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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Proverbs 22:1 - 22:1
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Pro 21:1
1 A good name has the preference above great riches;
For more than silver and gold is grace.
The proverb is constructed chiastically; the commencing word נִבְחָר (cf. Pro 21:3), and the concluding word טוב, are the parallel predicates; rightly, none of the old translators have been misled to take together חֵן טוֹב, after the analogy of שׂכל טוב, Pro 3:14; Pro 13:15. שֵׁם also does not need טוב for nearer determination; the more modern idiom uses שׁם טוב,
(Note: e.g., Aboth iv. 17: there are three crowns: the crown of the Tôra, the crown of the priesthood, and the crown of royalty; but כתר שׁם טוב, the crown of a good name, excels them all.)
the more ancient uses שׁם alone (e.g., Ecc 7:1), in the sense of ὄνομα καλόν (thus here lxx); for being well known (renowned) is equivalent to a name, and the contrary to being nameless (Job 30:8); to make oneself a name, is equivalent to build a monument in honour of oneself; possibly the derivation of the word from שָׁמָה, to be high, prominent, known, may have contributed to this meaning of the word sensu eximio, for שׁם has the same root word as שָׁמַיִם. Luther translates שׁם by Das Gerücht [rumour, fame], in the same pregnant sense; even to the present day, renom, recommée, riputazione, and the like, are thus used. The parallel חֵן signifies grace and favour (being beloved); grace, which brings favour (Pro 11:16); and favour, which is the consequence of a graceful appearance, courtesy, and demeanour (e.g., Est 2:15).
Pro 22:2
2 The rich and the poor meet together;
The creator of them all is Jahve.
From this, that God made them all, i.e., rich and poor in the totality of their individuals, it follows that the meeting together is His will and His ordinance; they shall in life push one against another, and for what other purpose than that this relationship of mutual intercourse should be a school of virtue: the poor shall not envy the rich (Pro 3:31), and the rich shall not despise the poor, who has the same God and Father as himself (Pro 14:31; Pro 17:5; Pro 31:15); they shall remain conscious of this, that the intermingling of the diversities of station is for this end, that the lowly should serve the exalted, and the exalted should serve the lowly. Pro 29:13 is a variation; there also for both, but particularly for the rich, lies in the proverb a solemn warning.