Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 25:27
[It is] not good to eat much honey: so [for men] to search their own glory [is not] glory.
27. is not glory ] The words is not are not in the Heb., but are supplied both in A.V. and R.V. text. The R.V. marg. has, “ But for men to search out their own glory is glory. The Hebrew text is obscure.”
It would seem as though the author of the proverb threw down in the second clause the terms of the comparison and left us to adjust them: “so is it with searching out your own glory, and glory”; q.d. Glory, like honey, is a good thing, but to be too much engrossed with your own share of the one is like eating too much of the other.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
So for men … – A difficult sentence, the text of which is probably defective. The words are not in the original. Many commentators render: so to search into weighty matters is itself a weight, i. e., people soon become satiated with it as with honey. Possibly a warning against an over-curious searching into the mysteries of Gods word or works.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 25:27
It is not good to eat much honey.
Natural desires running too far
Man is a creature of manifold desires. These desires may be divided into two grand classes–
1. Those that can never go too far. Such are the desires for knowledge, holiness, assimilation to God.
2. Those that often run too far. Such are the desires for wealth; the desire for power, which often runs into tyranny; the desire for pleasure, which often runs into licentiousness. Here is running too far–
I. The desire for animal pleasure. It is not good to eat much honey. It is not good for the body. It is not good for the intellect. The rise of the animal is the fall of the mental. It is not good for the soul. The pampering of the senses is the death of the soul. It is not good to eat much honey. Here we have running too far–
II. The desire for human praise. So for men to search their own glory is not glory. The word not which is here in italics, is not in the original; it has been supplied by our translators. In doing so they have evidently expressed the idea intended. A desire for the praise of our fellow-men is natural, innocent, and useful. It is very true that the praise of corrupt society is seldom of much worth, and often indeed contemptible. There are men whose desire for human praise becomes a passion; popularity is the god at whose shrine they are always paying their devotions. Be master of your desires. (D. Thomas, D.D.)
Pleasure and glory
The ordinary mind consents to this statement unwillingly. There is a natural reluctance to stop short in the pursuit of enjoyment. What glory can there be in getting a man to limit his own glory?
I. Our best interests are not served by living chiefly on earthly pleasures. Our highest being cannot be nourished by giving the chief place to earthly distinction and attainments. Life is not intended to be made up entirely of bank holidays and national festivals. Observe the point of emphasis in this verse. It is not good to eat much honey. A little is all very well. The question of recreation and amusement resolves itself into a question about the desires and impulses which are allowed to rule mens lives. Let a man understand his true position He is face to face with a long history of good and evil principles working on the one hand sublimity, and on the other disaster, in the lives of millions. He has to take his place–carefully discovering his right place–in a world that is darkened by the shadow of the crime and ignorance of ages, and torn to the hearts depth by the cruel wails of passion, and avarice, and remorse.
II. God has something better for us to do, and something nobler for us to enjoy. He has called to us to seek the knowledge of Himself; to grow up into this knowledge of Himself; and to use the knowledge of Him, as it comes to us, for the benefit of the world. Learn to think soberly and proportionately of all the pleasures and distinctions of this life; ever having respect unto the recompense of the reward. (W. H. Jackson.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 27. It is not good to eat much honey] Coverdale translates the whole passage thus: “Like as it is not good to eat to muche hony; even so, he that wyll search out hye thinges, it shal be to hevy for him.” As he that etith myche honye, and it is not to him goode; so, that is a sercher of mageste, schal ben oppressid of glorie – Old MS. Bible. He that searches too much into mysteries, is likely to be confounded by them. I really think this is the meaning of the place; and shall not puzzle either myself or my reader with the discordant explanations which have been brought forward with the hope of illustrating this passage.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Not good, to wit, for the health of the body.
For men; which words are easily understood, both out of the foregoing clause, where the honey is supposed to be eaten by men, and out of the following words, which are evidently meant of them.
To search their own glory; industriously to seek for honour and applause from men.
Is not glory; is not only sinful, but shameful also, and a sign of a vain and mean spirit. The negative particle not is here understood out of the former part of the verse, as it is Psa 1:5; 9:18.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27. Satiety surfeits (Pr25:16); so men who are self-glorious find shame.
is not glory“not”is supplied from the first clause, or “is grievous,” inwhich sense a similar word is used (Pr27:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[It is] not good to eat much honey,…. That is too much otherwise it is good to eat, Pr 24:13; but too much is hurtful, it surfeits the stomach increases choler e and creates loathing; and indeed, too much of anything is bad f;
so [for men] to search their own glory [is not] glory: to set forth their own excellencies, to sound forth their own praises to seek honour of men, to use all methods to gain popular applause; this is not glorious and praiseworthy, but dishonourable; or it may be rendered as it literally lies in the original, “but to search out”, or “the searching out of their glory [is] glory” g; either the glory of righteous men, as Aben Ezra interprets it, such as stand and do not fall before the wicked; to search out their excellencies and virtues, and follow their example, is glorious and honourable: or to search the glory of the knowledge of divine things, comparable to honey, is commendable and glorious; for though a man may eat too much honey, yet he cannot have too much knowledge of divine and spiritual things, or be satiated and overfilled with them; to which the Septuagint version agrees, “but we ought to honour glorious words”: the glorious truths of the word of God ought to be had in great esteem, and to search out the glory of them is honourable; our Lord directs to a search of the Scriptures, because they testify of him, Joh 5:39; and we can never know too much of him, or of the precious doctrines of the Gospel; unless this is to be understood of such things as should not be curiously inquired into; men should not be wise above what is written nor search into those things which God has concealed; as his own nature and perfections, the mode of subsisting of the three Persons in the Godhead, his secret purposes and decrees, and unsearchable judgments. To which sense agrees the Vulgate Latin version,
“so he who is the searcher of majesty shall be oppressed by glory;”
he shall be bore down by it, and not able to bear the glory of it: and the Targum is,
“to eat much honey is not good, nor to search glorious words.”
Jarchi takes the words in this sense; and illustrates them by the work of creation, Ezekiel’s vision of the wheels, the decrees of God, and the reasons of them.
e Suidas in voce . f “Vitiosum est ubique quod nimium est”, Seneca de Tranquilitate, c. 9. g “investigatio gloriae illorum (est) gloria”, Pagninus, Montanus, Michaelis; “scrutatio gloriae ipsorum est gloria”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This verse, as it stands, is scarcely to be understood. The Venet. translates 27b literally: ; but what is the reference of this ? Euchel and others refer it to men, for they translate: “to set a limit to the glory of man is true glory;” but the “glory of man” is denoted by the phrase , not by ; and, besides, does not mean measure and limit. Oetinger explains: “To eat too much honey is not good; whereas the searching after their glory, viz., of pleasant and praiseworthy things, which are likened to honey, is glory, cannot be too much done, and is never without utility and honour;” but how can be of the same meaning as or – such an abbreviation of the expression is impossible. Schultens, according to Rashi: vestigatio gravitatis eorum est gravitas , i.e., the searching out of their difficulty is a trouble; better Vitringa (since nowhere occurs in this sense of gravitas molesta ac pondere oppressura ): investigatio praestantiae eorum est gloriosa ; but Vitringa, in order to gain a connection to 27a, needs to introduce etiamsi , and in both explanations the reference of the is imaginary, and it by no means lies near, since the Scripture uses the word of God, and His kingdom and name, but never of His law or His revelation. Thus also is an argument against Bertheau, who translates: the searching out of their glory (viz., of the divine law and revelation) is a burden, a strenuous occupation of the mind, since does not in itself mean searching out, and is equivocally, even unintelligibly, expressed, since denotes, it is true, here and there, a great multitude, but never a burden (as ). The thought which Jerome finds in 27b: qui scrutator est majestatis opprimetur a gloria , is judicious, and connects itself synonym. with 27a; but such a thought is unwarranted, for he disregards the suff. of , and renders in the sense of difficulty (oppression). Or should it perhaps be vocalized (Syr., Targ., Theodotion, = )? Thus vocalized, Umbreit renders it in the sense of honores ; Elster and Zckler in the sense of difficultates ( difficilia ); but this plur., neither the biblical, nor, so far as I know, the post-bibl. usage of the word has ever adopted. However, the sense of the proverb which Elster and Zckler gain is certainly that which is aimed at. We accordingly translate:
To surfeit oneself in eating honey is not good,
But as an inquirer to enter on what is difficult is honour.
We read instead of . This change commends itself far more than ( ), according to which Gesenius explains: nimium studium honoris est sine honore – impossible, for does not signify nimium studium , in the sense of striving, but only that of inquiry: one strives after honour, but does not study it. Hitzig and Ewald, after the example of J. D. Michaelis, Arnoldi, and Ziegler, betake themselves therefore to the Arabic; Ewald explains, for he leaves the text unchanged: “To despise their honour (that is, of men) is honour (true, real honour);” Hitzig, for he changes the text like Gesenius: “To despise honour is more than honour,” with the ingenious remark: To obtain an order [ insigne ordinis ] is an honour, but not to wear it then for the first time is its bouquet. Nowhere any trace either in Hebrew or in Aramaic is to be found of the verb , to despise (to be despised), and so it must here remain without example.
(Note: The Hebrew meaning investigare , and the equivalent Arabic hakr , contemnere ( contemtui esse ), are derivations from the primary meaning (R. ): to go down from above firmly on anything, and thus to press in (to cut in), or also to press downward.)
Nor have we any need of it. The change of into is enough. The proverb is an antithetic distich; 27a warns against inordinate longing after enjoyments, 27b praises earnest labour. Instead of , if honey in the mass were intended, the words would have been (Ecc 5:11; 1Ki 10:10), or at least (Amo 4:9); can only be a n. actionis, and its inverted object (cf. Jer 9:4), as Bttcher has discerned: to make much of the eating of honey, to do much therein is not good (cf. Pro 25:16). In 27b Luther also partly hits on the correct rendering: “and he who searches into difficult things, to him it is too difficult,” for which it ought to be said: to him it is an honour. , viz., , signifies difficult things, as , Pro 12:11, vain things. The Heb. , however, never means difficult to be understood or comprehended (although more modern lexicons say this),
(Note: Cf. Sir. 3:20f. with Ben-Sira’s Heb. text in my Gesch. der jd. Poesie, p. 204 (vv. 30-32); nowhere does this adj. appears here in this warning against meditating over the transcendental.)
but always only burdensome and heavy, gravis , not difficilis . are also things of which the , i.e., the fundamental searching into them (Pro 18:17; Pro 25:2.), costs an earnest effort, which perhaps, according to the first impression, appears to surpass the available strength (cf. Exo 18:18). To overdo oneself in eating honey is not good; on the contrary, the searching into difficult subjects is nothing less than an eating of honey, but an honour. There is here a paronomasia. Fleischer translates it: explorare gravia grave est ; but we render grave est not in the sense of molestiam creat , but gravitatem parit (weight = respect, honour).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
I. Two things we must be graciously dead to:– 1. To the pleasures of sense, for it is not good to eat much honey; though it pleases the taste, and, if eaten with moderation, is very wholesome, yet, if eaten to excess, it becomes nauseous, creates bile, and is the occasion of many diseases. It is true of all the delights of the children of men that they will surfeit, but never satisfy, and they are dangerous to those that allow themselves the liberal use of them. 2. To the praise of man. We must not be greedy of that any more than of pleasure, because, for men to search their own glory, to court applause and covet to make themselves popular, is not their glory, but their shame; every one will laugh at them for it; and the glory which is so courted is not glory when it is got, for it is really no true honour to a man.
II. Some give another sense of this verse: To eat much honey is not good, but to search into glorious and excellent things is a great commendation, it is true glory; we cannot therein offend by excess. Others thus: “As honey, though pleasant to the taste, if used immoderately, oppresses the stomach, so an over-curious search into things sublime and glorious, though pleasant to us, if we pry too far, will overwhelm our capacities with a greater glory and lustre than they can bear.” Or thus: “You may be surfeited with eating too much honey, but the last of glory, of their glory, the glory of the blessed, is glory; it will be ever fresh, and never pall the appetite.”
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Too Much Good and Self Glory
Verse 27- See comment on Vs 16 and Pro 27:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 25:27. The last phrase in this verse is variously rendered. The words is not are not in the Hebrew. Stuart reads, Searching after ones own glory is burdensomei.e., Honour, like honey, is good only when sought in moderation. Zckler renders To search out the difficulty, brings difficultyi.e., Too strenuous occupation of the mind with difficult things is injurious. Delitzsch translates:But, as an inquirer, to enter on what is difficult, is honouri.e., To overdo oneself in eating honey is not good, but the searching into difficult things is nothing less than an eating of honey, but an honour. The word translated glory is literally weight, and is often used to mean excellence and honour. But it will bear the opposite meaning of a burden or difficulty.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 25:27
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
For Homiletics on the first clause of this verse, see on Pro. 25:16, page 703. A reference to the Critical Notes will show that, owing partly to its elliptical form, the rendering of the second clause has been much disputed. The reading found in our version is, however, quite admissible on the principles of Hebrew interpretation, and accords well with the first clause. The analogy teaches
I. That a desire for the good opinion of others is right and salutary. As honey is not only a pleasant but a wholesome article of food, so the wish to stand well with our fellow-men is a God-implanted feeling which is very beneficial both to the individual man and to society as a whole. He is a churlish being who does not care what other people think about him, who sets at nought their esteem or their blame, while a right regard to their judgment of us insensibly produces a beneficial influence upon our conduct and temper.
II. But it is a desire which must not rule our life. Just as honey must not be substituted for plainer food, or made the staple article of diet, so a desire for the good opinion of others must not be put before higher motivesmust not be made the ruling principle of life. This proverb may be linked with the preceding one to some extent, for the lack of firmness which good men sometimes display in the society and under the influence of worse men than themselves is often due to a desire not to lose their good opinionnot to be thought obstinate, or morose, or conceited. But when any question of right or wrong is at stake the approval or disapproval even of those whose goodwill is most precious to us must be cast aside.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
There is such a thing as vain glory. There is such a thing as a persons indulging an insatiable appetite for applause and honour. There is such a thing as searching it out, looking ever after it, eager to get it, and touchily jealous of every omission to bestow it and every deficiency in its amount; exploring for it in every possible direction; listening with an ear on the alert to catch every breathing of adulation; fishing for praise; throwing out hints to draw it forth; eulogising others, to tempt a return; saying things in disparagement of oneself, for the sake of having them contradictedthings which, said by another, would stir the hottest of his blood. The temper of mind may be put in exercise, in regard to greater and to smaller matters. It may assume the form of a proud ambition, or of a weak-minded vanity. But in either case it may with truth be said that it is not glory. A mans honour should rather come to him, than be eagerly solicited and searched for. It should not be made his object.Wardlaw.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(27) So for men to search their own glory is not glory.The sense of this passage is very doubtful. It may mean, But to search into difficult matters is an honour. Self-indulgence and study are here contrasted.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. Not good to eat much honey “Delicious as it is to an Eastern palate, yet, taken to excess, it is injurious. Pro 25:16. Sanutus tells us, that the English who attended Edward I. into the Holy Land died in great numbers as they marched in June to demolish a place, which he ascribes to the excessive heat, and their intemperate eating of fruits and honey.” Harmer, vol. ii, p. 60. Search their own glory For men to search for (seek after) their own glory is burdensome. Glory, honour, is good, and a legitimate object of desire; but an over-desire, leading to overaction, is as burdensome to the mind as too much honey is to the stomach, and far more injurious in its consequences.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 25:27. It is not good to eat much honey See on Pro 25:16 and Isa 7:15. Delicious as honey is to an eastern palate, it has been thought sometimes to have produced terrible effects. Thus Sanutus in the Gesta Dei per Francos, informs us, that the English who attended Edward I. into the Holy Land died in great numbers, as they marched in June to demolish a place; which he ascribes to the excessive heats, and their intemperate eating of fruits and honey. This, perhaps, may give us the thought of Solomon, contained in this verse. He had before in Pro 25:17 mentioned, that an excess in eating honey occasioned sickness and vomiting; but if it was thought sometimes to produce deadly effects, there is a greater energy in the instruction. However that be, this circumstance seems to illustrate the prophetic passage which speaks of a book sweet in the mouth as a morsel of honey, but after it was down producing pain, bitter as those gripings which the army of Coeur-de-Lion felt in the Holy Land, from eating honey to excess; for of such disorders as are the common effects of intemperance with respect to fruit in those climates, Sanutus appears to be speaking; and the bloody-flux, attended with griping pains, is well-known to be the great complaint. See the Observations, p. 160.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 25:27 [It is] not good to eat much honey: so [for men] to search their own glory [is not] glory.
Ver. 27. It is not good to eat too much honey. ] For it breeds choler and brings diseases.
So for men to search their own glory,
a Jer., Epist. ad Julian. Consolator.
Pro 25:27
Pro 25:27
“It is not good to eat much honey; So for men to search out their own glory is grievous.”
“The Hebrew here is difficult (obscure); but the RSV has guessed at it. “It is not good to eat much honey, so be sparing of complimentary words.
Pro 25:27. Anything good to eat (like honey) can be overindulged in. The same warning with reference to honey, a delicacy to the ancients, was mentioned in Pro 25:16. And anything natural, like searching into ones ancestry if it was prominent or gloating over ones accomplishments, is not good but grievous. Nobody likes to see another stuck on himself. Rom 12:16 says, Be not wise in your own conceits. And Pro 27:2 says, Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips. An old saying: Self-brag stinks.
not good: Pro 25:16
so: Pro 27:2, Joh 5:44, 2Co 12:1, 2Co 12:11, Phi 2:3
Reciprocal: Lev 2:11 – honey Pro 24:13 – eat Pro 25:6 – Put not forth thyself Joh 7:18 – seeketh his glory Joh 8:54 – If Rom 12:3 – not to 2Co 10:12 – we dare not 2Co 11:30 – must 1Th 2:6 – of men
Pro 25:27. It is not good to eat much honey Namely, for the health of the body; so for men to search their own glory Industriously to seek for honour and applause from men; is not glory Is not only sinful, but shameful also, and a sign of a vain and mean spirit.
Both practices in this verse are pleasant for the person who engages in them, but they can affect him adversely if he pursues them to excess.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)