Proverbs 4

Salomon (propounding his own example; how he was taught and instructed by his parents) exhorteth again with many reasons and arguments to study the doctrine of wisdom, verse 1, etc. Also to shew and decline the paths of the wicked, 14. To keep the words of wisdom, 20. To practise holiness of soul and body, in ordering of the heart, mouth, eyes, and feet, 23.

1. Hear ye children [So Salomon calleth all those, that as children desired to heat his doctrine, as being the instruction and admonition of a loving father to his children. See above chap.1.on verse 8.] the discipline [see above chap.1.on verse 2.] of a father; and attend to know understanding.

2. Seeing I give you good doctrine; [See Job 11.on verse 4.] forsake not [so above chap.1.8. and below ver.6.] my law. [or, intention. So above chap.1.8.]

3. For I was my fathers son, [That is, a singular son, whom he exceedingly loved, and of whom he had special care. Of such a one we also use to say, he is the fathers child, or, the fathers son: the father loves him] tender, [that is, tenderly brought up, and carefully look to. Compare 1 Chron.29.1.] and an onely (one) [that is, well-beloved, and very loving, as an onely son. Compare 1 Chron.3.5.] before the face of my mother.

4. Now he taught me, [See 1 Chron.28.9.] and said unto me; Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. [it is a commandment, with a promise, as if it were said, and thou shall live. Compare above chap.3.on verse 25. And below verse 13.]

5. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget not, [To wit, the words, or sayings of my mouth, whereof is spoken in the following words of this verse] neither decline from the sayings of my mouth. [That is, which proceed out of my mouth: or, of my command; that is, which I command or enjoin. Thus the word mouth is taken for command, Gen.41.verse 40.]

6. Forsake her not, [To wit, wisdom, whereof is spoken in the former verse] and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

7. Wisdom is the chiefest (thing) [To wit, that we ought to endeavour after, and which can do us good. The Hebrew word Reschith is taken for the best, and choicest, or most excellent, and transcendent thing that is, Psalms 119:160. Amos 6:1. as also the word rosch, Ezek.27.22.] get (thou) wisdom: [Oth. The beginning of wisdom is, get wisdom. Oth. Get wisdom, the first of wisdom: which is the fear of the LORD. See above ch.1.7. and the annot.] and get understanding with all thy possession. [that is, with all thy goods and means. Compare Matth.13.44. also Prov.23.23.]

8. Exalt her, [To wit, by highly esteeming her in thine heart, commending her with thy mouth, and obeying her with thy life] and she shall promote thee: she shall honour thee, [that is, make thee acceptable and great in the sight of God, and men, see Dan.1.17. Luke 2:52.] when thou shalt embrace her.

9. She shall give to thine head an acceptable addition: [Hebr. An addition of acceptableness. See above cha.1.on verse 9.] a beautiful crown [Hebr. A crown of beauty, or, glory; that is, wherewith the head is adorned, and honoured. So below cha.16.3. Jer.13.18. Ezek.16.12. and 23.42.] shall she deliver to thee.

10. Hear, my son, and receive my sayings: and the years of life shall be multiplied unto thee: [Compare above chap.3.2. and the annot.]

11. I do teach thee in the way of wisdom: I do cause thee to tread in right steps. [Hebr. In the steps of rightness, or, uprightness: that is, in right ways. See above chap.2.on verse 8. Of the word step, see in the same place on verse 9.]

12. In thy going thy step [See Job 14.on verse 16.] shall not be straitened: [as it happeneth in narrow, uneven, troublesome, and slippery ways. The meaning is, that they way of wisdom is a convenient, easy, and pleasant way, Mat.11.30. Psalms 91:11,12.] and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. [Comp. Ps.91.11.]

13. Take fast hold of discipline, [That is, of the instruction leading unto wisdom. See above chap.1.on verse 2.] cease not: [to wit, from following this exhortation. Oth. Let her) not go: to wit, wisdom. See the following annot.] keep her; [to wit, wisdom, whereof is spoken in the former verses, and which is gotten by discipline or instruction] for she is thy life. [meaning the well-being, or well-living, not only of thy body, but also of thy soul. So verse 22. Compare above verse 4. And the annot. Oth. Keep it, for it is thy life.]

14. Enter not into the path of the wicked; neither tread in the way of evil (men). [Compare Psalms 1:1. Prov.1.10,15.]

15. Reject it; [To wit, the way of evil men. Of the word here rendered reject, see above chap.1.on verse 25.] pass not through by it: turn from it, and pass away.

16. For they sleep not, [Hebr. They will not sleep. The Future Tense signifieth the continuance of the action; as if he had said: They are not wont to sleep] if they have not done evil; and their sleep is taken away, if they cause not (some body) to stumble. [to wit, by hurting him in his soul, when they seduce it, and cause it to sin; or in his body, when they wound and kill it, or in his estate, when they steal and rob it.]

17. For they eat the bread [By bread and wine in this verse is meant all things necessary for the sustentation of this temporal life. So is the word bread also taken, when it is put alone, without the addition of another word to it; below chap.20.17. and 30.8,22. And 31.14. Mat.6.11.] of wickedness, [that is, goods unjustly gotten; or wealth gotten by injustice. So in the following words, wine of violence, which is gotten by violence. So below chap.20.17. bread of falsehood, which is gotten by false means, and chapter 31.27. bread of idleness, which is gotten without labour. Or, the meaning is, that to commit injustice and violence, is as delightful and acceptable unto them, as eating and drinking: which king of phrase our Saviour Christ useth, John 4:34. Compare Job 15:16. and the annot.] and drink the wine of meer violence. [Hebr. Of violences, or robberies.]

18. But the path of the righteous is as a shining light; going on, and lightening until the full day. [Hebr. Unto the set, or appointed (time) of the day: that is, until noon, or mid-day, when the sun is in its greatest strength and brightness, and the day in its perfection and compleatness. The just and the righteous are here compared unto the shining light; to wit, not only because they prosper by the blessing of God upon them, and enjoy peace and quietness of mind, but also because they are enlightened with the knowledge of God, and do therein daily increase more and more, going on from strength to strength, and from virtue, until they hereafter attain unto the perfection of the children of God. Compare Job 18.on verse 5.]

19. The way of the wicked is as darkness: [That is, full of ignorance, error, disquietness, danger and misery. See Gen.15.on verse 12.] they know not at what time they shall stumble. [that is, what is, that shall bring them to ruine, and plunge them into destruction. Understand this of the means, whereby God will execute his just judgement upon them. The reason, why they know no at what they shall stumble, is, because they are perpetually in apparent danger of falling into mischief and destruction: which surpriseth and overtaketh them suddenly and unwares, above chap.1.verse 27.]

20. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear into my sayings.

21. Let them not depart from thine eyes, [So above chap.3.21.] keep them in the midst of thine heart.

22. For they [To wit, my words, and sayings, whereof mention is made, above verse 20] are life [that is, those that give life. Compare above verse 13. And see the Annot.] to those that find them, and physic [that is, not onely giving life, but also preserving it in a good estate and condition, and keeping off and removing all manner of sickness and disease therefrom. Compare ab.Chap.3.8. and below chap.12.18. and 13.17.] to all their flesh. [that is, to the whole man, consisting of body and soul. Spiritual blessings are typified and shadowed out by temporal blessings. Thus flesh is taken for man, Gen.6.12. Oth. To the whole flesh of every one of them.]

23. Keep thine heart [The heart signifieth often all the powers and faculties of the soul, namely, the understanding, the will, and affections. So Gen.8.21. Isaiah 29:13. Jerem.17.9. Joel 2:13.] above all that is to be kept; [Hebr. Above all keeping, keep thine heart] for out of it are the issues of life. [the life of man is, either natural, or spiritual. The first he hath by his first birth; the second, by his second birth. Both kinds of life give their several operations and workings, which do flow and proceed from the heart. The natural actings and workings do proceed from the heart, that is unregenerate: the spiritual workings, and actings, or actions, do proceed and issue from the heart that is regenerate: Compare Matth.15.8.]

24. Put away from thee the forwardness of the mouth, [Understand all abuse of the tongue against the first, and second Table, or against God and man. See above chap.2.on verse 12. And below chap.6.12.] and the perverseness of the lips put far from thee.

25. Let thine eyes look right on, and (let) thine eyelids keep themselves straight before thee. [That is, direct thy sight straight forward. The meaning is, that, to the end that we may go on faithfully and constantly in the way of the LORD, we should not turn away our spiritual eyes from the commandments of the Lord, either to the right hand, or to the left, but go straight forward, without suffering our selves in any case to be led aside out of the way.]

26. Ponder the going [Hebr. Step] of thy foot, and let all thy ways be well established, [Or, ordered, or, directed, or, well fitted. Oth. That all thy ways may be well fitted, or, ordered; or, and all thy ways shall be established.]

27. Depart not to the right hand, nor to the left; [See Deu.5.on verse 32. And 28.14.] turn away thy foot from evil.