1Solomon to persuade obedience sheweth what instruction he had received from his parents, 5to study wisdom, 14and to shun the path of the wicked: 20he exhorteth to regard his admonitions, 23and to keep a guard upon the heart, and to be circumspect in all our ways.
1HEAR, ye 1children, the 2instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
1 Thus Solomon calls all those who, as children, desired to hear his doctrine, as being the instruction and admonition of a loving father to his children. See Prov. 1 on verse 8.
2 See Prov. 1 on verse 2.
2For I give you good 3doctrine, 4forsake ye not my 5law.
3 See Job 11 on verse 4.
4 Also verse 6; Prov. 1:8.
5 Or, instruction. Also Prov. 1:8.
3For I was 6my father’s son,a7tender and 8only beloved in the sight of my mother.
6 That is, a singular son, whom he exceedingly loved and for whom he had special care. Of such an one we also use to say: he is the father’s son.
a 1 Chron. 29:1.
7 That is, tenderly reared and carefully looked to.
8 That is, well beloved and very loving, as an only son. Compare 1 Chron. 3:5.
4Heb taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, 9and live.
b 1 Chron. 28:9.
9 It is a command with a promise, as if it stated: and thou shalt live. Compare verse 13: Prov. 3 on verse 25.
5Get wisdom, get understanding: 10forget it not; neither declinec from the words 11of my mouth.
10 Namely, the words or sayings of my mouth, whereof is spoken in the following words of this verse.
c turn aside*
11 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. 41:40.
612Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
12 Namely, wisdom, whereof is spoken in the previous verse.
7Wisdom is 13the principal thing; therefore getd wisdom: and 14with all thy getting get understanding.
13 Namely, that we ought to endeavor after, and which can do us good. The Hebrew word reschith is taken for the best and most excellent, Psalm 119:160; Amos 6:1; as also the word rosch, Ezek. 27:22. Other, The beginning of wisdom is: obtain wisdom. Other, obtain wisdom, the first of wisdom; which is the fear of the Lord. See Prov. 1:7 and the annotation.
d Prov. 23:23.
14 That is, with all your goods and means. Compare Mat. 13:44.
815Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to 16honour, when thou dost embrace her.
15 Namely, by highly esteeming her in your heart, commending her with your mouth and obeying her with your works.
16 That is, to make acceptable and great in the sight of God and men. See Dan. 1:17; Luke 2:52.
9Shee shall give to thine head 17an ornament of grace: a 18crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
e Prov. 1:9.
17 Hebr. an addition of acceptableness. See Prov. 1 on verse 9.
18 Hebr. a crown of beauty or glory, that is, wherewith the head is adorned and honored. Also Prov. 16:31; Isa. 62:3; Jer. 13:18; Ezek. 16:12; 23:42.
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and 19the years of thy life shall be many.
19 Compare Prov. 3:2 and the annotations.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee 20in right paths.
20 Hebr. in the steps of rightness or uprightness, that is, in right ways. See Prov. 2 on verse 8. Of the word paths, see also Prov. 2 on verse 9.
12When thou goest, thy 21steps shall not be 22straitened; and when thou runnest, thouf shalt not stumble.
21 See Job 14 on verse 16.
22 As it happens in narrow, uneven, troublesome and slippery ways. The meaning is: that the way of wisdom is a convenient, easy and pleasant way, Psalm 91:11, 12; Mat. 11:30.
f Psalm 91:11.
13Take fast hold of 23instruction; 24let her not go: 25keep her; for she is thy 26life.
23 That is, the discipline, leading unto wisdom. See Prov. 1 on verse 2.
24 Namely, from following this exhortation. Other, let her not go, namely, wisdom. See the following annotation
25 Namely, wisdom, whereof is spoken in the previous verses, and which is obtained by discipline or instruction. Other, keep it, for it is thy life.
26 Understand the wellbeing not only of your body, but also of your soul; also verse 22. Compare verse 4 and the annotation.
14¶Enterg not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
g Psalm 1:1; Prov. 1:10, 15.
15Avoid 27it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
27 Namely, the way of evil men. Of the word here rendered avoid, see Prov. 1 on verse 25, which has set at nought.
16For 28they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some 29to fall.
28 Hebr. They will not sleep. The future tense signifies the continuance of the action; as if he had said: They are not wont to sleep.
29 Namely, by hurting him in his soul when they tempt and cause it to sin, or in his body, when they wound and kill it, or in his temporal estate, when they steal and rob it.
17For they eat the 30bread 31of wickedness, and drink the wine 32of violence.
30 By bread and wine in this verse is meant all things necessary for the sustenance of this temporal life. So is the word bread also taken when it is joined with the word water Prov. 9:17, and only by itself Prov. 20:17; 30:8, 22; 31:14; Mat. 6:11.
31 That is, goods unjustly gotten, or wealth gotten by injustice. So in the following words wine of violence, which is gotten by violence. Also Prov. 20:17 bread of deceit, which is gotten by false means; Prov. 31:27 bread of idleness, which is gotten without labor. Or, the meaning is: that to commit injustice and violence, is as delightful and acceptable unto them, as eating and drinking; which kind of phrase Christ uses John 4:34. Compare Job 15:16 and the annotation.
32 Hebr. of violences, or robberies.
18But the path of the just is as the 33shining light, that shineth more and more unto the 34perfect day.
33 Namely, 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 virtue to virtue, until they hereafter attain unto the perfection of the children of God. Compare Job 18 on verse 5.
34 Hebr. unto the set or appointed time of the day: that is, until noon or midday, when the sun is in its greatest strength and brightness, and the day in its perfection and completeness.
19The way of the wicked is as 35darkness: 36they know not 37at what they stumble.
35 That is, full of ignorance, error, disquietude, danger and misery. See Gen. 15 on verse 12.
36 The reason is, because they stand mostly in considerable jeopardy to fall into danger and destruction; which overtakes them quickly, Prov. 1:27.
37 That is, what it is that shall bring them to ruin and plunge them into destruction. Understand this of the means whereby God will execute His righteous judgment upon them.
20¶My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not 38depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
38 Also Prov. 3:21.
22For 39they areh40life unto those that find them, and 41health to 42all their flesh.
39 Namely, my words and sayings, whereof mention is made verse 20.
h Prov. 4:13.
40 That is, those who give life. Compare verse 13 and see the annotation.
41 That is, not only giving life, but also preserving it in a good condition, and averting all manner of calamity from it. Compare Prov. 3:8; 12:18; 13:17.
42 That is, to the whole man, consisting of body and soul. Spiritual blessings are typified by temporal blessings. Thus flesh is taken for man, Gen. 6:12. Other, to the whole flesh of every one of them.
23¶Keep thy 43heart 44with all diligence; for out of it are the 45issues of life.
43 The heart signifies often all the powers and faculties of the soul, namely, the understanding, the will and affections. Also Gen. 8:21; Isa. 29:13; Jer. 17:9; Joel 2:13.
44 Hebr. above all keeping, keep thine heart.
45 The life of man is either natural or spiritual. The first he has by his first birth; the second, by his second birth. Both kinds of life give their operations, which proceed from the heart. The natural operations, which is unregenerate, do proceed from the heart; the spiritual from regeneration. Compare Mat. 15:18.
24Put away from thee a 46froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
46 Understand all abuse of the tongue against the first and the second table, or against God and the people. See Prov. 2 on verse 12; 6:12.
2547Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look 48straight before thee.
47 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 ourselves in any case to be led aside out of the way.
48 That is, direct your sight straight forward.
2649Ponder the 50path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be 51established.
49 That is, consider well by yourself how to regulate your conduct, corresponding the same to the rule of God’s Word, so that you make no cunning and crooked steps. It seems to be a similitude taken from those who use the level, in making roads and streets level and straight.
50 Hebr. step.
51 Or, ordered, or, directed, or, well fitted. Other, that all thy ways may be well fitted or ordered, or, and all thy ways shall be established.
27Turni52not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
i Deut. 5:32; 28:14.
52 See Deut. 5 on verse 32.