Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon : with notes, critical, explanatory and practical

Front matter

From the collection of Julius Doerner, Chicago

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Purchased, 1918.

Preface To Proverbs Ajnd Ecclesiastes

Passing from the Old Testament Prophets to Solomon, I am impressed here also with the conviction that the full sense of this inspired author is not ordinarily reached by the mass of readers; that Solomon has more beautiful and worthy thought than is commonly supposed, and also more profound wisdom and counsel toward a virtuous and happy life. Animated by the hope of rendering some aid to the student of these divine oracles, I have endeavored first to gain the precise significance of every verse, and then to present it in a form at once simple, lucid, and forcible. As the only method that could promise success, I have sought to find the author’s precise meaning by studying the language in which he wrote — the very words which he has sent down to us ; yet my criticisms upon the original have been introduced in these Notes only when it seemed to be demanded to justify the conclusions which I have reached. I send forth these Notes on the Proverbs of Solomon in the hope that they will be specially useful to the young — a hope which so manifestly filled the bosom of Solomon when he wrote them and addressed so many portions of them in the touching words, “ My Son.” 0 might his words go to the heart of all the sons and daughters of our land who are now shaping their habits for life, settling their principles, and thus casting the mold of their eventful future !

In my studies upon Ecclesiastes my main effort has been to

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evolve the animus and aim of the book from the known circumstances of the author, from his personal experiences and his manifold relationships to the great society of the civilized world. If I mistake not, this book, studied in the light of these facts of his history, will develop more self-consistent unity, and more fitness, beauty, and moral power than have been often recognized.

Oberlin, Ohio, Feb. 1870.

PROVERBS.

Introduction

The Author. — This book is attributed (chap. 1 : 1) to Solomon, who was the son of David and his successor on the throne of Israel. The book itself makes the last two chapters an exception, ascribing chap. 30 to one Agur, and chap. 31 to a certain king Lemuel and his mother. The fact that while the book in general is ascribed to Solomon, these special exceptions and these only appear in the book itself, is presumptive evidence that all the rest is the work of Solomon, and was so regarded by the original compilers. A distinct notice of this work of compilation appears in the opening of chap. 25, which is justly supposed to include the five chapters immediately following (25-29) as having been collected and compiled (“copied out”) by certain men assigned to this service by king Hezekiah.

The history of Solomon should be carefully studied, both for its bearing on the question of the authorship of this book, and for the light it will afford toward its interpretation. This history is recorded 1 Kings, chapters 1-11, and 1 Chron., chapters 22, 23, 28, 29, and 2 Chron., chapters 1-9. The salient points of this history are that, coming to the throne in his youth, he found the government well organized; the nation eminently prosperous; its territories extended far beyond the original limits of Palestine, even from the Euphrates on the east to the border of Egypt on the south-west; its ancient enemies subdued, and the nation enjoying uninterrupted peace. Consequently he had every facility for giving

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his attention to the arts of peace. It seems that his own genius led him especially to the study of natural science and of ethical philosophy. His father, amid the scenes of a life full of adventure, peril, war, and political organization, had yet found both the heart and the time to write a most precious volume of lyric poetry — indeed, tc open a new era of sacred music and song, and to organize and establish an entirely new department of religious worship in connection with the public service of the sanctuary. With this great example before him, Solomon gave himself to philosophical studies and developed a new department of sacred literature — that of moral philosophy expressed in proverbs. So far as appears in Hebrew history, this was untrodden ground — a field of literary labor no less original for him than that of lyric poetry and sacred song had been to his venerable father. The historian makes special note of his works in this department of literature. “He spake three thousand proverbs and his songs were one thousand and five ”

(1 Kings 4: 32). Natural history also received his attention.

“He spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts and of fowls, and of creeping things and of fishes ” (v. 33). But especially does the history dwell upon his unparalleled wisdom. We are not left to infer that this wisdom was merely an original talent, developed by culture, but the historian attributes it especially to the gift of God. “God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore. And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country and

all the wisdom of Egypt” (1 Kings 4: 29, 30). Wisdom, as a

special fitness for ruling well a great people, was the one gift chosen by Solomon before all other gifts — a choice eminently pleasing to God, so that he not only granted it, but superadded the other things which Solomon’s choice had left out as of secondary value.

Such was the man whose name stands at the head of this Book

of Proverbs as its author. We have here not far from five hundred out of the “three thousand” given as the number of his proverbs. Why they are not all brought into this collection; why some that we have are repeated; why the same subject recurs not unfrequently in more or less modified form — these and similar questions may be subjects for speculation — they can be nothing more. Various critics, mostly German, have denied that Solomon could

INTRODUCTION.

V be the author of portions of the first twenty-nine chapters. Making great account of what they call internal evidence, they assume to fix the date of various parts of the book at least two centuries later than Solomon. Their reasoning is of this sort. Finding an allusion (chap. 1 : 10-19) to highway robbery, they say the government was well organized and the people were law-abiding during the reign of Solomon. Therefore no such life could have been led then , and no temptation to it, such as is assumed in these

verses, could have existed then. But it may be answered, When

was there ever a period in Arabian history when such scenes were not frequent ? And on what ground can it be assumed that Solomon could not know the ways of their life ? or that the temptations to such “spoil” did not come before the young men of Palestine with the growing intercourse between Israel and the outlying tribes, which intercourse was certainly one of the great national

features of Solomon’s reign ? Again, they say, Solomon doubtless

wrote the portion, chapters 10-22: 16, for this is unique, consisting of detached, independent proverbs, the entire thought being embraced in one verse. Hence (they argue) this was his style of proverb, and therefore he never wrote proverbs in any other style; consequently the other styles of the proverb which appear in the first nine chapters and in chapters 23 and 24, were

not written by Solomon. But how, I ask, does this appear? Who

knows that Solomon wrote no other sort of proverb but this ? On what authority is this assertion made ? Certainly it is by no means self-evident. Those critics claim no historic testimony in its support. So far as I know they make no pretensions to supernatural inspiration to this effect. It is, therefore, an assertion utterly without proof. What hinders that Solomon should have used all the different modes of constructing the proverb which appear in

the first twenty-nine chapters? Again it is said that the plural of

“ish” (ishim) can not have been written before the times of Hezekiah; therefore the passages in which we find this plural could

not have been written earlier than his reign. But how do they

know this? The utmost they can say is that (excepting the passages in dispute) they do not find this plural form in any extant Hebrew of an earlier date. But have they had access to all the Hebrew that was written prior to Hezekiah ? And even if they had, have they also a perfect knowledge of the spoken Hebrew, sc that they are authorized to affirm that this plural form was nevei

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either spoken or written prior to the year B. C. 700? Every scholar knows that the extant Hebrew of a date earlier than Isaiah is very small in amount — entirely too small to form an adequate basis for such an affirmation. Such positive deductions drawn from so very limited premises are puerile and quite unworthy of sensible critics. Again, as one proof of a diversity of authors in this Book of Proverbs, it is asserted that the passage (24: 27-34) which commends diligence in husbandry was written

by some farmer, and never by a king. Indeed! as if Solomon, the

wealth and glory of whose kingdom was its agriculture, had never noticed the look of the fields and vineyards of the slothful — had no sense of the value of industry and good management in agriculture, and therefore could never have written such a passage ! He who spake of trees from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop ; who was master of botany and apparently of all branches of natural history — had he never noticed the farms in the land of Israel ? How very sage are such reasonings ! How profound such conclusions !

At what period in the life of Solomon these proverbs were written, we have no data to show. If we may suppose that the somewhat frequent address, “My son” ( e . g ., 1: 8, 10 and 2: 1 and 3: 1 and 23 : 15, 19, 26, etc.) has some special reference toRehoboam, we should locate those proverbs during the first half of his reign, corresponding to the youth of Rehoboam. It will be remembered that Solomon reigned forty years (1 K. 11 : 42) and that Rehoboam was forty-one at his accession (1 Kings 14: 21 and 2 Chron. 12: 13). Hence he was a child of one year at Solomon’s accession to the throne.

Of the nature of the proverb little need be said. The intelligent reader will readily catch their style. Plainly they are not tied down to any one specific form, but appear with considerable latitude of construction. In its most usual, perhaps normal, form the proverb is a brief, sententious maxim or saying, naturally conforming somewhat to the laws of Hebrew poetic parallelism, and therefore in two parts, one of which is usually antithetic to the other. Thus (10: 1) “A wise son makes a glad father; a foolish son, a heavy-hearted mother.” The first half gives the wise son; the second, the foolish. The joy of the father in the former is set over against the grief of the mother in the latter. This antithetic position makes the thought more distinct. Contrast heightens its

INTRODUCTION.

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force. This antithesis is not always apparent without close and

searching attention. It may lie between what is affirmed in one clause and what is merely implied in the other. Proverbs of this class are a sort of enigma or riddle, “a dark saying” (1: 6), designed to test the sagacity and tax the wits of the reader, and so heighten his interest and perhaps deepen the impression of the truth when he has searched it out — akin to that peculiar relish which boys find in nuts that are hard to crack. Thus in the proverb (10: 8), “The wise in heart will receive instruction, but a prating fool shall fall,” there is a double antithesis: (1), The wise-hearted man (instead of prating perpetually himself) hears and receives advice; while the fool prates with deaf ears: and (2) The wise man (it is implied) lives and prospers by means of the wise counsels which he both hears and obeys ; while the prating fool, neither hearing nor heeding counsel, falls into remediless ruin — this secondary antithesis lying between what is affirmed of the fool and what is left to be inferred of the wise. This proverb is a “dark saying” to the reader until he has studied out this implied idea and has thus reached the full sense. So in 10: 16, “The labor of the righteous tendeth to life; the fruit of the wicked to sin,” you get the full antithesis and therefore the true sense, only when you have filled it out — “ The fruit of the wicked to sin” — and consequently to death . The one, being righteous, works toward life and blessedness; the other, being wicked, toward sin and its inevitable result, death. This tacit assumption that sin weds itself to death and surely brings death in its train, illustrates the point of special beauty and force in

this class of proverbs. There is, however, a considerable range

of diversity in the manner of making up these proverbs. Some of them are comparisons; “As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him” (10: 26). Or the comparison is blended with the antithetic arrangement; “As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more; but the righteous is an everlasting foundation ;” where the passing away of the wicked is first compared to a whirlwind, and then put in contrast with the enduring life and blessedness of the righteous.

The proverb proper is complete in a single verse. Of this

sort are those which stand in chap. 10-22: 16. But in the first nine chapters, and also in the last seven, the same subject is usually continued through two or more successive verses.

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INTRODUCTION.

This Book of Proverbs differs widely in one respect from various collections of a somewhat similar nature which have appeared in other nations at diverse periods. The latter have first gained currency among the common people, approved and admired because in harmony with the popular feeling and touching the national heart. At length some mere compiler (not author) gathered them into a volume. But this Book of Proverbs (with the

limited exceptions above noted) appears to be the product, not of the popular taste and of various minds, but of one gifted mind — at once their originator and their writer. I base this judgment upon the manifest unity of thought, sentiment, and style, which obtains throughout; upon the obvious correspondence between the book, and the character and circumstances of Solomon, as given in Jewish history; and upon the apparent paucity of such proverbs in Hebrew speech, oral or written, anterior to Solomon. His extraordinary reputation for wisdom, and its strong endorsement by the sacred historian, indicate him to be, not the compiler of other men’s proverbs, but the author and writer of his own. These remarks bear upon their origin, as seen on its human side and by no means ignore but rather provide for their true inspiration. It does not appear that Solomon compiled these proverbs

in their present form throughout. When and by whom they were compiled, we know only in part. The three thousand proverbs which he spake (1 K. 4: 32) are not all here; indeed, only about one-sixth part are here; but who made the selection of those now standing in the first twenty-four chapters, we are not told. The compilers of chapters 25-29, we may presume, are indicated (25: 1) as “the men of Hezekiah” — i. e., men designated by him for this service. Their names are not given. Whether Isaiah was active in this suggestion or in the labor itself, we are not told. We know that he was in active life during that reign;

Micah also, and other worthy and capable men. Of the authors

of the last two chapters nothing is known certainly beyond their

names. Let it suffice us that the Lord commissioned inspired

men to make up the canon of Jewish sacred books which was divinely commended to the conscientious reception, the reverent study, and the diligent observance, of his people in all ages. This responsibility was borne by a series of prophets, beginning, so far as we know, with Moses, and ending with Ezra and his associates, and perhaps his immediate successors.

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The references to this Book of Proverbs in the New Testament deserve notice. They are somewhat numerous, hut in general are not designated as quotations. The sacred writers use the hook as it was made to be used — that is, for the value of its maxims of wisdom. For the best of reasons they did not look to it for prophecies to he quoted as fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. But they did find here maxims of wisdom for use in human life. In one passage (Heh. 12: 5) the words found (Prov. 3: 11, 12) are referred to as an “exhortation which speaketh to you as unto children,” and which, therefore, must have been recognized as their accredited teacher; i. e ., as being words “spoken” in their sacred books. The writer to the Hebrews would say — “ My afflicted brethren, how can you forget that those impressive words, ‘Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,’ are addressed to children, to sons? ‘My son, despise not,’

etc. You recollect the passage in the Book of Proverbs.” The

common form of reference to the proverb appears in Peter’s words (1 Eps. 4: 8), “Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins” — words taken from Prov. 10: 12, “Love covereth all sins.” So also Prov. 25 : 21, 22 appear in Rom. 12: 20, and the sentiment of Prov. 17 : 13 about rewarding evil for good appears in similar words Rom. 12: 17 and 1 Thess. 5: 15.

This Book of Proverbs is pre-eminently rich in its lessons of practical wisdom. It teaches both the young and the old how to live in this world, resisting most effectually its temptations, shunning its snares, escaping its dangers, and insuring, in largest measure, the good it offers here and hereafter. The beauties of its imagery, the force of its words, the power of its solid and earnest thought, are things to be admired, and may fitly command our attention as we proceed; but these elements of beauty and fitness should never tempt us to neglect the moral application of these maxims of superlative wisdom. Let every reader see to it that the way of life and peace, delineated with such ex quisite beauty and force, shall become truly the way of his own feet and the choice of his own heart. For what avails it to know the way of wisdom and life, and yet choose the way of folly and death ?

PROVERBS.

Chapter I

The author opens with an introduction to the entire book. He gives his aim and object (vs. 1-7), exhorts the young to regard the counsels of their parents (vs. 8, 9); admonishes his young friend especially against the temptations to robbery (vs. 10-19); and closes with the call of Wisdom (vs. 20-23), and the fearful retribution that must come upon those who will not heed her call (vs. 24-33).

1. The Proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel ;

2. To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3. To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity ;

4. To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning ; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels ;

6. To understand a proverb, and the interpretation: the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

With obvious fitness the author begins with a clear statement of his objects, viz. : To help the reader to the knowledge of Avisdom; to impart useful instruction; to give just ideas of moral

rectitude; to settle grave questions of right and wrong. In v.

4, “ subtilty” must not be taken in its bad sense, of cunning, craftiness; but in the sense of sharp and clear discrimination and

just apprehension; sagacity. The u simple,” here as usually in

the writings of Solomon, are the open-hearted and unsuspecting who are accessible to every social influence, and therefore easily

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PROVERBS— CHAP. I.

seduced into evil ways. — — He proceeds to say that every wise man wili hear good counsel and will make acquisitions of solid wisdom and of all useful knowledge, so as to understand proverbs and those brief and condensed maxims which require skill for their interpretation. The “dark sayings” of the wise are those deep abstruse maxims which purposely task the ingenuity of the reader in order to fix their rich thought more deeply in his mind.

7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge : but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

This verse belongs properly to the introduction, giving very appropriately the state of mind in which wisdom should be sought. The “fear of the Lord” in the sense of Solomon is not a slavish dread, but a reverential and filial regard in which love blends with profound homage, and a respect which, as related to God, rises to the highest reverence. In this spirit we desire above all things else to learn and to do all our Heavenly Father’s will. The lessons of heavenly wisdom are therefore cherished with warmest affection and sought with most earnest endeavor. So vital is this fear of the Lord to the acquisition of all true wisdom that it may fitly be said to be the very beginning of it, the starting point ; the spirit without which there can be no truly honest and earnest

pursuit of wisdom. Fools may be known by their despising

wisdom and instruction. In this their folly is always manifest. They have no heart for wisdom ; they respect it not, and therefore give no heed to learn it, much less still to obey its rules of duty.

Solomon would say, especially to his youthful readers: Will

you go with me into this study of all wisdom ? If so, then begin with implanting deep in your heart and cultivating carefully “ the fear of the Lord.” If not, then know ye your place and the company of your choice. None but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and for sake not the law of thy mother :

9. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

The “law of the mother” includes her counsels and advice, as well as authority. Such obedience to the instructions of one’s father is a graceful garland to the head; a necklace to the bosom. “ Chains” about the neck are not thought of here as symbols of hard bondage, but of beautiful adornment. And truly ; for what can be more lovely than filial respect to parents, manifesting itself, not only in sympathy with their feelings and kindly ministrations to their wants, but in prompt regard to their counsels and in obedience to their authority ? The author appropriately places this exhortation at the head of this precious collection of the precepts of wisdom.

PROVERBS— CHAP. I.

10. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause :

12. Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and ttliole, as those that go down into the pit:

13. We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil :

14. Cast in thy lot among us ; let us all have one purse :

15. My son, walk not thou in the way with them ; refrain thy foot from their path :

16. For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain ; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Solomon admonishes the young to shun the temptations to rob- Dery — the prevailing and besetting sin of freebooting life. The tempter approaches with the suggestion, Let us get up an expedition for murder and plunder; let us advance stealthily and fall suddenly upon some rich village or household ; let us swallow them up as the grave does, in a moment, remorselessly; so shall we get stores of wealth without labor and fill our houses with plunder. Thus on the one side are the temptations of gain without work or cost; the social attractions of the secret fraternity and the love of bold adventure ; the sense of power also, and the charm of witnessing the surprise and panic of the defenseless, but, on the other hand, Solomon admonishes his young friends that those feet run to evil and hasten to the shedding of blood (v. 16); that their movements may be anticipated and balked by the wariness of those whom they would fain surprise and destroy (v. 17); that their onset may recoil, and so their lying in wait will be for their own, not others’, blood, and their “ lurking privily” will cost, not others’ life, but their own. He then draws the broad conclusion — So it befalls every man who is greedy of gain, for

such greed costs the life of those who thus grasp at it. This

conclusion justifies the remark that this form of sin may represent numerous other forms, any and every other form indeed in which the social element is strong and human selfishness riots recklessly

upon other men’s interests and rights. Such bold, extreme

wickedness reacts with fearful power. They who thus take the

sword will perish (usually) by the sword. Some readers

will ask — How came Solomon to put this form of sin in the foreground of his book? Could it have been prevalent in the land of Israel during his reign? Were not the restraints of law, civ-

PROVERBS— CHAP. I.

ilization and religion so strong then and there as to preclude the temptation to such outrageous violence and wrong? I think so, as to the land of Israel (See 1 Kings 4 : 25, and 1 Chron. 22 : 9. ) But it should be borne in mind that the kingdom of Israel under Solomon was greatly extended. It reached even to the Euphrates, embosoming the great Arabian countries, as said by the historian : “Over all the kings on this side the river,” i. e., the Euphrates (1 Kings 4 : 24). In those vast districts, bold, dashing robbery has been common in all ages. The extensive commerce of Solomon, coupled with the great enlargement of his dominions, sent many of the young men of Israel abroad, and hence would sometimes bring them under the temptation to these sins which were universal

in all Arabian lands. It may be suggested further that the

great routes of trading caravans in the age of Solomon lay through the vast desert regions of Northern Arabia, past “ Tadmor in the wilderness” to the Euphrates; and through Southern Arabia to the Eastern arm of the Bed Sea at Elath. Along such routes of

commerce, robber bands have in all ages been wont to strike.

The reader will also recall various scenes in the early history of David fleeing before king Saul, and subsisting himself and his followers in a course of life which paid but doubtful regard to others’ rights of property (1 Sam. 27). Solomon, in our passage, would inaugurate and sustain a better type of civilization.

20. Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets :

21. She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates : in the city she uttereth her words, saying ,

22. How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity ? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge ?

23. Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

By a bold but beautiful personification, Wisdom here becomes a person with a living voice, and this voice lifted up in all public places where men do congregate, expostulating with them for being so senseless as to love folly and delight in scorning, and hate knowledge. Appropriately she implores them to turn at her reproof. If we bear in mind that the fear of the Lord (true piety)

is the very essence and sum of wisdom, we shall readily see that this imploring voice is virtually the voice of God himself. Most certainly it is the God of retributive justice who speaks in the verses that follow (24-30) and who there says: “I have called;” “ I have stretched out my hand;” UI will laugh at your calamity ;” “ Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer,” etc. The voice of Wisdom, addressing men, is virtually the voice of God. It is God speaking in his kindness, his wisdom, and his