Matthew Poole and continuators on Proverbs 23

1 WHen thou sittest to eat with a ruler , consider diligently what is before thee .

When thou art invited to a Feast with a great man.

Either 1. What person or persons. Or rather 2. What things, what plenty and variety of meats and drinks, by which thou maist easily be tempted to excess, and by that means induced to use such speeches or carriages, as may be unfit for thee, or many ways hurtful to thee.

2 And put a knife to thy throat , if thou be a man given to appetite .

Restrain and moderate thine appetite, as if a knife, or some other thing stuck in thy throat, and hindred thee from swallowing what thou didst desire; or, as if a man stood with a knife at thy Throat ready to kill thee, if thou didst transgress; or, though it be as irksom to thee to do so, as if thou hadst a knife put to thy Throat. So this is to be understood metaphorically, as that Phrase of cutting off the right hand, &c. Mat. 5. 29, 30. Or, For thou dost (or, left thou shouldst, as the Syriack Interpreter renders it; or, otherwise thou wiltst or shouldst) put a knife to thy throat. So the sense is, when thou goest to their Feasts, thou dost expose thy self to great and manifest hazards, to thy own intemperance, and to all its dangerous consequences, and to the ill effects of other mens intemperance.

Prone to excess in eating and drinking.

3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are▪ deceitful meat .

Either because they do not yield thee that satisfaction which thou didst expect from them, but rather load thee with ill humors & the seeds of divers diseases; or because they are not provided for thee with sincerity and good Will, but with some evil design upon thee, either to discover and betray thee, or to enslave thee▪ See below v. 6, 7.

4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom .

Heb. Do not weary thy self with immoderate cares and labors, as many covetous men do.

From that carnal Wisdom which is natural to man in his corrupt estate, which persuades men to believe that it is their interest to use all possible means to get Riches, and that the happiness of their Lives consists in the abundance of their Possessions, directly contrary to the assertion of our blessed▪ Lord, Luke 12▪ 15.

Marginal references: Ch. 28. 20▪ 1 Tim. 6. 9▪ 10.

5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not ? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]agle towards heaven.

i. e. Look upon it▪ [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] and greedy desire, employing the Eyes of thy [illegible: 1 word] and Body about it.

Which hath no solid and setled being, which is ours to have, but not to hold, which is always upon the wing, and oft times gone in the twinkling of an Eye, so that the owner is frequently at a loss, and cannot tell whether he hath his Estate, or whether he hath lost it.

Swiftly, strongly, and irrevocably. We quickly lose the sight and possession of them. Their flying away from us is elegantly opposed to our Eyes, being set, or, as it is in the Hebrew, flying upon them in the beginning of the verse.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] thou cause [illegible: 1 word] eyes to fly [illegible: 1 word]

6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye , neither desire thou his dainty meats.

Of the envious or covetous man, who secretly grudgeth thee the meat which he sets before thee, as this Phrase is used, Prov. 28. 22. Mat. 20. 15. as on the contrary a liberal man is said to have a good Eye, Prov. 22. 9.

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he : Eat and drink, saith he to thee, but his heart is not with thee .

You are not to judge of him by his words, for so he prosesseth kindness, as it follows, but by the constant temper of his mind, which he hath fully discovered to all that know him by the course of his Life.

He hath no sincere kindness to thee, but inwardly grudgeth thee that which he outwardly offers to thee.

8 The morsel which thou hast eaten, shalt thou vomit up , and lose thy sweet words .

When thou perceivest his churlish disposition and carriage, his meat will be loathsom to thee, and thou wiltst wish either that thou hadst never eaten it, or that thou couldst vomit it up again.

Thy pleasant discourse wherewith thou didst adorn his Table, and design both to delight and profit him, is lost, and of no effect to him, and thou wiltst be ready to repent of it.

9 Speak not in the ears of a fool : for he will despise the wisdom of thy words .

Cast not away good Counsels upon obstinate and incorrigible sinners. We have the same advice given Mat. 7. 6.

He will scornfully reject thy wise and good admonitions.

Marginal references: Chap. 9. 8.

10 Remove not the old land-mark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless .

Either to take away their goods; or rather to possess their Lands, as this Phrase is used, 2 Sam. 5. 6.

Marginal references: Deut. 19. 14. [illegible: 1+ letters] 27. 17.; [illegible: 1 word]. 22. 28. [illegible: 1 word], bound.

11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

Heb. their near kinsman, to whom it belongs to avenge their wrongs, and to recover and maintain their rights, of which see Lev. 25. 25. Numb. 35. 12. Thus God is pleased to call himself, to shew how much he concerns himself for the relief of oppressed and helpless persons.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 31. 21. [illegible: 1 word]. 22. 23.

12 Apply thine heart unto instruction , and thine ears unto the words of knowledg.

Content not thy self with outward hearing or reading of it, but affectionately receive it into thine heart, and lay it up there as choice Treasure.

13 With-hold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with a rod, he shall not die .

It is a likely mean to prevent their corruption, and the destruction which commonly follows it, as the next verse explains this.

Marginal references: Ch. 13. 24. [illegible: 1 word] 19. 18. [illegible: 1 word] 22. 15. [illegible: 1 word] 29. 15, 17.

15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall [illegible: 1+ letters]rejoice , even mine.

In the good success of my Counsels, and in thy Piety and Happiness, which is as truly desirable and pleasant to me, as my own.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word] I [illegible: 1 word] rejoice.

16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice , when thy lips speak right things.

I shall rejoice not onely in shew and profession, but inwardly, and with all my soul.

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners : but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long .

Let not the consideration of their present impunity and prosperity stir thee up, either to envy them, or to approve and imitate their evil courses.

Reverence the presence of the Divine Majesty, and dread his power and justice, and those judgments which he hath prepared for sinners, and thou wil[illegible: 1+ letters]t see no cause to envy, but rather to [illegible: 1 word] them.

Not only when thou art in trouble, but in all times and conditions.

Marginal references: Psal. 37. 1. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]. 3. [illegible: 1 word]. 3. 31. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]4. 1.

18 For surely there is an end , and thine expectation shall not be cut off .

An expected and happy end for such as fear God, which was required v. 17. Or, a reward, as this Hebrew word is rendred, Prov. 24. 20.

Thou shalt certainly enjoy that good which thou expectest, as the wicked shall lose that Happiness which they enjoy.

Marginal references: Ch. 24. 14.; Or, reward.

19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise , and guide thine heart in the way .

Rest not in hearing, but see that thou growest wiser and ▪ better by it.

Order the whole course of thine affections and actions.

In Gods way, oft called the way, as hath been observed before.

20 Be not amongst wine-bibbers ; amongst riotous eaters of flesh.

Avoid their conversation and company, lest thou be either insected or injured by them.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 5 22. Luke 21. 34. Rom. 13. 13. Eph. 5. 18.; Heb. of their flesh.

21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall cloth a man with rags.

Immoderate sleep, and idleness, which is as ready a way to Poverty, as Gluttony or Drunkenness is.

22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee , and despise not thy mother when she is old .

And therefore desires and seeks thy good in all his counsels.

When the infirmity of age is added to that of her sex, which is apt to breed contempt.

Marginal references: Chap. 1. 8.

23 Buy the truth , and sell it not ; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding .

Purchase it upon any terms, spare no pains nor cost to get it.

The true and saving knowledg of Gods Mind and Will concerning your Salvation, and the way that leads to it.

Do not forget it, nor forsake it for any worldly advantages, as ungodly men frequently do.

Whereby you may love and practise the truth known and received.

Marginal references: Ch. 4. 5, 7.

25 Thy Father and thy mother shall be glad , and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

He repeateth this again as a powerful Argument to prevail with all Children, that are not void of natural affection to labour to be wise and good, that so they may glad the hearts of their Parents to whom they have such high and indelible obligations.

With so great pain and hazard, and brought thee up with such tender care, whom thou canst not better require.

26 My son, give me thine heart , and let thine eyes observe my ways .

Receive my Counsels with thy whole heart. Selomon speaking in Gods Name, and cause, requires the heart to be given to him.

Let thy mind seriously and practically consider.

Either 1. The ways in which I have walked, my evil practices: take warning by my sad example. Or 2. The ways which I prescribe to you, as the Apostles called the Gospel which they preached, their Gospel, 1 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 8.

27 For a whore is a deep ditch ; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

In which a man is in evident danger of perdition, and out of which it is exceeding difficult to escape.

Marginal references: Ch. 22. 14.

28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey , and increaseth the transgressors among men .

Watching all opportunities of ensnaring young men to their destruction.

She is the cause of innumerable sins against God, and against the Marriage▪Bed, against the Soul and Body too, and by her wicked Example and Arts, involveth many persons in the guilt of her sins.

Marginal references: Chap. 7. 12.; Or, as a robber.

29 Who hath woe ? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babling ? who hath wounds without cause ? who hath redness of eyes?

From the [illegible: 1 word] of Lust he proceeds to that of drunkenness, which doth frequently accompany it.

The sin of much and impertinent talking: or, [illegible: 1 word] noise or clamour, which is usual among Drunkards. See [illegible: 1 word]. 20. 1.

Upon every sleight occasion, which men enflamed with Wine are very apt to take.

Marginal references: Isa. 5. 11, 22.

30 They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixt wine .

Either mixed with Water, or with other ingredients to make it strong and delicious. Heb. mixture, mixed drinks of several sorts suited to their Palats.

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red , when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth it self aright .

Earnestly, so as to inflame thine Appetite towards it, in which sense men are forbidden to look upon a Woman, Job 31. 1. Mat. 5. 28.

Which was the colour of the best Wines in that Countrey, which therefore are called Blood, Gen. 49. 11. Deut. 32. 14. and such were used by them in the Passover.

When it sparkleth and frisketh, and seems to smile upon a Man.

Marginal references: Cant. 7. 9.

32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder .

It hurts the Body in many respects, impairs the vigor of the Mind, wastes the Estate and Reputation, wounds the Conscience, and without Repentance, will destroy the Soul.

Marginal references: Or, a Cockatrice.

33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things .

With evil intent, or lustfully, which is the effect of drinking much Wine, as is noted in Scripture, Gen. 19. 31, 35. Hos. 4. 18. and other Authors.

Thine Heart, which when thou hadst the use of thy wit, concealed, will then discover its wickedness, by filthy and perverse speeches.

34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea , or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast .

To sleep, of which that word is frequently used.

In a Ship in the midst of the Sea, This Phrase notes the temper and condition of the Drunkard, the giddiness of his Brain, the unquietness of his Mind, and especially his extream danger joyned with great security.

The worst part of the Ship, both for its perpetual tossings, and for the hazard of him that sleeps in it.

Marginal references: Heb. in the heart of the Sea.

35 They have stricken me ; shalt thou say; and I was not sick ; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when I shall awake, I will seek it yet again .

I cannot deny that I exposed my self by my Drunkenness to manifold abuses and injuries.

I was not then sensible of it, neither do I now find any great hurt by it; it was but the effect of a present frolick, at which I have no cause to be much troubled.

At present I find some inconvenience, and my condition requires sleep to settle my self, and when I am composed and refreshed, I purpose to return to my former course. But that which Solomon here expresseth, seems rather to be the Language of their Hearts or Lives, than of their actions. Compare Prov. 1. 11.

Marginal references: Heb. I knew it not.