Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Good. Greek “these things, and he who possess the knowledge of the law will find her,” ( Calmet.) or, “he who keeps the law, will receive her.” Grabe. 1 Corinthians 4:20. Bible.—All who resolve to be virtuous, will have God’s grace, which preventeth them, and continueth to afford them assistance. Worthington.
Verse 2. Married. Lit. “from virginity.” Bible.—Those who have been espoused in youth have the most durable love for one another. Proverbs 2:17. Malachi 2:14. Calmet.
Verse 5. She. Or Greek “he shall open his mouth, (6) he shall find joy and a crown of exultation, and shall inherit,” and so forth Bible.—Church, or assembly of the people. In both, the wise shall be heard with respect. Calmet.
Verse 9. Praise. Or Greek “a proverb,” Proverbs 17:7 and 26:7. Calmet.—David invites even dragons to praise God, but sinners never. Saint John Chrysostom orat. prebyt. Psalms 49:16.—The person who preaches will, and lives not accordingly, injures God. Worthington.
Verse 10. Wisdom. Greek “it was not sent to him, ( Calmet.) or he was not commissioned by the Lord. For praise shall be spoken in wisdom, and the Lord will give him success.”
Verse 11. She. Ignorance and vice are defects, and consequently not the work of God, but of the perversion of free-will. See Jam. 1:13. Ezekiel 33:11. Saint Augustine Grat. &. lib. ii. Calmet.—Beza says, that God ordained Adam’s fall, but for a good end; and decreed justly what men unjustly perform, (ref. Castel. ii.) which is refuted here, and Deuteronomy 7:11. and so forth Worthington.
Verse 14. Counsel. Many explain this of Adam, before his fall, when he stood not in need of asking continually for God’s assistance. Saint Augustine correp. ii. n. 35.—But if we examine the context, it shews that man, in his present state, is declared inexcusable if he yield to sin, as he has still free-will, which may avoid it, with the grace of God, ( Calmet.) which is always ready to support us. Greek subjoins, (verse 16.) “if thou wilt, thou shall keep the commandments, even to execute faithfully the good pleasure. (17.) He.” and so forth Bible.
Verse 15. Precepts. These would never be imposed, if man were not free. Calmet.
Verse 17. And fire. Or, good and evil, as the Vulg. explains it, (verse 18) though the Greek be silent. Bible.—The law written on the heart, as well as on the tables of stone, shews man his duty; and he has free-will to comply with it. Deuteronomy 30:15. Jeremiah 21:8. Calmet.—He may enjoy every advantage of life, denoted by these two elements. Lyr.
An quod in his vitæ causa est, hæc perdidit exul
His nova fit conjux; hæc duo magna putant. Ovid, Fast. 4.
Verse 21. Commanded. He only permitted the wickedness of Semei, (2 Kennicott. 16:10) and the persecutors of his people, whose hearts are already bent on evil. Saint Augustine Grat. & lib. xx.