22 Whoso findeth H4672 a wife H802 findeth H4672 a good H2896 thing, and obtaineth H6329 favour H7522 of the LORD. H3068
House H1004 and riches H1952 are the inheritance H5159 of fathers: H1 and a prudent H7919 wife H802 is from the LORD. H3068
A virtuous H2428 woman H802 is a crown H5850 to her husband: H1167 but she that maketh ashamed H954 is as rottenness H7538 in his bones. H6106
Who can find H4672 a virtuous H2428 woman? H802 for her price H4377 is far H7350 above rubies. H6443 The heart H3820 of her husband H1167 doth safely trust H982 in her, so that he shall have no need H2637 of spoil. H7998 She will do H1580 him good H2896 and not evil H7451 all the days H3117 of her life. H2416 She seeketh H1875 wool, H6785 and flax, H6593 and worketh H6213 willingly H2656 with her hands. H3709 She is like the merchants' H5503 ships; H591 she bringeth H935 her food H3899 from afar. H4801 She riseth H6965 also while it is yet night, H3915 and giveth H5414 meat H2964 to her household, H1004 and a portion H2706 to her maidens. H5291 She considereth H2161 a field, H7704 and buyeth H3947 it: with the fruit H6529 of her hands H3709 she planteth H5193 a vineyard. H3754 She girdeth H2296 her loins H4975 with strength, H5797 and strengtheneth H553 her arms. H2220 She perceiveth H2938 that her merchandise H5504 is good: H2896 her candle H5216 goeth not out H3518 by night. H3915 She layeth H7971 her hands H3027 to the spindle, H3601 and her hands H3709 hold H8551 the distaff. H6418 She stretcheth out H6566 her hand H3709 to the poor; H6041 yea, she reacheth forth H7971 her hands H3027 to the needy. H34 She is not afraid H3372 of the snow H7950 for her household: H1004 for all her household H1004 are clothed H3847 with scarlet. H8144 She maketh H6213 herself coverings of tapestry; H4765 her clothing H3830 is silk H8336 and purple. H713 Her husband H1167 is known H3045 in the gates, H8179 when he sitteth H3427 among the elders H2205 of the land. H776 She maketh H6213 fine linen, H5466 and selleth H4376 it; and delivereth H5414 girdles H2289 unto the merchant. H3669 Strength H5797 and honour H1926 are her clothing; H3830 and she shall rejoice H7832 in time H3117 to come. H314 She openeth H6605 her mouth H6310 with wisdom; H2451 and in her tongue H3956 is the law H8451 of kindness. H2617 She looketh well H6822 to the ways H1979 H1979 of her household, H1004 and eateth H398 not the bread H3899 of idleness. H6104 Her children H1121 arise up, H6965 and call her blessed; H833 her husband H1167 also, and he praiseth H1984 her. Many H7227 daughters H1323 have done H6213 virtuously, H2428 but thou excellest H5927 them all. Favour H2580 is deceitful, H8267 and beauty H3308 is vain: H1892 but a woman H802 that feareth H3373 the LORD, H3068 she shall be praised. H1984 Give H5414 her of the fruit H6529 of her hands; H3027 and let her own works H4639 praise H1984 her in the gates. H8179
Live H2416 joyfully H7200 with the wife H802 whom thou lovest H157 all the days H3117 of the life H2416 of thy vanity, H1892 which he hath given H5414 thee under the sun, H8121 all the days H3117 of thy vanity: H1892 for that is thy portion H2506 in this life, H2416 and in thy labour H5999 which thou takest H6001 under the sun. H8121
And the LORD H3068 God H430 said, H559 It is not good H2896 that the man H120 should be H1961 alone; I will make H6213 him an help meet H5828 for him. H5048
Drink H8354 waters H4325 out of thine own cistern, H953 and running waters H5140 out of H8432 thine own well. H875 Let thy fountains H4599 be dispersed H6327 abroad, H2351 and rivers H6388 of waters H4325 in the streets. H7339 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' H2114 with thee. Let thy fountain H4726 be blessed: H1288 and rejoice H8055 with the wife H802 of thy youth. H5271 Let her be as the loving H158 hind H365 and pleasant H2580 roe; H3280 let her breasts H1717 satisfy H7301 thee at all times; H6256 and be thou ravished H7686 always H8548 with her love. H160 And why wilt thou, my son, H1121 be ravished H7686 with a strange woman, H2114 and embrace H2263 the bosom H2436 of a stranger? H5237 For the ways H1870 of man H376 are before H5227 the eyes H5869 of the LORD, H3068 and he pondereth H6424 all his goings. H4570 His own iniquities H5771 shall take H3920 the wicked H7563 himself, and he shall be holden H8551 with the cords H2256 of his sins. H2403 He shall die H4191 without instruction; H4148 and in the greatness H7230 of his folly H200 he shall go astray. H7686
And Jacob H3290 served H5647 seven H7651 years H8141 for Rachel; H7354 and they seemed H5869 unto him but a few H259 days, H3117 for the love he had H160 to her. And Jacob H3290 said H559 unto Laban, H3837 Give H3051 me my wife, H802 for my days H3117 are fulfilled, H4390 that I may go in H935 unto her.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 18
Commentary on Proverbs 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Pr 18:1-24.
1. Through desire … seeketh—that is, seeks selfish gratification.
intermeddleth … wisdom—or, "rushes on" (Pr 17:14) against all wisdom, or what is valuable (Pr 2:7).
2. that his heart … itself—that is, takes pleasure in revealing his folly (Pr 12:23; 15:2).
3. So surely are sin and punishment connected (Pr 16:4).
wicked, for "wickedness," answers to
ignominy, or the state of such; and
contempt, the feeling of others to them; and to
reproach, a manifestation of contempt.
4. Wise speech is like an exhaustless stream of benefit.
5. accept the person—(Compare Ps 82:2). "It is not good" is to be supplied before "to overthrow."
6, 7. The quarrelsome bring trouble on themselves. Their rash language ensnares them (Pr 6:2).
8. (Compare Pr 16:28).
as wounds—not sustained by the Hebrew; better, as "sweet morsels," which men gladly swallow.
innermost … belly—the mind, or heart (compare Pr 20:27-30; Ps 22:14).
9. One by failing to get, the other by wasting wealth, grows poor.
waster—literally, "master of washing," a prodigal.
10. name of the Lord—manifested perfections (Ps 8:1; 20:2), as faithfulness, power, mercy, &c., on which men rely.
is safe—literally, "set on high, out of danger" (Ps 18:2; 91:4).
11. contrasts with Pr 18:10 (compare Pr 10:15). Such is a vain trust (compare Ps 73:6).
12. (Compare Pr 15:33; 16:18).
13. Hasty speech evinces self-conceit, and ensures shame (Pr 26:12).
14. infirmity—bodily sickness, or outward evil. The spirit, which sustains, being wounded, no support is left, except, as implied, in God.
15. (Compare Pr 1:5, 15, 31).
16. (Compare Pr 17:8, 23). Disapproval of the fact stated is implied.
17. One-sided statements are not reliable.
searcheth—thoroughly (Pr 17:9, 19).
18. The lot—whose disposal is of God (Pr 16:13), may, properly used, be a right mode of settling disputes.
19. No feuds so difficult of adjustment as those of relatives; hence great care should be used to avoid them.
20. (Compare Pr 12:14; 13:2). Men's words are the fruit, or, increase of his lips, and when good, benefit them.
satisfied with—(Compare Pr 1:31; 14:14).
21. Death and life—or, the greatest evil and good.
that love it—that is, the tongue, or its use for good or evil.
eat … fruit—(Compare Pr 18:19; Jas 1:19).
22. The old versions supply "good" before the "wife," as the last clause and Pr 19:14 imply (compare Pr 31:10).
23. the rich … roughly—He is tolerated because rich, implying that the estimate of men by wealth is wrong.
24. A man … friendly—better, "A man … (is) to, or, may triumph (Ps 108:9), or, shout for joy (Ps 5:11), that is, may congratulate himself." Indeed, there is a Friend who is better than a brother; such is the "Friend of sinners" [Mt 11:19; Lu 7:34], who may have been before the writer's mind.