This chapter relates Solomon’s preparation for building the temple: on Hiram, king of Tyre, sending a congratulatory letter to him, he returned another to him, signifying his intention to build an house for God, and requesting him to supply him with timber, and men to work it, 1 Kings 5:1–6; to…

A soft answer turneth away wrath Mild words, gentle expressions, delivered with kindness and tenderness, humility and submission; these will work upon a man’s passions, weaken his resentments, and break and scatter the storm of wrath raised in his breast, just breaking forth in a very boisterous…

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright As the heart of a wise and good man is filled with useful knowledge, civil, moral, spiritual, and evangelical; so he takes care to communicate it, at proper times and seasons, in proper places, and to proper persons; adapting it to their case and…

The eyes of the Lord are in every place Which are expressive of his omniscience, of the full, clear, distinct, and perfect knowledge, which he has of all creatures and things; so that nothing is hid from him, but all open and manifest to him; as they are to Christ the essential Word, ; and also of…

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life A tongue that delivers out salutary instructions, wholesome advice and counsel; a “healing tongue” [[21]], as it may be rendered, which pacifies contending parties, and heals the divisions between them; to have the benefit of such a man’s company and…

A fool despiseth his father’s instruction They are fools that despise any instruction that is wise, good, and profitable; and especially a father’s instruction, whose love, tender affection, and care, will not suffer him, knowingly, to give any but what is good and wholesome: wherefore to despise…

In the house of the righteous is much treasure God sometimes blesses the righteous with great riches, as he did Abraham; or, however, if they have but little, it is better than the riches of many wicked; because they have what they have with a blessing, and they are content with it: and they have…

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge Scatter it about for the benefit of others; they are communicative and diffusive of it unto others, that fruit may abound to their account: so the first ministers of the Gospel diffused the savour of the knowledge of Christ and his Gospel in every place;…

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, &c.] Even those sacrifices which were of divine appointment under the former dispensation, when offered by wicked men, without faith in Christ, without any sense of sin, repentance for it, and reformation from it; when these were used as a…

The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord The way his heart devises, which he chooses and delights in, in which he walks; nor will he leave it, nor can he be diverted from it, but by the powerful grace of God.

Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way The right way, the way of God; the way of his commandments: the Vulgate Latin version is, “the way of life”; the same with the way of righteousness, which apostates, having known and walked in, turn aside from; see (2 Pet. 2:15, 2 Pet. 2:21) .

Hell and destruction are before the Lord Or “the grave” [[0]], which is the pit of destruction; where bodies being put, putrefy, and are destroyed by worms: this is known by the Lord, even the grave of everyone from the beginning; the graves of Adam, Abel, Abraham; he knows where their dust lies,…

A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him He that makes a jest of religion; scoffs at godliness and godly men; treats the Gospel and the ministers of it with contempt; makes a mock at good men, and all that is good; a pestilent fellow, as the Vulgate Latin version: such an one not only does not…

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance Or, a “joyful heart” [[2]]; that is joyful in the God of its salvation; that rejoices in Christ Jesus; is filled with joy and peace through believing in him, in his person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice; that has a comfortable view of his…

The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge, &c.] He that has in his heart an understanding of divine and spiritual things, of the Gospel and of the truths of it, will seek earnestly and diligently in the use of proper means after more knowledge; as he will desire to know more of…

All the days of the afflicted are evil And some are afflicted all their days, from their youth up; so that not only the days of old age are evil days, in which they have no pleasure, but even the days of their youth; all their days, as Jacob says, “few and evil have the days of the years of my life…

Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. ] Not that a “little” is better than “much” of that which is good, as the things of this world are in themselves; poverty is not better than riches, simply considered; but as these are attended with different…

Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is What Plautus [[8]] calls “asperam et terrestrem caenam”, “a harsh and earthly supper”, made of what grows out of the earth; which is got without much cost or care, and dressed with little trouble; a traveller’s dinner, as the word [[9]] signifies, and a…

A wrathful man stirreth up strife A man of a wrathful disposition, of a furious spirit, of an angry temper; that is under the power and dominion of such a passion, and indulges it, and takes all opportunities to gratify it; he stirs up strife and contention where there was none, or where it was…

The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns Or, “strewed with thorns”, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; the Targum is, “the ways of the slothful are briers and thorns.” Either really being made so by his own conduct; who, by his slothfulness, has implicated and entangled himself in…

A wise son maketh a glad father (See Gill on Prov. 10:1); but a foolish man despiseth his mother; that bore him and brought him up, and perhaps was too indulgent to him; which aggravates his sin and her sorrow; (See Gill on Prov.

Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom Or “that wants a heart” [[15]], a wise and understanding one; by “folly” is meant sin, for all sin is folly; and that is very pleasing and joyous to a wicked he chooses it and delights in it; instead of being ashamed of it, and sorry for it, he…

Without counsel purposes are disappointed If a man determines and resolves upon a matter, and at once hastily and precipitately goes about it, without mature deliberation, without consulting with himself, and taking the advice of others in forming a scheme to bring about his designs, it generally…

A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth When his advice is asked, and he gives good and wholesome counsel, and that being taken succeeds; it is a pleasure to a man that he is capable of assisting his friend, and doing him service, or a common good, whether it be in things natural, civil, or…

The way of life is above to the wise Of “the way of life”; (See Gill on Prov. 10:17); this is said to be “above”, or it tends “to what is above”; it leads to heaven and happiness above; the life itself it is the way of or to is above, it is hid with Christ in God; eternal life, glory, and…

The Lord will destroy the house of the proud To whom he has the utmost aversion; he sets himself against them and resists them, and will not only destroy them, but their stately houses too, which their have fancied shall continue for ever; and also their families, their children and posterity;…

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, &c.] They are known unto the Lord, who is the searcher of the heart, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of it; he knows they are vain and sinful, yea, that they are only evil, and that continually, and therefore are hateful and…

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house Or “that covets a covetousness” [[18]], an evil one, as in ; that seeks riches by unlawful means, that gathers the mammon of falsehood, or unrighteousness, as the Targum; he entails a curse and brings ruin and destruction upon his family; the…

The heart of the righteous studieth to answer He thinks before he speaks, meditates what he shall say, what answer to give to men; whether in things civil, natural, or religious; and what to return to the Lord when he is reproved by him; or what to say in prayer to him, or by way of thankfulness…

The Lord is far from the wicked Not as to his essence or powerful presence, which is everywhere, for he is God omnipresent; but with respect to his favour and good will, he is far from helping in distress, and from hearing their cries when they apply unto him in desperate circumstances; nor does he…

The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart Not so much the visive power, the faculty of seeing, a strong and clear eyesight; though this is a great mercy, and from the Lord, and to be prized, and does give joy of heart; but rather the objects seen by the light of the eyes, as Jarchi; as green…

The ear that heareth the reproof of life That is given according to the word of life, in a warm, fervent, and lively manner, with zeal, and in good earnest; which reproves the life of another by his own, as well as by words; and which tends to the spiritual and eternal life of the person reproved;…

He that refuseth instruction The instruction of parents, masters, ministers, and of God himself; or “correction” [[23]], instruction either by the word or by the rod; he that withdraws himself from it, will not be in the way of it, that shuns, neglects, and despises it, or carelessly and…

The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom It is “the beginning of wisdom”, ; it leads unto it, instructs a man in it; by means of it he attains to true spiritual and evangelical wisdom; it teaches him to abstain from sin, and to serve the Lord; and to seek the salvation of his soul in the…