1. mocker--scorner. Such men are made by wine.
strong drink--made by spicing wine (compare
Isa 5:11, 22);
and it may include wine.
raging--or boisterous as a drunkard.
deceived--literally, "erring," or reeling.
2. (Compare Pr 19:12). Men who resist authority injure themselves (Ro 13:2).
3. to cease from strife--or, better, "to dwell from or without strife,"
denoting the habit of life.
fool . . . meddling--
(Pr 17:14).
4. shall . . . beg--literally, "ask" (in this sense, Ps 109:10).
5. Counsel . . . water--that is, deeply hidden (Pr 18:4; Ps 13:2). The wise can discern well.
6. Boasters are unreliable.
goodness--or, "kind disposition."
7. The conduct of good men proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good example secure blessing to their children (Pr 4:26; Ps 112:1, 2).
8. As in Pr 14:35; 16:10, 15, this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.
9. The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14; Ec 7:20).
10. Various measures, implying that some are wrong (compare Pr 11:1; 16:11).
11. The conduct of children even is the best test of principle (compare Mt 7:16).
12. Hence, of course, God will know all you do (Ps 94:9).
13. Activity and diligence contrasted with sloth
(Pr 6:9; 10:11).
lest . . . poverty--literally, "be deprived of inheritance."
14. when . . . his way--implying that he goes about boasting of his bargains.
15. The contrast denotes the greater value of knowledge (compare Pr 3:14-16).
16. Take his garment--implies severe exaction, justified by the
surety's rashness.
a strange woman--by some readings "strangers," but the former here,
and in
Pr 27:13,
is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is less reliable
than the merely careless.
17. Bread . . . sweet--either as unlawfully
(Pr 9:17)
or easily obtained.
mouth . . . gravel--well expresses the pain and grief given
at last.
18. (Compare Pr 15:22). Be careful and considerate in important plans.
19. Those who love to tell news will hardly keep secrets.
flattereth . . . lips--(compare Margin;
Pr 1:10).
meddle . . . him--literally, "join," or "associate with."
20. his lamp--(Compare Pr 13:9; 24:20).
21. gotten hastily--contrary to God's providence (Pr 28:20), implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare Pr 20:17).
22. (Compare Ps 27:14; Ro 12:17-19).
23. (Compare Pr 20:10; 11:1).
24. Man's goings--literally, "Stately steppings of a strong man."
a man--any common man.
understand--or, "perceive."
25. devoureth . . . holy--or, better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly vowing.
26. (Compare
Pr 20:8).
bringeth . . . over them--The wheel was used for threshing grain. The
figure denotes severity (compare
Am 1:3).
27. The spirit . . . Lord--Men's minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare Pr 20:5; Pr 18:8, 17; 1Co 2:11).
28. (Compare Pr 3:3; 16:6, 12).
29. The glory of young men . . . the beauty of old men--Each age has its peculiar excellence (Pr 16:31).
30. blueness--literally, "joining," the process of uniting the edges
of a wound throws off purulent matter.
stripes . . . belly--So punishment provides healing of soul
(Pr 18:8),
by deterring from evil courses.
