Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. It. Though it be free, and may resist grace or embrace virtue. Isaiah 45:22. Jeremiah 3:14 and 7:3. Joshua 24:23. Calmet.—Yet God knows how to turn the heart even of a king, so as to preserve his liberty, with the same ease as a gardener brings the streams of water to his plants. Menochius.
Verse 3. Mercy. Septuagint “justice and truth.” Bible. See Os. 6:6. Menochius.
Verse 4. Heart. Or when it is proud, it causes the eyes to appear so too. Calmet.—Lamp. Prot. “ploughing of the wicked is sin.” When it is done with a bad motive, out of pride. Hebrew “the haughtiness of the eyes, and the enlarging of the heart, are the labour (“tillage.” Mont. “thought.” Pagn.) of the wicked; yea, sin.” Bible.—Those things are their employment, and their sin. Calmet.—Septuagint and Vulg. may also mean, “sin is the lamp and exultation of the wicked.” Bible.
Verse 5. Sluggard. Hebrew “hasty man,” as the slothful is ironically styled. He would see his desires accomplished without labouring; and will never stick to work. This levity is most injurious to his advancement.
Verse 6. Death. Their injustice shall be punished.
Verse 8. Strange. Unknown, impure way. Leviticus 10:1. Deuteronomy 17:15. Calmet.
Verse 9. Top, (domatis) as the roofs in Palestine were flat. Saint Jerome ad Sun.—Any inconvenience had better be endured, than to live with the quarrelsome. Menochius.
Verse 10. Neighbour. Sym. “he has no idea of friendship.” Septuagint “he shall not be treated with mercy by any man.” Bible.
Verse 11. Knowledge. These are the effects of chastisements and good company.
Verse 12. Evil. He tries every expedient to save him.—That. Septuagint “he despises.” Sym. “throws down.”
Verse 14. Bosom. In private. Calmet.—They put all valuable things in the bosom. Bible.
Verse 15. To do judgment. Or to see it done, while the wicked depend only on the corruption of their judges.
Verse 16. Giants, in hell. Calmet. 15:11. Job 26:5. Ezekiel 22:21.
Verse 17. Rich. Economy is constantly recommended. Calmet.—Those who squandered away their goods, were fined by the Areopagites. Athen. iv. 19.
Verse 18. Righteous. Many are deterred from wickedness by the punishment of malefactors, whose injuries are frequently irreparable. God abandoned Pharao and Aman to save his people. He treated them as victims of wrath. Isaiah 43:3.
Verse 20. Treasure of provisions. Temporal blessings were promised as a figure of more lasting ones, which are set before Christians.
Verse 22. Thereof. Nothing can resist. Matthew 12:29. Eccle. 9:16. Calmet.
Verse 23. Mouth, from eating too much. Lyran.
Verse 24. Ignorant. Hebrew “a scoffer.” Septuagint “pestilent.” Bible.—Such a one is always actuated by pride, when he attempts to turn good advice and religion to ridicule.
Verse 25. At all. Hence his desires of riches and wisdom prove fruitless. Calmet. 13:4.
Verse 27. Wickedness. Hebrew “with an evil thought.” Mont. Sirach 34:24. Bible.
Verse 28. Obedient. Attentive, faithful witness, shall speak with triumph, or he who obeys the law, shall gain the victory over the devil, and so forth Philippians 2:8.
Verse 29. Face. Never blushing, or yielding to good advice.
Verse 31. Battle. It was kept for no other purpose by the eastern nations, who used oxen to till the land; asses and camels to carry burdens. Job 39:18. Psalms 19:8 and 32:17. Calmet.