Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 16:15
In the light of the king’s countenance [is] life; and his favor [is] as a cloud of the latter rain.
15. the latter rain ] i.e. the spring rain, which swelled and matured the corn for harvest, just as the “former” or autumn rain prepared the ground, after the drought of summer, for the sowing. Such a cloud was big with the double blessing of the fertilizing shower and the consequent harvest. Comp. the description by “The sweet Psalmist of Israel”:
“One that ruleth over men righteously,
That ruleth in the fear of God,
He shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth,
A morning without clouds;
When the tender grass springeth out of the earth,
Through clear shining after rain.” 2Sa 23:3-4, R.V.
And again:
“He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass,
As showers that water the earth.” Psa 72:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The latter rain is that which falls in March or April just before the harvest. The cloud which brings it, immediately screening people from the scorching sun, and bringing plenty and blessing, is a fit type of the highest favor.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 16:15
In the light of the kings countenance is life.
The blessedness of the kings favour
This is a general proverb. Its primary application is to royalty. In the previous verse the wrath of a king has been, by a striking metaphor, represented as messengers of death (Est 7:6-10). When a king is angry how swift and sure is his vengeance. Before the word goes forth out of his mouth his will is executed; messengers of death stand about him ready to execute his indignant sentence. And so a wise man will seek to soften the kings wrath and pacify him–nay, will keep at peace with him. In this verse the light of his countenance and his favour supply the antithesis to his wrath. Apply this to the King of kings, and what a sublime lesson on life! Here we have suggested–
1. The blessedness of reconciliation.
2. The conditions of serviceableness. A holy life in its ideal combines two elements–abiding in the light and love of God, and yielding fruit in service. This proverb suggests sunshine and shower. He who is reconciled to God in Christ abides in the light of His smile. He walks in light and dwells in love, and so every condition of holiness and happiness is assured. (Homiletic Review.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
In the light of the kings countenance is life; his favour and smiling countenance is most sweet and refreshing, especially to him that was under a sentence of death, Pro 16:14.
His favour is as a cloud of the latter rain; as acceptable as those clouds which bring the latter rain, whereby the fruits are filled and ripened a little before the harvest; of which see Deu 11:14; Job 29:23; Jam 5:7.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. light of . . . countenancefavor(Ps 4:6).
lifepreserves it, orgives blessings which make it valuable.
the latter rainfelljust before harvest and matured the crop; hence specially valuable(De 11:14).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In the light of the king’s countenance [is] life,…. When he looks with a pleasant smiling countenance on a person that has been under his displeasure, and especially if under a sentence of death, it is as life from the dead: so the light of the countenance of God, the King of kings; the discoveries of his love, the manifestations of himself, his gracious presence, communion with him, the comforts of his Spirit, the joys of his salvation, are life unto his people, invigorate their graces, quicken their souls, and make them cheerful; see
Ps 30:5. And how delightful and pleasant is the countenance of Christ; which is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars; and is as the sun when it shineth in its strength; and who himself is the sun of righteousness, that arises on his people with healing in his wings! How reviving his love! how comfortable fellowship with him! his absence is as death, his presence gives life;
and his favour [is] as a cloud of the latter rain: which falling a little before harvest, as was usual in Judea, revived the corn and filled it: and such is the favour of God in Christ, which is free, distinguishing, and undeserved, as rain is; the objects of it are very unworthy; and it is given often unasked for, as well as undeserved, in great abundance, and causes great cheerfulness and fruitfulness: and such is the layout of Christ, in coming into the world in the last days to save sinners his coming is said to be as the former and the latter rain, Ho 6:3. He came from heaven, as that does; is the free gift of God, as that is; is in consequence of a decree, as that; and came suddenly, and with great acceptance to those, who knew him and waited for him; and his spiritual coming unto his people, and the discoveries of his love and free favour to them, are very reviving, cheering, and refreshing; see Ps 72:6.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
15 In the light on the king’s countenance there is life,
And his favour is as a cloud of the latter rains.
Hitzig regards as the inf. (cf. Pro 4:18), but one says substantively , Job 29:24, etc., and in a similar sense , Pro 15:30; light is the condition of life, and the exhilaration of life, wherefore , Ps. 56:14, Job 33:30, is equivalent to a fresh, joyous life; in the light of the king’s countenance is life, means that life goes forth from the cheerful approbation of the king, which shows itself in his face, viz., in the showing of favour, which cheers the heart and beautifies the life. To speak of liberality as a shower is so common to the Semitic, that it has in Arab. the general name of nadna , rain. 15b conforms itself to this. (cf. Job 29:23) is the latter rain, which, falling about the spring equinox, brings to maturity the barley-harvest; on the contrary, ( ) is the early rain, which comes at the time of ploughing and sowing; the former is thus the harvest rain, and the latter the spring rain. Like a cloud which discharges the rain that mollifies the earth and refreshes the growing corn, is the king’s favour. The noun , thus in the st. constr., retains its Kametz. Michlol 191b. This proverb is the contrast to Pro 16:14. Pro 20:2 has also the anger of the king as its theme. In Pro 19:12 the figures of the darkness and the light stand together as parts of one proverb. The proverbs relating to the king are now at an end. Pro 16:10 contains a direct warning for the king; Pro 16:12 an indirect warning, as a conclusion arising from 12b (cf. Pro 20:28, where is not to be translated tueantur ; the proverb has, however, the value of a nota bene). Pro 16:13 in like manner presents an indirect warning, less to the king than to those who have intercourse with him (cf. Pro 25:5), and Pro 16:14 and Pro 16:15 show what power of good and evil, of wrath and of blessing, is given to a king, whence so much the greater responsibility arises to him, but, at the same time also, the duty of all to repress the lust to evil that may be in him, and to awaken and foster in him the desire for good.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verse 15 emphasizes further how much the attitude of the king affects those over whom he has authority. When his face and actions indicate he is pleased, it impacts upon the people as the spring rain cloud which meant blessing to the people of a dry thirsty land, Pro 19:12; Job 29:23; Zec 10:1.
NOTE: Although one does not have the far reaching authority of a king, he is responsible for the measure of authority he has over others. Wherever one has the power to lift or cast down, help or hinder, instruct or ignore, or cause happiness or misery, he is accountable to God, Proverbs Psa 9:7-8; Psa 96:13; Psa 98:9; Mat 12:36; Rom 14:12; 2Co 5:10; 2Ti 4:1.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(15) A cloud of the latter rain.This fell at the end of March, maturing the barley and wheat crops before the harvest in April. It was eagerly looked for as of great importance. (Comp. Psa. 72:6 for the same figure.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Light of the king’s countenance When a man is pleased his countenance lights up. This stands opposed to the dark, frowning countenance of the preceding verse, which indicated the wrath of the king, and prognosticated death to the unhappy object of royal displeasure. The light of a king’s countenance, under such a government, insured life while the light lasted.
And his favour Or, good pleasure.
As a cloud of the latter rain That is, that brings the latter rain. These rains fall in March and April, just before the harvest, at once screening from the scorching sun, and bringing plenty and blessing. They were necessary to fill out and complete the crops, and hence were considered the very life of the inhabitants. (See Land and Book, vol. i, page 130; vol. ii, page 66.) They were a fitting type of the king’s favour in Oriental lands. Comp. Deu 11:14; Jer 3:3; Jer 5:24; Jas 5:7.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 15. In the light of the king’s countenance is life,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 16:15. The latter rain See Deu 11:14 and Joe 2:23.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 16:15 In the light of the king’s countenance [is] life; and his favour [is] as a cloud of the latter rain.
Ver. 15. In the light of the king’s countenance is life.] As when it is well with the head, it is the better with all the members; and as when the sky is clear, the bodies of men are in better temper. When David had given Ziba the land, “I humbly beseech thee,” said he, “that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord king.” 2Sa 16:4 As if he should say, I had rather have the king’s favour than the lands. Artabazus (in Xenophon) complained when Cyrus had given him a cup of gold, and Chrysantas a kiss in token of his special favour, saying, that the cup that he gave him was not so good gold as the kiss that he gave Chrysantas.
“ Ut mala nulla feram nisi nudam Caesaris iram,
Nuda parum nobis Caesaris ira mali est?’
– Ovid.
And his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
a Abbot’s Geography, 251.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
cloud = heavy cloud, &c. Specially valuable, falling just before harvest.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 16:15
Pro 16:15
“In the light of the king’s countenance is life And his favor is a cloud of the latter rain.”
“If a king’s look is benevolent, this portends life, and his favor is like a cloud promising spring rain. With a wise and righteous man upon the throne such a situation as this would be tolerable; but the record of earthly kings has reduced the very idea of royalty to shame and contempt on the part of the vast majority of the human race. The great historian Edward Gibbon extolled the monarchy as the best form of government known to men; but, even so, it still remains true that, “It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”
Pro 16:15. Pro 19:12 likens the kings favor to dew upon the grass. The former rain in Palestine falls about the end of October or the beginning of November, when the seed is sown; the latter rain comes in March or April, and is absolutely necessary for the due swelling and ripening of the grain. It is accompanied, of course, with cloud, which tempers the heat, while it brings fertility and vigour (Pulpit Commentary). Queen Esther obtained favor in the sight of King Ahasuerus (Est 4:11; Est 5:1-2). Likewise did Jehoiachin obtain the favor of Evil-merodach, king of Babylon (Jer 52:31-34).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the light: Pro 19:12, Job 29:23, Job 29:24, Psa 4:6, Psa 21:6, Act 2:28
his: Job 29:23, Psa 30:5, Psa 72:6, Hos 6:3, Zec 10:1
Reciprocal: 2Sa 19:2 – turned Est 4:8 – to make supplication Psa 89:15 – in the light Pro 19:6 – will Pro 20:2 – fear Ecc 8:3 – for Joe 2:23 – he will
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
16:15 In the light of a king’s countenance [is] life; and his favour [is] {i} as a cloud of the latter rain.
(i) Which is most comfortable to the dry ground.