Proverbs 6

Proverbs 6:3

3. — go, humble thyself, &c.] These words may rather be rendered “Go, stir up thyself, and prevail with thy compassion;” “give not sleep to thine eyes,” ver. 4; that is, without the least delay take this course to disentangle thyself. Dr. Hammond.

Proverbs 6:6

6. Go to the ant, thou sluggard; &c.] As in the matter just mentioned, the least delay is pernicious, so, in all things else, sluggishness or negligence of those things which concern us most nearly, should ever be avoided; and if we need any instructor on this head, we may go to one of the least and meanest of creatures. Dr. Hammond. L 2 Seven things hateful to God. The mischiefs of whoredom. Before CHRIST about 1000. a Chap. 24. 33. b Chap. 13. 4. & 20. 4. casteh forth. son. Houghty eyes. c Rom. 3. 15.

Proverbs 6:8

8. Provideth her meat in the summer.] The industry of the ant has been frequently noticed by the ancient poets. It has been generally believed that these animals lay up stores of corn for their winter’s provision, and that they gnaw off the buds of the grains so as to prevent their growing in the earth. This fact is asserted by Pliny; Bochart produces many writers asserting the same. La Pluche says, “A prevailing passion in these little animals is to amass stores of grain; and, lest the humidity of the cells should make the corn shoot up, we are told for a certainty that they gnaw off the buds which grow at the point of the grain.” Parkhurst.

Proverbs 6:10

10. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber.] By the repetition of the words here seems to be implied, sleep and slumber often repeated at different intervals. The change of the person speaking, from the preceptor to the sluggard, in this verse, is extremely beautiful.

Proverbs 6:11

11. — as one that travelleth, — as an armed man.] “As one that travelleth,” that is, by surprise: “as an armed man,” with irresistible violence. Bp. Patrick, Calmet.

Proverbs 6:12

12. A naughty person.] In the Hebrew, “a man of Belial;” denoting probably an idle, foolish, wicked man, who cares not for God’s directions of his tongue or life. “With a froward mouth;” in the Hebrew, “with perverseness of mouth,” in the sense of detracting from the actions of other men, and so perverting all to the worst sense that is possible. Dr. Hammond.

Proverbs 6:13

13. He winketh with his eyes, &c.] Such a person when he has nothing of weight to say against a man, will, by significant gestures of all sorts, intimate matters to his

Proverbs 6:15

15. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly.] Such a person shall be brought to utter ruin, when he fancies he has carried his matters so cunningly, that no one discerns his villany. Bp. Patrick. “He shall be broken without remedy;” alluding, it appears, to an earthen vessel, which, when broken into pieces, cannot be made whole again. Dr. Wells.

16. These six things &c. These six things, which are commonly found in such profligate persons, “doth the Lord hate:” yea, there is one more, and so in all there are seven things commonly found in such persons, which are an abomination to Him. Dr. Wells. The seven things are these: pride or haughtiness; lying or fraudulence; guilt of blood; malice or projecting of evil; a pleasure in doing mischief; false witness or calumny; a causing of discord or ill-will among those who live friendly together. Dr. Hammond.

Proverbs 6:22

22. — it shall talk with thee.] Shall suggest good thoughts to thee. Dr. Wells.

Proverbs 6:25

25. — with her eyelids.] See note at 2 Kings ix. 30.

Proverbs 6:26

26. — will hunt for the precious life.] Will bring the adulterer to his grave. See Ezek. xiii. 18. Dr. Isham.

Proverbs 6:30

30. Men do not despise a thief, &c.] The general meaning of this verse and the following is, However

Before CHRIST about 1000. d Chap. 1. 8. c Ps. 19. 8. & 119. 105. f Or, candle. & 3. 3. & 7. 3. g Or, of the strange tongue. g Matt. 5. 28. woman of a man, or, a man’s wife. Solomon persuadeth to wisdom. An harlot’s behaviour described. Before CHRIST about 1000.

Proverbs 6:31

31. — he shall restore sevenfold;] The law of Moses does not enjoin a restitution of sevenfold, but in a smaller proportion, Exod. xxii. 1. 4. Bp. Patrick. Seven seems only put here for a number of perfection: the meaning is, he shall make a perfect and full restitution according to the law, so far as his substance or estate will reach. Abp. Tillotson.

Proverbs 6:32

32. But whoso committeth adultery &c.] The adulterer robs a man of his wife, without any such necessity, and therefore is destitute of all excuse, and must be looked upon as void of all understanding; and when he is discovered, he will be punished, not merely in his estate, but with the loss of his life, Lev. xx. 10. Bp. Patrick.

Proverbs 6:34

34. For jealousy is the rage of a man:] No translation can fully express the force of the original here. “The inflammation of jealousy is the setting a man on fire:” as much as to say, The jealousy with which a man is inflamed, so heats him and rages within him, that he can never be appeased, but is borne with irresistible violence to the revenge of his defiled bed. Schultens.

Chap. VII. ver. 2. — as the apple of thine eye.] Rather, “as the pupil of thine eye.” Dr. Durell.