        
- An exhortation to obedience, 1-4;
- trust in God's
providence, 5,6;
- to humility, 7,8;
- to
charity, 9,10;
- to submission to God's chastening,
11,12.
- The profitableness of wisdom in all the concerns of
life, 13-26.
- No act of duty should be deferred beyond
the time in which it should be done, 27,28.
- Brotherly love and forbearance should he exercised,
29,30.
- We should not envy the wicked, 31,32.
- The
curse of God is in the house of the wicked; but the humble
and wise shall prosper, 33-35.
Verse 1. My son
The preceptor continues to deliver his lessons.
Forget not my law
Remember what thou hast heard, and
practise what thou dost remember; and let all
obedience be from the heart: "Let thy heart keep my
commandments."
Verse 2. For length of
days
THREE eminent blessings are
promised here: 1. orech yamim, long days; 2. shenoth
chaiyim, years of lives; 3. shalom, prosperity;
i.e. health, long life, and abundance.
Verse 3. Let not mercy and truth
forsake thee
Let these be thy constant
companions through life.
Bind them about thy
neck
Keep them constantly in view.
Write them upon the table of thine heart-let
them be thy moving principles; feel them as well
as see them.
Verse 4. So shalt thou find
favour
Thou shalt be acceptable to God, and
thou shalt enjoy a sense of his approbation.
And good
understanding
Men shall weigh thy
character and conduct; and by this appreciate thy
motives, and give thee credit for sincerity and uprightness.
Though religion is frequently persecuted, and religious people
suffer at first where they are not fully known; yet a
truly religious and benevolent character will in general be
prized wherever it is well known. The envy of men is a proof
of the excellence of that which they envy.
Verse 5. Trust in the Lord with all
thine heart
This is a most important
precept: 1. God is the Fountain of all good. 2. He has
made his intelligent creatures dependent upon himself.
3. He requires them to be conscious of that dependence.
4. He has promised to communicate what they need. 5. He
commands them to believe his promise, and look for its
fulfilment. 6. And to do this without doubt, fear, or
distrust; "with their whole heart."
Lean not unto thine own
understanding
al tishshaen, do not
prop thyself. It is on GOD, not on thyself, that
thou art commanded to depend. He who trusts in his own
heart is a fool.
Verse 6. In all thy ways acknowledge
him.
Begin, continue, and end every work,
purpose, and device, with God. Earnestly pray for his
direction at the commencement; look for his
continual support in the progress; and so begin
and continue that all may terminate in his glory: and then it
will certainly be to thy good; for we never honour God,
without serving ourselves. This passage is well
rendered in my old MS. Bible: Have trost in the Lord of all
thin herte and ne lene thou to thi prudence: in all thi
weys think hym, and he shal right rulen thi goynges; ne
be thou wiis anentis thiself.
Self-sufficiency and self-dependence have been
the ruin of mankind ever since the fall of Adam. The grand sin
of the human race is their continual endeavour to live
independently of God, i.e., to be without God in the
world. True religion consists in considering God
the fountain of all good, and expecting all good from him.
color=black>Verse 8. It shall be health to thy
navel
We need not puzzle ourselves to find
out what we may suppose to be a more delicate meaning
for the original word shor than navel; for I am
satisfied a more proper cannot be found. It is well known that
it is by the umbilical cord that the fetus
receives its nourishment all the time it is in the womb of the
mother. It receives nothing by the mouth, nor by any
other means: by this alone all nourishment is received,
and the circulation of the blood kept up. When, therefore, the
wise man says, that "trusting in the Lord with the whole
heart, and acknowledging him in all a man's ways, " he in
effect says, that this is as essential to the life of God in
the soul of man, and to the continual growth in grace, as the
umbilical cord is to the life and growth of
the fetus in the womb. Without the latter, no human
being could ever exist or be born; without the former,
no true religion can ever be found. Trust or
faith in God is as necessary to derive grace from him
to nourish the soul, and cause it to grow up unto eternal
life, as the navel string or umbilical cord is
to the human being in the first stage of its existence. I need
not push this illustration farther: the good sense of the
reader will supply what he knows. I might add much on
the subject.
And marrow to thy
bones.
This metaphor is not less proper
than the preceding. All the larger bones of the body
have either a large cavity, or they are
spongious, and full of little cells: in both the one
and the other the oleaginous substance, called
marrow, is contained in proper vesicles, like the fat.
In the larger bones, the fine oil, by the gentle
heat of the body, is exhaled through the pores of its small
vesicles, and enters some narrow passages which lead to
certain fine canals excavated in the substance of the bone,
that the marrow may supply the fibres of the
bones, and render them less liable to break.
Blood-vessels also penetrate the bones to supply
this marrow and this blood; and consequently the
marrow is supplied in the infant by means of the
umbilical cord. From the marrow diffused, as
mentioned above, through the bones, they derive their
solidity and strength. A simple experiment will
cast considerable light on the use of the marrow to the
bones:-Calcine a bone, so as to destroy all the
marrow from the cells, you will find it exceedingly
brittle. Immerse the same bone in oil so that
the cells may be all replenished, which will be done in a few
minutes; and the bone reacquires a considerable measure of its
solidity and strength; and would acquire the
whole, if the marrow could be extracted
without otherwise injuring the texture of the bone.
After the calcination, the bone may be reduced to powder by
the hand; after the impregnation with the oil, it
becomes hard, compact, and strong. What the
marrow is to the support and strength of the
bones, and the bones to the support and
strength of the body; that, faith in God,
is to the support, strength, energy, and
salvation of the soul. Behold, then, the force
and elegance of the wise man's metaphor. Some have rendered
the last clause, a lotion for the bones. What is
this? How are the bones washed? What a pitiful
destruction of a most beautiful metaphor!
Verse 9. Honour the Lord with thy
substance
The MINCHAH or gratitude-offering
to God, commanded under the law, is of endless
obligation. It would be well to give a portion of the
produce of every article by which we get our
support to God, or to the poor, the
representatives of Christ. This might be done either in
kind, or by the worth in money. Whatever
God sends us in the way of secular prosperity, there is a
portion of it always for the poor, and for God's cause.
When that portion is thus disposed of, the rest is
sanctified; when it is withheld, God's curse is
upon the whole. Give to the poor, and God will give to
thee.
Verse 11. Despise not the chastening
of the Lord
The word musar signifies
correction, discipline, and instruction.
Teaching is essentially necessary to show the man the
way in which he is to go; discipline is
necessary to render that teaching effectual;
and, often, correction is requisite in order to bring
the mind into submission, without which it cannot
acquire knowledge. Do not therefore reject this
procedure of God; humble thyself under his mighty hand, and
open thy eyes to thy own interest; and then thou wilt learn
specially and effectually. It is of no use to
rebel; if thou do, thou kickest against the
pricks, and every act of rebellion against him is a
wound to thine own soul. God will either
end thee or mend thee; wilt thou then
kick on?
Verse 12. Whom the Lord
loveth
To encourage thee to bear
correction, know that it is a proof of God's love to thee; and
thereby he shows that he treats thee as a father does his son,
even that one to whom he bears the fondest affection.
The last clause the Septuagint translate
[ . . . ľast????dep], "and chasteneth every son
whom he receiveth;" and the apostle, Hebrews
12:6, quotes this literatim. Both clauses certainly
amount to the same sense. Every son whom he receiveth,
and the son in whom he delighteth, have very little
difference of meaning.
Verse 13. Happy is the
man that findeth wisdom
This refers
to the advice given in Proverbs
2:4; where see the note. See Clarke on Proverbs
; 2:4.
Verse 14. For the
merchandise
sachar, the
traffic, the trade that is carried on by
going through countries and provinces with such
articles as they could carry on the backs of camels, from
sachar, to go about, traverse.
Chaffarynge; Old MS. Bible.
And the gain
thereof
tebuathah, its
produce; what is gained by the articles after all
expenses are paid. The slaves, as we have already seen,
got their liberty if they were so lucky as to find a
diamond of so many carats' weight; he who finds
wisdom-the knowledge and salvation of
God-gets a greater prize; for he obtains the liberty of
the Gospel, is adopted into the family of God, and
made an heir according to the hope of an eternal life.
Verse 15. She is more
precious than rubies
mippeninim. The
word principally means pearls, but may be taken for
precious stones in general. The root is panah,
he looked, beheld; and as it gives the idea of the eye
always being turned towards the observer, Mr. Parkhurst thinks
that it means the loadstone; See Clarke on Job
28:18. where this subject is considered at large. If the
oriental ruby, or any other precious stone, be intended
here, the word may refer to their being cut and
polished, so that they present different faces,
and reflect the light to you in whatever direction you may
look at them.
All the things thou canst
desire
Superior to every thing that can be
an object of desire here below. But who believes this?
Verse 16. Length of days is
in her right hand
A wicked man shortens
his days by excesses; a righteous man prolongs his by
temperance.
In her left hand riches and
honour.
That is, her hands are full of the
choicest benefits. There is nothing to be understood here by
the right hand in preference to the left.
Verse 17. Her ways are ways
of pleasantness
These blessings of true
religion require little comment. They are well expressed by
the poet in the following elegant verses:-
"Wisdom Divine! Who tells the price Of Wisdom's
costly merchandise? Wisdom to silver we prefer, And
gold is dross compared to her. Her hands are
fill'd with length of days, True riches, and
immortal praise;- Riches of Christ, on all bestow'd,
And honour that descends from God.
To purest joys she all invites, Chaste, holy, spiritual
delights; Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And
all her flowery paths are peace. Happy the
man that finds the grace, The blessing of God's chosen
race; The wisdom coming from above, The faith
that sweetly works by love!" WESLEY.
Verse 18. She is a tree of
life
ets chaiyim, "the tree of
lives," alluding most manifestly to the tree so called which
God in the beginning planted in the garden of Paradise, by
eating the fruit of which all the wastes of nature might have
been continually repaired, so as to prevent death for ever.
This is an opinion which appears probable enough. The
blessings which wisdom-true religion-gives to men, preserve
them in life, comfort them through life, cause
them to triumph in death, and ensure them a glorious
immortality.
Verse 19. The Lord by wisdom hath
founded the earth
Here wisdom is taken in
its proper acceptation, for that infinite knowledge and skill
which God has manifested in the creation and composition of
the earth, and in the structure and economy of the heavens. He
has established the order as well as the essence
of all things; so that though they vary in their
positions, change either their places, or
their properties. Composition and
analysis are not essential changes; the original
particles, their forms and properties,
remain the same.
Verse 20. By his knowledge the
depths are broken up
He determined in his
wisdom how to break up the fountains of the
great deep, so as to bring a flood of waters upon
the earth; and by his knowledge those fissures in the
earth through which springs of water arise have been
appointed and determined; and it is by his skill and influence
that vapours are exhaled, suspended in the
atmosphere, and afterwards precipitated on the earth in
rain, dews, we suppose to spring from natural
causes to the Supreme Being himself.
Verse 21. Let not them depart from
thine eyes
Never forget that God, who is
the author of nature, directs and governs it in all things;
for it is no self-determining agent.
Keep sound wisdom and
discretion
tushiyah
umezimmah. We have met with both these words before.
Tushiyah is the essence or substance of a
thing; mezimmah is the resolution or
purpose formed in reference to something good or
excellent. To acknowledge God as the author of all good, is
the tushiyah, the essence, of a godly man's
creed; to resolve to act according to the
directions of his wisdom, is the mezimmah, the
religious purpose, that will bring good to
ourselves and glory to God. These bring life to the
soul, and are ornamental to the man who acts in
this way, Proverbs
3:22.
Verse 24. When thou liest
down
In these verses 3:23-26)
the wise man describes the confidence, security, and safety,
which proceed from a consciousness of innocence. Most people
are afraid of sleep, lest they should never awake,
because they feel they are not prepared to appear before God.
They are neither innocent nor pardoned. True believers know
that God is their keeper night and day; they have strong
confidence in him that he will be their director and not
suffer them to take any false step in life, Proverbs
3:23. They go to rest in perfect confidence that God will
watch over them; hence their sleep, being undisturbed
with foreboding and evil dreams, is sweet and
refreshing, Proverbs
3:24. They are not apprehensive of any sudden
destruction, because they know that all things are under
the control of God; and they are satisfied that if sudden
destruction should fall upon their wicked neighbour, yet
God knows well how to preserve them, Proverbs
3:25. And all this naturally flows from the Lord being
their confidence, Proverbs
3:26.
Verse 27. Withhold not good from
them to whom it is due
mibbealaiv, from
the lords of it. But who are they? The poor. And
what art thou, O rich man? Why, thou art a steward,
to whom God has given substance that thou mayest divide with
the poor. They are the right owners of every farthing thou
hast to spare from thy own support, and that of thy family;
and God has given the surplus for their sakes. Dost thou, by
hoarding up this treasure, deprive the right owners of
their property? If this were a civil case, the law
would take thee by the throat, and lay thee up in prison; but
it is a case in which GOD alone judges. And what will he do to
thee? Hear! "He shall have judgment without mercy, who hath
showed no mercy;" James
2:13. Read, feel, tremble, and act justly.
Verse 28. Say not unto thy
neighbour
Do not refuse a kindness when it
is in thy power to perform it. If thou have the means
by thee, and thy neighbour's necessities be
pressing, do not put him off till the morrow. Death may
take either him or thee before that time.
Verse 30. Strive not with a
man
Do not be of a litigious, quarrelsome
spirit. Be not under the influence of too nice a sense of
honour. If thou must appeal to judicial authority to bring him
that wrongs thee to reason, avoid all enmity, and do nothing
in a spirit of revenge. But, if he have done thee no
harm, why contend with him? May not others in the same way
contend with and injure thee!
Verse 31. Envy thou not the
oppressor
O how bewitching is power!
Every man desires it; and yet all hate tyrants. But
query, if all had power, would not the major part be
tyrants?
Verse 32. But his
secret
sodo, his secret assembly;
godly people meet there, and God dwells there.
Verse 33. The curse of the
Lord
No godly people meet in such a house;
nor is God ever an inmate there.
But he blesseth the habitation of
the just.
He considers it as his own
temple. There he is worshipped in spirit and in truth; and
hence God makes it his dwelling-place.
Verse 34. Surely he scorneth the
scorners; but he giveth grace unto the
lowly.
The Septuagint has
[. . . . ?d?s??a???]. The
Lord resisteth the proud; but giveth grace to the
humble. These words are quoted by St. Peter, 1 Peter
5:5, and by St. James, James
4:6, just as they stand in the Septuagint, with the
change of [. . ??e??lt;/a>]?, God, for
[ . . ??????], the
Lord.
Verse 35. The wise
The person who follows the dictates of wisdom, as
mentioned above, shall inherit glory; because, being
one of the heavenly family, a child of God, he
has thereby heaven for his inheritance; but fools, such
as those mentioned Proverbs
1:7 and Proverbs
2:12,22, shall have ignominy for their exaltation.
Many such fools as Solomon speaks of are exalted to the
gibbet and gallows. The way to prevent this and
the like evils, is to attend to the voice of wisdom.
Copyright Statement
The Adam Clarke Commentary is a derivative of an
electronic edition prepared by GodRules.net.
Bibliography
Information
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary
on Proverbs 3". "The Adam Clarke Commentary".
<http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/view.cgi?book=pr&chapter=003>.
1832.
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