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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 26:13

When a man talks foolishly we say, He talks idly; for none betray their folly more than those who are idle and go about to excuse themselves in their idleness. As men's folly makes them slothful, so their slothfulness makes them foolish. Observe, 1. What the slothful man really dreads. He dreads the way, the streets, the place where work is to be done and a journey to be gone; he hates business, hates every thing that requires care and labour. 2. What he dreams of, and pretends to dread?a lion... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 26:14

Having seen the slothful man in fear of his work, here we find him in love with his ease; he lies in his bed on one side till he is weary of that, and then turns to the other, but still in his bed, when it is far in the day and work is to be done, as the door is moved, but not removed; and so his business is neglected and his opportunities are let slip. See the sluggard's character. 1. He is one that does not care to get out of his bed, but seems to be hung upon it, as the door upon the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 26:15

The sluggard has now, with much ado, got out of his bed, but he might as well have lain there still for any thing he is likely to bring to pass in his work, so awkwardly does he go about it. Observe, 1. The pretence he makes for his slothfulness: He hides his hand in his bosom for fear of cold; next to his warm bed in his warm bosom. Or he pretends that he is lame, as some do that make a trade of begging; something ails his hand; he would have it thought that it is blistered with yesterday's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 26:13

The slothful man saith ,.... Within himself; or to such that excite him to diligence and industry, to go about the business of his calling, to till his field, and dress his vineyard. The Septuagint and Arabic versions add, "being sent into the way"; ordered by his master to go out to work, when he makes the following excuse: there is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets ; in the way to his field or vineyard, and in the streets, where his business lies or leads unto it: a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 26:14

As the door turneth upon his hinges ,.... And moves this way and that way, and opens and shuts, and yet hangs where it did, is not moved from its place: so doth the slothful upon his bed ; he turns himself from side to side, but is still on his bed, and does not move out of it, and go about his business. Aben Ezra makes mention of another reading and sense, "the door turneth upon his hinges", and is opened to let men out, one and another, to his work; "but yet the slothful man is ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 26:15

The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom ,.... To keep it warm; Jarchi's note is, "he puts his hand in a hot basin, because of the cold.' The word F3 בצלחת "in patina vel olla", Vatablus; "in patinam", Tigurine version; "lebete", Mercerus; "in paropside", Cocceius; "in paropsidem", Schultens. for "bosom" does sometimes signify a "pot" or basin. Or he hides it under his "arm holes", as some render it, not caring to make use of it for labour; or covers it out of sight in his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 26:13

The slothful man saith - See the note on Proverbs 22:13 ; (note). 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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