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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 1:20-33

Solomon, having shown how dangerous it is to hearken to the temptations of Satan, here shows how dangerous it is not to hearken to the calls of God, which we shall for ever rue the neglect of. Observe, I. By whom God calls to us?by wisdom. It is wisdom that crieth without. The word is plural?wisdoms, for, as there is infinite wisdom in God, so there is the manifold wisdom of God, Eph. 3:10. God speaks to the children of men by all the kinds of wisdom, and, as in every will, so in every word,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:28

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer ,.... As he called them, and they refused to answer to his call, Proverbs 1:24 ; so it was just in him to return no answer to them, when they called on him to deliver them from the Romans, and save them from ruin: for this was what they called out for, and what they expected, that the Messiah would come and deliver them; this was what they buoyed themselves up with, and made them so desperate to the last; they shall seek me early, but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:29

For that they hated knowledge ,.... Spiritual and evangelical; the knowledge of the Scriptures, of the promises and prophecies of them respecting the Messiah, though they were called upon and exhorted to "search" them; the knowledge of the Messiah, his person, offices, and grace; the knowledge of his Gospel, and the doctrines of it; see Proverbs 1:22 ; and did not choose the fear of the Lord ; which is the beginning of knowledge, Proverbs 1:7 ; instead of choosing, they cast off the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 1:29

They hated knowledge - This argues the deepest degree of intellectual and moral depravity. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:20-33

2. Second admonitory discourse. Address of Wisdom personified, exhibing the folly of those who wilfully reject, and the security of those who hearken to, her counsels. The sacred writer, in this section, as also in Proverbs 8:1-36 ; uses the rhetorical figure of prosopopceia, or impersonation. Wisdom is represented as speaking and as addressing the simple, scorners, and fools. The address itself is one of the noblest specimens of sacred eloquence, expressing in rapid succession the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:20-33

Warning cry of Wisdom In dramatic style, Wisdom is presentiated, personified, endued with visible and audible attributes. As contempt for religion has been animadverted upon, so now contempt for Wisdom calls for rebuke. The motto ( Proverbs 1:7 ) is still in the preacher's mind. I. THE CRY OF WISDOM IS PUBLIC AND CLEAR . In the street, "where merchants most do congregate," and in all places of general resort, the cry is heard. Hers is no esoteric doctrine; it is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:24-30

Left to their doom Broad and encouraging as are the promises of Divine grace, if we forget the darker facts of life we shall be deluded into a false security; for nothing could be more unreasonable than to suppose that the mercy of God takes no account of moral considerations. Legally our sovereign is vested with an unfettered right of pardoning every criminal, but principles of justice and public order put great restraints upon the exercise of such a right. Bald representations of prayer... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:24-33

The Divine ultimatum There is something which is fearful and appalling in these verses. We are ready to tremble as we read them. We are ready to exclaim, "How far may human perversity, and Divine retribution gel" With hushed voice, with subdued spirit, as those before whose eyes the lightnings of heaven are flashing, we consider the significance of the words. But first we see— I. THAT GOD MAKES MANY APPEALS TO THE HUMAN SOUL . He calls, and we refuse; he stretches out... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:28

The phase which the address now enters upon continues to the thirty-first verse. The change in this verse from the second to the third person is striking. It implies that Wisdom thinks fools no longer worthy of being addressed personally—" Quasi stultos indignos censunt ulteriori alloquio " (Gejerus and Michaelis). The declaration is the embodiment of the laughter and scorn of Proverbs 1:26 . The three verbs, "they shall call," "they shall seek," "they shall find," occur in uncommon and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:29-30

Belong to Proverbs 1:28 , and are not the antecedent clauses to Proverbs 1:31 , as Zochler remarks. They recapitulate the charges already made against the sinners in Proverbs 1:22 and Proverbs 1:25 , and now set them forth as the ground or reason why Wisdom, on her part, turns a deaf ear to their entreatries. Wisdom will disregard the n because they have previously disregatded her. The connection is denoted in the LXX . by γὰρ , for the Hebrew takbath ki, equivalent to " ... read more

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