Clarke's Commentary - Proverbs - Song Of ... - Media Sabda Org
Clarke's Commentary - Proverbs - Song Of ... - Media Sabda Org Clarke's Commentary - Proverbs - Song Of ... - Media Sabda Org
Verse 25. Neither let her take thee with her eye-lids.] It is a very general custom in the East to paint the eye-lids. I have many Asiatic drawings in which this is expressed. They have a method of polishing the eyes with a preparation of antimony, so that they appear with an indescribable lustre; or, as one who mentions the fact from observation, "Their eyes appear to be swimming in bliss." Verse 26. By means of a whorish woman] In following lewd women, a man is soon reduced to poverty and disease. The Septuagint gives this a strange turn: . "For the price or hire of a whore is about one loaf." So many were they in the land, that they hired themselves out for a bare subsistence. The Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, give the same sense. The old MS. Bible has it thus: $ . The sense of which is, and probably the sense of the Hebrew too, While the man hires the whore for a single loaf of bread; the woman thus hired taketh his precious life. She extracts his energy, and poisons his constitution. In the first clause ishshah zonah is plainly a prostitute; but should we render esheth, in the second clause, an adulteress? I think not. The versions in general join esheth ish, together, which, thus connected, signify no more than the wife of a man; and out of this we have made adulteress, and Coverdale a married woman. I do not think that the Old MS. Bible gives a good sense; and it requires a good deal of paraphrase to extract the common meaning from the text. Though the following verses seem to countenance the common interpretation, yet they may contain a complete sense of themselves; but, taken in either way, the sense is good, though the construction is a little violent. Verse 27. Can a man take fire] These were proverbial expressions, the meaning of which was plain to every capacity. Verse 29. So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife] As sure as he who takes fire into his bosom, or who walks upon live coals, is burnt thereby; so sure he that seduces his neighbour's wife shall be guilty. That is, he shall be punished. Verse 30. Men do not despise a thief if he steal] Every man pities the poor culprit who was perishing for lack of food, and stole to satisfy his hunger; yet no law clears him: he is bound to make restitution; in some cases double, in others quadruple and quintuple; and if he have not property enough to make restitution, to be sold for a bondsman; #Ex 22:1-4; #Le 25:39. Verse 32. But whoso committeth adultery] The case understood is that of a married man: he has a wife; and therefore is not in the circumstances of the poor thief, who stole to appease his hunger, having nothing to eat. In this alone the opposition between the two cases is found: the thief had no food, and he stole some; the married man had a wife, and yet went in to the wife of his neighbour. Destroyeth his own soul.] Sins against his life, for, under the law of Moses, adultery was punished with death; #Le 20:10; #De 22:22. Verse 33. A wound and dishonour shall he get] Among the Romans, when a man was caught in the fact, the injured husband took the law into his own hand; and a large radish was thrust up into the anus of the transgressor, which not only overwhelmed him with infamy and disgrace, but generally caused his death.
Verse 34. Jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare] He will not, when he has detected the adulterer in the fact, wait for the slow progress of the law: it is then to him the day of vengeance; and in general, he avenges himself on the spot, as we see above. Verse 35. He will not regard any ransom] This is an injury that admits of no compensation. No gifts can satisfy a man for the injury his honour has sustained; and to take a bribe or a ransom, would be setting up chastity at a price.
- Page 1 and 2: WESLEYAN HERITAGE Library Commentar
- Page 3 and 4: ON THE DESIGNED AS A HELP TO A BETT
- Page 5 and 6: Those nations with which we are bes
- Page 7 and 8: affection, and piety towards God. T
- Page 9 and 10: Equity] mesharim, rectitude. The pu
- Page 11 and 12: will shall be free; or, rather, tha
- Page 13 and 14: to turn, because he was of the peth
- Page 15 and 16: Verse 9. Then shalt thou understand
- Page 17 and 18: PROVERBS CHAPTER III An exhortation
- Page 19 and 20: Some have rendered the last clause,
- Page 21 and 22: Verse 19. The Lord by wisdom hath f
- Page 23 and 24: PROVERBS CHAPTER IV The preceptor c
- Page 25 and 26: steps are not straitened; he sees h
- Page 27 and 28: in pace producet. "For himself will
- Page 29 and 30: her own husband for the sake of her
- Page 31 and 32: PROVERBS CHAPTER VI Exhortations ag
- Page 33: Verse 15. Suddenly shall he be brok
- Page 37 and 38: endangering himself by cohabiting w
- Page 39 and 40: wounded, also signifies soldiers or
- Page 41 and 42: human race. As Jesus Christ tasted
- Page 43 and 44: shophetey tsedek, "righteous judges
- Page 45 and 46: heavens in the course of a single h
- Page 47 and 48: egotten, nor proceeding, more than
- Page 49 and 50: PROVERBS CHAPTER IX Wisdom builds h
- Page 51 and 52: myrrh, mandragora, opium, and such
- Page 53 and 54: PROVERBS CHAPTER X It is impossible
- Page 55 and 56: Think much, speak little, and alway
- Page 57 and 58: PROVERBS CHAPTER XI A parallel of t
- Page 59 and 60: Verse 21. Though hand join in hand]
- Page 61 and 62: times the women in Judea did some o
- Page 63 and 64: Verse 21. There shall no evil happe
- Page 65 and 66: PROVERBS CHAPTER XIII Various moral
- Page 67 and 68: mekor chaiyim, the great aorta whic
- Page 69 and 70: PROVERBS CHAPTER XIV Various moral
- Page 71 and 72: 2. He shall be satisfied from himse
- Page 73 and 74: But the righteous hath hope in his
- Page 75 and 76: Verse 13. By sorrow of the heart th
- Page 77 and 78: PROVERBS CHAPTER XVI Man prepares,
- Page 79 and 80: Verse 6. By mercy and truth iniquit
- Page 81 and 82: Verse 27. An ungodly man diggeth up
- Page 83 and 84: PROVERBS CHAPTER XVII Contentment.
Verse 34. Jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare] He will not, when he has<br />
detected the adulterer in the fact, wait for the slow progress of the law: it is then to him the day of<br />
vengeance; and in general, he avenges himself on the spot, as we see above.<br />
Verse 35. He will not regard any ransom] This is an injury that admits of no compensation. No<br />
gifts can satisfy a man for the injury his honour has sustained; and to take a bribe or a ransom, would<br />
be setting up chastity at a price.