Proverbs 20

Chap. XX. Ver. 1—30. Various moral precepts continued.— “The first precept in this chapter is against drunkenness, as an enemy to wisdom, even in common things, much more in those of everlasting consequence; for that it commonly expels out of men’s minds all reverence, both to God and to others, inclining them to take the license to say or do any thing, without restraint or discretion; and what unruly passions it excites when the brain is disturbed with it, is known to all, and need not be here recited. The word (Homeh) which Solomon here uses, and which we render raging, or outrageous, includes them all; signifying that discomposed, unquiet, and restless state of mind, which expresses itself in some wild motions or other, according as men are naturally inclined.

But nothing worse can be said of it than this, that it makes men stupid sots, or profane scoffers at religion and all sobriety.” —Bp. Patrick. “Counsel in the heart of man,” that is, his plans and designs, (1 Solomon) “is like deep water in a well; “but a man of understanding” and penetration, “will draw,” or wind “it out” of him. Lord Bacon, who was a second Solomon, gives six rules, whereby the secrets of public men may be discovered; namely, their countenances, words, (rather accidental than deliberate,) actions, dispositions, the ends or objects they are known to have in view, and the relations of other persons. The question, (ver. 9.) * Who can say, I have made my heart clean?” evidently implies its depravity, and the impossibility of cleansing our own hearts, as well as the folly of pretending to perfection in the present life: a doctrine which we shall find Solomon inculcating with equal decision in other places.

(See (1 Kings 8:46); (2 Chronicles 6:36); (Ecclesiastes 7:20).) The maxim (ver. 27.) that “the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord,” is more disputed. The word here (or lamp) of the LXX rendered “spirit,” is the same that is used for the breath of life, which constituted man a living animal; but it seems here to refer particularly to the conscience, which as the “ark” of God in the temple, (the sacred chandelier,) illuminated the place, and showed all the sacred furniture; so the conscience of man, when not put out by sin, discovers all the secret recesses of the human heart. (See Note on ver. 30, and compare (1 Corinthians 2:11).)

XXI. Ver. 1—31. More miscellaneous proverbs.—So Solomon adverts to the doctrine of providence frequently, and apparently with peculiar pleasure.

((Proverbs 16:9).) So “a man’s heart deviseth his way; but the Lord directeth his steps.” “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, and he turneth it whithersoever he will.” As the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever they will.” This is an evident allusion to the ancient method of watering small streams through the grounds by cut. (xi. 10.) So with the same ease doth the Lord dispose of the hearts of men of all ranks in society, to fulfil his purposes; for “he doth according to his will in the armies of ape: and among the inhabitants of the earth.” ((Daniel 4:35).) A most important sentiment occurs near the close of this chapter; namely, “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination,” meaning, in the sight of God; and for this plain reason —wicked men themselves are at enmity with God; and as he reads the heart, he knows this; and that their sacrifice is brought neither from a sense of love nor gratitude, and therefore it cannot be acceptable.

Much less can it be so when brought with “a wicked mind,” or “in wickedness,” as the Hebrew reads; that is, from motives of hypocrisy, or to answer some sinister design. See Ps. 50:7—23.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XX. Ver. 2. The fear.—That is, his wrath, which excites fear. Compare (Proverbs 16:14).; xix. 12.: Ver. 3. It is an honour for a man.—Heb. Ish, a man of rank or eminence, as opposed to a fool. Ver. 4. Cold.—See margin; which is more accurate. Ver. 6. Most (or many) men… his own goodness, but a faithful man —a man who is all that he pretends to be—who, &c. Ver. 10. Divers weights, &c.—“A stone and a stone.” Measures.—“An ephah and an ephah;” i. e. stones of different weight, and measures of different capacity. Ver. 13. Open thine eyes.—That is, early in the morning, as the context [shows]. Ver. 14. It is naught.—[Such tricks in trade, if not actionable, are certainly dishonest; and to make them a subject of boast, is to proclaim that a man is an artful knave, who has met with another simple enough to be cheated.

St. Augustin relates, that a certain mountebank, having promised to show what was in every man’s heart, stood up, and in a single sentence redeemed his pledge: “You all wish to buy cheap, and to sell dear.”’—He was applauded; for every one felt it to be a description of his own heart, and was satisfied that all others were similar.]—Bagster. Ver. 15. Rubies.—“Gems.” See note on ch. iii. 15.; viii. 11. Ver. 16. Take his garment, &c.—This is better rendered by Dr. Durell, “Take his garment, when a stranger is surety;” but in the end, and others “And his pledge for (the debts of) strangers.” Yet the latter clause we prefer Dr. Boothroyd’s version: debts of strangers.” Ver. 17. Bread of deceit filled with gravel.—That is, bread procured by fraud, will eat as if there were sand or gravel in it; which is said to be one way in which criminals were sometimes punished. Ver. 20. His lamp shall be put out.—That is, his posterity shall be cut off. See (1 Kings 15:4). and note. Ver. 25. And after vows, &c.—The general sense is, that men do wrong first and begin to inquire whether they have done so, when it is too late. But the old divines apply it to sacrilege, thus: A man robs God of his due, and then vows to make amends. See Bishop Patrick. Ver. 26. And briceth the wheel over them—that is, crushes them by the weight of his authority, as corn was threshed with the cart wheels. See (Isaiah 8:27-28). Ver. 30. The blueness of a wound.—This is very difficult to translate. Dr. Boothroyd’s version seems most intelligible: “As the suppuration of a wound cleanseth the evil, so (do) stripes,” &c.

The phrase “the inward parts of the belly,” among the Hebrews, answers to our phrase “the inside,” which is often used for the inner man—the mind. See ch. xviii. 8.

XXI. Ver. 1. The king’s heart, &c.—(In the East, their gardens are watered by means of small rills or canals, dug from one stream, and running in different directions as occasion requires. Thus the direction even of the king’s heart is in the hand of JEHOVAH, as the distribution of water through the garden is at the will of the gardener.)—Bagster. So (Proverbs 6:17).—The ploughing (“the Ver. 4. A high look.—See margin. It is sin.—So the ancient versions, and light,” or “lamp”) of the wicked. Michaelis suggests, that “the high look and the proud heart” are the lamp of the wicked discovering his real character and disposition. Ver. 7. Destroy them.—“Awe,” or Ver. 8. Froward.—Parkhurst thinks the word means unsteady, alluding to an overloaded beast; but may it not rather allude to a drunken man, reeling and staggering as he goes? Ver. 9. A corner of the house-top.—It was common to form little closets, like arbours, in a corner of the flat roofs, where persons sometimes slept, in the summer time.—Than with a brawling woman, &c.—A woman of contention in Oriental Custom. No. 203. Orient. Lit. No. 839. Ver. 12. The righteous wisely considereth the house of the wicked.—That literally reads, is, investigates their conduct.—But God overthroweth the words “but God,” seem an unnecessary supplement to the Heb. See Bishop Patrick. “overthrowing the wicked,” &c.: Ver. 17. He that loveth pleasure.—But the Hebrew rather means Joy and festivity, which agrees with the latter part of the verse.