Proverbs 1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:4

To give subtlety to the simple ,.... Men of mean abilities, weak capacities, shallow understandings, incautious, credulous, and easily imposed upon: these, by attending to what is herein contained, may arrive to a serpentine subtlety; though they are simple and harmless as doves, may become as wise as serpents; may attain to an exquisite knowledge of divine things and know even more than the wise and sage philosophers among the Gentiles, or any of the Rabbins and masters of Israel; or any of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:5

A wise man will hear ,.... With great attention, and hearken to the proverbs and wise sayings herein delivered; for here are many things entertaining to men of years and wisdom, as well as instructive to young men and simple ones; and will increase learning ; or "add" F11 יוסף "addet", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Cocceius, Michaelis, Schultens. to his stock of learning; or, as the Targum, "will add knowledge;' see 2 Peter 1:5 ; or, "will be wiser", as the Vulgate Latin... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:6

To understand a proverb, and the interpretation ,.... This may be connected either with the first verse, "the proverbs of Solomon", &c.; are written, as for the above ends and purposes, so for these; or with Proverbs 1:5 , a wise and understanding man, by hearkening and attending to what is here delivered, will not only attain to wise counsels, but to the understanding of proverbial sayings, and to see into the "elegancy" F13 מליצה "facundiam", Montanus; "eloquentiam", Tigurine... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge ,.... Here properly the book begins, and this is the first of the proverbs, and an excellent one; it is such an one as is not to be found in all the writings of the Heathens. By "the fear of the Lord" is not meant a servile fear, a fear of punishment, of hell, wrath, and damnation, which is the effect of the first work of the law upon the conscience; but a filial fear, and supposes knowledge of God as a father, of his love and grace in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:8

My son, hear the instruction of thy father ,.... This is not to be understood of God the Father of mankind, and of that law which he has given them, as Jarchi and Gersom interpret it, but of Solomon and his son in a literal sense; and of anyone that came to him for instruction, any pupil, hearer, or reader of his; and it is a direction to all children to hearken to the instruction of their parents, and obey their commands; so, next to the fear and worship of God, he exhorts to obedience to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:9

For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head ,.... The instructions and laws of parents being attended unto and obeyed by children, render them more lovely and amiable than any beautiful ornament whatever that can be put upon their heads; and chains about thy neck ; be that unto them as chains of gold are to the neck, beautify and adorn them; so good works, done in obedience to God and parents, are ornaments of great price, and preferable to any outward adorning whatever; see ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:10

My son, if sinners entice thee ,.... Endeavour to seduce thee from thy parents, and draw thee aside from them, from listening to their instructions, advice, and commands; and make use of all plausible arguments to persuade thee to join with them in the sins they are addicted unto, and are continually employed in: for this is not to be understood of such who are sinners by nature, and through infirmity of the flesh, as all men are; but of notorious sinners, who are guilty of the grossest... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:11

If they say, come with us ,.... Leave your father's house, and the business of life in which you are; make one of us, and become a member of our society, and go along with us upon the highway; let us lay wait for blood ; lie in ambush under some hedge or another, waiting till a rich traveller comes up and passes that way, and then rise and shed his blood in order to get his money; and the same word signifies both "blood" and "money", and wait is laid for one for the sake of the other; ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:12

Let us swallow them up alive as the grave ,.... The innocent person, and those that are with him, his servants; our gang is so numerous that we can very easily dispatch him and all his attendants, and bury them out of sight at once, as if they were swallowed up alive in a grave, and so no more to be seen or heard of; and consequently we shall be in the utmost safety and security, there being no traces of what is done, nor any left to make a relation of it, or to give any information of us,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:13

We shall find all precious substance ,.... Among one or another we meet with; gold and silver and precious stones, everything that is valuable; not considering that hereby they were in danger of losing the more precious substance, their immortal souls; and the most precious substance of all, the enjoyment of God, and happiness with him to all eternity, which is the "more enduring substance": the things of this world, properly speaking, are not substance, though wicked men so judge them; they... read more

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