Bible Commentaries

Proverbs 12:7 — [are] not: but the house of the righteous shall stand. The wicked are overthrown, and are not. — Say that the righteous cannot prevail by their apologies for themselves and others, God will take the matter into his own hand, and avenge them, Luke 18:7 as he did the primitive Christians and the French Protestants, upon their merciless persecutors. “ Tu, vero, Herodes sanguinolente, time. ” As Beza warned Charles IX, author of the massacre. But the house of the righteous shall stand.

Proverbs 20:24 — Man’s goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? Man’s goings are of the Lord. — See Trapp on " Proverbs 16:1 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 16:9 " God brought Paul to Rome by a way that he little dreamed of. Augustine once travelling lost his way, and fetching a compass came safe to the place he intended; whereas, had he kept the right way, he

Proverbs 21:14 — gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. A gift in secret pacifieth anger. — That is, say some, Alms rightly performed Matthew 6:1 pacifieth God’s displeasure - compare Daniel 4:27 ; and the Jews at this day write this sentence of Solomon (in an abbreviation) upon their alms box. Buxtorf., Synag. Jud. This sense suits well with the previous verse; but I conceive the wise

Proverbs 22:16 — [come] to want. He that oppresseth the poor, … — By fraud or force, or any indirect means. This man lays his foundation in firework, Job 20:26 he walks upon a mine of gunpowder; "brimstone is scattered upon his habitation"; Job 18:15 if but a flash of God’s lightning light upon it, all will be on fire, all blown up and brought to nothing. And he that giveth to the rich. — Either to ingratiate and curry favour for countenancing their oppressive practices, or with

Proverbs 22:29 — business that he was about. Princes love such, and employ them, as Pharaoh did Joseph, and those that were men of activity among his brethren. Solomon also made use of Jeroboam for the same reason, though that was not the wisest act that ever he did. 1 Kings 11:28 How dear was Daniel to Darius, because, though sick, yet he despatched the king’s business! What favourites to our Henry VIII were Wolsey, Cromwell, Cranmer, for like reason! A diligent man shall not sit long in a low place. Or if

Proverbs 23:4 — sensual, devilish." "Earthly," managing the lusts of the eye to the ends of gain; "sensual," managing the lusts of the eye to the ends of pleasure; and "devilish," managing the pride of life unto ends of power (James 3:15 1 John 2:14-15

Proverbs 26:4 — upon him for doing his duty, - pass such a one by in silence, as not worthy the answering. Sile, et funestam dedisti plagam, say nothing, and you play him to purpose. Chrysost. Hezekiah would not answer Rabshakeh, nor Jeremiah Hananiah; Jeremiah 28:11 nor our Saviour his adversaries. Matthew 26:62 John 19:9 He reviled not his revilers, he threatened not his open opposites. 1 Peter 2:23 Lest thou also be like unto him. — As hot and as headlong as he; for a little thing kindles us, and we are

Proverbs 28:22 — He that hasteth to be rich [hath] an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye. — He is sick of "the lust of the eye" 1 John 2:16 - for all sinful lusts are παθηματα , sicknesses - coveting his neighbour’s goods, envying his prosperity, and begrudging him every bit he eats at his table. Proverbs 23:6-7 See Trapp on " Proverbs

Proverbs 29:19 — times a day well favouredly swaddled. Heyl., Geog. Therefore let him that knows his Master’s will, and yet, out of stoutness, sullenness, or laziness, will not do it, be beaten with many stripes; let him be "buffeted for his faults," 1 Peter 2:20 and made serviceable in all things, "not gainsaying, not purloining." Titus 2:9-10

Proverbs 30:29 — — And all for our learning, to teach us in our several stations to deport ourselves in all gravity, maintain our dignity, and show our magnanimity. "Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ," saith Paul. Philippians 1:27 There is a το πρεπον , a comeliness and suitableness of carriage belongs to every calling, and this must be carefully kept. Vellem si non essem imperator, said Scipio to one that offered him a harlot: I would,

Proverbs 31:27 — φιλεργια , laboriousness, in a woman, and joins it with temperance and chastity, which are preserved by it. So is taciturnity and sober communication, for which she is commended in the former verse. For, as idleness is the seed of talkativeness, 1 Timothy 5:12 so painfulness is a singular help against it. Queen Catherine of Spain, wife to our Henry VIII, was not more busy in her calling than prudent in her carriage. She had been counselled to it by Ludovicus Vives, who came into England with

Ecclesiastes 2:17 — I had done; I saw mortality to be a mercy, with Cato; I was neither fond of life, nor afraid of death, with Queen Elizabeth. I preferred my coffin before my cradle, my burial day before my birthday Usque adeone mori miserum. - Virgil. Ecclesiastes 7:1 A greater than Solomon threatens those that love life with the loss of life, Luke 17:33 and hath purposely set a particular vanity and vexation upon every day of our life, that we may not dote upon it, since "we die daily." "Sufficient

Ecclesiastes 4:5 — φαυλος ), a naughty person. "Thou idle and evil servant." Matthew 25:26 God puts no difference between nequaquam and nequam, a drone and a naughty pack, seem he never so "wise in his own eyes," Proverbs 26:16 and have he never so much reason to allege for himself - as in the verse here next following; a fool he is, and so he will soon prove himself; for "he folds up his hands and hides them in his own bosom." Proverbs 26:15 A great many chares

Ecclesiastes 5:4 — that which thou hast vowed. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it. — See Trapp on " Deuteronomy 23:22 " It is in thy power to vow or not to vow. Vovere nusquam est praeceptum, saith Bellarmine. De Monac., lib. ii. cap. 15. We have no command to vow. That of David, "Vow and perform to the Lord your God," is not purum praeceptum, saith Mr Cartwright, a pure precept, but like that other, "Be angry, and sin not"; where anger is not commanded, but limited.

Isaiah 1:17 — think not to set off with God by your sacrifices for your oppressions: "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." Primo praecepto reliquorum omnium observantia praecipitur, saith Luther. All God’s laws were in David’s sight, Psalms 119:168 all his ways in God’s sight. What a good justicer and householder both he was, see Psalms 101:1-8 Relieve the oppressed. — Heb., Righten the soured or leavened. Judge the fatherless; plead for the widow. — These are God’s

Isaiah 11:10 — be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And in that day. — "In the day of Christ’s power, or kingdom, the people shall be willing." Psalms 110:3 "The isles shall wait for God’s law." Isaiah 42:8 Multitudes of nations shall come crowding in to his greatest glory, Proverbs 14:2 and for the fulfilling of old Jacob’s prophecy. Genesis 49:10 There shall be a root of Jesse.

Isaiah 16:14 — Shalmaneser against Samaria, and it is probable that in his march thither he invaded and subdued these Moabites, that he might leave all safe behind him. A hundred years after which, or more, Nebuchadnezzar utterly ruined them, according to Jeremiah 48:1-47 As the years of an hireling, — i.e., Praecise, nec citius nec tardius, Three years precisely. This time Moab had to make his peace in; but he minded nothing less, and therefore deservedly perished. So, alas! shall all such infallibly as repent

Isaiah 19:1 — The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. The burden of Egypt. — See Isaiah 13:1 . Behold the Lord rideth. — Heb., Riding - sc., as a judge, or general of an army. Upon a swift cloud, — i.e., Speedily, suddenly, and irresistibly. Clouds are rarely seen in Egypt, where it raineth not; but in Ezekiel 30:18 we read of

Isaiah 3:10 — wicked are threatened, good men are apt to be troubled. Say therefore to such, and let them know assuredly, That it shall be well with him. — Heb., That good sc., shall betide him, whatever befalleth others God shall be with the good; 2 Chronicles 19:11 "Yet God is good to Israel, to the pure in heart." Psalms 73:1 Ecclesiastes 8:12 For they shall eat the fruit of their doings. — They shall "reap in due time if they faint not"; they shall eat of the fat, and drink of the

Isaiah 9:21 — Papists and Lutherans against Calvinists. In Syngram. How unworthily and impotently do the Lutherans of Suevia rail upon that holy man Oecolampadius, whose note it is upon this text, that these last dangerous times were foretold by St Paul. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 Annon eosdem describunt Paulus et Iesaias? saith he: Do not Paul and Isaiah describe the same men? Bullinger observeth concerning the Anabaptists of Germany, that as they are at great odds among themselves, so they all agree against goldly ministers