Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 27:27
And [thou shalt have] goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens.
27. for the maintenance of ] Rather, maintenance for, R.V.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 27. Goats’ milk enough for thy food] lelachmecha, “to thy bread;” for they ate the bread and supped the milk to assist mastication, and help deglutition. And it seems that bread, with goats’ milk, was the general article of food for the master and his family; and for the servant maids who assisted in the household work, and performed the operations required in the dairy.
The reader who wishes to see these maxims detailed and illustrated at large, may consult the writers De Re Rustica, where he will find much curious information.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Goats milk enough for thy food; or, if thou choosest rather to keep than to sell thy goats, the milk of them will serve thee for food to thyself, and to thy family. In ancient times men used a plain and simple diet, and neither knew nor used that curiosity and luxury in it which after-ages invented.
For thy maidens; who are named, because this nourishment was more proper for the weaker sex, whereas men required a stronger diet.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27. householdliterally,”house,” the family (Act 16:15;1Co 1:16).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And [thou shalt have] goats’ milk enough for thy food,…. The word for “goats”, in Pr 27:26, signifies he goats, which were sold to buy fields, pay servants or rent, or purchase the necessaries of life; and this here signifies she goats, which were kept for their milk; and which was daily used for food in some countries, and is still in use for the same purpose in some parts of our kingdoms; and in medicine it has been preferred by some physicians above others, next to the milk of women w: and the diligent husbandman is promised not only plenty of this his own eating, at least a sufficiency of it, but for his family;
for the food of thy household; his wife and children:
and [for] maintenance for thy maidens: or “the lives” x of them, on which they should live; for, though menservants might require strong meat yet the maidens might live upon milk; besides, Athenaeus y speaks of most delicious cheese made of goats’ milk, called “tromilicus”. The design of the whole is to show that a man diligent in his business shall have a sufficiency for himself and his family; and, though it may be but the meaner sort of food and clothing he may get, yet, having food and raiment, he should therewith be content.
w Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 28. c. 9. Vid. Scheuehzer. Physic, Sacr. vol. 5. p. 1016. x “vitas”, Montanus; “ad vitam”, Gejerus; “life” is often put for “bread”; or for that by which life is maintained, both in Greek and Latin writers; so , in Hesiod. Opera, l. 1. v. 31, 328. and “vita”, in Plaut. Stichus, Act. 3. Sc. 2. v. 9. Trinum, Act. 2. Sc. 4. v. 76. y Deipnosoph. l. 14. c. 22. p. 658. see also l. 1. c. 8. p 10.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(27) For the maintenance for thy maidens, who tend the cattle.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. Maintenance , ( hhayyim,) the means of livelihood sustenance.
Maidens Never wanting in a large household. Here, naturally, shepherdesses, milkmaids.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS.
WHAT the wise man hath said in the close of this chapter, of the diligence of looking well to the state of the flock, and the care of the herds, may well be construed into the diligence every man ought to have to the care of the soul, and to know the state in which he stands before God. Tell me, (saith the church upon this momentous subject) tell me, 0 thou, whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, Where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon. For why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? We never can be too solicitous on points of this nature. Where Jesus feeds; what he feeds with; and how we are growing up in the nurture and sustenance of the spiritual life. Reader! is Jesus your Shepherd? Doth he, who sits in the midst of the throne, and feeds the church above, feed you in this wilderness state below? Is he the bread of God and the bread of life to your soul? Are the lambs for thy clothing, and the goats the price of the field. In other words, art thou clothed with the garment of salvation wrought out by the Lamb of God? And dost thou eat of the paschal Lamb, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed? Oh! for grace to feed upon Christ! and to hear him say; Take, eat, this is my body, which is given for you! Eat, 0 friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, 0 beloved!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 27:27 And [thou shalt have] goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens.
Ver. 27. And thou shalt have goat’s milk enough.] And this was anciently accounted good cheer indeed. By goat’s milk understand all manner of white meat, as they call it; and see how sparingly they lived in those days, content with that they had at hand, and not running every hand’s while to the butcher’s or draper’s, as now. Or if the men, being harder wrought, had stronger meat sometimes, yet the maidens were well content with a more slender diet. Apelles painted a servant with his hands full of tools – to show that he should be work brittle; with broad shoulders – to bear hard usage; with hind’s feet – to run about his businesses; with ass’s ears, and his mouth shut – to signify that he should be swift to hear, slow to speak; lastly, with a lean belly – that he should be content with coarse fare, spare diet, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
maintenance = life.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
enough: Pro 30:8, Pro 30:9, Mat 6:33
maintenance: Heb. life
Reciprocal: Pro 12:11 – tilleth 1Co 9:7 – eateth not of the milk
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
"Meat was rarely eaten; the staples of food were bread, honey, fruits, and the products of the dairy." [Note: Ibid., p. 494.]