Proverbs 3:34 - Exposition

Surely he scorneth the scorners; literally, if with regard to the scorners he scorneth ( im lalletsim hu yalits ); i.e. he repays scorn with scorn; or, as Rabbi Salomon, "He renders to them so that they fall in their own derision ( reddit ipsis ut in sua derisione corruant ) . " He renders their schemes abortive. He resists them. The scorners ( letsim ) are those who treat with scoffing regard the precepts and truths of God; the arrogant, proud, insolent, here placed in contrast with "the lowly." Vulgate, derisores ; LXX ; ὐπερήφανοι , "the overbearing." The לְ for ( l'ha ) , prefixed to letsim, signifies "with regard to," as in Job 32:4 (cf. Psalms 16:3 , "With regard to the saints ( lik'ddshim ) , in them only I delight"). But he giveth grace unto the lowly ; or, on the other hand, the לְה prefixed to laanayim, "to the lowly," having that antithetical force here as in Job 8:20 . The lowly ( anayyim ); Vulgate, mansueti ; LXX ; ταπωῖνοι ; properly, "the afflicted," with added notion of submission and lowly demeanour, and hence the meek, gentle—the gentle towards man, and the abased and lowly before God. St. James ( James 4:6 ) quotes the LXX . of this passage, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." With the exception of substituting κύριος for θεός (cf. 1 Peter 5:5 ), our Lord's parable of the Pharisee and publican illustrates the teaching of this verse ( Luke 18:9-14 ).