Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 25:3

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [is] unsearchable.

3. Besides his glory in contrast, the king has a glory in resemblance to Almighty God, whose vicegerent he is. He too has something to conceal.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The other side of the thought of Pro 25:2. What the mind of God is to the searchers after knowledge, that the heart of the true and wise king is to those who try to guess its counsels.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 3. The heaven for height] The simple meaning of this is, the reasons of state, in reference to many acts of the executive government, can no more be fathomed by the common people, than the height of the heavens and the depth of the earth.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth; as no man upon earth can exactly discover the height of heaven, or the depth of earth, or discern what is contained in them.

The heart of kings is unsearchable; though wise kings will search out other men and things, yet their inward thoughts and purposes are hardly discoverable, partly because every mans heart lies out of the sight of others, and partly because it is the practice of kings industriously to conceal their intentions.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

3. Ye wisely keeping statesecrets, which to common men are as inaccessible heights and depths.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth,…. These are eminent for what are ascribed to them; nothing is higher than the heavens, nor anything deeper than the earth; the height of the heavens cannot be reached, and the centre of the earth cannot easily be got unto; the heavens above cannot be measured, and the foundation of the earth cannot be searched beneath; at least not by common persons, whatever may be done in their way by astronomers and geometricians. And thus, as the heavens and the earth are immeasurable, Jer 31:37; so

the heart of kings [is] unsearchable; especially such an one as Solomon was, who had largeness of heart as the sand on the seashore: and this must be understood of such who have the art of governing; for some are so weak in their conduct, and so much expose themselves, that it is easy to see what is in their hearts, and what are the springs of their actions. Wise princes lay their schemes deep, and conceal their designs, and keep their reasons of state secret, so that it is not an easy thing to penetrate into their councils and views: for this does not so much respect the multitude of business they have upon their hearts and hands, as Jarchi and others understand it, as the privacy and secrecy in which they are managed, and the reasons of which are kept from common persons, Who therefore are not proper judges of them; and who yet will often take upon them to censure and condemn, when they are ignorant of the true cause of such conduct.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

3 The heavens in height, and the earth in depth,

And the heart of kings are unsearchable.

This is a proverb in the priamel-form, vid., p. 13. The praeambulum consists of three subjects to which the predicate [= no searching out] is common. “As it is impossible to search through the heavens and through the earth, so it is also impossible to search the hearts of common men (like the earth), and the hearts of kings (like the heavens)” (Fleischer). The meaning, however, is simple. Three unsearchable things are placed together: the heavens, with reference to their height, stretching into the impenetrable distance; the earth, in respect to its depth, reaching down into the immeasurable abyss; and the heart of kings – it is this third thing which the proverb particularly aims at – which in themselves, and especially with that which goes on in their depths, are impenetrable and unsearchable. The proverb is a warning against the delusion of being flattered by the favour of the king, which may, before one thinks of it, be withdrawn or changed even into the contrary; and a counsel to one to take heed to his words and acts, and to see to it that he is influenced by higher motives than by the fallacious calculation of the impression on the view and disposition of the king. The in both cases is the expression of the reverence, as e.g., at 2Ch 9:22. , not = , but like Isa 26:19; Isa 65:17, for , which generally occurs only in the st. constr.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Verse 3 suggests that kings and those in authority at times possess information of such nature it must be kept secret.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(3) The heart of kings is unsearchable.A warning, it may be, against presuming upon the favour of a king from thinking that one knows all that is in his mind. (Comp. Pro. 23:1-2.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

3. Heart of kings is unsearchable It is one thing for kings to examine into matters carefully before deciding upon them, and another to keep the secrets of their own aims and plans. It is usually impossible for common minds to penetrate the secrets of State, or understand the comprehensive designs and plans of astute rulers. A private soldier ordinarily knows very little of the plan of a campaign or of a battle. A private citizen frequently knows as little of the strategy of his rulers. The allusion is, of course, to Oriental and despotic monarchs. But the proverb is pertinent, also, under other forms of government.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Pro 25:3. The heaven for height “It is almost as impossible for the generality of minds to penetrate into the secrets of state, and understand the counsels and designs of intelligent princes, and the various ways and means whereby they consult to effect their ends, as it is to know how far it is from hence to the highest heavens; or how far to the centre of the earth upon which we tread.” See Lord Bacon’s Advanc. of Learn. book 8: chap. 2.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable. Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

Such is the love of Christ, unmeasurable! Eph 3:16-19 , When the Holy Ghost hath taken away by regeneration, the dross of our fallen nature, and new formed us in Christ Jesus, then as gold and silver from the furnace, we are brought forth as vessels of honor for the master’s use. Mal 3:3 ; 2Ti 2:20-21 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Pro 25:3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [is] unsearchable.

Ver. 3. The heaven for height, &c. ] It is a wonder that we can look up to so admirable a height, and that the very eye is not tired in the way. If this ascending line could be drawn right forwards, some that have calculated curiously, have found it five hundred years’ journey to the starry sky. Other mathematicians say, that if a stone should fall from the eighth sphere, and should pass every hour a hundred miles, it would be sixty-five years or more before it would come to the ground. I suppose there is as little credit to be given to these as to Aratus the astrologer, who boasted that he had found out and set down the whole number of the stars in heaven; or as to Archimedes the mathematician, that said, that he could by his art cast up the just number of all the sands both in the habitable and inhabitable parts of the world. a

And the earth for depth. ] From the surface to the centre, how far it is, cannot be known exactly, as neither whether hell be there: but that it is somewhere below may be gathered from Rev 14:11 , and other places. Ubi sit sentient, qui curiosius quaerunt.

And the heart of kings is unsearchable. ] Profundum sine fundo. God gave Solomon “a large heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.” 1Ki 4:29 A vast capacity, an extraordinary judgment, and wisdom to reserve himself. No bad cause was too hard for him to detect; no practices which he did not smell out; no complotter which he did not speedily entrap in their wiles, as Adonijah.

a Sphinx Philosoph.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)