Verse 1
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
the rivers of water. Hebrew. palgey mayim = the divisions of water [in a garden], from palag, to divide (Genesis 10:25 ). The name given to the small channels which divide up an Eastern (walled) garden for purposes of irrigation. See note on "rivers", Psalms 1:3 . There is an Ellipsis in the second clause, and the verb must be supplied thus: The king's heart [is] in the hand of Jehovah, As the palgey mayim [are in the hand of the gardener]. See App-74 .
He turneth, &c. i.e. Jehovah directeth [the king's heart] whithersoever He will [as the gardener directeth the water with his foot] (Deuteronomy 11:10 ), not needing or deigning to use a tool; so easily is it done. Illustrations: Ahab (1 Kings 18:10 . Compare Pro 21:40 ); Ahasuerus (Esther 6:1 ); Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:27 , 2 Kings 19:28 , and Isaiah 10:5-7 ); Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 29:16 . Jeremiah 43:10-12 ); the Jews (Jeremiah 32:28 . 2 Kings 24:3 ); Cyrus (Ezra 1:1 .Isaiah 45:1; Isaiah 45:1 ); Darius (Ezra 6:22 ); Augustus (Luke 2:1-7 . Compare Micah 5:2 ).
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