5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
5 Every word H565 of God H433 is pure: H6884 he is a shield H4043 unto them that put their trust H2620 in him.
6 Add H3254 thou not unto his words, H1697 lest he reprove H3198 thee, and thou be found a liar. H3576
7 Two H8147 things have I required H7592 of thee; deny H4513 me them not before I die: H4191
8 Remove far H7368 from me vanity H7723 and lies: H1697 H3577 give H5414 me neither poverty H7389 nor riches; H6239 feed H2963 me with food H3899 convenient H2706 for me:
9 Lest I be full, H7646 and deny H3584 thee, and say, H559 Who is the LORD? H3068 or lest I be poor, H3423 and steal, H1589 and take H8610 the name H8034 of my God H430 in vain.
10 Accuse H3960 not a servant H5650 unto his master, H113 lest he curse H7043 thee, and thou be found guilty. H816
11 There is a generation H1755 that curseth H7043 their father, H1 and doth not bless H1288 their mother. H517
12 There is a generation H1755 that are pure H2889 in their own eyes, H5869 and yet is not washed H7364 from their filthiness. H6675
13 There is a generation, H1755 O how lofty H7311 are their eyes! H5869 and their eyelids H6079 are lifted up. H5375
14 There is a generation, H1755 whose teeth H8127 are as swords, H2719 and their jaw teeth H4973 as knives, H3979 to devour H398 the poor H6041 from off the earth, H776 and the needy H34 from among men. H120
5 Every word of God is tried: He is a shield unto them that take refuge in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I asked of thee; Deny me `them' not before I die:
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny `thee', and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God.
10 Slander not a servant unto his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And `yet' are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are `as' swords, and their jaw teeth `as' knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
5 Every saying of God `is' tried, A shield He `is' to those trusting in Him.
6 Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.
7 Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.
8 Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
9 Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, `Who `is' Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 A generation `is', that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.
12 A generation -- pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.
13 A generation -- how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.
14 A generation -- swords `are' their teeth, And knives -- their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from `among' men.
5 Every word of +God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
9 lest I be full and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God.
10 Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;
12 there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;
13 there is a generation, -- how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!
14 -- a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.
5 "Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Don't you add to his words, Lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
7 "Two things I have asked of you; Don't deny me before I die:
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;
9 Lest I be full, deny you, and say, 'Who is Yahweh?' Or lest I be poor, and steal, And so dishonor the name of my God.
10 "Don't slander a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses their father, And doesn't bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, Yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And their jaws like knives, To devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.
5 Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him.
6 Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
7 I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:
8 Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food:
9 For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.
10 Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.
11 There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother.
12 There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.
13 There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up!
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 30
Commentary on Proverbs 30 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 30
Pr 30:1-33.
1. This is the title of this chapter (see Introduction).
the prophecy—literally, "the burden" (compare Isa 13:1; Zec 9:1), used for any divine instruction; not necessarily a prediction, which was only a kind of prophecy (1Ch 15:27, "a song"). Prophets were inspired men, who spoke for God to man, or for man to God (Ge 20:7; Ex 7:14, 15, 16). Such, also, were the New Testament prophets. In a general sense, Gad, Nathan, and others were such, who were divine teachers, though we do not learn that they ever predicted.
the man spake—literally, "the saying of the man"; an expression used to denote any solemn and important announcement (compare 2Sa 23:1; Ps 36:1; 110:1; Isa 1:24, &c.). Ithiel and Ucal were perhaps pupils.
2-4. brutish—stupid, a strong term to denote his lowly self-estimation; or he may speak of such as his natural condition, as contrasted with God's all-seeing comprehensive knowledge and almighty power. The questions of this clause emphatically deny the attributes mentioned to be those of any creature, thus impressively strengthening the implied reference of the former to God (compare De 30:12-14; Isa 40:12; Eph 4:8).
5. (Compare Ps 12:6; 119:140).
6. Add … words—implying that his sole reliance was on God's all-sufficient teaching.
reprove thee—or, "convict thee"—and so the falsehood will appear.
7-9. A prayer for exemption from wickedness, and the extremes of poverty and riches, the two things mentioned. Contentment is implied as desired.
8. vanity—all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).
9. be full … deny—that is, puffed up by the pride of prosperity.
take the name … vain—This is not (Hebrew) the form (compare Ex 20:7), but "take" rather denotes laying violent hold on any thing; that is, lest I assail God's name or attributes, as justice, mercy, &c., which the poor are tempted to do.
10. Accuse not—Slander not (Ps 10:7).
curse … guilty—lest, however lowly, he be exasperated to turn on thee, and your guilt be made to appear.
11-14. Four kinds of hateful persons—(1) graceless children, (2) hypocrites, (3) the proud, (4) cruel oppressors (compare on Pr 30:14; Ps 14:4; 52:2)—are now illustrated; (1) Pr 30:15, 16, the insatiability of prodigal children and their fate; (2) Pr 30:17, hypocrisy, or the concealment of real character; (3 and 4) Pr 30:18-20, various examples of pride and oppression.
15, 16. horse leech—supposed by some to be the vampire (a fabulous creature), as being literally insatiable; but the other subjects mentioned must be taken as this, comparatively insatiable. The use of a fabulous creature agreeably to popular notions is not inconsistent with inspiration.
There are three … yea, four—(Compare Pr 6:16).
17. The eye—for the person, with reference to the use of the organ to express mockery and contempt, and also as that by which punishment is received.
the ravens … eagles … eat—either as dying unnaturally, or being left unburied, or both.
18-20. Hypocrisy is illustrated by four examples of the concealment of all methods or traces of action, and a pertinent example of double dealing in actual vice is added, that is, the adulterous woman.
20. she eateth … mouth—that is, she hides the evidences of her shame and professes innocence.
21-23. Pride and cruelty, the undue exaltation of those unfit to hold power, produce those vices which disquiet society (compare Pr 19:10; 28:3).
23. heir … mistress—that is, takes her place as a wife (Ge 16:4).
24-31. These verses provide two classes of apt illustrations of various aspects of the moral world, which the reader is left to apply. By the first (Pr 30:25-28), diligence and providence are commended; the success of these insignificant animals being due to their instinctive sagacity and activity, rather than strength. The other class (Pr 30:30, 31) provides similes for whatever is majestic or comely, uniting efficiency with gracefulness.
26. conies—mountain mice, or rabbits.
28. spider—tolerated, even in palaces, to destroy flies.
taketh … hands—or, uses with activity the limbs provided for taking prey.
32. As none can hope, successfully, to resist such a king, suppress even the thought of an attempt.
lay … hand upon thy mouth—"lay" is well supplied (Jud 18:19; Job 29:9; 40:4).
33. That is, strife—or other ills, as surely arise from devising evil as natural effects from natural causes.