Proverbs 26

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:6

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool. This clause comes in the Hebrew after the next. Cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. To entrust an important commission to a fool is to deprive one's self of the means of having it properly executed, and to bring upon one's self shame and injury. A man who is so silly as to employ such an unfit messenger, as it were, cuts off the feet which should bear him on his errand, and, instead of enjoying the satisfaction of seeing the business... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:7

The legs of a lame man are not equal . The first word of this verse, דַּלְיוּ , has occasioned some difficulty. It is considered as an imperative from דלה , "draw off," "take away." Thus the Septuagint, ἀφελοῦ ; Venetian, ἐπάρατε . But the verb seems never to have this meaning; nor, if it had, would the sense be very satisfactory, for. as Delitzsch points out, lame legs are better than none, and there is a great difference between the perfectly crippled or paralytic who has to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:8

As he that bindeth a stone in a sling. So Septuagint, ὅς ἀποδεσμέυει λίθον ἐν σφενδόνῃ . This gives a very good sense the point being either that the stone, after being firmly fitted in its place, quickly passes away from the sling, or, if more stress is laid on the word "bindeth," that the stone is so firmly fixed that it cannot be slung, and therefore never reaches the mark. The alternative rendering adopted by the Revised Version is this, "As a bag of gems in a heap of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:9

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard. There is here no idea of the drunkard's hand being pierced with a thorn while he is insensible to the pain, but rather of his being armed with it, and ripe for mischief. So it is best to render, "A thornbush cometh into the hand of a drunkard;" he somehow gets possession of it, and in his stupid excitement is liable to become dangerous. Some understand עלה of the growth of the thorn; thus the Septuagint, "Thorns grow in the hand of a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:10

Few passages have given greater difficulty than this verse; almost every word has been differently explained. The Authorized Version is, The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and re- wardeth transgressors; Revised Version, As an archer ( Job 16:13 ) that woundeth all , so is he that hireth the fool and he that hireth thorn that pass by . At first sight one would hardly suppose that these could be versions of the same passage. To show the diversity that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:11

As the dog returneth to his vomit , so a fool returneth to his folly; or, repeateth his folly . The fool never frees himself from the trammels of his foolishness; his deeds and words always bear the same character to the end. The same truth holds good of the sinner, especially the drunkard and the sensualist. If they feel temporary compunction, and reject their sin by partial repentance, they do not really shake it off wholly; it has become a second nature to them, and they soon... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:12

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? ( Proverbs 3:7 ). Nothing so shuts the door against improvement as self-conceit. "Woe unto them," says Isaiah ( Isaiah 5:21 ), "that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." Such persons, professing themselves wise, become fools ( Romans 1:22 ; Romans 12:16 ; Revelation 3:17 , Revelation 3:18 ). Touching conceit, Qui sibi sapit, summe desipit . The Oriental speaks of the fox finding his shadow very large, and of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:12

Self-conceit I. ITS CHARACTER . Self-conceit is just the cherishing of an undue opinion of one's own worth, powers, character, or attainments. This is not pride, because pride need not make special pretences, so long as it asserts itself with dignity, while self-conceit is concerned with the actual contents of the mental life. This is not vanity, for it is not merely a desire to be admired; it may, arid probably will, stimulate this desire; but possibly it will be too proud to cherish... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:13

This is virtually the same as Proverbs 22:13 . The words for "lion" are different in two parts of the verse, shakhal being the lion of advanced age, ari the full-grown animal; the latter may possibly be assumed to be the more dangerous of the two, and so a climax would be denoted. There is a proverb current in Bechuana, which says, "The month of seed time is the season of headaches." read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 26:13

A lion in the way. I. INDOLENCE CREATES DIFFICULTIES . The hindrance is not real; it is purely imaginary. The lion is not in the way , but in the fancy of the slothful man. If a man is not in earnest in undertaking any work, he is certain to picture to himself insuperable obstacles. Thus missionary enterprises are discouraged by those who have no missionary zeal. The call of Christ to service and sacrifice is shirked by men whose inventive ingenuity has manufactured unsound... read more

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