In this chapter is an account of a man of God being sent to exclaim against Jeroboam’s altar, and threaten its destruction, of which he gave a sign, which was accomplished, and with it the withering of the king’s hand, which was healed upon the prophet’s prayer for him, 1 Kings 13:1–7, who would…

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest Which were very undesirable and unseasonable, yea, very hurtful to the fruits of the earth; and a great obstruction to the labourers in the harvest, and a hinderance to the gathering of it in; and were very rare and uncommon in Judea; it was even a miracle…

As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying As a bird, particularly the sparrow, as the word [[7]] is sometimes rendered, leaves its nest and wanders from it; and flies here and there, and settles nowhere; and as the swallow flies to the place from whence it came; or the wild pigeon, as some…

A whip for the horse One that is dull of going, or refractory and wants breaking; a bridle for the ass; not to curb and restrain it from going too fist, asses being generally dull; but to direct its way and turn it when necessary, it being stiffnecked and obstinate; though the Septuagint, Syriac,…

Answer not a fool according to his folly Sometimes a fool, or wicked man, is not to be answered at all; as the ministers of Hezekiah answered not a word to Rabshakeh; nor Jeremiah the prophet to Hananiah; nor Christ to the Scribes and Pharisees; and when an answer is returned, it should not be in…

Answer a fool according to his folly The Targum is, “but speak with a fool in thy wisdom;” and the Syriac version, “yea, speak with a fool according to thy wisdom;” which would at once remove the seeming contradiction in these words to the former, but then they are not a true version; indeed it is…

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Who knows not how to deliver it in a proper manner, and is incapable of taking the answer, and reporting it as he should; or unfaithful in it, and brings a bad or false report, as the spies did upon the good land; cutteth off the feet; he may as well…

The legs of the lame are not equal Or as “the lifting up the legs by one that is lame” [[11]], to dance to a pipe or violin, is very unseemly, and does but the more expose his infirmity, and can give no pleasure to others, but causes derision and contempt; so is a parable in the mouth of fools; an…

As he that bindeth a stone in a sling That so fastens it to it that it cannot be slung out of it, it becomes useless and does not answer the end for which it is put there; or that places it there that it may be cast out, and is cast out, and so is thrown away, and of no more use; or that puts a…

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard And he perceives it not; or being in his hand he makes an ill use of it, and hurts himself and others with it; so is a parable in the mouth of fools, a proverbial sentence respecting religious matters; or a passage of holy Scripture which either he…

The great God, that formed all things That made the heavens, earth, and sea, and all that are in them; who is great in the perfections of his nature, and in the works of his hands, and greatly to be praised; both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors; according to their works; every…

As a dog returneth to his vomit Who being sick with what he has eaten, casts it up again, and afterwards returns unto it and licks it up; so a fool returneth to his folly, or “repeats” [[0]] it, time after time, many times, as Ben Melech; or a wicked man turns to his wickedness, who, having had…

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit Or “in his own eyes” [[1]]; as multitudes may be seen, by looking round; man is a creature but of small knowledge in things natural, civil, mechanical, philosophical, moral, or divine; yet greatly conceited for the most part of his knowledge and wisdom.

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.

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.

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 [[2]] for “bosom” does sometimes signify a “pot” or basin.

The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit It is a sort of a solecism, a kind of a contradiction in terms for a sluggard to be wise, who is so slothful as to make no use of the means of getting wisdom and knowledge.

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him One that going along the streets, and passing by the door, where two or more persons are quarrelling, and he thrusts himself in and intermeddles in the affair he has no concern in; and interests himself in the cause of the quarrel he…

As a mad man, who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death. ] Or the instruments of death, as Aben Ezra; or the sharp arrows of death, as the Targum and Syriac version; who casts firebrands into the houses and barns of his neighbours, to consume them; or arrows at their persons and cattle, to destroy…

So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour By telling him a lie; or by reporting false things concerning him; or by cheating him in trade and commerce; or by taking his goods privately from him; and, when caught in either of these, and saith, Am not I in sport? do not be angry, I designed no hurt;…

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out Or “woods” [[7]]; where there is a large quantity of wood or fuel, the fire is kept up; but where there is little, scarce any or none at all, it goes out of course; So where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth; or is silent [[8]]: men cease to…

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire As brands, wood half burnt, or dead coals put to live and burning ones, soon take fire and become like them, and fit and proper fuel for them, and add to their heat: so is a contentious man to kindle strife; or “a man of contentions” [[9]]; who is…

The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. ] These expressions are the same with those in ; and are here repeated, as being found along with others by the men of Hezekiah, ; as some others likewise are; and also because of the importance of…

Burning lips, and a wicked heart Either burning with wrath and malice; breathing out threatenings and slaughter; pursuing men with reproaches and slanders, arising from a wicked heart: or rather, burning with profession of love to God, and affection to good men; with great pretensions of kindness,…

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips He that bears a grudge in his mind, and retains hatred in his heart against any person, hides it all he can, till he has an opportunity of showing it as he would; he pretends a great deal of friendship with his lips, that his hatred might not be known; he…

When he speaketh fair, believe him not Gives good words, flatters with his lips, pretends great kindness and favour, expresses himself in a very gracious and amiable manner, in order to gain attention and respect; or when he delivers himself in a submissive and suppliant way, with great humility…

Whose hatred is covered by deceit The hatred of whose heart is covered by deceitful words, and strong expressions of love and esteem; so that those to whom they are made are deceived by them.

Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein That devises mischief against others, it shall come upon himself. The allusion is to the digging of pits for catching wild beasts, which are slightly covered with earth; and which sometimes the pursuers, through inadvertency, fall into themselves; the passage…

A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it That is, a man of a lying tongue, that is given to lying, hates those that are hurt and crushed by his lies; the reason why he hurts them with his lies is because he hates them; and, having hurt them, he hates them, being made his enemies, and…