7<\/strong>. too high<\/em> ] Lit. ( unattainable<\/em>) heights<\/strong>. The same Heb. word is rendered coral<\/em>, Job 28:18<\/span>; Eze 27:16<\/span>; so that we might render here an<\/em> unattainable treasure<\/em>, or a gem<\/em> beyond his reach.<\/p>\n openeth not his mouth<\/em>, &c.] Contrast Job 29:7-10<\/span>; Job 29:21-25<\/span>.<\/p>\n In the gate – <\/B>Compare the Pro 22:22<\/span> note.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 7<\/span>. A fool – openeth not his mouth in the gate.<\/B><\/I>] Is not put into public offices of trust and responsibility.<\/P> <\/p>\n Wisdom is too high for a fool; <\/B>either, <\/P> 1. Really, it is above his reach or capacity. Or, <\/P> 2. In his opinion; he judgeth it too hard for him, he despairs of attaining it, he pretends the impossibility of it, because he will not put himself to the charge or trouble of getting it; as, on the contrary, wisdom<\/I> is said to be easy to him that understandeth<\/I>, Pro 14:6<\/span>, because he seriously giveth his mind to it, and therefore easily and certainly attains to it. <\/P> For a fool; <\/B>for a wilful fool, or a wicked man, whose lusts enfeeble and darken his mind, and make it incapable of wisdom. <\/P> He openeth not his mouth in the gate; <\/B>either, <\/P> 1. He can say nothing for himself when he is accused before the magistrate, for which he gives frequent occasion. Or, <\/P> 2. He knows not how to speak acceptably and profitably in the public assembly among wise men. <\/P> <\/p>\n 7.<\/B> (Compare Pr14:16<\/span>). <\/P> in the gate<\/B>(Compare Pr22:22<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n Wisdom [is] too high for a fool<\/strong>,…. It is out of his reach, he cannot attain it; natural wisdom, or the knowledge of many things in nature; at least it seems so to himself, and therefore will not take any pains, or make use of any means, to obtain it; as the knowledge of human laws; of medicine, of philosophy, of languages, or of any of the liberal arts and sciences; or he has not really a capacity for it. This is more especially true of spiritual wisdom, or of the knowledge of divine things in a spiritual way; or of the things Of the Spirit of God, which a natural man cannot know, because they are spiritually discerned; it is God only makes men to know this kind of wisdom in the hidden part, 1Co 2:14<\/span>; for as a “fool” here denotes a wicked man, let his natural parts be what they will; so wisdom spiritual knowledge, and experience of divine things, which is too high for an unregenerate man to reach; see a like phrase in Ps 139:6<\/span>;<\/p>\n he openeth not his mouth in the gate<\/strong>; he is not qualified far it; and if he has any knowledge of himself, he will not venture to speak in a public assembly, in the house of parliament, in a court of judicature, or in the company of men of knowledge and sense; and indeed it is his highest wisdom to keep silence, and not betray his ignorance: and so with regard to spiritual things; a man that wisdom is too high for, and he has no share of it, shall not or ought not to open his mouth where Wisdom cries; even in the gates of the cities, or in the public assemblies of the saints, Pr 1:21<\/span>.<\/p>\n Till now in this appendix we have found only two distichs ( vid<\/em>., vol. i. p. 17); now several of them follow. From this, that wisdom is a power which accomplishes great things, it follows that it is of high value, though to the fool it appears all too costly.<\/p>\n 7 Wisdom seems to the fool to be an ornamental commodity;<\/p>\n He openeth not his mouth in the gate.<\/p>\n Most interpreters take for (written as at 1Ch 6:58<\/span>; cf. Zec 14:10<\/span>; , Pro 10:4<\/span>; , Hos 10:14<\/span>), and translate, as Jerome and Luther: “Wisdom is to the fool too high;” the way to wisdom is to him too long and too steep, the price too costly, and not to be afforded. Certainly this thought does not lie far distant from what the poet would say; but why does he say , and not ? This is not a numerical plur., so as to be translated with the Venet<\/em>.: ; it is a plur., as Psa 49:4<\/span> shows; but, as is evident from the personification and the construction, Pro 1:20<\/span>, one inwardly multiplying and heightening, which is related to as science or the contents of knowledge is to knowledge. That this plur. comes here into view as in chap. 1-9 ( vid<\/em>., vol. i. p. 34), is definitely accounted for in these chapters by the circumstance that wisdom was to be designated, which is the mediatrix<\/em> of all wisdom; here, to be designated in intentional symphony with , whose plur. ending th<\/em> shall be for that very reason, however, inalienable. Thus will be the name of a costly foreign bijouterie<\/em>, which is mentioned in the Book of Job, where the unfathomableness and inestimableness of wisdom is celebrated; vid<\/em>., Job 27:18<\/span>, where we have recorded what we had to say at the time regarding this word. But what is now the meaning of the saying that wisdom is to the fool a pearl or precious coral? Jol Bril explains: “The fool uses the sciences like a precious stone, only for ornament, but he knows not how to utter a word publicly,” This is to be rejected, because is not so usual a trinket or ornament as to serve as an expression of this thought. The third of the comparison lies in the rarity, costliness, unattainableness; the fool despises wisdom, because the expenditure of strength and the sacrifices of all kinds which are necessary to put one into the possession of wisdom deter him from it (Rashi). This is also the sense which the expression has when = ; and probably for the sake of this double meaning the poet chose just this word, and not , , or any other name, for articles of ornament (Hitzig). The Syr. has incorrectly interpreted this play upon words: sapientia abjecta stulto <\/em>; and the Targumist: the fool grumbles ( ) against wisdom.<\/p>\n (Note: This explanation is more correct than Levy’s: he lifts himself up (boasts) with wisdom.)<\/p>\n He may also find the grapes to be sour because they hang too high for him; here it is only said that wisdom remains at a distance from him because he cannot soar up to its attainment; for that very reason he does not open his mouth in the gate, where the council and the representatives of the people have their seats: he has not the knowledge necessary for being associated in counselling, and thus must keep silent; and this is indeed the most prudent thing he can do.<\/p>\n 7 Wisdom is<\/I> too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. 9 The thought of foolishness is<\/I> sin: and the scorner is<\/I> an abomination to men.<\/P> Here is the description, 1. Of a weak man: Wisdom is too high<\/I> for him; he thinks it so, and therefore, despairing to attain it, he will take no pains in the pursuit of it, but sit down content without it. And really it is so; he has not capacity for it, and therefore the advantages he has for getting it are all in vain to him. It is no easy thing to get wisdom; those that have natural parts good enough, yet if they be foolish, that is, if they be slothful and will not take pains, if they be playful and trifling, and given to their pleasures, if they be viciously inclined and keep bad company, it is too high<\/I> for them; they are not likely to reach it. And, for want of it, they are unfit for the service of their country: They open not their mouth in the gate;<\/I> they are not admitted into the council or magistracy, or, if they are, they are dumb statues, and stand for cyphers; they say nothing, because they have nothing to say, and they know that if they should offer any thing it would not be heeded, nay, it would be hissed at. Let young men take pains to get wisdom, that they may be qualified for public business, and do it with reputation. 2. Of a wicked man, who is not only despised as a fool is, but detested. Two sorts of wicked men are so:– (1.) Such as are secretly malicious. Though they speak courteously and conduct themselves plausibly, they devise to do evil,<\/I> are contriving to do an ill turn to those they bear a grudge to, or have an envious eye at. He that does so shall be called a mischievous person,<\/I> or a master of mischief,<\/I> which perhaps was then a common name of reproach; he shall be branded as an inventor of evil things<\/I> (Rom. i. 30<\/span>), or if any mischief be done, he shall be suspected as the author of it, or at least accessory to it. This devising evil is the thought of foolishness,<\/I> v.<\/span> 9<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. It is made light of, and turned off with a jest, as only a foolish thing, but really it is sin,<\/I> it is exceedingly sinful; you cannot call it by a worse name than to call it sin.<\/I> It is bad to do evil, but it is worse to devise it; for that has in it the subtlety and poison of the old serpent. But it may be taken more generally. We contract guilt, not only by the act of foolishness, but by the thought of it, though it go no further; the first risings of sin in the heart are sin, offensive to God, and must be repented of or we are undone. Not only malicious, unclean, proud thoughts, but even foolish thoughts, are sinful thoughts. If vain thoughts lodge in the heart,<\/I> they defile it (Jer. iv. 14<\/span>), which is a reason why we should keep our hearts with all diligence,<\/I> and harbour no thoughts there which cannot give a good account of themselves, Gen. vi. 5<\/span>. (2.) Such as are openly abusive: The scorner,<\/I> who gives ill-language to every body, takes a pleasure in affronting people and reflecting upon them, is an abomination to men;<\/I> none that have any sense of honour and virtue will care to keep company with him. The seat of the scornful<\/I> is the pestilential chair<\/I> (as the LXX. calls it, Ps. i. 1<\/span>), which no wise man will come near, for fear of taking the infection. Those that strive to make others odious do but make themselves so.<\/P><\/p>\n The Inadequacy of the Fool<\/strong><\/p>\n Verse 7 affirms the inadequacy of the fool. Although he is quick to speak foolishness (Pro 12:23<\/span>; Pro 13:16<\/span>; Pro 15:2<\/span>), he has no desire for wisdom (Pro 17:16<\/span>) and has nothing worthwhile to say if called before the gate Pro 17:7<\/span>; Psa 10:4-5<\/span>; Job 5:3-4<\/span>. (The gates of Palestinian cities became the place where responsible people gathered for the conduct of legal transactions, public hearings, etc., 2Sa 15:2-6<\/span>; Rth 4:1-4<\/span>; Deu 21:18-21<\/span>.)<\/p>\n CRITICAL NOTES.<\/p>\n Pro. 24:7<\/span><\/strong>. Wisdom is too high,<\/strong> etc. Delitzsch here reads, Wisdom seems to the fool to be an ornamental commodity<\/em>, and thinks the comparison lies in the rarity, costliness, and unattainableness of wisdom. The word, says Miller, occurs but three times in the Bible; once in Job. 28:18<\/span>, translated coral<\/em>; once in Eze. 27:16<\/span>, translated coral<\/em> and agate; and once in this passage, where it ought to be translated coral<\/em> again. Some, from this rendering, understand the verse to signify that the fool uses wisdom like a precious stone, only for ornament. <\/p>\n Pro. 24:8<\/span><\/strong>. Mischievous person,<\/strong> literally a master or lord of mischief<\/em>. <\/p>\n Pro. 24:9<\/span><\/strong>. The thought<\/strong>, etc., rather, the device<\/em> or undertaking<\/em>. <\/p>\n MAIN HOMILETICS OF <\/em>Pro. 24:7<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n A FALSE ESTIMATE AND A TRUE ONE<\/p>\n I. The fools estimate of wisdom<\/strong>. Solomon here gives the fools own reason for remaining in his folly, viz., that wisdom is difficult to acquirethat neither intellectual or spiritual knowledge can be gained without pains and self-denial. This is of course saying in effect that they are worthless, and this false estimate lies at the root of all ignorance, whether it be mental or moral. For if we can make a man feel that a thing is good and will bring him good, he will not be unwilling to seek to possess it, and his search and his pursuit will be diligent, and eager, and continuous, in proportion to the good which he believes the possession will bring to him. The idle schoolboy complains of the difficulty of his tasks, and of the severity of his teacher, because he does not rightly estimate the value of knowledge, and the moral fool finds fault with the methods of becoming spiritually wise, because he has no sense of the worth of such wisdom. But it must not be forgotten that the longer the fool makes the excuse of the text, the more true it becomes. The powers of the intellect, like those of the body, are less capable of use the longer they remain idle. If a healthy man is so indolent as to refuse to walk, his legs by long disuse may become unable to perform their office, and if the mental powers are left unexercised in youth, it is more difficult to use them to purpose in middle life. And it is so, too, with the spiritual perceptions and capabilities. Although it is never too late to acquire the highest wisdom, it certainly seems more out of the reach of the man who has neglected to seek it throughout a long life, than of him who gives to its pursuit the vigour and freshness of his youth.<\/p>\n II. The consequent estimate which wise men form of the fool<\/strong>. If men undervalue wisdom, they themselves are little valued, and their words and opinions have no weight with wise men. As it is a mark of folly generally to open the mouth, although nothing comes therefrom that is worth anything, the declaration that a fool openeth not his mouth in the gate must point, not to his own modesty or conscious inability to speak wisely, but to the estimation in which he is held by others.<\/p>\n OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS<\/em><\/p>\n In bodily things, the more weighty they are, the lower they fall; the lighter they are, the higher they go. Contrariwise is it in the things of the soul, and the more weighty they are, the higher they are; the lighter they are, the lower they lie. It is therefore the lightness of a fools brain that makes wisdom too high for him: the giddiness of his head is not able to look up unto the height of it. Therefore St. Gregory saith, If thou wilt find wisdom, tread upon the waves of this world, and walk upon the waters of this life, as St. Peter did, and she will reach forth her right hand to thee, as she did to Peter.Jermin<\/em>.<\/p>\n Pro. 24:8-9<\/span> treat of subjects which have occurred more than once before. See on chap. Pro. 6:12-19<\/span>, page 81.<\/p>\n (7) Wisdom is too high for a fool.<\/strong>For wisdom (literally, wisdoms<\/em>), <\/em>comp. note on Pro. 1:20<\/span>. He has been too self-willed to learn; so while others express their opinions when the business or justice of his city is being transacted (see above on Pro. 22:22<\/span>) he has to remain sheepishly silent.<\/p>\n 7<\/strong>. <\/strong> Wisdom is too high for a fool <\/strong> Is inaccessible to him; he cannot reach unto it. <\/p>\n Openeth not his mouth in the gate <\/strong> Is not capable of pleading a cause in court, or of addressing a public assembly; is not intrusted with responsibility either as a judge or counseller. The “gates” of cities were the places of concourse and of the courts of justice. Compare Pro 22:22<\/span>.<\/p>\n Twenty-First Saying (Distitch) <\/strong> Pro 24:7<\/span><\/em><\/strong> forms a single proverbial thought using two lines, which is called a distitch.<\/p>\n Pro 24:7<\/strong><\/span> Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.<\/p>\n Pro 24:7<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> Regarding the phrase, “in the gate,” the gate of each fortified city became the meeting place of leaders. Here city ordinances were transacted, and agreements were made and confirmed by witnesses. The elders of the city gathered here to make decisions to benefit the citizens. It was no place for fools. While living in a guarded compound in Kampala, the entry gate was guarded by security personnel. It became a place for passersby to sit and talk with each other. In a developed nation with cars, mobile telephones and a busy lifestyle, this type of sitting and talking is not found very often. But in a city where the pace of life is slow, an entry gate becomes a natural meeting place for pedestrians. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n v. 7. Wisdom is too high,<\/strong> altogether unattainable, for a fool; he openeth not his mouth in the gate,<\/strong> he cannot be consulted by the leading men of the city as they deliberate upon the welfare of the community, their place of assembly being in the gate of the city or immediately inside the gate, where the open space was set aside for public meetings. <\/p>\n Pro 24:7 Wisdom [is] too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.<\/p>\n Ver. 7. Wisdom is too hard for a fool.<\/strong> ] Heb., Too high; his pericranium<\/em> comprehends it not, “neither indeed can” do. 1Co 2:14 He puts off the study of it, pretending the impossibility of reaching to it. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n He openeth not his mouth in the gate.<\/strong> ] He were two fools if he should, for while he holds his tongue he is held wise.<\/p>\n Wisdom. Hebrew, plural = true wisdom. See notes on Pro 1:20; Pro 9:1; and Compare Pro 14:1. <\/p>\n is too high = seems to be, or is regarded as coral: i.e. as an ornament costly, and, to him, unattainable. Occurs three times (here, Job 28:18, and Eze 27:16). <\/p>\n fool. Hebrew. ‘evil. See note on Pro 1:7. <\/p>\n openeth not his mouth in the gate: i.e. where the judges sit. A fool is not appointed as a judge. <\/p>\n Pro 24:7<\/p>\n Pro 24:7<\/p>\n “Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.”<\/p>\n In ancient cities, the elders of the people, or the rulers and principle men of the city, were accustomed to have their assemblies in the city gate, where open spaces were available. A fool would not dare to speak in the presence of the wise men. “Wisdom and a fool are incompatible.<\/p>\n Pro 24:7. A fool does not have wisdom, or he would not be a fool, for the two are considered opposites (Pro 11:29; Pro 14:16; Pro 17:24; Pro 29:11). The gate was the place of official and legal business where wise men presided (Pro 31:23). Because he does not have wisdom, the fool will not be one of the elders of his city.<\/p>\n too: Pro 14:6, Pro 15:24, Pro 17:24, Psa 10:5, Psa 92:5, Psa 92:6, 1Co 2:14 <\/p>\n openeth: Pro 22:22, Pro 31:8, Pro 31:9, Job 29:7-25, Job 31:21, Isa 29:21, Amo 5:10, Amo 5:12, Amo 5:15 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Jdg 14:14 – they could Psa 71:19 – Thy righteousness Pro 28:5 – General Pro 31:23 – in the Mat 16:18 – and the<\/p>\n Pro 24:7. Wisdom is too high for a fool For a wicked man, whose sins enfeeble his mind, and make it incapable of wisdom. Or, he judges it too difficult for him to understand: he despairs of attaining it, because he will not put away his sins, and be at the trouble of using the means necessary in order to that end: as, on the contrary, wisdom is said to be easy to him that understandeth, Pro 14:6, because he seriously gives his mind to it, and therefore easily and certainly attains it. He openeth not his mouth in the gate He knows not how to speak acceptably in the public assembly.<\/p>\n 24:7 Wisdom [is] too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the {a} gate.<\/p>\n (a) In the place where wisdom should be shown.<\/p>\n Wisdom is beyond the fool’s reach. Therefore he does not, if he has any wisdom at all, seek to give advice in the decision-making places of his world. [Note: See Kidner’s subject study on the fool, pp. 39-42.] <\/span><\/p>\n "This saying inferentially commends becoming competently wise by warning against being an incompetent fool." [Note: Waltke, The Book . . . 31, p. 273.] <\/span><\/p>\n Wisdom [is] too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. 7. too high ] Lit. ( unattainable) heights. The same Heb. word is rendered coral, Job 28:18; Eze 27:16; so that we might render here an unattainable treasure, or a gem beyond his reach. openeth not his mouth, &c.] Contrast … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 24:7”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17097"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17097\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"