Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 26:10
The great [God] that formed all [things] both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
10. The number and variety of interpretations which have been given to this verse justify the remark of R.V. marg. that “The Hebrew is obscure.”
The rendering of R.V. text is: As an archer (comp. Job 16:13, where the same Heb. word is so rendered) that woundeth all, so is he that hireth the fool and he that hireth them that pass by. But the objection to this is that instead of the fool being the main subject, as he is in all this group of proverbs, he is out of place, and the introduction of him mars the symmetry of the proverb, which should run: As an archer who wounds every one within his reach, friend and foe alike, so is a master who hires all who pass by, good workman and bad indifferently.
For this reason, if for no other, the rendering of R.V. margin is to be preferred: A master-worker formeth all things (we may supply in thought, either (1) and in order to do so makes wise choice of his instruments, or (2) he therefore is wise who employs such an one); but he that hireth the fool is as he that hireth them that pass by every unskilled instrument that comes to his hand.
The introduction of the word God in A.V. is without authority, and the sense given by it to the proverb is less pertinent.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The word God is not in the original, and the adjective translated great is never used elsewhere absolutely in that sense. The simplest and best interpretation is: As the archer that woundeth everyone, so is he who hireth the fool, and he who hireth every passerby. Acting at random, entrusting matters of grave moment to men of bad repute, is as likely to do mischief as to shoot arrows at everyone.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. The great God that formed all things] See the margin, where this verse is very differently translated. I shall add that of Coverdale: “A man of experience discerneth all thinges well: but whoso hyreth a foole, hyreth soch one as wyl take no hede.” The rab may mean either the great God, or a great man: hence the two renderings, in the text and in the margin.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God, who is oft called
great, as Psa 86:10; 135:5, &c., and is described by the name of
the Most High, as Psa 9:2; 21:7, &c., who created all things, and therefore observeth and governeth all men and things, will certainly give that recompence which is meet for and deserved by fools and transgressors, i.e. by such as sin either through ignorance and heedlessness, or wilfully and wickedly. Or, as it is the margin, A great man (a prince or potentate, who are called by this title, Est 1:8; Dan 1:3, &c.) grieveth (as this word is used, Isa 51:9; 53:5, and elsewhere) all, (to wit, all that are subject to him, or all that stand in his way) he hireth (as this word most commonly signifies) the fools, he hireth also transgressors. So the sense is, It is the manner of many princes to vex and oppress their subjects, which because they cannot do by themselves alone, they hire others, both fools, who do not know or consider what they do, and transgressors, who are ready to execute all their commands, right or wrong, that they may be their instruments in that work.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. Various versions of this areproposed (compare Margin). Better perhaps”Much Heinjures (or literally, “wounds”) all who reward,” &c.,that is, society is injured by encouraging evil men.
transgressorsmay berendered “vagrants.” The word “God” is improperlysupplied.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The great [God], that formed all [things],…. That made the heavens, earth, and sea, and all that are in them; who is great in the perfections of his nature, and in the works of his hands, and greatly to be praised;
both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors; according to their works; every transgression of the law receiving its just recompence of reward, whether a man transgresses it ignorantly or wilfully; as his transgressions are, whether through error or presumption, so shall his punishment be; though some understand this, as Kimchi, of the Lord’s doing good in a providential way, to the wise and unwise, the righteous and the wicked: the words are by some rendered to another sense, “a great one grieveth all, and he hireth the fool, and he hireth the transgressors” y; that is, a great man, a tyrannical prince, grieves all his good subjects; or, as Hottinger z, from the use of the word in the Arabic tongue, changes all things, inverts their order, or administers all at his will, that is, wrongly; when he hires fools and wicked men to do those bad things for him which others would not, to the great detriment of the commonwealth; and rewards them for it, putting them into posts of honour and trust, to the great grief and trouble of all his best subjects.
y So Mercerus, Piscator. z Smegm. Oriental. l. 1. c. 2. p. 171.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
All that we have hitherto read is surpassed in obscurity by this proverb, which is here connected because of the resemblance of to . We translate it thus, vocalizing differently only one word:
Much bringeth forth from itself all;
But the reward and the hirer of the fool pass away.
The lxx translates (all the flesh of fools suffers much), , which is in Hebrew:
An unfortunate attempt so to rectify the words that some meaning might be extracted from them. The first line of this translation has been adopted by the Syr. and Targ., omitting only the , in which the self-condemnation of this deciphering lies (for means elsewhere, humanity, not the whole body of each individual); but they translate the second line as if the words were:
i.e., and the drunken man sails over the sea ( is separated into , as , Amo 6:12, is to be separated into ); but what does that mean? Does it mean that to a drunkard (but , the drunken man, and not , the drunkard, is used) nothing remains but to wander over the sea? or that the drunken man lets his imagination wander away over the sea, while he neglects the obligation that lies upon him? Symmachus and Theodotion, with the Midrash (Rashi) and Saadia (Kimchi), take in 10b = (like Isa 19:10, = embankment, cf. , Kelim, Pro 23:5); the former translates by , the latter by , yielding to the imagination that , like , may be the plur. of , anger. Jerome punctuates as, Pro 25:8, , and interprets, as Symmachus and Theodotion, both times = , translating: Judicium determinat causas, et qui imponit stulto silentium iras mitigat ; but does not mean judicium , nor determinat , nor causas . As Gussetius, so also Ralbag (in the first of his three explanations), Meri, Elia Wilna interpret the proverb as a declaration regarding quarrelsome persons: he causeth woe to all, and hireth fools, hireth transgressors, for his companions; but in that case we must read for ; , bringing woe, would be either the Po. of , to bore through, or Pilel of ( ), to put into distress (as with pangs); but , transgressors = sinners, is contrary to the O.T. usus loq., Pro 22:3 (Pro 27:12) is falsely cited in its favour; besides, for there should have been at least and why is repeated remains inexplicable. Others take as the name of God, the creator of all men and things; and truly this is the nearest impression of these two words, for is the usual designation for divine production, e.g., Psa 90:2. Accordingly Kimchi explains: The Lord is the creator of all, and He gives to fools and to transgressors their maintenance; but , transgressors, is Mishnic, not bibl.; and means to hire, but not to supply with food. The proverb is thus incapable of presenting a thought like Mat 5:45 (He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good). Others translate: “The Lord is creator of all, and takes fools, takes idlers, into His service.” Thus rendered, the proverb is offensive; wherefore Rashi, Moses Kimchi, Arama, and others regard the Mashal as in the mouth of fools, and thus they take Pro 26:9 and Pro 26:10 together as a tetrastich. Certainly this second collection of proverbs contains also tetrastiches; but Pro 26:9 and Pro 26:10 cannot be regarded as together forming a tetrastich, because (which is valid against Kimchi also) cannot mean God the Lord: , Lord, is unheard of in bibl. Heb., and at least the word must be used for God. The Venet. on this account does not follow Kimchi, but translates, , (ought to have been ); but who could this cunning man be? Perhaps the Venet. is to be understood, after Gecatilia (in Rashi): a great (rich) man performs all manner of things; but if he hires a fool, it is as if he hired the first best who pass along the way. But that is used in the general sense of to execute, to perform, is without example, and improbable. Also the explanation: a ruler brings grief, i.e., severe oppression, upon all (Abulwald, Immanuel, Aben Ezra, who, in his smaller grammar, explains = after Isa 49:9; C. B. Michaelis: dolore afficit omnes ), does not recommend itself; for , whether it be from , Isa 51:9 (to bore through), or from , Psa 29:9 (to bring on the pangs of birth), is too strong a word for hurting; also the clause, thus generally understood, is fortunately untrue. Translated as by Euchel: “the prominent persons destroy all; they keep fools in pay, and favour vagabonds,” – it sounds as if it had been picked up in an assembly of democrats. On the other hand, the proverb, as translated by Luther:
A good master maketh a thing right;
But he who hireth a bungler, by him it is spoiled,
is worthy of the Book of Proverbs. The second line is here freely rendered, but it is also appropriate, if we abide closer by the words of the text, in this connection. Fleischer: Magister ( artifex peritus ) effingit omnia ( i.e., bene perficit quaecunque ei committuntur ); qui autem stultum conducit, conducit transeuntes ( i.e., idem facit ac si homines ignotos et forte transeuntes ad opus gravius et difficilius conduceret ). Thus also Gesenius, Bttcher, and others, who all, as Gecatilia above, explain , , the first best. But we are reluctantly constrained to object to this thought, because nowhere in bibl. Hebrew signifies a master; and the of the second dno cannot bear that rendering, ac si . And if we leave it out, we nevertheless encounter a difficulty in , which cannot be used of human production. Many Christian interpreters (Cocceius, Schultens, Schelling, Ewald, Bertheau, Stier, Zckler) give to a meaning which is found in no Jewish interpreter, viz., sagittarius , from ( ), Gen 49:23 (and perhaps Psa 18:15), after the forms , , the plur. of which, , is found at Job 16:13; Jer 50:29, but in a connection which removes all doubt from the meaning of the word. Here also may be more closely defined by ; but how then does the proverb stand? “an archer who wounds everything, and he who hires a fool, and hires passers-by” (Ewald: street-runners), i.e., they are alike. But if the archer piercing everything is a comic Hercules furens , then, in order to discover the resemblance between the three, there is need of a portion of ingenuity, such as is only particularly assigned to the favoured. But it is also against the form and the usage of the word to interpret simply of rogues and vagabonds. Several interpreters have supposed that and must stand in a certain interchangeable relation to each other. Thus, e.g., Ahron b. Josef: “Much makes amazement to all, but especially one who hires a fool….” But this “especially” (Before all) is an expression smuggled in. Agreeing with Umbreit and Hitzig, we translate line first; but in translating line second, we follow our own method:
Much bringeth all out of it;
i.e., where there is much, then one has it in his power, if he begins right, to undertake everything. has by the definition of a neuter, so as to designate not only many men, Exo 19:21, but also much ability in a pecuniary and facultative sense (cf. the subst. , Isa 63:7; Psa 145:7); and of the much which bringeth forth all out of itself, effects all by itself, with equal right might be used, as Pro 25:23, of the north wind. The antithesis 10b takes this form:
But the reward (read ) and the master (who hires him for wages) of the fool pass away,
i.e., perish; , as if , is used of chaff, Isa 29:5; of stubble, Jer 13:24; of shadow, Psa 144:4. That which the fool gains passes away, for he squanders it; and he who took him into his service for wages is ruined along with him, for his work is only pernicious, not useful. Although he who possesses much, and has great ability, may be able to effect everything of himself, yet that is not the case when he makes use of the assistance therein of foolish men, who not only do not accomplish anything, but, on the contrary, destroy everything, and are only ruinous to him who, with good intention, associates them with himself in his work. That the word must be more accurately , instead of , one may not object, since is perfectly unambiguous, and is manifestly the object.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
Our translation gives this verse a different reading in the text and in the margin; and accordingly it expresses either, 1. The equity of a good God. The Master, or Lord (so Rab signifies), or, as we read it, The great God that formed all things at first, and still governs them in infinite wisdom, renders to every man according to his work. He rewards the fool, who sinned through ignorance, who knew not his Lord’s will, with few stripes; and he rewards the transgressor, who sinned presumptuously and with a high hand, who knew his Lord’s will and would not do it, with many stripes. Some understand it of the goodness of God’s common providence even to fools and transgressors, on whom he causes his sun to shine and his rain to fall. Or, 2. The iniquity of a bad prince (so the margin reads it): A great man grieves all, and he hires the fool; he hires also the transgressors. When a wicked man gets power in his hand, by himself, and by the fools and knaves whom he employs under him, whom he hires and chooses to make use of, he grieves all who are under him and is vexatious to them. We should therefore pray for kings and all in authority, that, under them, our lives may be quiet and peaceable.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(10) The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.If this rendering of the passage could stand, Mat. 6:2 might be quoted in illustration of it. If fools and transgressors will set their mind upon husks (Luk. 15:16) instead of the food God has provided for His children, He does not deny it to them; they have the reward they seek for. But the Hebrew can hardly yield this meaning. Of all the various renderings suggested, perhaps the most unobjectionable is as follows. A master (one skilled in his art), produces everything (by his own care and oversight he sees himself that it is properly done); but a fool hires (others to do his work), and he hires passers by., i.e., any casual person that comes in his way, whether skilled or not, and so the work is done badly.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. The great God, etc. Here again we have a verse of much difficulty, by reason of the uncertainty of the true import of several words. The word GOD is not in the original. , ( rabh,) great, among its many meanings has such as these: mighty, the Mighty, agreat one, chief leader, master, doctor, teacher, etc. The word , ( mehholel,) formed, is equally, or more, latitudinarian in sense. There is seemingly nothing in the construction to aid in reaching the true meaning, and the Versions yield little help. The Septuagint and Vulgate “are hopelessly unintelligible.” The simplest and best rendering, perhaps, is that found in the Speaker’s Commentary: “As the archer that woundeth every one, so is he who hireth the fool, and he who hireth every passer by.” Or thus: “A master-workman endangers everything when he employs a fool or employs vagrants.” With this, substantially, agrees Lange. The note of the Speaker’s Commentary is good: “Acting at random, intrusting matters of grave moment to men of bad repute, or to any chance comer, is as likely to do mischief as one who shoots arrows at every one.” Conant translates: “A master-workman forms all things, but he that hires a fool is as he that hires passers by.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 26:10. The great God that formed all things There is a great diversity of opinion respecting this verse. Mr. Peters says, that formed all is the same as forming the universe, and parallel to Isa 44:24.; and if so, our rendering is as unexceptionable as any. Houbigant has it, The fool and the drunkard imagine great things: the fool and the drunkard pass over the sea: That is, in the folly and pride of imagination. See his note, and also Schultens.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
I do not think it necessary to enlarge the volume by offering any comment upon what is here said. If read with a spiritual eye to Christ and his gospel, they are all, more or less, capable of conveying much instruction. And, under this point of view, I would recommend the book of Proverbs to the Reader. Pro 1:6
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 26:10 The great [God] that formed all [things] both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
Ver. 10. The great God that formed all things. ] As he made all so he maintains all, even the evil and the unthankful. God deals not as that cruel Duke of Alva did in the Netherlands; – some he roasted to death, saith the historian, a starved others, and that even after quarter, saying, though he promised to give them their lives, he did not promise to find them meat; – but as he hath given them their lives, forfeited in Adam, so he allows them a livelihood, gives them their portion in this life, fills their bellies with his good treasure, but by it sends leanness into their souls, or if he fattens them, it is to fit them for destruction, as fated ware is fitted for the meat market.
a Grimston.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The great God, &c. Render: “A master [workman] formeth all himself aright: but he that hireth a fool, hireth a transgressor [who will spoil the work]. “
rewardeth. Hebrew. sakar, to hire.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
The great: etc. or, A great man grieveth all; and he hireth the fool, he hireth also the transgressors.
both: Pro 11:31, Rom 2:6
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 26:10. The great God formed all things, &c. The Hebrew text of this verse will admit of different translations, as the reader may see by the margin, and commentators are much divided in their opinions of its meaning. The Hebrew word , rab, here rendered great, may be applied either to God or to a prince, and the proverb may be considered as declaring either how God the Creator and Governor of the universe will deal with sinners, or how kings and princes ought to act toward their subjects. Bishop Patricks paraphrase, which includes both, seems to give the most probable sense of the verse, thus: The great God, who made all things, governs them also most wisely and equally; dispensing, for instance, his punishments suitable to mens sins, whether out of ignorance, or of wilful wickedness; whom a good prince imitates; but a bad one proves a universal grievance, by employing either fools or profane persons in his service, who vex the rest of his subjects.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
26:10 {f} The great [God] that formed all [things] both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
(f) Meaning God.