Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 27:27

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Proverbs 27:27. Goats' milk enough for thy food — ללחמך lelachmecha, "to thy bread;" for they ate the bread and supped the milk to assist mastication, and help deglutition. And it seems that bread, with goats' milk, was the general article of food for the master and his family; and for the servant maids who assisted in the household work, and performed the operations required in the dairy.

The reader who wishes to see these maxims detailed and illustrated at large, may consult the writers De Re Rustica, where he will find much curious information.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The valuable things of life (27:1-27)

Over-confidence, self-praise, stupidity and jealousy must all be avoided (27:1-4). True friends will show the inner love they have for each other by being open and honest with each other. Over-pleasantness may be a sign of a deceitful heart (5-6). Those with many possessions do not find contentment; the poor are more than satisfied if they can get what the rich throw away (7). Among the most priceless of possessions are a happy home and faithful friends (8-10).
Common sense will save people a lot of trouble and bring happiness to their parents (11-12), but those who give rash guarantees must be prepared to suffer the consequences (13). A loudmouthed but insincere friend is a curse, and a nagging wife can make life miserable (14-16). Where there is true understanding, differences of personality and viewpoint are of benefit to all concerned. Faithfulness to one another brings its reward (17-18).
The mind of a person reflects the true self. Therefore, a person’s worth must be judged by reputation and character, not by possessions or wealth. Material things cannot fully satisfy (19-21). The character of the fool is easily judged, for no amount of corrective discipline will bring any lasting change (22). Instead of thinking only of building up wealth, a person should combine conscientiousness in daily work with trust in God’s provision (23-27).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

SHORT TREATISE ON ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, And look well to thy herds: For riches are not forever; And doth the crown endure unto all generations? The hay is carried, and the tender grass showeth itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in. The lambs are for thy clothing, And the goats are the price of the field; And there will be goats’ milk enough for thy food, the food of thy household, And maintenance for thy maidens.”

The purpose of this passage is to emphasize and glorify the type of lifestyle that prevailed in early Israelite history. The wealth of Job, it will be remembered, was in the numbers of his flocks, herds and domesticated animals. In later Jewish history, vineyards, olive yards, and orchards were stressed; but in the patriarchal period, animal husbandry was the source of Israel’s livelihood and of their wealth.

“The hay is carried” This means it was carried to the barn.

Agriculture is still the means by which mankind is able to live. “The king is fed from the field.”

Kidner called this passage “A Pastoral Symphony”; and his words supply an appropriate close for this chapter:

“This scene is not designed to make farmers of everybody, but to show the interplay between man’s labor and the nurture of God, which a sophisticated society neglects at its mortal peril. It recalls the reader from the scramble for money and position (Proverbs 27:24) to the satisfaction of doing a worthwhile job well (Proverbs 27:23), and to a recognition of the rhythm (Proverbs 27:25) and sufficiency (Proverbs 27:26-27) of God’s care.”Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 168.

Illustration: The Ukraine was once the granary of the continent of Europe; but when its efficient farmers rebelled against the stupid regulations of the Communist overlords, Stalin murdered millions of them; and the Communists were never afterward able to feed themselves, which necessitated their annual purchase of 200,000,000 metric tons of wheat from the United States. This destroyed Communism.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The verses sing the praises of the earlier patriarchal life, with its flocks and herds, and tillage of the ground, as compared with the commerce of a later time, with money as its chief or only wealth.

Proverbs 27:23

The state - literally, face. The verse is an illustration of John 10:3, John 10:14.

Proverbs 27:24

Riches - The money which men may steal, or waste, is contrasted with the land of which the owner is not so easily deprived. Nor will the crown (both the “crown of pure gold” worn on the mitre of the high priest, Exodus 29:6; Exodus 39:30; and the kingly diadem, the symbol of power generally) be transmitted (as flocks and herds had been) “from one generation to another.”

Proverbs 27:25

Appeareth - Better, When the grass disappeareth, the “tender grass showeth itself.” Stress is laid on the regular succession of the products of the earth. The “grass” (“hay”) of the first clause is (compare Psalms 37:2; Psalms 90:5; Psalms 103:15; 2 Kings 19:26) the proverbial type of what is perishable and fleeting. The verse gives a picture of the pleasantness of the farmer’s calling; compared with this what can wealth or rank offer? With this there mingles (compare Proverbs 27:23) the thought that each stage of that life in its season requires care and watchfulness.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

C. A Discourse on Prudence 27:23-27

This poem recalls the earlier discourses in chapters 1-9. In this one, Solomon gave some basic and practical advice designed to assure success in the context of Israel’s most common occupation: animal husbandry. The essentials stressed here are the care of one’s resources, hard work, and a recognition and appreciation of God’s provisions. The reader should apply these essentials to whatever occupation he or she may pursue. These are the basics for wise living in practical daily work.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

"Meat was rarely eaten; the staples of food were bread, honey, fruits, and the products of the dairy." [Note: Ibid., p. 494.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And [thou shalt have] goats' milk enough for thy food,.... The word for "goats", in Proverbs 27:26, signifies he goats, which were sold to buy fields, pay servants or rent, or purchase the necessaries of life; and this here signifies she goats, which were kept for their milk; and which was daily used for food in some countries, and is still in use for the same purpose in some parts of our kingdoms; and in medicine it has been preferred by some physicians above others, next to the milk of women w: and the diligent husbandman is promised not only plenty of this his own eating, at least a sufficiency of it, but for his family;

for the food of thy household; his wife and children:

and [for] maintenance for thy maidens: or "the lives" x of them, on which they should live; for, though menservants might require strong meat yet the maidens might live upon milk; besides, Athenaeus y speaks of most delicious cheese made of goats' milk, called "tromilicus". The design of the whole is to show that a man diligent in his business shall have a sufficiency for himself and his family; and, though it may be but the meaner sort of food and clothing he may get, yet, having food and raiment, he should therewith be content.

w Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 28. c. 9. Vid. Scheuehzer. Physic, Sacr. vol. 5. p. 1016. x וחיים "vitas", Montanus; "ad vitam", Gejerus; "life" is often put for "bread"; or for that by which life is maintained, both in Greek and Latin writers; so βιος, in Hesiod. Opera, l. 1. v. 31, 328. and "vita", in Plaut. Stichus, Act. 3. Sc. 2. v. 9. Trinum, Act. 2. Sc. 4. v. 76. y Deipnosoph. l. 14. c. 22. p. 658. see also l. 1. c. 8. p 10.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.   24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?   25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.   26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.   27 And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

      Here is, I. A command given us to be diligent in our callings. It is directed to husbandmen and shepherds, and those that deal in cattle, but it is to be extended to all other lawful callings; whatever our business is, within doors or without, we must apply our minds to it. This command intimates, 1. That we ought to have some business to do in this world and not to live in idleness. 2. We ought rightly and fully to understand our business, and know what we have to do, and not meddle with that which we do not understand. 3. We ought to have an eye to it ourselves, and not turn over all the care of it to others. We should, with our own eyes, inspect the state of our flocks, it is the master's eye that makes them fat. 4. We must be discreet and considerate in the management of our business, know the state of things, and look well to them, that nothing may be lost, no opportunity let slip, but every thing done in proper time and order, and so as to turn to the best advantage. 5. We must be diligent and take pains; not only sit down and contrive, but be up and doing: "Set thy heart to thy herds, as one in care; lay thy hands, lay thy bones, to thy business."

      II. The reasons to enforce this command. Consider,

      1. The uncertainty of worldly wealth (Proverbs 27:24; Proverbs 27:24): Riches are not for ever. (1.) Other riches are not so durable as these are: "Look well to thy flocks and herds, thy estate in the country and the stock upon that, for these are staple commodities, which, in a succession, will be for ever, whereas riches in trade and merchandise will not be so; the crown itself may perhaps not be so sure to thy family as thy flocks and herds." (2.) Even these riches will go to decay if they be not well looked after. If a man had an abbey (as we say), and were slothful and wasteful, he might make an end of it. Even the crown and the revenues of it, if care be not taken, will suffer damage, nor will it continue to every generation without very good management. Though David had the crown entailed on his family, yet he looked well to his flocks,1 Chronicles 27:29; 1 Chronicles 27:31.

      2. The bounty and liberality of nature, or rather of the God of nature, and his providence (Proverbs 27:25; Proverbs 27:25): The hay appears. In taking care of the flocks and herds, (1.) "There needs no great labour, no ploughing or sowing; the food for them is the spontaneous product of the ground; thou hast nothing to do but to turn them into it in the summer, when the grass shows itself, and to gather the herbs of the mountains for them against winter. God has done his part; thou art ungrateful to him, and unjustly refusest to serve his providence, if thou dost not do thine." (2.) "There is an opportunity to be observed and improved, a time when the hay appears; but, if thou let slip that time, thy flocks and herds will fare the worse for it. As for ourselves, so for our cattle, we ought, with the ant, to provide meat in summer."

      3. The profit of good husbandry in a family: "Keep thy sheep, and thy sheep will help to keep thee; thou shalt have food for thy children and servants, goats' milk enough (Proverbs 27:27; Proverbs 27:27); and enough is as good as a feast. Thou shalt have raiment likewise: the lambs' wool shall be for thy clothing. Thou shalt have money to pay thy rent; the goats thou shalt have to sell shall be the price of thy field;" nay, as some understand it, "Thou shalt become a purchaser, and buy land to leave to thy children," (Proverbs 27:26; Proverbs 27:26). Note, (1.) If we have food and raiment, and wherewithal to give every body his own, we have enough, and ought to be not only content, but thankful. (2.) Masters of families must provide not only for themselves, but for their families, and see that their servants have a fitting maintenance. (3.) Plain food and plain clothing, if they be but competent, are all we should aim at. "Reckon thyself well done to if thou be clothed with home-spun cloth with the fleece of thy own lambs, and fed with goats' milk; let that serve for thy food which serves for the food of thy household and the maintenance of thy maidens. Be not desirous of dainties, far-fetched and dear-bought." (4.) This should encourage us to be careful and industrious about our business, that that will bring in a sufficient maintenance for our families; we shall eat the labour of our hands.