Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Until the above things are done; which denotes of what consequence and importance they are; and that persons in such circumstances should not be careless, dilatory, and unconcerned; but should use great diligence, and leave no stone unturned, or method untried, to extricate themselves; see Psalm 132:4 . read more
Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter ,.... As such a creature, which is very swift, when it is got into the hand of the hunter, will strive and struggle to get out; so should a man try all ways and means to get out of his suretyship engagements, especially when he finds himself liable to danger by it; this he should do "immediately" and "out of hand" F7 מיד "statim", De Dieu; "subito", Noldius, p. 859. No. 1630. "ilico, repente", so some in Eliae Tishbi, p. 143. ,... read more
Deliver thyself as a roe - צבי tsebi , the antelope. If thou art got into the snare, get out if thou possibly canst; make every struggle and excertion, as the antelope taken in the net, and the bird taken in the snare would, in order to get free from thy captivity. read more
9. Ninth admonitory discourse. Warning against suretyship. read more
The surety Our Christian charity may naturally be shocked at the selfishness apparently inculcated by the frequent warnings against giving security for others that are scattered up and down the Book of Proverbs. They have done more than anything else to lead people to regard the standard of morality of the Proverbs as low and worldly. Let us consider the subject from various points of view. I. THE STANDARD OF MORALITY OF THE BOOK OF PROVERBS IS LOWER THAN THAT ... read more
The perils of suretyship Here we have - I. A FEATURE OF ANCIENT LIFE . The warnings against incurring this responsibility are very frequent in this book ( Proverbs 11:15 ; Proverbs 17:18 ; Proverbs 20:16 ; Proverbs 22:26 ). For the bail was treated like the insolvent debtor ( 2 Kings 4:1 ; Matthew 18:25 ). He was subject to distraint or to be sold into slavery. Ben-Sira (29, 18, seq. ) says, "Suretyship hath destroyed many that were doing well, and swallowed... read more
Answering for others; danger and deliverance There are times when we are invited and are bound to answer for other people—it may be with our word, or it may be with our bond. We have all been indebted to the kindnesses of our friends in this direction, and that which we have received from our fellows we should be ready to give to them in return. But it is a matter in which it is very easy to go much too far; in which carelessness is wrong and even criminal; in which, therefore wise counsel... read more
The sixth chapter embraces four distinct discourses, each of which is a warning. The subjects treated of are The continuity of the subject treated of in the preceding chapter appears to be somewhat abruptly interrupted to make way for the insertion of three discourses on subjects which apparently have little connection with what precedes and what follows. Their unlooked for and unexpected appearance has led Hitzig to regard them as interpolations, but it has been conclusively pointed out... read more
This verse carries on the thought one step further. The appeal to the friend is not to be confined to one spasmodic effort and then relinquished. He is to be followed up pertinaciously and continually, with unwearied diligence, until prevailed upon to fulfil his engagements. Of this unwearied energy in the pursuit of an object in which cue is deeply interested, compare David's resolution, "I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the Lord, an... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 6:1-5
It is the excellency of the word of God that it teaches us not only divine wisdom for another world, but human prudence for this world, that we may order our affairs with discretion; and this is one good rule, To avoid suretiship, because by it poverty and ruin are often brought into families, which take away that comfort in relations which he had recommended in the foregoing chapter. 1. We must look upon suretiship as a snare and decline it accordingly, Ps. 6:1, 2. ?It is dangerous enough for... read more