Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 24:31
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, [and] nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
31. nettles ] “Or, wild vetches,” R.V. marg. here and Job 30:7; Zep 2:9, where the same Heb. word occurs.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns,…. Or “thistles” y; which grow up of themselves, are the fruit of the curse, and the effect of slothfulness;
[and] nettles had covered the face thereof; so that nothing was to be seen but thorns and thistles, nettles and weeds; and such is the case of the souls of men when neglected, and no concern is had for them; so it is with carnal and worldly professors, who are overrun with the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, comparable to thorns and nettles for their piercing and stinging nature, and the unfruitfulness and unprofitableness of them; such are the thorny ground hearers, Mt 13:22; and such is the case of all unregenerate persons, whose souls are like an uncultivated field, and a neglected vineyard; in which grow naturally the weeds of sin and corruption, comparable to thorns and nettles for their spontaneous production, for the number of them, for their unfruitfulness, and for the pain and distress they bring when conscience is awakened; and because as such ground that bears thorns and nettles is nigh to cursing, and its end to be burned, which is their case; see Heb 6:8;
and the stone wall thereof was broken down; the fence about the fields, the wall about the vineyard, to keep out men and beasts; see Isa 5:2; which through slothfulness, and want of repair and keeping up, fell to decay, Ec 10:18; and thus carnal professors and unregenerate men, having no guard upon themselves, are open and exposed to every sin, snare, and temptation; Satan has free egress and regress; the evil spirit can go out and come in when he pleases, and bring seven evil spirits more wicked than himself: indeed such is the evil heart of man that it needs no tempter; he is drawn aside of his own lust, and enticed; he is liable to every sin, and to fall into the utmost ruin; he has nothing to protect and defend him; not the Spirit, nor grace, nor power of God.
y “chamaeleones”, Junius Tremellius “cardui”, Piscator, Cocceius; “carduis”, Michaelis, Schultens.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
v. 31. and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 24:31. Grown over with thorns We know very few of the thorns which are mentioned in Scripture. The ononis spinosa, or rest-harrow, that most pernicious and prickly plant, covers whole fields and plains in Egypt and Palestine. I make no doubt but this is referred to in some parts of the Holy Scripture; and shall leave it to the philologists to determine which of the thorns here mentioned it is. The Arabs at present in Egypt call it akol. This is perhaps that which Moses means when he curses the earth: it grows in great plenty promiscuously with the large thistles, in the uncultivated parts of Egypt. See Hasselquist’s Travels, p. 289.
REFLECTIONS.The observations and reflections which this wise king makes, are daily verified.
1. In worldly affairs, sloth and poverty are almost inseparably connected. See the picture of a negligent husbandman; he sleeps when others wake; his field, uncultivated, is covered with weeds, the hedge broken down, no revenue arising to the owner; and, as the necessary consequence of his neglect, want and wretchedness seize him as an armed man. And this will be the case in every trade and business with those, who, instead of diligence and activity, leave their affairs at random, live careless and negligent, expose themselves, and necessarily rush on their ruin. When such objects strike us, we must stay and pause, and learn wisdom by the reflections that we make on their folly.
2. In our spiritual concerns, the same observations hold good. The soul of the careless sinner is like this field of the slothful, over-run with the rank weeds of corrupt and vile affections; open to the inroads of every temptation; no fruit produced to God’s glory, or his own comfort: yet, secure he sleeps on in the devil’s arms, and cares not to be disturbed in his fatal dream; till, seized at last by death, and brought to a throne of judgment, too late he discovers his miserable condition, and receives the doom of the slothful in the place of torment. Such negligence in others should quicken our diligence, to break up the fallow ground of our hearts, to root out the thorns and nettles of corrupt desires, which are natives of the soil, to guard against the entry of temptation; and, watching unto prayer, daily to be working out our own salvation, and bringing forth those fruits of faith and holiness, whereby ourselves may be enriched, and which, through Jesus Christ, are to the praise and glory of God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 24:31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, [and] nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
Ver. 31. And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns. ] So is the spiritual sluggard’s soul with lusts and sins, under the which lurketh that old serpent.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
it: Gen 3:17-19, Job 31:40, Jer 4:3, Mat 13:7, Mat 13:22, Heb 6:8
and the: Pro 19:23, Pro 20:4, Pro 22:13, Pro 23:21, Ecc 10:18
Reciprocal: Gen 3:18 – Thorns Job 30:7 – the nettles Son 7:12 – let us see Hos 9:6 – nettles