for the man that seeks about in a lawfull way to get a livelyhood for him his or 3. that a man who tâ—rries not at home but wanders up down abroad not minding his family is like a bird that wanders up down from place to place minds not her young ones But the truest most genuine Exposition I take to be this that by a man that wandreth from his place is meant a man that out of mere lightnesse inconstancy or out of timorousnesse or any such like cause not having any just ground or warrant for it is never contented with his present state or condition or calling but loveth to be changing can never stay long in one place or way that such a one is compared to a bird that wandreth from her nest that is that leaves her nest is still flirting abroad roving from one place to another to imply thereby either 1. that such a man is no wiser nor better stayed then such a bird is or 2. that he is no more likely of his own accord to settle himself any where then such a bird is any where to repose her self or 3. that as a bird is never so safe as in her nest especially amongst the Iewes where God had provided that a bird should not be molested in her nest Deut. 22.6 7. being abroad she is lyable to manifold mischiefs doth many times come short home so it is with those that are still leaping out of one place calling into another whereas at home they lived quietly in the good esteem of their neighbours being got so abroad they wander they know not where many times some mischief befals them Yea some think that Solomon spake this principally with reference to those birds that are wont to fly away from those regions where it begins to be cold into some warmer country that because such birds at those times are wont to be killed in great numbers so are the fitter to represent the danger of those that abide not in their calling but are ever seeking to change their condition Vers 9. Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by hearty counsell See the Note Psal 55.14 Vers 10. Thine own friend and thy fathers friend forsake not c. To wit neither the one nor the other or him that hath been both the one and the other neither go into thy brothers house in the day of thy calamity as if he should have said having such an ancient approved friend in all thy straits make use of him rather then any kinsman or brother that not only because such friends do many times though it be not alwaies so love more affectionatly then brothers but also especially because such friends doe usually dwell together neighbourhood being commonly the originall of such firm faithfull friendship so are able to help one another sooner oftener then a brother dwelling far off can possibly doe whence that last clause is added for better is a neighbour that is near then a brother far off to wit when a neighbour is such an ancient approved friend or this may be spoken as arguing from the lesse to the greater that if a neighbour much more a friend is better then a brother Vers 11. My son c. See the Note Chap. 1.8 be wise make my heart glad see the Notes Chap. 23.15 10.1 that I may have wherewith to
for the number seven is sometimes used indefinitely as 1 Sam. 2.5 of which see the Note there or else the meaning may be that the greatest part of seven daies and seven nights they spent in a silent sitting by him condoling his misery and mourning with him It cannot be thought that Iob sat so long amongst the ashes without ever withdrawing himself upon any occasion much lesse can this be conceived of his friends but as it is said of Anna that she continued daily in the Temple though it cannot be thought that she never went out of it Luke 2.37 So it is here said of Iobs friends that they sat with him on the ground seven daies and seven nights that is the greatest part of that time but yet doubtlesse they took their time for necessary food and rest c And none spake a word unto him for they saw that his grief was very great To wit both because they at first thought it not so seasonable to begin to comfort him before he had a little unladed his heart of sorrow least by speaking they should rather cause him to break forth into greater passion then any whit asswage his grief and likewise because the longer they observed and considered in what extremity Gods hand was upon him the more they were even overwhelmed with sorrow and so not able to speak and that doubtlesse especially because though formerly they had alwaies esteemed him a sincere godly man and therefore came with a full resolution to speak comfortably to him yet now the excessive misery they saw him in made them begin to stagger concerning this and suspect that all he had formerly done was done in hypocrisie and therefore the Lord abhorred him and punished him thus severely and so herewith they were so astonished and perplexed that they could not speak nor knew what to say to him CHAP. III. Vers 1. AFter this opened Iob his mouth That is though for a while he sat silent as being overwhelmed with grief and not able to speak according to that of David Psal 77.4 I am so troubled that I cannot speak yet getting at last some power over himself he gave vent to his sorrows and cursed his day or thus though hitherto Iob had carried himself with admirable patience yet after this now at length he began to speak and that freely and boldly for that is the meaning of this Hebrew phrase Iob opened his mouth having sat silent with his friends a long time before he began now to complain of his miseries and gave therein too much liberty to himself and was carried too farre beyond the bounds of patience by his passions and therefore afterward was sharply reproved by God out of the whirlewind chap. 38.2 Who is this that darkneth counsell by words without knowledge and condemned by himself chap. 40.4 Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth c. And so again chap. 42.3 6. And doubtlesse the cause of this sudden change was because God was now pleased to withdraw not only the light of his countenance to make his tryall the more terrible but also the strength of grace whereby he had been hitherto enabled to endure with such patience what he had suffered that to make it manifest that all comfort and strength to stand in tryalls comes from God and what the holiest and best of Gods servants would be if they should be left unto themselves yet it is not strange that Iobs patience should be so highly extolled in the Scripture if we consider 1. That his afflictions were not only exceeding great and very many but had also continued a long time upon him ere he brake forth into this impatience for at the end of this dispute which he had with his friends ere they left him God began to raise him up again chap. 42.10 and yet then he had been many months as some conceive many years under these heavy pressures we see what he saith chap. 7.3 I am made to possesse months of vanity 2. That upon the silence of his friends so many daies together the Devil might have occasion to suggest that even they also as his other friends had done before deemed him a wicked man upon whom God had begun to pour forth his wrath and therefore had not one word of comfort for him which might much imbitter his soul 3. That in his greatest impatience he was not wholly over-born his desire was still to approve himself to God only the flesh lusted against the spirit and prevailed sometimes too farre over him and when he did forget himself it was not so much Iob that did it as sin that dwelt in him Rom. 7.17 he still strove against it and 4. That he did at length prevail over his corruptions we see what he saith chap. 40.4 5. Behold I am vile I will lay my hand upon my mouth I will speak no more â—nd chap. 42. I abhorre my self and repent in dust and ashes And herein especially is the patience of Iob commended to us as a pattern because at the end he prevailed and got the day Iam. 5.11 Behold we count them happy which endure ye have heard of the patience of Iob and have seen the end of the Lord. And cursed his day That is his birth-day as it is expressed vers 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born not the very day whereon he was born which was long since past and gone but his anniversary birth-day which was in its time to return every year as is evident vers 4. Let that day be darknesse let not God regard it c. And this he cursed to wit with those execrations mentioned in the following verses not as having a thought that those things were like to befall his birth-day upon his imprecations or as deliberately and seriously wishing it might so be only transported with the heat of his passions he seeks thereby with all vehemency to expresse how he abhorred his life what a dismall and unhappy thing it was to him that he was ever born c. Vers 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night c. That is whereas the tydings of a child born especially of a man child are usually received with much joy their birth-daies afterwards solemnized with a great deal of mirth and jollity I may rather wish that I had never been born or that the day of my birth and the night of my conception may perish and not have their course in the Kalender amongst the daies and nights of the year at least that they may be no more solemnized but may be buried in eternall oblivion as it is more plainly expressed vers 6. Let it not be joyned to the daies of the year let it not come into the number of the months and that because I was born to so much misery and sorrow Some Expositours indeed will have the night whereof Iob here speaks to be not the night of
therefore to all this Iob now tells him that he was so worn out with the miseries he had undergone that he could not hope in regard of any strength in him that his life should be prolonged for the recovering of such a happy condition This is the drift of these words what is my strength that I should hope and so likewise do many Expositours understand the next clause also what is mine end that I should prolong my life for they conceive that by his end here is meant the end of his misery that he could not see any likelyhood that his miseries should come to an end and so should therefore desire still to live or rather that it is meant of the end of his life that mans life being so fading and transitory and so soon at an end there was no reason why he should hope long to prolong his life especially lying under the pressure of such insupportable miseries and therefore had just cause rather to desire that he might be presently cut off But there is another Exposition of the last clause which others and that upon good grounds do most approove what is mine end that I should prolong my life as if he had said I know no such evil in coming to mine end that I should desire to prolong my life the misery of dying cannot be so great thar I should desire to avoid that to spin out my life in that grievous misery I now undergo since after death I am sure to be in a blessed condition let them therefore that have no hope in their death desire the prolonging of their life but as for me being assured what mine end will be I see not why I may not well desire death rather then life Vers 12. Is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of brasse To wit that I should hope to outwear these grievous miseries I lie under or for the present endure them without complaint as if I had no sence nor feeling of them No I am made of flesh and bones as well as others and therefore must needs feel what I endure nor can long endure what I feel Vers 13. Is not my help in me and is wisedome driven quite from me Either hereby is meant that Iob was not yet so void of wisedome and judgement but that he was able to discern between right and wrong and so accordingly to judge of their unjust dealing with him to help himself and maintain his cause against all their false accusations or else rather that he had in him that which would sustain and support him against all their harsh censures to wit his innocency and the testimony of a good conscience and that he did still continue in the fear of God which is the only true wisedome And indeed this exposition agrees well with that of the Apostle Gal. 6.4 But let every man proove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another Vers 15. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook and as the stream of brooks they passe away c. Iob here compares his friends to winter brooks that are full of water in the winter and are dryed up in the summer and the reason why he so compares them is more fully explained in the following verses to wit that as those brooks when the traveller passeth by them in the winter time having then no need of them overflow their banks and by reason of rain and snow are full of water and blackish by reason of the ice which may be meant of their being black by reason of the deepnesse of waters or of the colour of ice and so being frozen seem stable and like to continue but then in the warm summer they are suddenly dryed up and gone at first haply there are severall little drilling streams here and there passing through the sands which are therefore called vers 18. the paths of their way but at last even they also are dryed up and vanish to nothing and so when the troups of Tema and companies of Sheba that is those that travell through the countries of Tema and Sheba of Arabia the desert and happy where they went by troups because of the danger of robbers that had formerly taken notice of those brooks in winter time do afterwards in summer time come thither to seek for water to quench their thirst whereof they are exceeding desirous in those hot countries they find none and so are ashamed and confounded as men use to be that have long hoped certainly for any thing and then in time of need their expectation fails them so did his friends deceive him now for in the time of his prosperity when he had no need of their comfort they made a fair show of great friendship but now in his afflictions when he had need of their comfort they failed him quite Vers 19. The troups of Tema looked the companies of Sheba waited for them That is the inhabitants of Arabia the desert and Arabia the happy travelling either for merchandise or other occasions from those countries for the posterity of Tema the son of Ishmael Gen. 25.15 did inhabit Arabia the desert and the posterity of Sheba who was the grandchild of Abraham by Keturah Gen. 25.3 did inhabit the other Arabia Vers 21. For now ye are nothing ye see my casting down and are afraid That is ye yield me no comfort Iust such as those brooks before spoken of are in the summer to the thirsty travellers such are you to me for having made great show of love in the time of my prosperity when I had no need of you now in the day of my calamity when I stand in need of your friendship ye are nothing not one drop of comfort comes from you my affliction you see and are afraid that is you stand astonished not able to speak one word of comfort yea ye are ready to fly off from me as being afraid to be infected by me and are startled at me as a fearfull spectacle of Gods vengeance one upon whom the wrath of God is poured forth because of my sins Vers 22. Did I say bring unto me or give a reward for me of your substance The drift of Iob in these words might be either to clear himself from that charge of being so impatient merely for the losse of his estate because his not seeking to them to have his losses repaired did plainly discover that it was not that which did so exceedingly pinch him or else to aggravate their uncharitablenesse If he had desired of them a supply of his wants or help in his troubles it had been fit they should have done it and was it not hard then they should not afford him a mouth full of counsell or comfort or lastly to shew how causelessely they were so harsh to him Did I say bring unto me c. That is being deprived of my estate I sent not to you to relieve me or to give me any
off by the breath of his own mouth that is by the desperate and blasphemous speeches which in his wrath and pride he shall utter and belch forth against God an expression not unlike to that Esa 64.6 We all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like a wind have taken us away yet it may be better understood of the breath of Gods mouth as referring to that which was said before vers 25. He stretcheth forth his hand against God c. by the breath of his mouth shall he go away that is after that God hath thus blasted his prosperous estate he shall at last utterly cut him off and send him packing away by the breath of his mouth that is by his decree or by the blast of his indignation which is the same that the prophet elsewhere saith Esa 11.4 He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked and which Eliphaz himself had said before chap. 4.9 of which see the Note there And very probable it is that Eliphaz doth the rather use these expressions of flame and fire and the breath of his mouth as in reference to the fire that had consumed Iobs cattle and servants and to the wind that had blown down the house upon his children Vers 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity for vanity shall be his recompence As if he should have said if any wicked man hopes or thinks it shall be well with him he is certainly deceived and therefore let not such a one trust in such vain hopes or in any vain thing whereon he builds his hopes his sinfull courses his present prosperity riches or honours any humane counsels or means for if he doth he shall find that these things will prove vain and nothing worth and so vanity and misery shall be his recompence And herein it seemes Eliphaz covertly strikes at the confidence Iob had expressed chap. 13.15 16. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him but I will maintain mine own waies before him He also shall be my salvation c. Vers 32. It shall be accomplished before his time c. This may be read It shall be cut off before his time and then it must be referred to the tree whereto he had compared the wicked man vers 30. saying the flame shall dry up his branches which may seem the more probable because of the following clause here and his branch shall not be green and then the meaning is that the wicked man shall die an untimely death or else to the wicked mans trusting in vanity or the vanity whereon he trusts whereof he had spoken in the words immediately foregoing and then the meaning is much to the same effect to wit that the wicked mans confidence shall be cut off and come to nothing before his time that is before his daies be expired or by his untimely end But if we read it as it is in our Bibles It shall be accomplished before his time then it must be referred to the last words of the foregoing verse Vanity shall be his recompence and so the meaning must be that the recompencing of vanity to him that trusts in vanity shall be accomplished before his time that is before his daies be accomplished he shall live to see his pride have a fall his own eyes shall behold the vanity of his confidence or in the cutting him off before his time this shall be accomplished and his branch shall not be green that is nothing that he possesseth or undertaketh shall prosper or his children shall be in a withering condition Vers 33. He shall shake off the unripe grape as the vine c. That is the wicked man shall be as the vine that shakes off her unripe grapes and as the olive tree that casts off her flower or God shall shake off his unripe grapes as the unripe grapes of a vine are shaken off c. But however that which Eliphaz intends here is either that his children shall die in their young and tender years or at least that they shall die an untimely death for because of the sad end of Iobs children Eliphaz is still harping upon this string or rather that all his substance his hopes and endeavours shall betimes be blasted and shall never come to maturity Vers 34. For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate c. That is though hypocrites have never so great families and attendants though they have never so many companions and friends they shall all be cut off and so their house shall become desolate and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery that is the houses of bribe-takers or the houses that are filled with bribery or built by bribery or the gain of any such like course of injustice or deceit Vers 35. They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity c. That is they conceive mischievous devices they plot mischief in their minds against others but in the conclusion all these devices prove vain and ineffectuall and usually bring mischief upon themselves Indeed this clause may be read also thus They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity as we find it also expressed Isa 59.4 and then the meaning must needs be that they contrive mischief against others in their mind and then act that which they have so conceived And accordingly we must conceive of the last clause and their belly prepareth deceit to wit that it is meant either of the wicked mans contriving in his mind how he may deceive others or else of his plotting those things in his head whereby whilst he thinks to hurt others he doth only in the conclusion delude and deceive himself CHAP. XVI Vers 2. I Have heard many such things c. In these first words of Iobs answer either he taxeth his friends and Eliphaz in particular who had last replyed upon him for running over the same things again and again even to wearinesse and irksomenesse and those too such things as he had heard many and many a time from others and which therefore he knew as well as they as that God is just and that God doth use to destroy wicked men and to pour forth his wrath upon them even here in this world c. Iob would have them know that his case was so extraordinary that such extraordinary things as they had so often repeated did no way suit his condition or else for the bitternesse of their language Eliphaz had in his last words very terribly set forth the vengeance of God upon wicked men and that as applying all to him whereupon Iob answers I have heard many such things for such terrours and threatnings and scornfull exprobrations I have had enough of them but not a word of true comfort whereupon he adds miserable comforters or as it is in the margin troublesome comforters are ye all to wit because in stead of comforting him for which they pretended they came to him
in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me that is let that which I now desire be determined and established appoint Christ who is with thee in heaven and hath already agreed with thee to be the surety of poor sinners appoint him I say to plead my cause and to stand up for me as my surety and then I am sure no man will dare to contend with me And indeed these two last Expositions do best agree with the context Vers 4. For thou hast hid their heart from understanding therefore shalt thou not exalt them That he might not be thought over-bold and over-confident in desiring that his cause might be examined and tryed or in appealing as he had done to God from his friends he gives in these words as a reason why he did so earnestly desire this and why he was so fearlesse of having his cause any way tryed to wit because God had hid their heart from understanding that is he had hid understanding from their heart he had given them over to blindnesse of mind how wise soever they thought themselves to wit in that particular controversie which was now in debate betwixt Iob and them Gods providences towards Iob were mysteries and riddles to them which they could not unfold and so accordingly they were in the dark as concerning those points which had been argued betwixt him and them and were not able to discern between truth and errour and therefore saith he shalt thou not exalt them where by not exalting them is meant either that God would not honour them with letting them determine his cause but would take the matter out of their hands into his own or at least put it into some other hand or else that God would not give them occasion to exalt themselves over him by giving sentence on their side however they now tryumphed over him as if they had got the victory yet when their cause came to be heard he knew well that then God would take his part against them and determine the cause for him and not for them and then they should have no cause to exalt themselves Vers 5. He that speaketh flattery to his friends even the eyes of his children shall fail Concerning this expression of the failing of their eyes see the Notes chap. 11.20 and Deut. 28.32 the meaning is that God will not only punish such flatterers in their own persons but even in their children also who through Gods just judgement do tread in their fathers steps But the great question concerning these words is why Iob speaks here of Gods punishing those that flatter their friends since his friends of whom he is now complaining were so farre from flattering him that they did rather revile him and falsely accuse him and to this five answers may be given 1. That he may therefore accuse them of flattery because having alwaies spoken him so fair in the time of his prosperity they were now so bitter against him in the hour of his adversity 2. That the flattery he intends was that when they might so plainly perceive that he was irrecoverably spent a dying man as we use to speak yet they could tell him such long stories of the prosperous estate he should enjoy here in this world if he would repent and seriously seek Gods face and favour as that his estate should be like the morning that he should outshine the very Sun and be a great man again chap. 5.19 20 and 8.5 and 11.15 16 c. 3. That the flattery which here he covertly strikes at was not their flattering him but their flattering of God if God would punish those that flatter their friends they could expect no better who to curry favour with God and under a flattering pretence of maintaining Gods justice had most unjustly condemned him which is that wherewith he had before charged his friends chap. 13.8 10. of which see the Notes there 4. That he spake not this to charge them with flattery but to clear himself from desiring to be flattered least they should think that he complained of their harsh dealing with him because he desired they should flatter him to prevent this he gives them to understand that he was so farre from this that he was assured that if men flattered their friends God would destroy both them and their posterity and 5. That he spake not this as a threat against his friends for their flattering of him but as a threat against himself in case he should have flattered them he would not have them offended at his plainnesse of speech in reproving them and telling them that God had hid their hearts from understanding c. and that because he knew well how severely God was wont to punish those that flattered their friends not in their own persons only but also in their posterity Vers 6. He hath made me also a by-word of the people and aâ—ore time I was as a tabret Here Iob returns to his wonted complaints of the sad condition whereinto God had brought him Reading the last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles and before them I was as a tabret it is as if he had said before their face or in their sight they being witnesses of it I was as a tabret or else it is to the same purpose with the first clause He hath made me also a by-word of the people concerning which see the Note Deut. 28.37 for the meaning is that they played upon him as a tabret or that they made a laughing-stock of him deriding him and sporting themselves with his misery according to the like expressions which we find elsewhere as Lam. 3.14 I was a derision to all my people and their song all the day and Psal 44.13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us But if we read it as it is in our Bibles and aâ—ore-time I was as a tabret then the meaning must needs be that whereas formerly report gave a pleasant sound of him to all mens ears now men scoffed and flouted at him in every place Or that now they talked reproachfully and scoffingly of him in every corner whereas in former times they rejoyced in his company and it was a delight to them to be where he was Vers 7. And all my members are as a shadow As if he had said My body is no body indeed but as it were the shadow of a body and this he might say either with respect to his exceeding great weaknesse by reason whereof all the members of his body were in a manner uselesse to him they had the outward appearance and shape of members but they could not do the office of such members he could not make any use either of hands or feet c. or else because his whole body was so consumed and wasted that his members had as it were no substance in them they were so meager and wan that he
looked more like an apparition then one that had a true body and should his friends see him they could not know him but would take him for the shadow of Iob rather then for Iob himself But now if you read this clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles and all my thoughts are as a shadow then the meaning is that his thoughts did suddenly vanish and passe away as a shadow and indeed men in great distresse are wont to be full of various distracting thoughts their minds running sometimes upon one thing sometime on another which may well be that which Iob here complains of to wit that there was no stability in his thoughts because of his miseries Vers 8. Vpright men shall be astonied at this c. Some Expositours make the sense of these words to be this that even upright men shall be astonied to see one whom they judged a holy and righteous man to be so severely punished and shall thereupon raise up themselves against him as against an hypocrite and accordingly also they expound the following verse The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger to wit that the righteous afflicted man though thus misjudged by his godly friends which is indeed the sorest of all tryalls shall for all this hold on his way and shall become more strict and more zealous in the wayes of godlinesse then he was before But the commoner and as I conceive the better Exposition is this Vpright men shall be astonied at this that is wise and godly men such Iobs friends were shall stand amazed at my strange sufferings and shall hereupon condemn and deride me in my miseries and that especially upon this ground that I should for all this persevere in my dependance upon God and maintain mine innocency and integrity against them and the innocent shall stirre up himself against the hypocrite that is men of a holy life and pure conscience shall hereupon rouse up themselves to wit either 1. To take his part and maintain his cause against those hypocrites that did so deride and falsely accuse him or 2. To oppose those base hypocrites that by his sufferings should take occasion to blaspheme God to harden themselves in their wickednesse and to make a mock of godlinesse or 3. To encourage themselves by this example not to faint in the like case if it should come to be their portion but stoutly to maintain their integrity against those that unjustly condemned them And so likewise they understand the following verse The righteous also shall hold on his way c. to wit that good and holy men will not be beaten off from the waies of righteousnesse by seeing them that walk in those waies so sorely afflicted despised and derided but will rather become the more zealous and gather the more strength hereby to comfort and encourage themselves against such temptations So that the drift of these words also was to shew that his grievous miseries was no proof that he was a wicked man and that God hath other holy ends for which he brings such sore calamities upon men besides the punishing of them for their sins Vers 10. But as for you all do you return and come now c. This may be either spoken by way of advice to his friends doe you return that is give over this erroneous conceit which you have hitherto maintained change your minds and come now that is close with me in that which I shall say or hearken to that which I shall now deliver or else as a challenge farther to argue out the businesse between them which seems the more probable because in that sense this very expression Return I pray you is used before chap. 6.29 of which see the Note there But as for you all do you return and come now that is come and let us again argue the cause between us were there never so many of you I challenge every one of you to prepare your selves and to alledge the utmost you can for the justifying of that you have undertaken to maintain for I cannot find one wise man among you that is in this particular you speak not wisely I shall easily make it appear that in this which you affirm that God would not afflict me thus were I not an hypocrite you erre grossely and speak as men that are altogether ignorant of the wayes of God And it may well be which some think that because Eliphaz had now returned as I may say to reply upon him and because he saw perhaps his other two friends eager to fall upon him the second time therefore it was that he now bids defiance to them all But as for you all doe you return and come now c. Vers 11. My daies are past my purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart As if he had said what do you tell me of comfortable daies though I have done what I could to comfort my self with hope and expectation of being freed from the miseries which for the present I suffered and with entertaining purposes of doing this or that when I came to be in a better condition as indeed men in misery are wont to catch at any thing that may give them any hope of being delivered out of their troubles yet I see all is in vain my life is in a manner at an end all the thoughts and purposes of my heart this way are broken off to wit either by death which will put an end to them all or else by divers other distracting thoughts which my pain and other miseries do continually suggest and which will not suffer my thoughts to be long stedfastly pitched upon any thing especially any thing that should comfort me Now though some conceive that this is rendred as a reason why they should hearken to him and be warned by him to wit because being a dying man he had not much more to say nor was well able to utter what he had purposed to speak his pain and misery interrupting him and the thoughts of his heart being through distemper full of distractions yet I rather think that the drift of these words is clearly to shew how vain a thing it would be for him a dying man to expect any such glorious condition here in this world as they had promised him if he would repent and turn again unto the Lord and that because this agrees fully with that which follows Vers 12. They change the night into day c. That is these distracting thoughts of which mention was made in the foregoing verse or my friends by causing such distraction in my thoughts make me passe the night without any rest as if it were the day the light is short because of darknesse that is the light of my joy is short because of the darknesse of my afflictions or rather the light is short because of darknesse that is when the day comes it seems presently to
starved to death for want of food Vers 14. His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle c. That is say some Expositours out of his body his bodily strength whereon he trusted shall be utterly destroyed Or every thing wherein he placed any confidence shall be utterly rooted out of his dwelling place namely his riches children c. and it shall bring him to the king of terrours that is this rooting his confidence out of his tabernacle or his broken confidence the despair he shall fall into upon the rooting out of his confidence shall bring him to the chiefest and greatest of all terrours or to death which is indeed to a naturall man the most terrible of all terribles as a heathen could say and so consequently also to the devil who in regard of the terrours wherewith he at last affrights those wicked men whom at first by his flattering temptations he drew into sin and in regard of those eternall torments wherewith he shall torment them may well be called the king of terrours Vers 15. It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his c. That is the king of terrours mentioned in the foregoing words Or rather destruction misery and want whereof he had spoken before vers 12. shall dwell in his tabernacle As in reference thereto he had said before vers 13. It shall devour the strength of his skin so in reference thereto again he saith here It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his that is Destruction shall take possession of his dwelling place because he got it by unjust means and so indeed in right it is none of his As for the following clause brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation the meaning of it is either 1. That God should utterly burn up his dwelling place to wit either with storms of thunder and lightning from heaven which is of a sulphureous nature as by the savour thereof may be sometimes discerned or with very showers of fire and brimstone or 2. That God should make the place of his habitation barren and desolate salt and brimstone being usually esteemed signes and causes of barrennesse in a land according to that Deut. 29.23 The whole land thereof is brimstone and salt and burning that it is not sown nor beareth nor any grasse groweth therein this may seem the more probable because of the word scattered which is here used brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation or 3. That God should destroy him and his with some strange and horrible judgement as once he did Sodome and Gomorrha for thus as in allusion to that the Scripture is wont to expresse unusuall and stupendious judgements as Psal 11.6 upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and a horrible tempest and so again Ezek. 38.22 and that Bildad did allude to that destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha we may the rather think because Iob and these his friends dwelt not farre from those parts and lived not long after the time when those cities were destroyed so that the memory of that judgement must needs be fresh amongst them And yet withall it is likely that he did covertly also put Iob in mind how his cattel and servants were consumed with fire from heaven chap. 1.16 Vers 16. His roots shall be dryed up beneath and above shall his branch be cut off This may be inferred as an effect of that which he had said before brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation to wit if that be understood of the barrennesse of the land wherein he dwelt But I conceive the plain meaning of these words to be this that he shall utterly be destroyed root and branch he and all that belongs to him according to that Mal. 4.1 All that doe wickedly shall be stubble the day comes that shall burn them up saith the Lord of hosts it shall leave them neither root nor branch for the wicked man is here compared to a blasted tree as before chap. 15.30 of which see the Note there Vers 18. He shall be driven from light into darknesse c. Herein may be comprehended that by the miseries that God shall bring upon him he shall be violently turned out of a prosperous condition into an estate of dismall and dolefull distresse and dishonour and sorrow but yet doubtlesse the chief thing intended herein is that he should be at last also driven from the light of this world into the land of darknesse the grave yea into that utter darknesse of hell for therefore to explain these words is that following clause added of being chased out of the world Vers 19. He shall neither have son nor nephew c. That is he shall leave no posterity behind him neither son nor sons son wherein he plainly strikes at Iob that had lost all his children Vers 20. They that come after him shall he astonied at his day as they that went before were affrighted At his day that is the day of his destruction that observable day when God shall at length render to the wicked man according to his works according to that Psal 137.7 Remember O Lord the children of Edom in the day of Ierusalem and Psal 37.13 The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming The meaning therefore of these words is that the judgement of God upon the wicked man shall be so grievous and fearfull and thereupon so notorious that it should be famous in succeeding times and the very report of it should astonish those that live then though they never saw it even as it did affright those that went before or that lived with him who were eye-witnesses of the vengeance that was inflicted on him Vers 21. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God That is of every ungodly man concerning which see the Note 1 Sam. 2.12 It is as if he had said Certainly as sure as God is just this is and this will be at last the portion of all wicked men and hypocrites that do not truly fear God to this their stately dwellings shall at last be brought and to this all their great wealth and pomp shall come and therefore do not deceive thy self Iob by thy present condition it is evident what thou hast been and if thou wilt not hearken to thy friends to repent and turn unto the Lord thus as all other wicked men doe thou must expect to end thy daies CHAP. XIX Vers 2. HOw long will ye vex my soul and break me in pieces with words Because Bildad began his Reply with that disdainfull expostulation How long will it be ere you make an end of words chap. 18.2 Iob addressing himself here to answer him begins after the same manner and retorts the expostulation upon him and his other two friends Nay saith he How long will ye vex my soul and break me in pieces with words therein giving them to
prosperity of ungodly men you see how unsound that is which you have maintained to wit that their good is not in their hand but that God doth alwaies strip them of the goods they have unjustly gotten And then for the second clause that is added they say by way of preventing an objection to wit that if wicked men fared so well then it would be his best course to walk in their waies that his friends might not object this he adds the counsell of the wicked is farre from me as if he should have said I would be loth to have their prosperity upon those tearms I have alwaies abhorred and do still abhorre the thoughts and courses of such prophane men and far be it ever from me to desire a share in their pomp by treading in their steps Again others understand it thus Lo their good is not in their hand that is it was not their own hand their own wisedome or industry that got them those goods they enjoy or raised them to such a prosperous estate but it was the hand of God that conferred these things upon them and therefore we see that God doth many times exalt and prosper the worst of men and then for the next clause they say that is added to shew how foolish and wicked a thing therefore it is in such men as he had spoken of to carry themselves so scornfully and insolently towards God the counsell of the wicked is far from me that is I am therefore farre from thinking as wicked men do that ascribe all they have to themselves according to that of the Assyrian Isa 10.13 14. By the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisedome for I am prudent c thereupon carry themselves so impiously towards God as if they were not beholding to him for any thing they had nor did expect or look for any favour from him But then lastly there is another Exposition that is farre more generally approved to wit that this is added to discover the folly of wicked men in setting themselves in such defiance against God as he had in the foregoing words described in whose power it is to cast them down from their prosperous estate even whensoever he pleaseth Lo their good is not in their hand that is though they carry themselves thus presumptuously it is not in their power to keep what they have gotten God can easily strip them of all and cast them down from their lofty condition and thereupon he inferres the next clause the counsell of the wicked is farre from me so farre am I from envying their prosperity that I would by no means be in their condition I never did nor ever shall approve of their waies And thus these words are as it were a transition to that which follows concerning Gods punishing of wicked men Vers 17. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out and how oft cometh their destruction upon them Iob seems clearly in these words to allude to that which Bildad had said chap. 18.5 6 The light of the wicked shall be put out and the light of his fire shall not shine c. and again vers 12. Destruction shall be ready at his side but yet what his drift in these words was is not so clear For some conceive this question must be resolved negatively how oft is the candle of the wicked put out c. that is surely it is not often thus though sometimes indeed it is thus yet so far is it from being alwaies thus that truly it is not often thus the candle of the wicked is not often put out nor cometh their destruction often upon them to wit from heaven And thus they say Iob confutes what his friends had maintained concerning the certain destruction of wicked men here in this world as before by affirming that they lived usually in a most prosperous estate so here also by denying that they were usually cut off and destroyed as his friends had again and again affirmed Again some resolve it affirmatively how oft is the candle of the wicked put out c. that is very often doth God put out the candle of the wicked Having said in the foregoing verse that it is not in their power to keep themselves in that prosperous condition which a while they have enjoyed he makes that good now by shewing that God doth often eclipse their glory and destroy them miserably and so he yields as farre as truth would permit to what his friends had affirmed to wit that God did often destroy wicked men though withall he denies that it was continually and ordinarily so So that Iob doth not here contradict what he had said immediately before concerning the prosperous estate of wicked men nor doth he grant that which his friends had maintained for by shewing that wicked men do sometimes prosper exceedingly and are at other times grievously punished he doth sufficiently disprove what they had said that wicked men are alwaies punished here in this world and clears it fully that we cannot judge whether men be wicked or no by their outward condition And indeed according to our Translation I see not how this clause can be otherwise understood because in the following words he proceeds farther to set forth how God poures forth his wrath upon wicked men God distributeth sorrows in his anger That is he gives unto every wicked man his portion of plagues and sorrows out of those treasures of wrath which he hath in store for the ungodly and so in this Job might have respect to that wherewith Zophar had concluded his last reply chap. 20.29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God c. But withall this word distributeth may likewise imply 1. that God gives them their portion herein proportionably according to their severall deserts 2. that often he punisheth them diversly some by one judgement and some by another and 3. that he also punisheth the same persons diversly and at divers times sometimes one way and sometimes another partly with temporall punishments here in this world and partly with the torments of hell in the world to come Vers 18. They are as stubble before the wind and as chaff c. That is they shall be destroyed and come to nothing be they never so great and strong and mighty easily suddenly unresistably and irrecoverably yea and all their great wealth shall be scattered as it were into a thousand hands But withall we may note that by comparing the wicked to stubble and chaff Job implyes likewise how saplesse and fruitlesse they are as being void of all goodnesse how light and unstable in all their waies quickly carried away with any wind of doctrine and with every blast of Satans or the worlds temptations and lastly how base and worthlesse and how little God esteems of them Vers 19. God layeth up his iniquity for his children he rewardeth him and he shall know it This last clause he rewardeth him and he shall
that is appointed for me that is what according to his just Prerogative he hath determined to doe unto me in this way of afflicting me that he doth and will perform And hereto agreeth the following clause and many such things are with him that is with him with whom I have to doe And the meaning may be either that God had many such like calamities and miseries as those were which he had already suffered which he might farther bring upon him and wherewith it was like he meant yet farther to exercise his graces and to purge-out his corruptions as if he had said I do not perceive that God hath yet done with me it may be there are yet other sorrows appointed for me or that be doth many such things to others as well as to him the cause whereof is hidden from us as if he should have said It is not my case alone many such things he both decrees and executes he usually deales thus with men in an unsearchable way according to his absolute Sovereignty proceeding oftentimes with great severity against men when yet he loves them and means them good Vers 15. Therefore am I troubled at his presence when I consider I am afraid of him In the foregoing chapter when Eliphaz had charged Job with many grosse sins he added vers 10. Therefore snares are round about thee and sudden fear troubleth thee Job therefore say some Expositours as in answer hereto professeth here that his terrours did arise not from any guiltinesse of conscience but meerly from the consideration of the majesty of Gods presence his absolute power in doing what he pleaseth to men and the unsearchablenesse of his judgements But however clear it is that he ascribes his fears to that absolute and unresistable power and Sovereignty whereby God doth to men whatever he pleaseth whereof he had spoken in the two foregoing verses to wit because observing that God proceeded with him after this manner he might well fear how farre God would goe on in laying his hand so sorely upon him And withall herein he might also intimate how farre he was from holding that God could not see and consider what was done here in the world as Eliphaz had seemed to charge him chap. 22.13 and that when he desired that he might plead his cause before God it was in hope that God would not overwhelm him with the terrours of his Majesty as he had before expressed chap. 13.21 Vers 16. For God maketh my heart soft c. That is By these heavy calamities brought upon me he hath made my heart weak and faint it melteth away like wax before the fire which makes me the readier to fear that still more miseries are coming upon me Vers 17. Because I was not cut off before the darknesse neither hath he covered the darknesse from my face That is Because he did not cut me off before these calamities came upon me nor by these calamities which he hath brought upon me nor hath yet afforded me any release from my miseries and hereby he intimates his fears that he was hitherto preserved from utter destruction that he might be reserved to farther miseries which was that which did so exceedingly perplex him for that by darknesse he means his grievous calamities see 1 Sam. 2.9 CHAP. XXIV Vers 1. WHy seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty do they that know him not see his daies 1. By this that times are not hidden from the Almighty is meant that God knoweth all times and all things that are or shall be done in time 2. By they that know him are meant the godly that love and fear God according to that Psal 36.10 O continue thy loving-kindnesse to them that know thee and 3. By this that they see not his daies is meant that they see not the noted and memorable daies wherein God doth his great and famous works either of mercy or judgement or more particularly the daies of his executing vengeance upon wicked men here in this life which indeed are usually by way of eminency called in the Scripture Gods daies as Isa 2.12 The day of the lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty c. and so in many other places The drift of these words is to shew that God doth not alwaies punish wicked men here in this world as Jobs friends had maintained he did For the proving whereof as he mentions many sorts of leud men that live in peace and prosperity and are never punished here in this world so before this enumeration of such prophane ones as goe unpunished he prefixeth the words of this verse by way of introduction the meaning whereof may be thus set forth Seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty that is seeing God knoweth all times and consequently both the times how long men are to live in the world and when is the fittest time and opportunity to punish wicked men so that no wicked man can slip out of the world unknown to God or before the time that God intended to punish him why do they that know him not see his daies that is why do the righteous servants of God that walk with him and observe his dealings and to whom God is most ready to reveal himself as to his bosome friends not see the daies of Gods punishing wicked men here in this life The summe of this introduction is therefore briefly this that if God did constantly determine to punish all profane ungodly men in this world since he knows the times how long they are to continue here and so cannot be disappointed by their unexpected dying he would certainly take the fittest time to doe it and so the godly should observe the time when and the manner how God alwaies punisheth wicked men and so should infallibly know by Gods dealing with those upon whom God laies his hand whether they are wicked men or no. Vers 2. Some remove the land-marks c. Here Job begins to reckon up the foul enormities of those that yet often goe unpunished here in this world and mentions in the first place the removing of land-marks this being in all ages and amongst all nations even by the light of nature esteemed an execrable wickednesse and therefore also forbidden in Moses law Deut. 19.14 under which also all other unjust encroachings upon other mens estates may be comprised according to that Prov. 23.10 Remove not the old land-mark and enter not into the fields of the fatherlesse And to this he adds they violently take away flocks and feed thereof and if we read the last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles and feed them it is doubtlesse added to shew the impudency of such men that when they have driven away other mens cattel do not kill them or sell them away to conceal their rapine thereby or to supply their necessities but putting them into their own pastures do openly there feed them as if they were their own and
it c. As if he should have said You are learned wise men men that observe the waies and works of God at least such you boast your selves to be and therefore herein I dare appeal to your selves concerning the truth of that which I have said and that which I shall now farther say you your selves have known it and have seen it so in your own experience But what was it they had seen Some referre it to that which he had said concerning his innocency some to that foregoing observation of his that he had not carried himself in his distresse as hypocrites used to do But I conceive it is best referred to that which he meant now to teach them as he had said in the foregoing verse concerning Gods dispensing the same both blessings and afflictions to the wicked and to the righteous This saith he ye your selves have seen and then he adds why then are ye thus altogether vain that is why do you so vainly conclude that God alwaies punisheth wicked men and prospers the righteous and thereupon condemn me for an hypocrite why do you multiply words nothing to the purpose not giving any one solid answer to that which I have objected and yet persevere in condemning me upon grounds so palpably false Vers 13. This is the portion of a wicked man with God and the heritage of oppressours c. Zophar had said the very same in effect chap. 20.29 of which see the Note there and therefore some think that Job in this and the following verses doth only alledge what his friends had said and that to shew why he had charged them in the foregoing verse that they were altogether vain to wit that they had said This is the portion of a wicked man with God c. But I doubt not but Job delivers this as his own judgement And yet he doth not hereby recant what he had formerly said concerning the prosperity of the wicked nor yield to that which his friends had hitherto maintained to wit that God doth alwaies manifest his indignation against wicked men by punishing them here in this world only to clear his meaning in that he had said concerning the prosperous condition of the wicked to shew that he was willing to yield to all that was truth in that which his friends had said and that so much he was able to say as well as they he grants them here thus much that indeed many times the prosperity of the wicked did end in extreme misery though they might long live free from punishment yet often that befell them at last even here in this world which God who is Almighty had appointed them for their portion and inheritance and therefore the mightiest of these oppressours are not able to resist it and then afterwards he adds what it was wherein he opposed his friends to wit that it was not alwaies thus but that many times on the other side in his secret wisedome whereof he speaks much in the following chapter the righteous were afflicted sorely whilst the wicked lived in great prosperity Vers 14. If his children be multiplyed it is for the sword c. Against which though they be never so many they shall not be able to defend themselves and so that which might seem to the wicked man at first a pledge of Gods favour shall be found at last to have been given merely for the encrease of his future misery that he might have many children to be devoured by the sword to wit the sword of Gods vengeance or rather the sword of an enemy for the following clause makes this later Exposition the more probable and his off-spring shall not be satisfied with bread that is they shall not only live in penury and want but shall even perish by famine Vers 15. Those that remain of him shall be buried in death c. That is those of his children and childrens children that remain and are not cut off by sword or famine shall die yet of some other disease and so shall be buried though they lived as if they should never die yet they shall be buried in death that is they shall die and being dead shall be buried I know there are divers other Expositions given of these words as thus they shall be buried in death that is they shall die and rot when they die and that shall be all their buriall according to that Jer. 16.4 Or they shall be buried in death that is whilst they are yet dying before the breath be well out of their bodies at least so soon as ever they are dead they shall be presently clapped into the grave without any funerall rites and solemnities Or they shall be buried in death that is so soon as they are dead they shall be buried in oblivion their name and memory shall be buried with them Or they shall be buried in death that is in the grave which is called the chambers of death Prov. 7.27 But the first Exposition is I conceive as the plainest so the best And as for the following clause And his widows shall not weep it is expressed in the plurall number his widows either because they had in those times many wives or else because it comprehends the widows of the wicked mans whole family and by not weeping is meant either that through extreme penury they should not be able to make any funerall for him or else that indeed they should not mourn for his death and that either because their miseries should be so many and so exceeding great that being as it were stupified thereby they should not be able to weep or else rather because they should be indeed glad that they were rid of him Vers 18. He buildeth his house as a moth c. It may be said that the wicked man buildeth his house as a moth 1. because he builds it with much pains and skill as the moth makes her nest 2. because he doth even wast himself in the doing of it even as a moth makes her bag or silken woolly nest out of her own bowels 3. because he builds his house with the spoil and ruine of others as the moth eats the garment where she builds her nest But 4. that which I conceive is chiefly intended is because though he buildeth his house as if he hoped to dwell there for ever yet both he and it shall suddenly be destroyed as when the moth is quickly brushed or shaken out of the garment where she had made her nest For upon the like ground Bildad had before compared the wicked mans house to the house of a spider chap. 8.14 of which see the Note there And to the same purpose in the next clause it is said that it shall be as a booth that the keeper maketh For if it be meant of those that are set to keep a vineyard or a garden of fruits they use only to make some slight booth of the boughs of trees and perhaps stollen out of the neighbours hedges
is consumed with grief c. See the Note Psal 6.7 yea my soul and my belly that is I am extremely weakned and decayed both in mind body oâ— by his soul may be meant his vital parts by his belly his inward parts or his wholâ— body Yet many by the word soul understand that power of life which desireth food and by the belly that part of the body which concocteth the meat we eat and so will have the meaning of the words to be that he had neither any appetite to eat nor strength to concoct what he did eat Vers 10. For my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing c. That is my life is wasted and my years hasten away to an end my strength faileth because of mine iniquity that is because of my sin or because of my miseries and afflictions for so the word iniquity is sometimes used in the Scripture as Gen. 19.15 which may seem here the more probable because he speaks here only of his sufferings and my bones are consumed see the Note Job 30.17 Vers 11. I was a reproach among all mine enemies but especially among my neighbours c. That is they despised and reproached me or rather they counted it a reproach to them to own me or to have any thing to doe with me and a fear to mine acquaintance that is mine acquaintance were afraid to shew me any favour or any countenance as being scared by that which befell Ahimelech and the other Priests that were slain with him 1 Sam. 22.18 or at least fearing that it would be a discredit and a disparagement to them which is more fully expressed in the next clause they that did see me without fled from me that is as fearing to be seen openly in my company or as detesting me for those foul crimes which they here charged upon me looking upon me as one accursed of God And thus too David implyes his misery to have been the greater in that he was thus openly and in publick despised Vers 12. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind c. That is in regard of the love they have formerly shown to me notwithstanding all the good that I have done for the kingdome I am in a manner now quite forgotten because they esteem me to be a lost man of whom there is no hope they now regard me not I am now to them as a dead man out of mind And indeed of the dead Solomon saith Eccles 9.5 that the memory of them is forgotten whence it is that the grave is called Psal 88.12 the land of forgetfulnesse and therefore too he adds I am like a broken vessel that is I am forgotten and quite disregarded like an earthen vessel which being broken men cast away and never mind it more because it cannot be mended again Vers 13. For I have heard the slander of many c. See the Note Psal 4.2 Fear was on every side that is I was beset with fear as being beset with enemies on every side yet it may be meant also of the fear of those that were about him It is in the Hebrew Magor missabib an expression which from this place Jeremy often useth in his prophesie as Jer. 6.25 and 49.29 and in divers other places and chap. 20.3 4. he gave this for a Name to Pashur the Priest signifying that he should be a terrour to himself and to his friends round about him Vers 14. I said Thou art my God To wit though thou hast sorely afflicted me See the Note Psal 16.2 Vers 15. My times are in thy hand c. That is The years of my life are in thy power and not in the power of mine enemies Or rather it may be meant more generally of all the changes that could befall him for to every thing there is a season and a time Eccles 3.1 to wit that nothing could befall him whether good or evil but by Gods providence and thereupon he inferres as with reference to that he had said of his times being in Gods hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies Vers 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant c. That is Manifest thy love and favour to me who am indeed persecuted because I serve thee by delivering me from mine enemies See the Note Numb 6.25 26. Vers 17. Let me not be ashamed c. See the Note Psal 25.2 Let the wicked be ashamed see the Note Psal 6.10 and let them be silent in the grave that is not able to say or doe any thing against the righteous see the Note 1 Sam. 2.9 Vers 18. Let the lying lips be put to silence c. This may be meant not only of his enemies slaunders and flatteries see the Note Psal 5.6 but also of their vain boastings and threatnings as may appear by the following words which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous that is against me and mine whom they persecute causlesly for the grievous things spoken by them may be not only their slaunders which may be so called both because they prove often the cause of much mischief and likewise because it is so grievous to Gods righteous servants to have such foul crimes charged upon them see the Note 1 Kings 2.8 but also their threatning of grievous things they will doe to them And for those words proudly and contemptuously see the Note Psal 12.3 Out of the high conceit that wicked men have of their wisedome c. it proceeds that they contemn the righteous Vers 19. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee c. Because of the following clause which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men many learned Expositours hold that David speaks here only of Gods goodnesse to his people here in this world and that of this first it is said here that it is laid up for them that fear him either 1. because Gods goodnesse to them is hidden under many afflictions and of the Lords withdrawing his help from them for a time perhaps a long time together so that not only the men of the world discern no such thing but even the faithfull themselves have often much adoe to be assured of it or 2. because many outward blessings God keeps in store for them laid up as a treasure which they do not at all times enjoy though others be then openly conferred upon them or 3. because Gods goodnesse is chiefly manifested to them in inward spirituall blessings which cannot be outwardly discerned as in the graces of Gods spirit and of that inward comfort they enjoy of which that is spoken Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it or rather 4. because it is the peculiar treasure of the righteous that
spirit thus to doubt of Gods goodnesse and faithfulnesse to his servants but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High that is the great works which by his almighty power he hath in all ages wrought for the deliverance of his people Though the remembrance of these things hath not hitherto prevailed over my doubts and fears yet doubtlesse when I have seriously laid them to heart they will at length prevail to strengthen my faith and hope in God Vers 11. I will remember the works of the Lord c. That is Though at first this doth not appease my spirit yet I will still and still meditate on the great things God hath done for his people as being abundantly sufficient to comfort me in my sorrows surely I will remember thy wonders of old see the Note Psal 25.6 And hereby he intimates that as we use not to question the love of an old friend that hath been many years faithfull to us so it would be very injurious to question Gods goodnesse and faithfulnesse to his servants which had been approved by experience of many generations in that however he hath afflicted them for a time yet at last he hath alwaies wrought wonderfully for them Vers 13. Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary That is in the Temple or in the Heaven However the meaning is that the works of God are hidden from the eyes of the world as the holy things of the Temple might not be seen by men or which is all one in effect that the works of God are above the reach of humane reason as those things in the heaven are only to be discovered by faith see the Note Psal 36.5 Yet some do otherwise understand this expression as namely that the proceedings of Gods providence amongst his people might be known in the Sanctuary according to that Psal 73.16 17 concerning which see the Note there Vers 15. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people c. To wit after thou hadst suffered them to be in bondage in Egypt for many years together as if thou hadst meant to cast them off for ever for this seems to be alledged to discover his acknowledged weaknesse in those thoughts of his before mentioned vers 7 8 9 the sons of Iacob and Ioseph that is all the tribes of Israel But though some conceive that all the tribes are here called the sons of Ioseph because they were all nourished by Ioseph as a father yet I rather conceive that by the sons of Joseph are only meant the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh and that they are severally mentioned either by way of honour to Joseph by whose means the whole posterity of Abraham was preserved or out of respect to the future numerousnesse and dignity of the tribe of Ephraim by whose name the whole kingdome of the ten tribes was afterwards called or rather because the sons of Joseph were born in Egypt which the other sons of Jacob were not and yet their posterity and that as two distinct tribes were delivered out of Egypt together with the rest Vers 16. The waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee they were afraid c. That is At thy presence they flew back and were divided the depths also were troubled that is even the deep sea was divided to the very bottome Vers 17. The clouds poured out water c. See the Note Exod. 14.24 thine arrows also went abroad see the Note 2 Sam. 22.15 Vers 19. Thy way is in the sea c. That is Thou canst make a way for thy people through the greatest dangers as appeared by thy leading the Israelites through the red sea and thy foot-steps are not known that is thy wayes in the government of thy Church are not to be discovered by humane reason as that way through the red sea was a way which no man could have thought of or found out when God had carried his people that way there was no following by the track that they left behind them in regard the waters presently returned and covered the ground again so that when the Egyptians would have followed them they could not passe through Vers 20. Thou leddest thy people like a flock c. That is with all possible tendernesse love and unwearied providence And by saying that God led them like a flock he implyes also that it was not by their own arms or strength or wisdome that they were protected from dangers as they went but merely by the watchfull care of God over them By the hand of Moses and Aaron mean and obscure and contemptible men no way likely by so high a hand to have carried the people of God out of the dominions of such a potent prince as Pharaoh was PSALM LXXVIII Vers 1. GIve ear O my people to my law c. That is to my doctrine which from God I shall deliver to you and which must therefore be as a law to you for the ordering of your lives see the Note Psal 1.2 and so the Apostle calls the Gospel which he preached his Gospel Rom. 2.16 As for those words O my people if we look upon this Psalm as composed by David it is no wonder that he should call the Israelites his people he being their king and if Asaph or any other holy man of God composed it he might tearm them his people either as being his country-men as Jeremy doth Jer. 9.2 or as being called of God to be their teacher What may be probably thought concerning the time when this Psalm was composed see in the folloing Notes vers 9. Vers 2. I will open my mouth in a parable I will utter dark sayings of old By the opening of the mouth in Scripture is usually meant a beginning to speak or else to speak after some deliberation sincerely and plainly and freely And some conceive that the relating and applying of ancient histories is here called parables and dark sayings either because as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.11 all these things happened unto them for types or because there are many holy instructions covertly couched under these examples or because the providences that are here related in Gods continued goodnesse to such a stiff-necked people as Israel was must needs be riddles to humane reason But for this see the Notes Numb 23.7 and Psal 49.4 In Matth. 13.35 we find this place alledged by the Evangelist who saith that Christ taught the people in parables that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables c. But the drift of those words was not to signify that the Psalmist did herein prophesy concerning the manner of Christs teaching his meaning is only this that in regard of Christs teaching by parables that might be well said of Christ which the Psalmist here speaks of himself only these words here dark sayings of old the Evangelist renders things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world because
later his very garments will be taken from him to satisfy some debt for which he hath engaged himself Yet some take it as an advice given to the friends of such a man that they shall doe well to get what they can from him and reserve it for his use in a time of need because otherwise all that he hath will he seized on by the Creditor to whom he hath engaged himself and then he will not have a coat to put upon his back And the most of Expositours take it as spoken to those that should engage themselves or lend any thing to a man that is so ready to be surety for others even for mere strangers to wit either that they should not doe this without taking a sure pawn from him for their indemnity and that because such a man will surely come to poverty and being so carelesse of himself he will much lesse mind them to whom he is engaged or that if he forfeits his pawn though it were his garment they should not spare to keep it or if he paid not the debt that they should seise upon what he had even to his very garments that not only thereby to secure themselves that they may not be put to look after the stranger they know not where but also because it is fit that such a man should smart for his folly that he may thereby learn more wit for the time to come Nor is this say they against the Law Exod. 22.26 If thou at all take thy neighbours raiment to pledge thou shalt deliver it unto him by that time the sun goeth down c. because that law was made only in favour of the poor that in extreme need pawned their garments as may be seen in the Note there and not of those that would pretend to be able to passe their word for others But the first exposition I like the best As for the following clause and take a pledge of him that is of him that will be surety for a strange woman that is a woman that he knoweth not or rather a whorish woman the drift of this is to shew that he that will undertake for such a ones debts or run in debt to gratifie her is not fit to be trusted without a pledge both because no faithfulnesse can be expected from such and likewise because men may be assured hat such a man will come to beggery Vers 17. Bread of deceit is sweet to a man c. That is men are wont to take great delight in that which they get by deceitfull and unjust waies see the Note chap. 9.17 but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravell to wit by reason of the terrours of conscience or the heavy judgements of God that shall afterwards seize upon him In the expression that Solomon here useth there seemeth to be an allusion to gritty bread made of the grift of corn that hath been thrashed on a gravel-floor or ground in a mill immediately after the stones thereof have been picked or into which in the making of it some gravell hath accidentally fallen which may well be called bread of deceit because outwardly it seems good bread but being eaten doth exceedingly pain and hurt a mans teeth With the like expression the misery of Gods people is set forth in the Babylonian captivity Lam. 3.16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravell-stones Vers 18. Every purpose is established by counsell c. See the Note chap. 15.22 and much more therefore ought we to take counsell in our weightiest affairs such as warre is whence the following words are added and with good advice make war Vers 19. He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets c. See the Note chap. 11.13 As if he had said And therefore though it be good to ask counsell as was said in the foregoing verse yet impart not thy secrets to such men And this indeed is implyed in the following words therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips that is with him that is a known flatterer or whom thou maist discern only to pretend friendship when his heart is not with thee that because such men are wont to cogge and flatter merely that they may fish out mens secrets and then reveal them to others or because flatterers if their counsell be asked will be sure to say as they say be it right or wrong whom through self-love men are very prone to believe It may be also read meddle not with him that entiâ—eth with his lips and then it may be meant of those that by their flatteries entice men to doe any thing that is evil Vers 20. Whoso curseth his father or his mother c. See the Note Exod. 21.17 his lamp shall be put out in obscure darknesse that is first he shall be cut off and die in extreme dishonour misery and then afterwards also shall be cast into the utter darknesse of hell and that this is principally intended we may the rather think because on the contrary long life is promised to those that honour their father and mother Exod. 20.12 or 2. he shall die childlesse see the Note Psal 132.17 and so his name memory shall be utterly taken away as indeed he that honoureth not his father deserves not the honour of being a father or 3. his prosperity joy shall be turned into extreme misery grief and horrour see the Note Job 29.3 or 4. he shall not find any favour counsell or help either from God or man in his greatest calamities which makes a mans condition just like his whose candle is put out when he is in extreme darknesse But see the Notes chap. 13.9 and Job 18.5 6. and 21.17 Vers 21. An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning c. That is Men may get a fair estate on a sudden to wit when they regard not how they get it so they may be speedily rich and leave their estate as an inheritance to their children but the end thereof shall not be blessed that is it shall not prosper in the conclusion nor prove a blessing to him that gets it to wit because either it may prove a snare to his soul in making him profane wicked or it may bring some vengeance upon him from God or fill his soul with dismall terrours of conscience or else rather because being thus gotten hast usually makes waste in that it was not more suddenly gathered then it is squandered away even as meat that is swallowed down suddenly doth seldome nourish the body but either is vomited up again or else is turned into corrupt humours This I conceive is the plain meaning of this Proverb Yet I know others do understand this of those to whom some great estate falls suddenly perhaps unexpectedly who not knowing the labour of getting it and not having been inured by little little to bear so great prosperity are wont to be profuse in their spending Vers 22. Say not thou
those that were taught by all those that were truly wise and apply thine heart unto my knowledge see the Note chap. 2.2 From the beginning of the tenth chapter to this place Solomon hath as by way of doctrine given us certain short proverbiall sentences every verse almost containing one entire Proverb by it self but now from hence to the beginning of the 25. chapter the manner of his stile is changed for besides that all is here delivered by way of exhortation the precepts that are here pressed are for the most part more largely delivered in severall verses and backed with reasons much as before it was in the first nine chapters And hence I conceive it is that in this and the four following verses this new exhortation to attend diligently to Solomons doctrine is inserted either by way of closing up the former Proverbs or rather by way of a new preface to that which follows Vers 18. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee c. As if he had said Though the words of the wise may at first seem harsh and hard to be learnt and over-severe and so be displeasing to thee yet if thou keep them within thee that is if thou dost once understand and believe them and so dost upon occasion call them to mind and meditate on them obey them constantly thou shalt find them very delightfull and comfortable to thee see the Note chap. 3.17 They shall withall be fitted to thy lips that is thou shalt be able opportunely to call them to remembrance for the instruction of others and to speak fluently aptly to good purpose of every thing as any occasion is offered yea and that with the acceptance and good approbation of those to whom thou speakest And indeed then only do holy words and instructions proceed fitly and handsomely from men when they proceed from the heart from good men according to that of David Psal 37.30 31. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdome and his tongue talketh of judgement the law of God is in his heart for which see the Notes there Vers 19. That thy trust may be in the Lord c. That is To the end that knowing observing what I have taught thee thy trust may be fixed upon God his word promises both for what concerns thy welfare in this life and that which is to come I have made known to thee to wit all these truths that I have taught thee this day that is at this time see Psal 95.7 or in this book even to thee as if he should have said Even to thee my son to whom I cannot better manifest my fatherly love then in teaching thee these things whose duty it is to apply these precepts generally delivered to thy self in particular and to know them for thine own good I know some read the last clause thus trust thou also the drift of it is as if he had said I have done my duty in shewing thee those things that should bring thee to put thy trust in the Lord be thou now as carefull to practise this as I have been to teach thee Vers 20. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge That is excellent counsels which I have given thee from God for thine advice and direction in all thy waies whereby thou maiest be enabled to give counsell to others and excellent precepts appertaining to knowledge to inform thee in all things which it is fit thou shouldest know for thy welfare here or eternall salvation hereafter Vers 21. That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth c. That is That I might teach thee not doubtful conceits or lying fables but truths of unquestionable certainty even the sure Oracles of God that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee that is that thou maiest be able to give sound advice to those that send to thee to desire thy counsell and to satisfy those that send to be informed in some hard cases or doubtfull questions or that thou maiest be able to give a reason of thy judgement or doings to any that shall call thee to give an account thereof according to that 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you But now if we read this last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles that thou mightest answer the words of truth to those that send thee then the meaning must be this that thou maiest give a fair account to those that have sent thee either to be instructed or to manage any great businesse they have committed to thy trust Vers 22. Rob not the poor because he is poor c. That is say some because being poor he is fitter to be pitied and relieved then to be robbed and oppressed or rather because being poor he is not able to withstand let not that encourage thee neither oppresse the afflicted in the gate to wit under a pretence of justice see the Notes Job 5.4 and 31.21 Vers 25. Lâ—st thou learn his waies c. To wit the angry mans waies mentioned in the foregoing verse by being infected by his example company as naturally men are prone to imitate those they love or by being provoked to anger by his anger so through often brawling and contending thou gettest at last an habit of frowardnesse and get a snare to thy soul that is so beest entangled in the same sin to the endangering of thy soul in eternall perdition or lest thou bring thy life into danger to wit either by thy friends falling suddenly upon thee in his fury some time or other and taking away thy life or by some quarrels whereinto thou maiest be brought by his means wherein by thy provoking of others thy life may be brought in hazzard at least some great mischief or other may befall thee Vers 26. Be not thou one of them that strike hands c. See the Notes chap. 6.1 and Job 17.3 Vers 27. If thou hast nothing to pay why should he take away thy bed from under thee See the Note chap. 20.16 Vers 29. Seest thou a man diligent in his businesse c. As if he should have said Such a man is deservedly to be noted and observed and if therefore thou hast taken notice of such a man observe likewise what the issue of his diligence is he shall stand before kings c. CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. WHen thou sittest to eat with a ruler consider diligently what is before thee That is what plenty and variety there is of dainty meaâ—s and delicious wines and how dangerous they are to entangle men unawares whence it is that they are called afterwards vers 3. deceitfull meat and to draw them to excesse in eating and drinking whilst they will be tasting of every dish and sipping at every cup and so consequently to make
answer him that reproacheth me that is that by the discovery of thy wisdome in time to come I may be able to shew the folly of those that now would reproach me for not giving thee good education Vers 12. A prudent man foreseeth the evill c. See the Note Chap. 22.3 Vers 13. Take his garment that is surety for a stranger c. See the Note Chap. 20.16 Vers 14. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice rising early in the morning it shall be counted a curse to him I conceive that there is in these expressions an allusion to a practise that was customarily used in those times namely that flattering parasites were wont to goe to the doors of great men that very early in the morning before it was day as affecting to out-strip others to be the first in that service there with a loud voice that all the neighbours might hear them to proclaim their goodnesse bounty by some formes of salutation or prayer which were then used as Long live such or such an illustrious Prince c. or God save my noble worthy bountifull benefactor or Patron c. or such like And by saying that when a man thus blesseth his friend it shall be counted a curse to him Solomons meaning is that as this so all other unseasonable immoderate praisings of men to their faces in the hearing of others are no better nor can be any better esteemed or endured by wise men much lesse is God like to esteem otherwise of them then if they were so many direct imprecations that 1. because such waies of praising men cannot but be discerned to be palpable flatteries that men do it merely to curry favour with such great ones whereas indeed they do rather hate curse them in their hearts 2. because if a man should accept of such flatteries men might have just cause to account him a vain-glorious fool one that affected to be praised yet could not discern betwixt those that praised him those that did only delude deride him 3. because such flatteries do exceeding much hurt to those that are so flattered in spirituall respects Yet some understand that last clause it shall be counted a curse to him thus that such a way of praising a mans friends shall prove a curse to him that so praiseth them in that every one shall count him a fawning parasite which shall be much to his reproach Vers 15. A continuall dropping in a very rainy day a contentious woman are alike See the Note Chap. 19.13 Yet the meaning may be also that as the one will not suffer men to stay abroad so neither will the other suffer them to abide within doors Vers 16. Whosoever hideth her c. That is Whosoever goeth about to order her so that she may not discover her outrage by her chiding brawling or at least that her loud out-cries may not be heard that so it may not be known what she is both to her own her husbands shame as namely by using her with all possible kindnesse gentlenesse that she may not be angry or by not answering her again or by seeking to pacify her when she begins to be angry to hush her brawling scolding or by shutting her up in some place that neighbours may not hear her such a one hideth the wind and the oyntment of his right hand which bewrayeth it self that is he undertakes that which is as impossible as if he should undertake to shut up the whistling wind in any place or to hold it in his hand that it should not blow that the noise thereof should not be heard or to hold some odoriferous oyntment so fast in his hand as not to suffer so much as the smell thereof to go forth for as there is no restraining of the winds blowing who hath gathered the wind in his fist saith Solomon afterward Chap. 30.4 where it gets into a room we see it will get through every cranny the more opposition it meets with by any thing that stands in its way the more violently it blows as there is no hiding of such an oyntment in ones hand because being pressed by a warm hand it will slip the sooner through the fingers the sweet savour of it will the more spread it self all about so neither is there any preventing or suppressing the clamours of a contentious woman but the more means is used to that purpose the more she will make the house to ring with her loud chiding yea the whole neighbourhood round about Vers 17. Iron sharpeneth iron c. As namely when all cutting tooles are sharpened by the file when by rubbing one sword or knife against another they are mutually made the brighter sharper so do cut the better so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend that is say some Expositors so doth a man by his rugged wrathfull looks language behaviour provoke the anger of his dear relations make his friend look sowrely sharply upon him or rather so doth a man by his presence conference consolation make the countenance of his friend smooth quick lively that was before by reason of some affliction sorrow that he lay under exceeding sowre dull dejected Yea it may be extended to all the benefits that flow from the conversing of friends together whereas men being alone by themselves are usually heavy dull like a tool whose edge is blunted good in a manner for nothing when they come to converse with their friends face to face by their mutuall conferences instructions counsels exhortations by the good example they have one from another they are every way much bettered hereby it brings them to be of a sharper wit a more vigorous quicker piercing judgement their behaviour in all things becomes the more polished refined they are continually provoking whetting on one another to good works Heb. 10.24 For because all the affections of men do much appear in their countenances therefore in all the particulars fore-mentioned it may be well said that a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend Vers 18. Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof c. That is He that diligently dresseth it preserveth it from wind cold all other annoiances shall sooner or later reap the benefit of his labours in the fruit he shall eat of it so he that waiteth on his master that is that constantly diligently attends upon his person businesse is faithfull trusty therein shall be honoured that is he shall at last if not presently be well rewarded preferred either by his master or others that shall observe his commendable qualities or at least God will do it The drift of this Proverb is to shew either 1. that as there are wayes means for housholders to benefit themselves so also for
sin of uncleannesse and haunting the company of whorish women by whom and for whose sakes not the persons only of kings but their kingdomes also are many times destroyed Vers 4. It is not for kings O Lemuel it is not for kings to drink wine c. That is to drink it immoderately not for refreshing and strength but for drunkennesse and as taking delight in drinking for otherwise there is no question to be made but that the daintiest of drinks as well as of meats was lawfull for kings and princes rather then for those of an inferiour rank and quality Vers 5. Lest they drink and forget the law c. This is said either 1. because magistrates when their brains and wits are intoxicated with overmuch drinking are not indeed able to tell what is law nor to discern betwixt right and wrong in the parties contending or 2. because by much drinking men frequently become stupid and blockish at all times Hos 4.11 whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart or 3. because men given to drunkennesse are wont to be carried away with their corrupt affections which make them partiall in passing sentence As for the following clause and perâ—ert the judgement of any of the afflicted we must know that the afflicted are particularly mentioned because in judgement they are most frequently negâ—ected and oppressed or by the afflicted may be meant any that are wronged and so fly to the magistrate to right themselves Vers 6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish c. To wit through poverty or any other heart-breaking affliction as Jacob in that regard is called A Syrian ready to perish Deut. 26.5 And indeed so it is explained in the following clause and wine to those that be of heavy hearts but especially in the following verse where a reason is given why wine and strong drink was fittest for such Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his miserie no more that is no more at that time being cheared up with that refreshing drink he hath taken I know that some understand by those that are ready to perish such as through sicknesse are ready to faint or malefactours condemned to die And indeed that there was a custome amongst the Jews to give wine to men that were condemned to die which some think to be that which Amos 2.8 is called the wine of the condemned is methinks very probable by that which is said of our Saviour as he was going to execution Mark 15.23 that they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrhe But yet by the context it is evident that those words must be understood here in a more generall sense However either this must be taken as spoken comparatively not absolutely as if she had said If it were lawfull for any to drink a little more then ordinary it would be for those that are in great affliction that they may thereby forget their sorrow and not for kings and princes that live in great prosperity and plenty and are in danger thereby to forget the law or else the drift is to shew that wine and strong drink though moderately taken is fitter for the afflicted then for kings and princes and withall to imply that such a quantity of wine as would no way hurt but rather doe good to those that are in great distresse would utterly overthrow princes and make them unfit for their imployments for to be sure excesse in drinking is not here allowed to the afflicted this would rather encrease then abate their sorrow Vers 8. Open thy mouth for the dumb c. That is such as dare not or through shamefacednesse or simplicity or any impediment in their speech are not able or through oppression are not suffered to speak for themselves in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction that is that in their estates body or credit are in danger to suffer greatly through the injustice of men even to their utter undoing But see the Note Psal 79.11 Vers 10. Who can find a vertuous woman c. To wit that he may take her to wife or where can such a wife be found From hence to the end of the chapter in two and twenty verses according to the number of the Hebrew letters we have an elegant Poem containing the description of a good wife and in the beginning of these verses we have all the Hebrew letters in order as they are in the Hebrew Alphabet for which see the Note Psal 25.1 Whether it were composed by Solomon as a character of his mother Bathsheba and that upon occasion of those holy instructions of hers to him which are here before recited or by Bathsheba for the direction of Solomon in the choice of a good wife it cannot be certainly determined Vers 11. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her c. That is Her husband upon just grounds is from his heart confident of her faithfulnesse to him not only in regard of her chastity and secrecy but also which is indeed here chiefly intended in regard of her well-ordering his houshold affairs which accordingly therefore he leaves wholly to her care so that he shall have no need of spoil that is he shall not need to goe forth to war to enrich himself with the spoils of vanquished enemies nor to use any unlawfull waies to store himself with goods gotten by extortion and oppression and that because she by her industry and huswifery will so abundantly furnish her house as if she had shared in the spoils of some ransacked city Vers 12. She will doe him good and not evil c. That is good without any mixture of evil not being a good wife in some respects but a very bad one in others all the daies of her life that is constantly all the time she lives with him and in all conditions and changes in youth and age in prosperity and adversity in health and sicknesse yea even after his death if she surviveth him by speaking honourably of him and by doing good to his children and friends Vers 13. She seeketh wool and flax c. That is That her self and family may not be idle for want of materials to work upon she provides them before-hand at the best rate and worketh willingly with her hands that is with her own hands she doth not only set others on work And observable it is that the good huswife of whom this is spoken is withall described to be a woman of that rank that vers 22. her cloathing is said to be silk and purple and her husband vers 23. to be known in the gates that is in the seat of magistracy Vers 14. She is like the merchants ships she bringeth her food from afar This expression may be used to imply severall things as 1. that by her continuall labour and diligence like the merchants ship that sails both night and day she gets wealth apace 2. that her house is furnished with as
againe all these things being ordered by the providence of God And so likewise the next clause A time to embrace and a time to refraine from or as it is in the Hebrew to be far from embracing may be meant of making up or breaking off marriages or of the different seasons that God sends to wit such wherein married persons and other deare friends may mutually rejoyce together and embrace one another and others againe when through alienation of affection sicknesse or other great sorrowes men are farre from embracing See 1 Cor. 7.5 Joel 2.16 Vers 6. A time to keep and a time to cast away To wit either through necessity as when men in a storme cast their goods overboard to save their lives see Jon. 1.5 or out of voluntary choice as when men do chearfully and bountifully give what they have for the reliefe of the poore see Psal 112.9 Eccles 11.2 or when men doe readily abandon any thing they enjoy rather then not keep faith and a good conscience see Heb. 10.34 Vers 7. A time to rent and a time to sew c. This may be understood as spoken figuratively of the Rents and Divisions that are often made in Kingdoms States and Churches and of making up such breaches againe or of rending men from the Church by Ecclesiastical censures and of reuniting them to the Church againe But I rather take it to be meant of mens rending their garments in times of great sorrow for which see the Note Gen. 37.29 and so of mending those garments againe And that the rather because the following clause A time to keep silence and a time to speake may very probably be taken in the same sense because in times of joy men are wont to use great freedome of speech and in times of great sorrow to keep silence according to those passages Lam. 2.10 The Elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground and keep silence and Amos 5.13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time for it is an evil time See the Note also Job 2.13 Vers 8. A time to love and a time to hate That is A time to manifest our love and charity to men and a time to doe those things that proceed from the just hatred of sin and wickednesse see the Note Psal 139.21 Or rather A time wherein God doth those things which cause and encrease love and friendship amongst men and a time wherein those things are done which occasion great variance and hatred amongst men Vers 9. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth See the Note Chap. 1.3 It is as if he had said Seeing when men have done what they can all things must depend upon the determinate counsel of God and therefore they cannot help or hinder the vanity and volubility that is in the things of this world nor work out any happinesse to themselves therein therefore all anxious cares about these things are to no purpose they may keep men from reaping any comfort in those things God hath bestowed upon them but they can never frustrate what God hath determined and therefore they may endeavour that which they shall never be able to effect and seek after those things which they shall never come to enjoy or which if they doe come to enjoy them they shall quickly leave to others Vers 10. I have seen the travel which God hath given to the sonnes of men to be exercised in it Some would have this to be understood meerly of the labour of seeking the knowledge of all things as before Chap. 1.13 where we have in a manner the same words for which see the Note in that place But doubtlesse that which Solomon saith here is rather meant of the various and contrary imployments passions and events that are in the world Whereas it might be thought that it is meerly casual that things doe thus come to passe Solomon here assures us that all these things are of God it is God that hath given this travel unto men to wit of being imployed in different and contrary works and imployments and that with different and contrary events according as he hath fore-decreed And whereas againe it might be thought that if all labour be unprofitable and that because let men doe what they will they shall be able to effect nothing but according to what God hath foredetermined then men had as good sit still and doe nothing as to labour and travel to no purpose to this likewise Solomon answers that Gods will is that men should use all lawful endeavours in all things they desire to accomplish though Gods providence should work contrary to mens endeavours yet man in obedience to Gods command must doe what belongs to him to doe to be exercised in it that is that they may be exercised thereby and kept from idlenesse and pride c. and all the evil effects thereof or that they may imploy themselves in observing the providence of God in that variety of changes that is in all worldly things Vers 11. He hath made every thing beautifull in his time c. As if he should have said Though in regard of the great uncertainty of all humane endeavours and the various and contrary events of things there may seeme to be a great deale of disorder and confusion in those things that are done in the world at which men are apt to stumble and take offence yet this is because we are ignorant of the ends that God propounds to himselfe and are not able to put together all the pieces of his Providence nor to foresee the effects that he will at last produce and so cannot comprehend the wise contrivances of all his works for the truth is that if we once discover Gods ends and how he brings about that which he determined whether in regard of judgements that he executeth upon wicked men or the tryal that he makes of the faith and patience of his people or other such like holy designes we shall find that every thing even these things that seeme so full of confusion are in their season admirably beautiful and done in the most exact and comely order and that as in the first Creation there was nothing that God made that was not very good Gen 1.31 so in the works of his providence in governing the world there is nothing that God doth but it is exceeding beautiful in its season Though things seeme to happen never sâ— unexpectedly and crossely yet when the Lord hath performed his whole work as the Prophet speaketh Isa 10.12 and that we come to compare one thing with another we shall find that God hath ordered all things for the best even to admiration As the beauty of pictures and curious hangings and so likewise of the bodies of men aâ—iseth from the orderly mixing of divers and contrary colours so doth the beauty of Gods works of providence arise from his wise causing even of crosse and contrary events to work