Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Proverbs 8:14 - 8:14
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
After Wisdom has said what she hates, and thus what she is not, she now says what she is, has, and promises:
14 “Mine is counsel and promotion;
I am understanding, mine is strength.
15 By me kings reign,
And rulers govern justly.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles -
All judges of the earth.”
Whoever gives anything must himself possess it; in this sense Wisdom claims for herself counsel, promotion (in the sense of offering and containing that which is essentially and truly good; vid., concerning תּוּשִׁיָּה, Pro 2:7), and energy (vid., Ecc 7:19). But she does not merely possess בִּינָה; this is much rather her peculiar nature, and is one with her. That Pro 8:14 is formed after Job 12:13, Job 12:16 (Hitzig) is possible, without there following thence any argument against its genuineness. And if Pro 8:15., and Isa 32:1; Isa 10:1, stand in intentional reciprocal relation, then the priority is on the side of the author of the Proverbs. The connection gives to the laconic expression its intended comprehensiveness. It is not meant that Wisdom has the highest places in the state to give, but that she makes men capable of holding and discharging the duties of these.
Pro 8:15
Here we are led to think of legislation, but the usage of the language determines for the Po. חֹקֵק only the significations of commanding, decreeing, or judging; צֶדֶק is the object accus., the opposite of חִקְקֵי־אָוןֶ (decrees of unrighteousness), Isa 10:1. רֹזֵן is a poetic word, from רָזַן = Arab. razuna, to be heavy, weighty, then to be firm, incapable of being shaken, figuratively of majestic repose, dignity (cf. Arab. wqâr and כָּבוֹד) in the whole external habitus, in speech and action such as befits one invested with power (Fl.).
Pro 8:16
We may not explain the second clause of this verse: et ad ingenua impelluntur quicunque terrae imperant, for נָדִיב is adj. without such a verbal sense. But besides, נדיבים is not pred., for which it is not adapted, because, with the obscuring of its ethical signification (from נָדַב, to impel inwardly, viz., to noble conduct, particularly to liberality), it also denotes those who are noble only with reference to birth, and not to disposition (Isa 32:8). Thus נדיבים is a fourth synonym for the highly exalted, and כל־שׁפטי ארץ is the summary placing together of all kinds of dignity; for שָׁפַט unites in itself references to government, administration of justice, and rule. כל is used, and not וכל - a so-called asyndeton summativum. Instead of אָֽרֶץ (lxx) there is found also the word צֶדֶק (Syr., Targ., Jerome, Graec. Venet., adopted by Norzi after Codd. and Neapol. 1487). But this word, if not derived from the conclusion of the preceding verse, is not needed by the text, and gives a summary which does not accord with that which is summed up (מלכים, רזנים, שׂרים, נדיבים); besides, the Scripture elsewhere calls God Himself שׁופט צדק (Psa 9:5; Jer 11:20). The Masoretic reading
(Note: If the Masoretes had read שׁפטי צֶדֶק, then would they have added the remark לית (“it does not further occur”), and inserted the expression in their Register of Expressions, which occurs but once, Masora finalis, p. 62.)
of most of the editions, which is also found in the Cod. Hillel (ספר הללי)
(Note: One of the most ancient and celebrated Codd of the Heb. Scriptures, called Hillel from the name of the man who wrote it. Vid., Streack's Prolegomena, p. 112. It was written about a.d. 600.)
merits the preference.