Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 21:30
[There is] no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
30. Even more forcible is the Hebrew: There is no wisdom and there is no understanding and there is no counsel against Jehovah.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Two companion proverbs. Nothing avails against, nothing without, God. The horse is the type of warlike strength, used chiefly or exclusively in battle. 1Ki 4:26; 1Ki 10:26-28, may be thought of as having given occasion to the latter of the two proverbs.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 21:30
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.
The vanity of attempting to oppose God
One of the most formidable methods of attacking religion is to exhibit it as a contrivance fit for narrow geniuses and mean souls. One of the most proper means to establish irreligion is to represent it as suited to great and generous minds.
I. Consider the text is regard to worldly grandeur. We sometimes see those who are called grandees in the world resist God, pretend to compel Him by superior force, or by greater knowledge. How often is grandeur even now in our times a patent for insolence against God!
II. Worldly policy is a second obstacle which some men set against the laws of heaven. We sometimes see men forget that they are Christians, when they deliberate on the public good.
III. The voluptuous resist God. One of the most inviolable laws of God is, that felicity should be the reward of virtue, and misery the punishment of vice. What does a voluptuous man oppose against the execution of this law? Noise, company, diversions, the refinements of lasciviousness. Examine the system of the voluptuary at the bar of reason, and at the bar of conscience. Consider it in the declining time of life, and in view of death and punishment.
IV. A stoical obstinacy is an obstacle which some place against the purposes of God. Hath Zeno any disciples now? Yes, there are yet people who, under another name, maintain the same sentiments, affect an unshaken firmness, and glory in preserving their tranquillity under all the extremes of fortune. (J. Saurin.)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Which can prevail against the counsel and will of God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
30, 31. Men’s best devices andreliances are vain compared with God’s, or without His aid (Pro 19:21;Psa 20:7; Psa 33:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[There is] no wisdom nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord. No human schemes whatever, formed with the greatest wisdom and prudence, can ever prevail against God, or set aside or hinder the execution of any design of his; nothing that is pointed against his church, his cause, and interest, his truths and ordinances, in the issue shall succeed; all that are found fighters against him shall not prosper, let them be men of ever so much sagacity and wisdom; though there may be ever so many devices in a man’s heart, and these ever so well planned, they shall never defeat the counsel of the Lord; see
Pr 19:21. The Targum is,
“there is no wisdom, c. as God’s”
and so the Syriac version, “as the Lord’s”; there is none like his, there is none to be compared with his; there is none of any value and worth but his; all is folly in comparison of that: or there is none “before the Lord” n; no wisdom of the creature can stand before him, it presently vanishes and disappears.
n “in conspectu Jehovae”, Gejerus; “coram Domino”, Gussetius, p. 495.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
If we further seek for the boundaries, the proverbs regarding the rich and the poor, Pro 22:2, Pro 22:7, Pro 22:16, present themselves as such, and this the more surely as Pro 22:16 is without contradiction the terminus. Thus we take first together 21:30-22:2.
Pro 21:30 30 No wisdom and no understanding,
And no counsel is there against Jahve.
The expression might also be ‘ ; but the predominating sense would then be, that no wisdom appears to God as such, that He values none as such. With the proverb is more objective: there is no wisdom which, compared with His, can be regarded as such (cf. 1Co 3:19), none which can boast itself against Him, or can at all avail against Him ( , as Dan 10:12; Neh. 3:37); whence it follows (as Job 28:28) that the wisdom of man consists in the fear of God the Alone-wise, or, which is the same thing, the All-wise. Immanuel interprets of theology, of worldly science, of politics; but is used of the knowledge of truth, i.e., of that which truly is and continues; of criticism, and of system and method; vid., at Pro 1:2; Pro 8:14, from which latter passage the lxx has substituted here instead of . Instead of ‘ it translates , i.e., for that which is ‘ against Jahve.
Pro 21:31 31 The horse is harnessed for the day of battle;
But with Jahve is the victory,
i.e., it remains with Him to give the victory or not, for the horse is a vain means of victory, Isa 33:17; the battle is the Lord’s, 1Sa 17:47, i.e., it depends on Him how the battle shall issue; and king and people who have taken up arms in defence of their rights have thus to trust nothing in the multitude of their war-horses ( , horses, including their riders), and generally in their preparations for the battle, but in the Lord (cf. Psa 20:8, and, on the contrary, Isa 31:1). The lxx translates by , as if the Arab. name of victory, nasr , proceeding from this fundamental meaning, stood in the text; (from , Arab. ws’ , to be wide, to have free space for motion) signifies properly prosperity, as the contrast of distress, oppression, slavery, and victory (cf. e.g., Psa 144:10, and , 1Sa 14:45). The post-bibl. Heb. uses ( ) for victory; but the O.T. Heb. has no word more fully covering this idea than ( ).
(Note: In the old High German, the word for war is urlag ( urlac ), fate, because the issue is the divine determination, and nt (as in “ der Nibelunge Not ”), as binding, confining, restraint; this nt is the correlate to , victory; corresponds most to the French guerre , which is not of Romanic, but of German origin: the Werre , i.e., the Gewirre [complication, confusion], for signifies to press against one another, to be engaged in close conflict; cf. the Homeric of the turmoil of battle.)
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
The designing busy part of mankind are directed, in all their counsels and undertakings, to have their eye to God, and to believe, 1. That there can be no success against God, and therefore they must never act in opposition to him, in contempt of his commands, or in contradiction to his counsels. Though they think they have wisdom, and understanding, and counsel, the best politics and politicians, on their side, yet, if it be against the Lord, it cannot prosper long; it shall not prevail at last. He that sits in heaven laughs at men’s projects against him and his anointed, and will carry his point in spite of them, Ps. ii. 1-6. Those that fight against God are preparing shame and ruin for themselves; whoever make war with the Lamb, he will certainly overcome them, Rev. xvii. 14. 2. That there can be no success without God, and therefore they must never act but in dependence on him. Be the cause ever so good, and the patrons of it ever so strong, and wise, and faithful, and the means of carrying it on, and gaining the point, ever so probable, still they must acknowledge God and take him along with them. Means indeed are to be used; the horse must be prepared against the day of battle, and the foot too; they must be armed and disciplined. In Solomon’s time even Israel’s kings used horses in war, though they were forbidden to multiply them. But, after all, safety and salvation are of the Lord; he can save without armies, but armies cannot save without him; and therefore he must be sought to and trusted in for success, and when success is obtained he must have all the glory. When we are preparing for the day of battle our great concern must be to make God our friend and secure his favour.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
God Cannot Be Successfully Opposed
Verse 30 affirms that the LORD cannot be successfully opposed by any device or strategy. Men may think otherwise but the LORD has His way at the time He chooses. Some of many examples of this are: Balak’s plan, Num 24:10; Ahaziah’s disregard of the LORD, 2Ki 1:1-17; Haman’s plot, Ezr 5:11-13; Ezr 7:19; and the opposition to the LORD Jesus, Act 4:26-28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 21:30-31
COUNSEL AGAINST THE LORD
I. Only those plans succeed which harmonise with the will of God. This is of course true only in regard to the ultimate and final issue of mens plans and purposes. Sometimes, and indeed oftentimes, counsel against the Lord is very successful for a season, and for a very long season, but it is only for a season.
1. This is obvious if we consider Gods knowledge of the future. It is inseparable from His Divine nature that He shall be able to declare the end from the beginning, and therefore He says My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it (Isa. 46:10-11). Imagine the general of a vast army being confronted with a handful of blind men, would there be any room to doubt who would have the victory? If a traveller whose eyesight is so dim that he can only see a step or two before him has to travel an unknown road, will he not do well to take the arm and avail himself of the guidance of a man whose sight is perfect? The plan or purpose of our life is the road we desire to walk upon, and as we know not what shall be on the morrow (Jas. 5:14) we can only hope to attain our desire if we enlist the All-seeing God on our side, and in order to do this our counsel must be in harmony with His.
2. Gods Almighty power, also, ensures the success of His counsel. The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but what is the united force of a world compared with the might of Him who hath comprehended the dust in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? The prophet answers the question, The nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of a balance (Isa. 40:12; Isa. 40:15). The knowledge that our guide has of a dangerous paththe fact that he is acquainted with it from the beginning to the endmay not ensure our arrival at the desired goal. He and we may together be attacked by powerful foes, and power to protect is as needful as knowledge to guide. When we commit our way to God we have omnipotence as well as omniscience on our side.
II. Yet men are ever opposing their finite wisdom and strength to the almightiness and infinite knowledge of God. The proverb embodies a truth so palpable to any who will look facts plainly in the faceit contains an inference so obvious to an unprejudiced mind that it would seem unnecessary to write it if we did not know that sin has so distorted mens mental visionso biassed their reasonthat they are ever imagining a vain thing and taking counsel against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us (Psa. 2:2-3). The world is full of confirmations of the fact, and it also contains abundant evidence of the truth of the inspired word. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
It would be a strong sentence if he declared that counsel against the Lord could never amount to anything. But he does something more clear than that. There is no (such thing as) wisdom, etc., against the Most High. They could do nothing if they were; but wisdom never could be enticed to that side. The sentence embodies both ideas. There is no wisdom that could avail against God; but secondly, there is none that would ever attempt it. The expressions are peculiar. There is nothing of wisdom. The word is repeated: Nothing, nothing, nothing.Miller.
We may, perhaps, consider the wise man as pointing out three modes of covering and effecting evil purposes: in the twenty-seventh verse, the mask of religion; in the twenty-eighth, false testimony; in the twenty-ninth, the assumed boldness and look of innocence. But (Pro. 21:30) there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the Lord. There may be against men. In one, or other, or all of these ways they may be deceived. There may, in many cases, be wisdom, and understanding, and counsel more than sufficient to impose upon and outwit them. But God knows all. His eye cannot be eluded; His designs cannot be thwarted; neither His promises nor His threatenings can be falsified, by any artifice, or policy, or might of the children of menno, nor of any created being.Wardlaw.
Wisdom is that which is gotten by experience, understanding that which is gotten by study, counsel that which is gotten by advice but let all be put in the scales against the Lord, they are but as the dust of the balance unto Him For if wisdom be gotten by experience, He is the Ancient of days; He was ancient when days began. If understanding come by study, He hath all understanding of Himself at once. And the whole world is His common council, and that not to give at all, but to receive counsel from Him.Jermin.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(30) There is no wisdom . . . against the LordComp. 1Co. 3:19; Isa. 54:17; Psa. 2:4.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. There is no wisdom, etc. The proverb is understood to teach that it is vain to hope for success in any enterprise, however well planned and well fortified by counsel, if its accomplishment is against the will of Jehovah; that is, unless he either wills it or permits it. Some understand it to mean, there is no wisdom, counsel, etc.; like that of Jehovah.
Against Some read, Before Jehovah; others, as Lange, prefer the rendering of the text. Compare Jer 9:23.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 30. There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 21:30 [There is] no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
Ver. 30. There is no wisdom against the Lord. ] That is, they are all to no purpose. If God deny concourse, and influence, the arm of human power and policy, as Jeroboam’s, shrinks up presently. Psa 2:1-3 ; Psa 33:10-11 ; Psa 62:3 See Trapp on “ Pro 19:21 “ Excellently Gregory – Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur; humana sapientia dum reluctatur, comprehenditur. God’s decree is fulfilled by those that have least mind to it. Human wisdom, while it strives for masteries, is overmastered.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
no wisdom . . . against the LORD. Illustrations: Pharaoh (Exo 1:10. See App-23); Balak (Num 24:10); Ahaziah (2Ki 1:9-17); Sennacherib (2Ch 32:21; Isa 30:31); Haman (Est 5:11-13; Est 7:10).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 21:30
Pro 21:30
“There is no wisdom nor understanding Nor counsel against Jehovah.”
“Intelligence, skill, strategy – none can avail against the Eternal.
Both the beginning and the end of this chapter feature two verses stressing the power of God. How foolish are men who vainly suppose that they may set their puny and partial wisdom against the intelligence of God Himself! The tragic story of Zedekiah, the last king to rule in Jerusalem, is a sufficient illustration of this.
Pro 21:30. God may allow many things that are wrong to happen (until judgment), but when there is a known showdown between God and the forces of unrighteousness, His opposition always comes out on the short end. Aarons rod that miraculously became a snake ate up those of Pharaohs magicians (Exo 7:10-12). When they tried to duplicate the plagues brought upon the land by Moses, they finally had to give up and acknowledge the supremacy of God (Exo 8:19). Baal lost out to Jehovah on Mt. Carmel (1Ki 18:26-39). The people of Samaria could see the difference between Simon the sorcerers fake miracles and Philips genuine ones (Act 8:6-13). Herod of Acts 12 began laying hands on the apostles, killing James and intending to do the same to Peter (Pro 21:1-3). But before the chapter was over, Herod was dead (Pro 21:21-23), and the very next verse shows Gods triumph: But the word of God grew and multiplied (Pro 21:24). As 2Co 13:8 says, we cannot really do anything against the truth.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Pro 19:21, Isa 7:5-7, Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10, Isa 14:27, Isa 46:10, Isa 46:11, Jer 9:23, Jon 1:13, Act 4:27, Act 4:28, Act 5:39, 1Pe 2:8
Reciprocal: Gen 12:11 – a fair Exo 1:10 – wisely Exo 1:12 – But the more Num 23:27 – peradventure Jos 2:2 – told the king Jos 8:7 – for the Lord 1Sa 17:47 – saveth not 1Sa 19:10 – he slipped 1Sa 23:14 – but God 2Sa 3:6 – Abner 2Sa 11:9 – General 2Sa 16:20 – Give counsel 2Sa 17:14 – to defeat 1Ki 2:15 – for it was 1Ki 11:40 – Solomon sought 1Ki 12:21 – an hundred 1Ki 14:5 – the Lord 1Ki 20:24 – Take the 1Ki 22:30 – disguised himself 2Ki 6:8 – took 2Ki 9:24 – smote 2Ki 11:2 – they hid him 2Ki 18:20 – vain words 2Ch 10:10 – Thus shalt 2Ch 11:1 – an hundred 2Ch 13:13 – an ambushment 2Ch 22:11 – she slew him not Ezr 6:6 – be ye far Neh 4:15 – God Job 5:12 – disappointeth Psa 2:2 – Lord Psa 33:10 – The Lord Psa 83:5 – For Psa 127:1 – The Lord Pro 16:9 – General Ecc 3:14 – nothing Ecc 9:11 – but Isa 7:7 – General Isa 14:6 – and none Isa 14:24 – Surely Isa 19:3 – and I Isa 36:5 – vain words Isa 37:34 – General Isa 43:13 – I will work Isa 45:9 – unto him Jer 19:7 – I will make Jer 23:20 – in the Jer 27:22 – until Jer 32:5 – though Jer 36:23 – he cut Jer 37:7 – Pharaoh’s Jer 48:30 – his lies shall not so effect it Jer 51:12 – the standard Lam 3:37 – saith Eze 28:12 – full Dan 4:35 – none Dan 11:15 – shall not Nah 1:9 – do Hab 2:13 – is it Zec 6:1 – and the Mal 1:4 – They shall build Mat 2:8 – go Mat 26:5 – Not Mat 27:65 – make Mar 14:2 – Not Act 5:23 – The prison Act 5:38 – for Act 23:16 – when 2Co 13:8 – General