Proverbs 30:17 - Exposition

This is an independent proverb, only connected with the preceding by being founded on an allusion to an animal. The eye that mocketh at his father. The eye is named as the mind's instrument for expressing scorn and insubordination; it is the index to the inner feeling; and look may be as sinful as action. And despiseth to obey his mother ; i . e . holds obedience to his mother to be a thing of no importance whatever. The word translated "to obey" ( ליקהת ) is rendered by St. Jerome partum ; by others, "weakness," or "wrinkles," or "old age," as Septuagint, γῆρας . But etymology has led most modem commentators to give the sense of "obedience" (see Genesis 49:10 ). The ravens of the valley shall pick it out. Such an undutiful son shall die a violent death; his corpse shall lie unburied, and the birds of prey shall feed upon him. It is well known that ravens, vultures, and other birds that live on carrion first attack the eyes of their prey; and in our own islands we are told crows and birds of this sort will fix on the eyes of young or sickly animals. Corn. a Lapide quotes Catullus, 'Carm.,' 108.5—

" Effossos oculos voret atro gutture corvus,

Intestina canes, cetera membra lupi ."

"His eyes, plucked out, let croaking ravens gorge,

His bowels dogs, his limbs the greedy wolves."

"The valley," or brook, reminds one of Elijah's miraculous support ( 1 Kings 17:4 ). Young eagles. The nesher must here mean one of the vulture tribe, as eagles do not feed on carrion (but see Job 39:30 ). St. Gregory ('Moral.,' 18.49) applies the proverb thus: "'The eye that sneereth at his father, and despiseth the travail of his mother, lo! the ravens from the torrents shall pick it out.' For bad men, while they find limit with the judgments of God, do 'sneer at their Father;' and heretics of all sorts, whilst in mocking they contemn the preaching of holy Church and her fruitfulness, what else is this but that they 'despise the travail of their mother'? whom we not unjustly call the mother of them as well, because from the same they come forth, who speak against the same."