Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Men. Here the Greek concludes the former chapter very properly, ( Bible.) as we must be ashamed of doing these things, and not of those which follow. Calmet.—“Of repeating [and] of the speech which thou hast heard, and of revealing secret words; (things. Bible.) and thou shalt be truly bashful, (αισχυντηρος. Calmet.) and find favour with every man.” Grabe’s edit. Bible.—Thereby. In such cases we must shew a holy impudence, like Jeremias, 1:10. 18.
Verse 2. Covenant. We must be ashamed of transgressing these, (Calmet. 41:24) but not of complying with them. This is the first duty of man.—Ungodly. Blush not to oppose such a judgment, ( Calmet.) though all the judges should be against thee. Follow no collusion of man to do evil. Bible.—Pass sentence without respect of persons, (Deuteronomy 1:16. Calmet.) whether the parties be thy companions, or only travellers. verse 3. Bible.
Verse 3. Friends. Be not ashamed to leave something to thy friends, though relations may grumble; or execute thy friend’s will exactly. Calmet.
Verse 4. Little. Be scrupulously exact in thy dealings, but not afraid of advancing thy fortune by lawful means.
Verse 5. Buying. This regards magistrates, who must correct such frauds. Greek “of the money ( Calmet.) to purchase from merchants.” Bible.—We may examine whether the coin by good, and strive to get things as cheap as we can.—Bleed. Great severity was formerly used. Calmet. 30:12. Calmet.
Verse 6. Keeping. Lit. “a seal.” Bible.—All must be locked up.
Verse 7. In. Not out of distrust so much, as to keep servants honest. All who have written on economy give the same rules.
Verse 8. Men. So Daniel discovered the malice of the two ancients. Daniel 13:46. Admonish the aged not to enter into disputes, or strive with the young. Calmet.
Verse 9. Knoweth. Lit. “who is hidden.” Bible.—An unmarried woman was styled Halma, or “hidden.” Isaiah 7:11. Calmet.—Pass away. Greek “abuse.” Bible.—Some read adultera, (Sixt. V. Jans.) instead of adulta, improperly. It was deemed shameful for a parent not to have his daughter married soon. 1 Corinthians 7:36.—Hateful. Deuteronomy 24.
Verse 10. Barren. And thus fall into contempt. Deuteronomy 7:14. If she committed adultery she must die; or if she were only suspected, she must drink the waters of jealousy. Numbers 5:17. Husbands would often seek a divorce, on such occasions; which would involve the father in fresh difficulties.
Verse 11. Multitude, who will accuse thee of negligence. Calmet.
Verse 12. Body’s. Lit. “man’s.” But females are included in this term. Bible.—It was also necessary to guard the Greeks, and pagans in general, against a criminal affection for boys.
Verse 13. Man. Greek “woman.” Malice is natural to her. Beauty becomes her ruin, as well as that of others. Calmet.—The Fathers compare women to a load-stone. S. Bas.—Men who come near them, are greatly exposed. Calmet.
Verse 14. Better, and so forth That is, there is, commonly speaking, less danger to be apprehended to the soul from the churlishness, or injuries we receive from men, than from the flattering favours and familiarity of women. Challoner.—Josephus (c. Ap. ii.) attributes this sentence to Moses, and prefers the worst man to the best woman, as Euripides does in Clem. Strom. iv. Calmet.—But this is ridiculous.—Reproach. This explains what sort of good the woman aforesaid has done; she had fostered the passions of men, and brought them to shame, which all the malevolence of an enemy could not have done. Bible.—The company of women is therefore more dangerous. Calmet. 9. Worthington.
Verse 15. Remember, or publish. He praises God and the great men of his nation, to the end of the book, ( Calmet.) or to Calmet. 50:29. Bible.—By. Lit. “in.” Bible.—I have only abridged what the sacred Scriptures relate.
Verse 16. Work. The world displays God’s glory and power. Psalms 18:6.
Verse 17. Saints, in heaven, or rather the Israelites. Psalms 147:20. Calmet.
Verse 19. Signs. Lit. “sign,” the order of the stars, and so forth Bible.—Yet God does not study these things, to discover what will happen. He is the author of nature. Calmet.—From his works we are to form some idea of his greatness. Job 28. and so forth Worthington.
Verse 25. Another. By this opposition the world subsists, according to Linus, Epimenides, and so forth Hanc Deus et melior litem natura diremit. Met. i. See Calmet. 23:16.
Verse 26. He. Greek “one thing establishes the good of another,” ( Bible.) serving as a counterpoise. Calmet.—Black colours cause the white to shine forth. Youth is guided by the experience of old age. Menochius.