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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
The Excellency of Wisdom
THE EXCELLENCY OF WISDOM. Solomon, having pronounced those happy who not only lay hold on wisdom, but retain her, here exhorts us therefore to retain her, assuring us that we ourselves shall have the comfort of doing so…
Justice and Kindness Recommended; Caution against Envy
JUSTICE AND KINDNESS RECOMMENDED; CAUTION AGAINST ENVY. True wisdom consists in the due discharge of our duty towards man, as well as towards God, in honesty as well as piety, and therefore we have here divers excellent…
Parental Instructions
PARENTAL INSTRUCTIONS. Here we have, I. The invitation which Solomon gives to his children to come and receive instruction from him (Proverbs 4:1-2): Hear, you children, the instruction of a father. That is, 1. "Let my…
Cautions against Bad Company
CAUTIONS AGAINST BAD COMPANY. Some make David's instructions to Solomon, which began Proverbs 4:4, to continue to the end of the chapter; nay, some continue them to the end of the ninth chapter; but it is more probable…
Parental Instructions
PARENTAL INSTRUCTIONS. Solomon, having warned us not to do evil, here teaches us how to do well. It is not enough for us to shun the occasions of sin, but we must study the methods of duty. I. We must have a continual r…
Parental Instructions; Cautions against Sensuality
PARENTAL INSTRUCTIONS; CAUTIONS AGAINST SENSUALITY. Here we have, I. A solemn preface, to introduce the caution which follows, Proverbs 5:1-2. Solomon here addresses himself to his son, that is, to all young men, as unt…
Conjugal Fidelity Enjoined
CONJUGAL FIDELITY ENJOINED. Solomon, having shown the great evil that there is in adultery and fornication, and all such lewd and filthy courses, here prescribes remedies against them. I. Enjoy with satisfaction the com…
Cautions against Suretiship
CAUTIONS AGAINST SURETISHIP. It is the excellency of the word of God that it teaches us not only divine wisdom for another world, but human prudence for this world, that we may order our affairs with discretion; and thi…
Slothfulness Reproved
SLOTHFULNESS REPROVED. Solomon, in these verses, addresses himself to the sluggard who loves his ease, lives in idleness, minds no business, sticks to nothing, brings nothing to pass, and in a particular manner is carel…
The Seven Abominations
THE SEVEN ABOMINATIONS. Solomon here gives us, I. The characters of one that is mischievous to man and dangerous to be dealt with. If the slothful are to be condemned, that do nothing, much more those that do ill, and c…
Parental Cautions; Cautions against Impurity
PARENTAL CAUTIONS; CAUTIONS AGAINST IMPURITY. Here is, I. A general exhortation faithfully to adhere to the word of God and to take it for our guide in all our actions. 1. We must look upon the word of God both as a lig…
The Word of God Recommended
THE WORD OF GOD RECOMMENDED. These verses are an introduction to his warning against fleshly lusts, much the same with that, Proverbs 6:20, &c., and ending (Psalm 7:5) as that did (Psalm 7:24), To keep thee from the str…
The Foolish Young Man; Enticements of the Adulteress
THE FOOLISH YOUNG MAN; ENTICEMENTS OF THE ADULTERESS. Solomon here, to enforce the caution he had given against the sin of whoredom, tells a story of a young man that was ruined to all intents and purposes by the entice…
The Seduction of a Youth
THE SEDUCTION OF A YOUTH. We have here the application of the foregoing story: "Hearken to me therefore, and not to such seducers (Proverbs 7:24); give ear to a father, and not to an enemy." 1. "Take good counsel when i…
The Invitation of Wisdom
THE INVITATION OF WISDOM. The will of God revealed to us for our salvation is here largely represented to us as easy to be known and understood, that none may have an excuse for their ignorance or error, and as worthy t…
The Advantages of Wisdom
THE ADVANTAGES OF WISDOM. Wisdom here is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it is Christ in the word and Christ in the heart, not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ revealed in us.…
Wisdom Eternal and Divine
WISDOM ETERNAL AND DIVINE. That it is an intelligent and divine person that here speaks seems very plain, and that it is not meant of a mere essential property of the divine nature, for Wisdom here has personal properti…
Wisdom's Exhortation
WISDOM'S EXHORTATION. We have here the application of Wisdom's discourse; the design and tendency of it is to bring us all into an entire subjection to the laws of religion, to make us wise and good, not to fill our hea…
The Invitation of Wisdom
THE INVITATION OF WISDOM. Wisdom is here introduced as a magnificent and munificent queen, very great and very generous; that Word of God is this Wisdom in which God makes known his goodwill towards men; God the Word is…
The Invitation of Folly
THE INVITATION OF FOLLY. We have heard what Christ has to say, to engage our affections to God and godliness, and one would think the whole world should go after him; but here we are told how industrious the tempter is…
Weighty Sayings
WEIGHTY SAYINGS. Solomon, speaking to us as unto children, observes here how much the comfort of parents, natural, political, and ecclesiastical, depends upon the good behaviour of those under their charge, as a reason,…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 10:2-3
These two verses speak to the same purport, and the latter may be the reason of the former. 1. That wealth which men get unjustly will do them no good, because God will blast it: Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 10:4
We are here told, 1. Who those are who, though rich, are in a fair way to become poor—those who deal with a slack hand, who are careless and remiss in their business, and never mind which end goes foremost, nor ever set…
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 10:5
Here is, 1. The just praise of those who improve their opportunities, who take pains to gather and increase what they have, both for soul and body, who provide for hereafter while provision is to be made, who gather in…