Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 30:9

Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].

9. take in vain] use profanely, R.V. Lit. take hold of, or handle, sc. lightly or profanely. Lest I be moved in the bitterness of distress to blaspheme, or charge God foolishly. Comp. Job 1:22; Job 2:9; Isa 8:11.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The special dangers of the two extremes. Wealth tempts to pride, unbelief, and a scorn like that of Pharaoh Exo 5:2; poverty to, dishonesty, and then to perjury, or to the hypocritical profession of religion which is practically identical with it.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Deny thee, by trusting to riches, which is a denial of God, Job 31:24-28, by unthankfulness for and abuse of his mercies, and by rebellion against him, and divers other courses and common practices of rich men, whereby God is denied in truth and in works, even when he is owned in words and in show.

Who is the Lord, that I should obey or serve him? I do not need him, I can live of my own without him. Lest by degrees I should arrive at downright atheism or infidelity, which is most incident to rich and great men, as is manifest from experience.

Take the name of my God in vain; use false oaths, either to vindictate myself when I am suspected or accused of theft, and my oath is required according to the law, Exo 22:8-11, or to gratify others for filthy lucre, as poor men frequently do.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

9. be full . . . denythat is,puffed up by the pride of prosperity.

take the name . . . vainThisis not (Hebrew) the form (compare Ex20:7), but “take” rather denotes laying violent hold onany thing; that is, lest I assail God’s name or attributes, asjustice, mercy, &c., which the poor are tempted to do.

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

Lest I be full, and deny [thee],…. This is the dangerous consequence of riches, and the temptation they expose men unto; who, being full of the things of this world, are tempted to deny the Lord; not his being and perfections directly, but chiefly his providence; to deny that what they have, they have received of him, but attribute it to their own care, diligence, and industry; and now think they can live without him, without any dependence on his providence, having a large affluence of the things of life: yea, they may be said to deny him, when they forget the bounties of his providence; are not thankful to him for them; that flatter themselves with a continuance of them, without any regard to him, as if he had no concern in the affairs of life; see De 32:15;

and say, Who [is] the Lord? as Pharaoh did, Ex 5:2. I am not obliged to him; I can live without him, I have enough of my own;

or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain]; this is the snare that attends poverty; men, for want of food and raiment, are tempted to steal from their neighbours, which is a sin against the law of God, the eighth command; and then to cover the theft, when an oath is offered to purge them from the charge and suspicion of it, they take it, and so are guilty of false swearing, or taking the name of God not only in vain, but falsely, and so become guilty of the breach of the third command. Agur, a good man, is desirous he might not be exposed to temptations to such evils, and especially which so affected the honour and glory of God.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(9) Lest I be full, and deny thee.For pride and fulness of bread were among the sins which brought destruction on Sodom (Eze. 16:49). (Comp. Job. 21:14-15.)

And take the name of my God in vain.Literally, handle it roughly, irreverently; particularly in finding fault with His providence.

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

9. Deny thee Hebrew, simply deny; fail to render suitable acknowledgments. Abundance too commonly begets pride, sensuality, and forgetfulness of our obligation to the great Giver. “Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked.” Deu 32:15. Poverty tempts to stealing and other illicit practices to supply our wants. Furthermore, the poor are apt to repine and murmur against Providence, and in their heart to accuse the divine Being of partiality. This is supposed to be the meaning of take the name of my God in vain violate the name of God, by assailing or impugning the divine character. Some understand it of false swearing, or perjury, to which the thief is tempted in order to shield himself from punishment. See note on Pro 29:24.

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

Pro 30:9 Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].

Ver. 9. Lest I be full and deny thee, &c. ] Fulness breeds forgetfulness, saturity security Deu 32:14 ; See Trapp on “ Deu 32:14 “ 1Ti 6:17 See Trapp on “ 1Ti 6:17 “ every grain of riches hath a vermin of pride and ambition in it. A man may desire them, as one desires a ship to pass over the sea from one country to another; but to many they prove hindrances to heaven, remoras to religious practices. Many in their low estate could serve God, but now resemble the moon, which never suffers eclipse but at her full, and that is by the earth’s interposition between the sun and herself. Even an Agur full fed may grow wanton, and be dipping his fingers in the devil’s sauce; yea, so far may he forget himself, as to deny the Lord (or as the Hebrew hath it, belie him), disgrace his housekeeping, and cast a slur upon his work and wages by his shameful apostasy; yea (as Pharoah-like), to ask, Who is the Lord? as if such were petty gods within themselves, and could by the help of their mammon do well enough without him. Solomon’s wealth did him more harm than his wisdom did him good. Ecc 2:1-26 It was his abundance that drew out his spirits, and dissolved him, and brought him to so low an ebb in grace.

Or, lest I be poor and steal. ] Necessity is a hard weapon; we use to say, Hunger is an evil counsellor, and poverty is bold or daring, as Horace calls it. a The baser sort of people in Swethland do always break the Sabbath, saying, that it is only for gentlemen to keep that day. And the poorer sort among us (some of them I mean that have learned no better) hold theft in them, petty larceny at least, a peccadillo, an excusable evil; for either we must steal, say they, or starve; the belly hath no ears; our poor children must not pine and perish, &c. And truly “men do not despise,” – i.e., not so much despise – “a thief if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry,” saith Solomon Pro 6:30 in his argument that an adulterer is worse than a thief; though a thief be bad enough, shut out of heaven. 1Co 6:9 But if he steal for necessity – , saith the Greek proverb, there is no remedy but a harking stomach must be quieted – men do the more excuse him a tanto, though not a toto. But God saith flat and plain, “Thou shalt in no case steal.” “Let him that stole steal no more,” but let him labour with his hands, and depend upon God’s providence; let him prefer affliction before sin, and rather die than do wickedly. But want is a sore temptation, as Agur feared, and that good man felt, mentioned by Master Perkins, who being ready to starve, stole a lamb; and being about to eat of it with his poor children, and (as his manner was before meat) to crave a blessing, durst not do it, but fell into a great perplexity of conscience, acknowledged his fault to the owner, and promised restitution if ever able to make it.

And take the name of my God in vain. ] He says not, Lest I, being poor, steal and be fined, burnt in the hand, whipped, &c. No; but “Lest I take thy name in vain”; that is, cause thy name to stink among the ungodly, open their mouths, break down the banks of blasphemy, by such a base sin, committed by such a forward professor. Good men take God’s name in vain no way so much as by confuting and shaming their profession by a scandalous conversation, such as becometh not the gospel of Christ; moreover, they count sin to be the greatest smart in sin, as being more sensible of the wound they therein give the glory of God, than of any personal punishment.

a Necessitas durum telum. Fames malesuada, audax paupertas.

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

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

poor: i.e. from being dispossessed. Hebrew. yarash. See note on “poverty”, Pro 6:11

take the name, &c. = assaileth Jehovah. Not a reference to the second Commandment.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4. Accuse not a servant = Get not a servant accused. Note the Hiphil here; as in Psa 101:5.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

I be full: Deu 6:10-12, Deu 8:10-14, Deu 31:20, Deu 32:15, Neh 9:25, Neh 9:26, Job 31:24-28, Jer 2:31, Eze 16:14, Eze 16:15, Eze 16:49, Eze 16:50, Dan 4:17, Dan 4:30, Hos 13:6, Act 12:22, Act 12:23

deny thee: Heb. belie thee

Who: Exo 5:2, 2Ch 32:15-17

or: Pro 6:30, Pro 6:31, Psa 125:3

and take the name: Pro 29:24, Exo 20:7, Lev 5:1, Mat 26:72, Mat 26:74

Reciprocal: Exo 22:11 – an oath of the Lord Lev 6:3 – sweareth Deu 6:11 – when thou Deu 8:11 – General Deu 8:12 – Lest when Deu 17:17 – neither shall he Jos 24:27 – deny 1Ki 8:31 – an oath be laid upon him 2Ch 6:22 – and an oath Job 21:15 – What is Job 31:28 – for Psa 10:4 – will not Psa 37:16 – General Pro 27:27 – enough Jer 22:21 – I spake Jer 43:2 – all the Eze 28:5 – and thine Zec 5:3 – every one Mat 19:23 – That Luk 6:25 – full Luk 16:4 – General Luk 18:24 – How Luk 22:40 – Pray Eph 4:28 – him that 1Ti 6:8 – General 1Ti 6:17 – that they 2Ti 2:12 – if we deny Rev 3:8 – and hast not Rev 3:17 – have need

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Pro 30:9. Lest I be full, and deny thee By trusting to riches, which is a denial of God, and by un-thankfulness for, and the abuse of his mercies. And say, Who is the Lord That I should obey or serve him? I do not need him: I can live without him. Lest by degrees, I should arrive at downright atheism or infidelity, which is most incident to rich and great men, as is manifest from experience. Or lest I be poor and steal Lest, being in a state of poverty, I be under a strong temptation to dishonesty, and become injurious to others for my own relief; and take the name of my God in vain Use false oaths, either to vindicate myself when I am suspected or accused of theft, and my oath is required according to the law, Exo 22:8-11; or to gratify others for filthy lucre, as poor men frequently do.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

30:9 Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, {f} Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].

(f) Meaning, that they who put their trust in their riches forget God and that by too much wealth men have an opportunity to the same.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes