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Selected Verse: Proverbs 14:16 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Pr 14:16 |
King James |
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
(Compare Pro 3:7; Pro 28:14).
rageth--acts proudly and conceitedly. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
16 The wise feareth and departeth from evil;
But the fool loseth his wits and is regardless.
Our editions have ירא with Munach, as if חכם ירא were a substantive with its adjective; but Cod. 1294 has חכם with Rebia, and thus it must be: חכם is the subject, and what follows is its complex predicate. Most interpreters translate 16b: the fool is over-confident (Zckler), or the fool rushes on (Hitzig), as also Luther: but a fool rushes wildly through, i.e., in a daring, presumptuous manner. But התעבּר denotes everywhere nothing else than to fall into extreme anger, to become heated beyond measure, Pro 26:17 (cf. Pro 20:2), Deu 3:26, etc. Thus 16a and 16b are fully contrasted. What is said of the wise will be judged after Job 1:1, cf. Psa 34:15; Psa 37:27 : the wise man has fear, viz., fear of God, or rather, since האלהים is not directly to be supplied, that careful, thoughtful, self-mistrusting reserve which flows from the reverential awe of God; the fool, on the contrary, can neither rule nor bridle his affections, and without any just occasion falls into passionate excitement. But on the other side he is self-confident, regardless, secure; while the wise man avoids the evil, i.e., carefully goes out of its way, and in N.T. phraseology "works out his own salvation with fear and trembling." |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Feareth - Trembles at God's judgments when they are either inflicted or threatened. Rageth - Frets against God; or is enraged against his messengers. Confident - Secure and insensible of his danger. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
A wise man feareth - He can never trust in himself, though he be satisfied from himself. He knows that his suffiency is of God; and he has that fear that causes him to depart from evil, which is a guardian to the love he feels. Love renders him cautious; the other makes him confident. His caution leads him from sin; his confidence leads him to God. |
14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
26 But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.