Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1:4

4. If thou seekest her as silver,] If thou seekest her with as much earnestness as covetous men search for money. Perhaps it is a proverbial expression, taken from those who dig in mines. Bp. Patrick.

Proverbs 1:5

5. He keepeth the paths of judgment,] He preserves pious men in their integrity, encouraging them not to swerve from the rules of justice, or to cease to exercise mercy and kindness, being their Keeper and Defender in all their proceedings. Bp. Patrick.

Proverbs 1:7

7. The fear of the Lord &c.] The first lesson he gives, as being worthy of the first consideration, is, that all saving knowledge, including a practice answerable to that knowledge, an uniform persevering obedience to the commands of God, is founded in humble and pious reverence towards God, in the tender fear of displeasing Him, and the readiness to receive, embrace, and lay up, in an honest heart, his word and his grace, whenever it shall be revealed and afforded to us. Dr. Hammond. “The fear of the Lord” is not only now and then, but almost every where, in Scripture, put for the whole duty of man, for godliness in general; and the reason is, that the true fear of God always qualifies and tempers the mind so, that a man dares not do otherwise than please and obey God to the utmost of his knowledge and power. Bp. Beveridge.

Proverbs 1:8

8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, &c.] Listen to the instructions, that is, follow the lessons of piety and virtue, which thy father and mother give thee.

Proverbs 1:9

9. For they shall be an ornament &c.] Meaning that a child well brought up is adorned by the wisdom, and virtues, and graces, which he wears; they are like a crown covering his head, and a chain embellishing his neck. Calmet.

Proverbs 1:10

10—16. My son, if sinners entice thee, &c.] The next and most important advice is, to avoid ill company. “The whole world lieth in wickedness,” saith an Apostle, 1 John v. 19; and nothing can be more proper or seasonable than for instructors of youth to caution their inexperience against bad examples. The wise man here instances in one particular vice, the love of money, as being the most predominant and common of all others; and shews how it leads to the most enormous crimes, and is indeed the very “root of all evil.” Wogan. blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

Proverbs 1:12

12. — from the man that speaketh froward things;] Not to suffer thee to be perverted by the mouth of him, who would subtly insinuate his evil principles into thee. Bp. Patrick.

Proverbs 1:13

13. — to walk in the ways of darkness;] In the melancholy gloomy crooked path that leads to eternal misery. Dr. Hammond.

Proverbs 1:16

16. — the strange woman,] The proper meaning of the Hebrew word is, one who is estranged or alienated in her affections from her husband or her God. Dr. Durell. The practice here alluded to was chiefly and more openly carried on by women who came from neighbouring and heathen countries; and these being of another religion, if they were of any religion, would probably seduce those who frequented them into the additional Before CHRIST about 1000. b Jam. 1. 8.

Proverbs 1:17

17. Surely in vain the net is spread &c.] The general sense seems to be, Surely a bird has sense enough to fly from the net when he sees it: but these persons are by their wicked deeds laying snares for their own lives.

Proverbs 1:18

18. And they lay wait for their own blood;] These men are setting a trap for themselves, when they lie in wait to take away the lives of others: for they shall not always escape the hand of justice. Bp. Patrick.

Proverbs 1:19

19. — which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.] Which (evil gain) bringeth destruction on those who pursue it. Bp. Hall.

Proverbs 1:20

20. Wisdom crieth without; &c.] Men cannot fail to be as well acquainted with the excellent instructions of wisdom, as they are with that which is proclaimed in the streets. Bp. Patrick. Wisdom is opposed to folly, and folly in the sacred style is all impiety; so by wisdom is meant universal piety, or obedience of all sorts due unto God; and so the precepts of universal righteousness are those things which wisdom proclaims. Dr. Hammond. 20, 21. — in the streets: — in the chief place of concourse, &c.] Here seems to be an enumeration of all the publick places where proclamations were made; the highways, the streets, the tops of houses, the gates where all go in and out, and particularly the chief city Jerusalem, from which all laws were proclaimed and dispersed to the lesser cities and regions. Dr. Hammond.

Proverbs 1:22

22. — the scorners] Profane persons, who mock at religion and piety.

Proverbs 1:27

27. When your fear cometh as desolation, &c.] When calamities and dangers come upon you, which, the less they are before expected, will the more frightfully, tumultuously, and dismally seize you. The Hebrew word translated “a desolation” seems to Before CHRIST about 1000. Wisdom, that is, executed wisdom. c Chap. 8. 1. d Isa. 65. 12. b 66. 4. Jer. 7. 13. Ezek. 8. 18. Wisdom threateneth her contemners; but PROVERBS. promiseth godliness to her children, Before CHRIST about 1000. c Job 27. 9. Isaiah 1. 15. Jeremiah 11. 11. & 11. 12. Micah 3. 4. as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Proverbs 1:28

28. Then shall they call upon me, &c.] This awful menace of God’s judgment upon impenitent and hardened sinners is incorporated by the Church into the solemn and impressive exhortation contained in her Commination Service.

Proverbs 1:31

31. — be filled with their own devices.] Be glutted with that which they have chosen, receive the just rewards of their own ways and works. Dr. Hammond.

Proverbs 1:32

32. — the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.] Foolish sinners are hardened in their wicked courses by the sense of their continuing prosperity, and are therefore hurried on to their own destruction. Bp. Hall. Chap. II. ver. 1—6. Solomon in this passage teaches us, that God is the only fountain of all true wisdom; and that the only way by which we can draw wisdom out of this fountain is, by studying and practising the sacred law of God. Reading 3. — if thou criest after knowledge, If thou expressest such a desire of it, as men do of that for which they have the most ardent affection. Bp. Patrick. The Chaldee version expresses “criest” by a word which signifies the impatient crying of a child to its and searchest for her as for hid treasures;