Proverbs 18

Chap. XVIII. Ver. 1—24. ed.—Having explained, in the Notes below, the chief difficulties, more attention was paid. The admonition to avoid strife and contention flood the country, and car- Such is the case with contentions and * Before contention be When Solomon asks, ver. the hand of a fool to get wisdom, he strongly expresses the folly. Miscellaneous proverbs continuing the early part of this chapter, we shall here confine our remarks to some of the concluding verses, upon two of the chief blessings of human life—matrimony and friendship, than to the jus- _ Ver. 22. “Whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing;” that is, matrimony is in itself good;* honourable in all, with the bed undefiled.” ((Hebrews 13:4).) “And he that obtaineth a wife, obtaineth favour;” or rather, “a favour from the Lord,” who said at the first institution of marriage, “It is not good for man to be alone.” ((Genesis 2:18).) It is true, that by the fault of either, the blessing may be turned into a curse, and so may all the blessings of the present life. In our last chapter we noticed Solomon’s description of a friend and a brother, and here it is added, that friendship sometimes exceeds the love of kindred; and though the wise man might not at the time have any farther reference, it seems impossible for a true Christian to read this remark without re- ‘A friend loveth at all times;’ collecting Him who ‘loved and died for’—not his friends, but his enemies; for “Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:8-10). “Friend and Brother he appears, And well fulfils the names he wears.” —Watts.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XVIII. Ver. 1. Through desire, a man, &c.—See margin. But this version, though better than the common text, is too wordy. Holden’s is: He that separateth himself, seeketh (his) desire; He dealeth in all sound wisdom.” So the word here used is rendered, ch. ii. 7. See the note there. Ver. 2. But that his heart may discover itself—Here we prefer the version of Dr. Boothroyd, “‘In discovering (the thoughts of) his own heart.” This may be explained by an allusion to ch. xiii. 16. See Exposition, Ph. 6. His mouth calleth for strokes.—Holden, “His mouth provoketh.” Ver. 8. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds, and they go down.—“They descend” to the innermost parts, &c. See (Judges 3:21-22).

Ver. 10. And is safe.—‘Is set aloft;” i.e. out of the reach of enemies. Ver. 20, 21. A man’s belly shall be satisfied, &c.—The subject here considered, is the power of the tongue, which may not only, by its eloquence, fill the belly, but save the life. ——They that love it (that love to talk) will eat the fruit of their own words, whether wise or foolish, good or evil.