Proverbs 1:1-31

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:17

Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. Or "without cause" F25 הנם "sine causa", Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus. , as the word is rendered in Proverbs 1:11 ; and so the words are an illustration of the preceding; showing that the blood of innocent persons is shed without cause, no injury being done by them to those that do it, but is shed without any provocation at all; just as the net is spread for the innocent bird, which has done no harm to the fowler that seeks... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:18

And they lay wait for their own blood ,.... While they lie in wait for the blood of others, they lie in wait for their own; and when they shed the blood of innocent persons, it in the issue comes upon their own heads, and is the cause of their own blood being shed; vengeance pursues them, and justice will not suffer them to live; they lurk privily for their own lives : while they are lurking in secret places to take away, the lives of others, they are laying snares for their own... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:19

So are the ways of everyone that is greedy of gain ,.... That is set upon getting riches in an unlawful way, by robberies and murder; his ways will end in the loss of his own blood and life, and in the loss of his immortal soul; this will be what his wicked ways and course of life will bring him to, and what will his gain profit him then? it would be of no use and service to him could he have gained the whole world; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof : or who, even... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:20

Wisdom crieth without ,.... Here the person instructing throughout this whole book is represented under the name of "Wisdom"; by which we are to understand not the attribute of divine wisdom displayed in the works of creation; nor the light of nature in man; nor the law of Moses given to the Israelites; nor the revelation of the divine will in general, as it is delivered out in the sacred Scriptures; nor the Gospel, and the ministry of it, in particular; but our Lord Jesus Christ; for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:21

She crieth in the chief place of concourse ,.... Where a multitude of people meet together; the Targum is, "on the top of palaces;' but rather it is to be understood of the synagogues of the Jews, where Christ frequently preached; and which, from hence, they build in the highest part of the city F3 Maimon. Hilchot Tephillah, c. 11. s. 2. ; and best of all the temple, whither the tribes of Israel went up to worship in great bodies, and to which the Jews daily resorted; here Christ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:22

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity ?.... Simple foolish things, agreeably to their character, being weak simple men, men of weak capacities and shallow understandings; and such were the first persons that were called by Christ through the ministry of the word, even effectually; they were babes and sucklings in comparison of others, by whom they were despised as illiterate and ignorant of the law; see Matthew 11:25 ; though it may respect the Jews in general, who were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:23

Turn ye at my reproof ,.... Or rather "to my reproof", for the words are not an exhortation to the conversion of the heart, or to him repentance; but to an attendance to the external ministry of the word preached, which reproves of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and does not design the turning of the heart to it, which is God's work, but the turning of the face and ears to hear it; and so the Targum, "turn your face to my reproof,' and not your backs, as they did, showing a dislike of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:24

Because I have called, and ye refused ,.... This is to be understood not of the internal call of Wisdom, or Christ, which is by the special grace of his Spirit; is according to an eternal purpose, the fruit of everlasting love, peculiar to God's elect, and by a divine power; and is also a call to special blessings of grace, and to eternal glory; and which is always effectual, unchangeable, and irreversible, and can never be refused, rejected, and resisted, so as to become void and of no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:25

But ye have set at nought all my counsel ,.... The same with "the counsel of God", Acts 20:27 . The whole Gospel, and all the truths of it; the entire scheme of salvation by Jesus Christ, which is the produce of divine wisdom, and is according to the counsel of the divine will, and his eternal purpose in Christ Jesus; this the Jews set at nought, made no account of, but despised and rejected, as they did Christ, the author of it, Acts 4:11 ; as also his ordinances, which go by the same... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:26

I also will laugh at your calamity ,.... By way of retaliation, measuring measure for measure; even as they scorned him, and delighted in their scorning, now he in his turn will "laugh" at them and their distress; which act is ascribed to the Lord by an anthropopathy; see Psalm 2:4 ; signifying that he should not at all pity them, show no compassion to them, and have no mercy upon them; but rather express a pleasure and delight in displaying the glory of his justice in their destruction:... read more

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