Matthew Poole and continuators on Proverbs 19

1 BEtter is the poor that walketh in his integrity , than he that is perverse in his lips , and is a fool .

Who is upright in his words and actions.

That useth to speak wickedly, which proceeds from a wicked heart, and is usually attended with an evil Life.

Is an Hypocrite, or a wicked man, for this is opposed to the upright man in the former clause; yea, though he be rich, which is implied from the same clause.

Marginal references: Chap. 28. 6.

2 Also that the soul be without knowledg , it is not good : and he that hasteth with his feet , sinneth.

Which is the principal cause and director of all mens actions.

Without Wisdom or Prudence to discern his way, and what, and how, he ought to act in his several cases and concernments.

It is very evil and pernicious.

That rashly and headily rusheth into actions without serious consideration. So two vices are here censured, the want of Knowledg, and the neglect or di[illegible: 1+ letters]use of Knowledg in a mans actions.

3. The foolishness of man perverteth his way , and his heart fretteth against the LORD .

Either 1. enticeth him to sin. Or rather 2. Crosseth and blas[illegible: 1+ letters]eth his designs and enterprises, and brings losses and miseries upon him.

He ascribes his unhappiness not to his own sin and folly, which is the true cause of it, but to God and his Providence, against which he unjustly murmurs.

4 Wealth maketh many friends, but the poor is separated from his neighbour .

Is disowned and forsaken by those who are most obliged to help him.

Marginal references: Ch. 14. 20.

5 A false witness shall not be unpunished , and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

Though he escape the observation and punishment of men, yet he shall not avoid the judgment of God.

That accustometh himself to lying, either in judgment, or in common conversation.

Marginal references: Ver. 9. Exod. 23. 1. Deut. 19. 16, 19. Ch. 6. 19. & 21. 28.; Heb. held innocent.

6 Many will entreat the favour of the prince , and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

Or, as others, of the liberal or bountiful man: which comes to the same thing: for Kings were antiently called Benefactors, Luk. 22. 25.

Not sincerely, as daily experience shews, but in shew or profession, or in the outward expressions of it, whereby they may oblige him.

Marginal references: Heb. face.; Heb. a man of gifts.

7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him , how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words , yet they are wanting to him .

His nearest and dearest Relations, who are oft called Brethren in Scripture, by a common Synecdoche.

i. e. Despise and shun him, as men do any thing which they hate, and as the following words explain it.

His former companions, who in his prosperity professed friendship to him.

Earnestly imploring their pity. Or, he urgeth (Heb. pursueth) their words, i. e. alledgeth their former promises, and professions of Friendship. Or, without any supplement, he seeketh words, as the Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, Eccles. 12. 10. wherewith he might prevail or move them to pity.

Heb. they are not, either 1. His Friends are not, to wit, what they pretended to be, friends to him. Or 2. Their words are vain, and without effect, there is no reality in them.

Marginal references: Ch. 14. 20.

8 He that getteth wisdom, loveth his own soul , he that keepeth understanding shall find good .

Or, loveth himself, because he procures great good to his Soul, or to himself, as it follows, as sinners on the contrary are said to hate their Souls, Prov. 29. 24. because they bring mischief upon them.

That observeth and carefully practiseth its precepts, as that Phrase is commonly used.

Shall have great benefit by it, both for his conduct in this Life, and for his happiness in the next.

Marginal references: Heb. an heart.

9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish .

This was said before, v. 5. and seems to be here repeated, either for its great use and weight in humane society, and to shew how much God abhors such practices; or to shew the pernicious effects of this sin, and consequently of all other sins, one eminent kind being put for all the rest, and this in opposition to the good effects of Wisdom or Piety, which he declared in the foregoing verse.

10 Delight is not seemly for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes .

To live in Pleasure, and Plenty, and outward Glory.

Who is of a servile condition and disposition, not much differing from a Fool, who is a servant to his Lusts, and wholly unfit to rule other men.

i. e. Over men of better quality than himself: for servants are commonly ignorant, and when they are advanced they grow insolent, and presumptuous, and intolerable.

b It doth not become him, nor suit with him, partly because Prosperity corrupts even wise men, and makes fools mad, and partly because it gives him more opportunity to discover his folly, and to do mischief both to himself and others. He implies that a rod or punishment is fitter for him than pleasure, as is noted, Prov. 10. 13. & 26. 3.

Marginal references: Eccl. 10. 6.; Ch. 30. 22. Eccl. 10. 7.

11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression .

This is opposed to the perverse judgment of worldly men who account it [illegible: 1+ letters]olly and stupidity, not quickly to resent a provocation, and a dishonour and reproach not to revenge it.

Marginal references: Chap. 14. 29.; Or, prudence.

13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father, and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping .

Are like rain continually dropping upon an house which by degrees marreth the House and Houshold stuff, and driveth the inhabitants out of it. He compareth her to a continual dropping, because of that inseparable Union and necessary cohabitation of Husband and Wife together, notwithstanding such contentions.

Marginal references: Chap. 10. 1. & 15. 20. & 17. 21, 25.; Ch. 21. [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ [illegible: 1 word] & 27. 15.

14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers, and a prudent wife is from the LORD .

Is vouchsafed to a man by a singular providence of God, who is the only Searcher and Ruler of hearts, exactly discerning who are prudent or pious, in which even wise mens judgments are commonly mistaken, and inclining the minds and hearts of persons one towards another.

Marginal references: Ch. 18. 22.

15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep , and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Maketh a man careless and negligent, and like one asleep in his business, whereby he cometh to want, as it follows.

Marginal references: Chap. 1[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ & 20. 13.

16 He that keepeth the commandment , keepeth his own soul, but he that despiseth his ways , shall die.

The commands of God called by way of eminency the commandment, as the Word is oft used Emphatically for the word of God, as hath been noted before.

Either 1. His own ways, by not taking heed to his ways, so as to order his Conversation aright. Or 2. The ways of God, who is understood in the former clause.

Marginal references: Luk. 11. 28.

17 He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth unto the LORD , and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Who takes what is done to them as done to himself, because it is done to them whom God, as to this particular, hath put in his own stead, to be his receivers, and whom God hath in a peculiar manner commended to the care and charity of all other men.

Marginal references: Mat. 10 42. & 25. 40. 2 Cor. 9. 6, 7.; Or, his deed.

18 Chasten thy son while there is hope , and let not thy soul spare for his crying .

Before custom in sin, and thy indulgence hath made him hard-hearted and incorrigible.

Forbear not to give him due and necessary correction.

Which o[illegible: 1+ letters]t stirs up a foolish and pernicious pity in Parents towards them. This word, with some small difference in the points, is used in this sense, Isa. 14. 11. Or, as it is in the margent, to his destruction, intimating that this is a cruel pity, and a likely way to expose him to that death threatned to stubborn Sons, Deut. 21. 18, 21. But this clause is, and may be, rendred otherwise, yet, or but do not lift up thy soul (which signifies a vehement desire, Deut. 24. 15. Psal. 25. 1. Ier. 44. 14. let not thy passion, or eager desire of chastening him, transport thee so far as) to cause him to die, i. e. use moderation in this work.

Marginal references: Chap. 13. 24. & 23. 13.; Or, to his [illegible: 1 word], or, to cause him to die.

19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; for if thou deliver him , yet thou must do it again .

Or, He who is of great wrath, of strong passions. Which may be understood either 1. More particularly, of a Son of such a temper, who is very impatient of correction, and breaks forth into violent passions upon that occasion; and then the following words contain the Parents duty, which is to take care to punish him, because if he spare him that time for his passion, he must do so again and again, the same cause returning upon him, and so must wholly forbear to chasten him. Or 2. More generally, of any man of a fierce and furious temper and carriage, and then the next words declare only the event, by his great and repeated provocations he will bring punishment upon himself either from God or Men.

If either a Parent, or another person provoked by him, forbear to punish him. He turneth his speech to the party, as is usual in Scripture, and in other Authors.

Heb. thou must add, to wit, to deliver him again and again, as oft as he shall offend: or, thou wilt add or encrease, to wit, his wrath, which thou shouldst subdue.

Marginal references: Heb. add.

20 Hear counsel, receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end .

Before thy Death come. Which he adds not exclusively, as if he ought not to be wise before, but Emphatically to shew, that how foolishly soever he had spent his former and younger years, it highly concerned him to be wise before it was too late, or before Death came.

Marginal references: Psal. 55. 23.

21 There are many devices in a mans heart , nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand .

Understand out of the opposite Clause, which shall not stand but be disappointed.

His eternal (and unchangeable and most wise Decree, which oft-times contradicts, and always over-rules the designs and purposes of men.

i. e. Be certainly fulfilled, as this Phrase is used, Ier. 44. 28, 29. and elsewhere.

Marginal references: Job. 23. 13. Psal. 33. 10, 11. Chap. 16. 1, 9. Isa. 46. 10. Heb. 6. 17.

22 The desire of a man is his kindness, and a poor man is better than a liar .

Either 1. of any or every Man. All men desire, and it is desirable to be in a capacity of being kind and bountiful to others, whereby they gain love and honour, and many other great advantages. Or 2. of the poor man, expressed in the next Clause. The hearty will or desire of being kind or liberal to others in necessity is all the kindness which a poor Man can shew, and is accepted by God, and should be owned by men as a real kindness. Compare 2 Cor. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 12. Or 3. of the rich Man, as may be gathered from the opposition of this Man to the poor Man in the following Clause; such Ellipses being very common in this Book, as hath been noted again and again. So the sense may be this, There be a sort of rich men all whose kindness and charity consists in good desires and well-wishes to Persons in misery, saying to them, depart in p[illegible: 1+ letters]ace, be ye warmed and filled, but not giving them those things which are needful, as it is expressed, Iam. 2. 16. And this sense seems to agree very well with the following Clause. But being singular in this exposition, I submit it to the judicious Reader.

Who is not able to give what he desires to do.

Than a rich Man who feeds the poor with good words and fair promises, but doth not perform what he pretends, and is able to do.

23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life, and he that hath it shall abide satisfied , he shall not be visited with evil c.

shall want nothing, and shall be fully contented with God's favour and blessing. With any destructive affliction.

24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom , and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again .

Either to keep it warm in cold Weather: Or, to give it rest, being loth to oppress it with the labour of any action. It is a sarcastical Hyperbole.

To wit, to feed himself; he expects that the Meat should drop into his Mouth.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 1[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word] 13. 15.

25 smite a scorner , and the simple will beware, and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledg .

An obstinate and impudent Transgressor, who rejects and scorns all admonitions, and therefore is to be taught with blows.

Who sin through ignorance, and imprudence, and infirmity, being possibly drawn to sin by the scorners evil counsel or example.

A verbal reproof will be more effectual for his reformation than the severest punishments will be to a scorner.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 21. 11.; [illegible: 1 word] will be [illegible: 1 word].

26 He that wasteth his father , and chaseth away his mother , is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach .

i. e. His Fathers estate by unjust or riotous courses.

Causeth her to avoid and abhor his presence and society, and to go from the House where he is.

Both to himself and to his Parents and Family. But this Verse may very well be rendred otherwise, the last words being made the subject of the Proposition, as is usual in Scripture, A Son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach (upon himself and his friends by wicked ways) wasteth his Fathers (estate and health and comfort) and chaseth or driveth away his Mother. These are the effects of his wickedness.

27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledg .

If thou hast formerly, yet do not now any longer hearken to those false Doctrines or evil counsels which tend to withdraw thee from the belief or practice of God's holy Word.

28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgmen , and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity .

Hath no reverence to the place of Justice, nor to the presence of God there, nor to that Sacred and Solemn Work of executing Judgment, but in spight of all gives in a false Testimony

Uttereth wickedness with as great greediness, and delight, and ease, as they swallow down delicious Meats and Drinks. Compare Iob 15. 16.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. a wit [illegible: 1+ letters] of Beli[illegible: 1+ letters]l.

29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

Either by men, or at least by God; although they be deferred for a time, yet they are treasured up for them, and shall infallibly be inflicted upon them.