Lange S Commentary on the Holyscriptures Proverbs(Vol. 1) (Johann P. Lange)

《Lange’s Commentary on the HolyScriptures–Proverbs(Vol. 1)》(Johann P. Lange)

Commentator

Johann Peter Lange (April 10, 1802, Sonneborn (now a part of Wuppertal) - July 9, 1884, age 82), was a German Calvinist theologian of peasant origin.

He was born at Sonneborn near Elberfeld, and studied theology at Bonn (from 1822) under K. I. Nitzsch and G. C. F. Lüheld several pastorates, and eventually (1854) settled at Bonn as professor of theology in succession to Isaac August Dorner, becoming also in 1860 counsellor to the consistory.

Lange has been called the poetical theologian par excellence: "It has been said of him that his thoughts succeed each other in such rapid and agitated waves that all calm reflection and all rational distinction become, in a manner, drowned" (F. Lichtenberger).

As a dogmatic writer he belonged to the school of Schleiermacher. His Christliche Dogmatik (5 vols, 1849-1852; new edition, 1870) "contains many fruitful and suggestive thoughts, which, however, are hidden under such a mass of bold figures and strange fancies and suffer so much from want of clearness of presentation, that they did not produce any lasting effect" (Otto Pfleiderer).

Introduction

THE

PROVERBS OF SOLOMON

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THEOLOGICALLY AND HOMILETICALLY EXPOUNDED

by

DR. OTTO ZÖCKLER,

Professor Of Theology At Greifswald

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TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY

Rev. CHARLES A. AIKEN, Ph. D,

Union College, Schenectady, N. Y.

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VOL. X. OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: CONTAINING Proverbs,, Ecclesiastes, AND THE SONG OF SOLOMON.

GENERAL SUPERSCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Proverbs 1:1-6

Announcement of the author of the collection ( Proverbs 1:1) of its object Proverbs 1:2-3), and of its great value Proverbs 1:4-6)

I. Introductory Division

Proverbs 1:7 to Proverbs 9:18

True wisdom as the basis and end of all moral effort, impressed by admonition and commendation upon the hearts of youth

Motto: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge;” Proverbs 1:7

1. Group of admonitory discourses; Proverbs 1:8 to Proverbs 3:35.

1. Admonition of the teacher of wisdom to his son to avoid the way of vice; Proverbs 1:8-19

2. Warning delineation of the perverse and ruinous conduct of the fool, put into the mouth of Wisdom (personified); Proverbs 1:20-33

3. Exhibition of the blessed consequences of obedience and of striving after Wisdom of Solomon 2:1-22.

4. Continuation of the exhibition of the salutary results of this devout and pious life; Proverbs 3:1-18.

5. Description of the powerful protection which God, the wise Creator of the world, grants to those that fear Him; Proverbs 3:19-26.

6. Admonition to charity and justice; Proverbs 3:27-35.

2. Group of admonitory discourses; Proverbs 4:1 to Proverbs 7:27.

7. Report of the teacher of wisdom concerning the good counsels in favor of piety, and the warnings against vice, which were addressed to him in his youth by his father; Proverbs 4:1-27.

8. Warning against intercourse with lewd women, and against the ruinous consequences of licentiousness; Proverbs 5:1-23.

9. Warning against inconsiderate suretyship; Proverbs 6:1-5.

10. Rebuke of the sluggard; Proverbs 6:6-11.

11. Warning against malice and wanton violence; Proverbs 6:12-19.

12. Admonition to chastity, with a warning delineation of the fearful consequences of adultery; Proverbs 6:20-35.

13. New admonition to chastity, with a reference to the repulsive example of a youth led astray by a harlot; Proverbs 7:1-27.

3. Group of admonitory discourses; Proverbs 8:1 to Proverbs 9:18

14. A second public discourse of Wisdom (personified) Proverbs 8, having reference

a) to the richness of her gifts ( Proverbs 8:1-21);

b) to the origin of her nature in God ( Proverbs 8:21-31); and

c) to the blessing that flows from the possession of her ( Proverbs 8:32-36).

15. Allegorical exhibition of the call of men to the possession and enjoyment of true Wisdom of Solomon, under the figure of an invitation to two banquets ( Proverbs 9),

a) that of Wisdom; Proverbs 9:1-12.

b) that of Folly; Proverbs 9:13-18.

II. Original nucleus of the collection,—genuine proverbs of Solomon; Proverbs 10:1 to Proverbs 22:16

Ethical maxims, precepts, and admonitions, with respect to the most diverse relations of human life.

Exhibition of the difference between the pious and the ungodly, and their respective lots in life; Proverbs 10-15*.

*The justification for comprehending the contents of these chapters under the above heading is to be found in this,—that the so called antithetic Maschal form is decidedly predominant in them. Comp. above § 14, p32, and also the general prefatory remarks which introduce the exegetical comments on Proverbs 10.

a) Comparison between the pious and the ungodly with reference to their life and conduct in general; Proverbs 10:1-32.

b) Comparison between the good results of piety, and the disadvantages and penalties of ungodliness ( Proverbs 11-15), and particularly

α) with reference to just and unjust, benevolent and malevolent conduct toward one’s neighbor; Proverbs 11;

β) with reference to domestic, civil and public avocations; Proverbs 12;

γ) with reference to the use of temporal good, and of the word of God as the highest good: Proverbs 13;

δ) with reference to the relation between the wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor, masters and servants: Proverbs 14;

ε) with reference to various other relations and callings in life, especially within the sphere of religion: Proverbs 15;

2. Exhortations to a life in the fear of God, and in obedience; ( Proverbs 16:1 to Proverbs 22:16); and in particular

α) to confidence in God as the wise regulator and ruler of the world; Proverbs 16;

β) to contentment and a peaceable disposition; Proverbs 17;

γ) to affability, fidelity, and the other virtues of social life; Proverbs 18;

δ) to humility, meekness and gentleness; Proverbs 19;

ε) to the avoidance of drunkenness, indolence, quarrelsomeness, etc.; Proverbs 20;

ζ) to justice, patience, and dutiful submission to God’s gracious control; Proverbs 21;

η) to the obtaining and preserving of a good name; Proverbs 22:1-16.

III. Additions made before Hezekiah’s day to the genuine proverbs of Solomon which form the nucleus of the collection; Proverbs 22:17 to Proverbs 24:34

1st Addition: Various injunctions of justice and prudence in life; Proverbs 22:17 to Proverbs 24:22.

a) Introductory admonition to lay to heart the words of the wise; Proverbs 22:17-21;

b) Admonition to justice toward others, especially the poor; Proverbs 22:22-29;

c) Warning against avarice, intemperance, licentiousness and other such vices: Proverbs 23;

d) Warning against companionship with the wicked and foolish; Proverbs 24:1-22.

2d Addition: Proverbs 24:23-34.

a) Various admonitions to right conduct toward one’s neighbor; Proverbs 24:23-29.

b) Warning against indolence and its evil consequences: Proverbs 24:30-34.

IV. Gleanings by the men of Hezekiah; Proverbs 25-29

True wisdom proclaimed as the highest good to Kings and their subjects. Superscription; Proverbs 25:1.

1. Admonition to the fear of God and to righteousness, addressed to Kings and subjects; Proverbs 25.

2. Various warnings: viz.

a) Against disgraceful conduct (especially folly, indolence, and malice) Proverbs 26.

b) Against vain self-praise and arrogance; Proverbs 27. (with an exhortation to prudence and frugality in husbandry; Proverbs 27:23-27).

c) Against unscrupulous, unlawful dealing, especially of the rich with the poor; Proverbs 28.

d) Against stubbornness and insubordination; Proverbs 29.

V. The Supplements: Proverbs 30, 31

1Supplement: the words of Agur; Proverbs 30.

a) Introduction: Of the word of God as the source of all wisdom; Proverbs 30:1-6.

b) Various pithy numerical apothegms, having reference to the golden, mean between rich and poor, to profligacy, insatiable greed, pride, arrogance, etc.; Proverbs 30:7-33.

2d Supplement: The words of Lemuel, together with the poem in praise of the matron: Proverbs 31.

a) Lemuel’s philosophy for kings; Proverbs 31:1-9.

b) Alphabetic poem in praise of the virtuous, wise, and industrious woman; Proverbs 31:10-31.

Note. The more thorough presentation of the didactic substance of the proverbs is reserved for the exposition that is to follow, and especially for the rubric “Doctrinal and Practical.” As the best connected discussion of this subject (biblical and theological) we should be able without hesitation to commend that of Bruch (Weisheitslehre der Hebräer, pp110 sq.), if it were not characterized by the fault which pervades Bruch’s treatise, so meritorious, in other respects,—that in the interest of critical and humanitarian views it misrepresents the stand-point and the tendency of the Hhokmah-doctrine. That is to say, it insists that there is in this attitude of mind a relation of indifference or even of hostility toward the theocratic cultus and the ceremonial law, like the relation of the philosophers and free-thinkers of Christendom to, the orthodox creed. No less clearly does he insist upon the general limitation to the present life of every assumption of a moral retribution; and in his view there is an entire absence of the hope of immortality from the view of the world taken in our book. For the refutation of these misconceptions of Bruch (which are undeniably in conflict with such passages as, on the one side, Proverbs 14:9; Proverbs 28:4 sq.; Proverbs 29:18; Proverbs 29:24; Proverbs 30:17; and on the other Proverbs 12:28; Proverbs 14:32; Proverbs 15:24; Proverbs 23:18, etc.), Oehler’s able treatise may be referred to: “Grundzüge der alttestamentl. Weisheit” (Tüb1854, 4); although this deals more especially with the doctrinal teachings of the Book of Job, than with Proverbs. See likewise Ewald (as above quoted, pp8 sq.; Elster, § 1, pp1–6; Delitzsch, pp714–716, and even Hitzig, pp12. sq.)

§ 16. Theological and Homiletical Literature on The Book of Proverbs

Beside the general commentaries (of which we shall have especial occasion to make use of Starke’s Synopsis, the Berleburg Bible, J. Lange’s Licht und Recht, Wohlfarth and Fischer’s Prediger-Bibel, the Calwer Handbuch, and Von Gerlach’s Commentary) we must mention the following as the most important exegetical helps to the study of the Proverbs. Melanchthon: Explicatio Proverbiorum, 1525 (Opp., T. XIV.); Sebast. Munster, Prov. Salom.juxta hebr. verit. translate et annotationibus illustrata (without date); J. Mercerus, Comm. in Salomonis Proverbia, Ecclesiastes, et Cantic., 1573; Maldonatus, Comm. in prœcipuos libros V. Testamenti, 1643; F. Q. Salazar, In Prov. Sal. Commentarius, 1636–7; Mart. Geier, Prov. Salomonis cum cura enucleata, 1653,1725; Thom. Cartwright, Commentarii succincti et dilucidi in Prov. Sal, 1663; Chr. Ben. Michaelis, Annotationes in Prov. (in J. H. Michaelis, “Uberiores annotationes in Hagiogr. V. Test, libros,” 1720, Vol1); A. Schultens, Prov. Salom. vers. integram ad Hebr. fontem expressit atque comm. adjecit, 1748; (In compend. redegit etobss. critt. auxit G. J. L. Vogel, Hal, 1768–9); J. D. Michaelis, Die Sprüche Sal. und der Prediger übs. mit Anmerkungen, für Ungelehrte, 1778; J. Chr. Döderlein, Die Sprüche Salomonis mit Anmerkungen, 1778, 3d edn1786; W. C. Ziegler, Neue Uebers. der Denksprüche Salomonis, 1791; H. Muntinghe, Uebers. der Spr, a. d. Holländ. von Scholl, 1800–2; Chr. G. Hensler, Erläuterungen des 1 Buches Samuels und der Salom. Denksprüche, 1796; J. Fr. Schelling, Salomonis quæ supersunt omnia lat. vertit notasque adjecit, 1806; J. G. Dahler, Denk-und Sitlensprüche Salomos, nebst den Abweichungen der Alex. Vers. ins Deutsche übers. mit Vorrede von Blessig, 1810; C. P. W. Gramberg, Das Buch der Sprüche Sal, neu überselzt, systemat. geordnet, mit erkl. Anm. u. Parall., 1828; F. W. C. Umbreit, Philol-Krit. und Philos. Comm. über die Sprüche Sal, nebst einer neuen Uebers. Einl. in die morgenl. Weisheit überhaupt u. in d. Salomonische insbes., 1826; H. Ewald, die poetischen Bücher des A. Bundes, Th4, 1837; F. Maurer, Comm. gram. crit. in Proverbs, in usum academiarum adornatus, 1841; C. Bridges, An exposition of the Book of Proverbs, 2Vols.; Lond, 1847 1Vol, New York, 1847]; E. Bertheau, Die Sprüche Sal. in the “Kurzgef. exeg. Handb. z. A. T.,” 1847; Vaihinger, Die Spr. Sal, 1857; F. Hitzig, Die Spr. Sal. übers. u. ausgelegt, 1858; E. Elster, Comm. über d. Salomonischen Sprüche, 1858. [Adolf Kamphausen, in Bunsen’s Bibelwerk, 1865].

[Besides the standard general Commentaries of Henry, Patrick, Adam Clarke, Gill, Orton, Scott, Trapp and others, a considerable number of special commentaries on Proverbs have been written by English and American scholars. Among these are Bede, Expositio allegorica in Salom. Proverbia; M. Cope, Exposition upon Proverbs, translated by M. Outred, London, 1580; P. A. Muffet, a Commentary on the Proverbs of Song of Solomon, 2d ed. London, 1598; republished in Nichol’s Series of Commentaries, Edinburgh, 1868; T. Wilcocks a short yet sound Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon (in his works); John Dod, a plain and familiar exposition of Proverbs ( Proverbs 9-17), 1608–9; Jermin, Paraphrastical Meditations by way of Commentary on the whole Book of Proverbs, London, 1638; F. Taylor (Exposition with practical reflections on Proverbs 1-9), London, 1655–7; Sir Edward Leigh, in his “Annotations on the Five Poetical Books of the Old Testament,” London, 1657; H. Hammond, Paraphrase and Annotations, etc.; Richard Grey, The Book of Proverbs divided according to metre, etc., London, 1738; D. Durell, in his “Critical Remarks on Job,, Proverbs,etc., Oxford, 1772; T. Hunt, Observations on several passages, etc., Oxford, 1775; B. Hodgson, The Proverbs of Solomon translated from the Hebrew, Oxford, 1788; G. Holden, An Attempt towards an Improved Translation, etc., Liverpool, 1819; G. Lawson, Exposition of the Book of Proverbs, Edinb, 1821; R. J. Case, Comm. on the Proverbs of Song of Solomon, London, 1822; French and Skinner, a new translation, etc., Camb, 1831; W. Newman, The Proverbs of Song of Solomon, an improved version, London, 1839; B. E. Nicholls, The Proverbs of Solomon explained and illustrated, London, 1842; G. R. Noyes, in his “New Translation of the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Canticles,” etc., Boston, 1846; M. Stuart, Commentary on the Book of Proverbs, Andover, 1852; J. Muenscher, The Book of Proverbs in an amended Version, etc., Gambier, 1866; Chr. Wordsworth, Vol4, Part 3 of his Commentary on the Bible, London, 1868.]

Jewish Rabbinic Expositions; Ant. Giggejus, In Proverbia Salomonis commentarii trium Rabbinorum; Sal. Isacidis, Abr. Aben Ezrœ, Levi ben Ghersom, quos A. Gigg. interpret. Esther, castig, illustr., Mediolan, 1620. Of the more recent Rabbinical commentaries, that in Hebrew by Löwenstein, Frkft. a. M, 1838, is of special importance, and also that by L. Dukes, in Cohen’s Commentary (Paris, 1847; Proverbes), where the earlier expositions of learned Jews upon our book, 38 in all, from Saadia to Löwenstein, are enumerated and estimated.

Literature in Monographs. 1. Critical and exegetical: J. F. Hoffmann and J. Th. Sprenger, Observationes ad quœdam loca Proverbb. Sal., Tubing1776;* J. J. Reiske, Conjecturæ in Jobum et Provv. Salom., Lips1779; A. S. Arnoldi, Zur Exegetik und Kritik des A. Tests, 1. Beitrag; Anmerkungen über einzelne Stellen d. Spr. Sal., 1781; J. J. Bellermann, Ænigmata hebraica,Proverbs 30:11 sq, 15 sq, explicata, spec1–3, Erford1798–9; H. F. Muehlau, De proverbiorum quæ dicuntur Aguri et Lemuelis ( Proverbs 30:1 to Proverbs 31:9) origine atque indole, Leips., 1869.—Compare moreover the works already named in § 13, note1, among which especial prominence should be given to Fr. Böttcher’s “Neue exegetisch-kritische Aehrenlese z. A. Test. (Abth3, herausg. von. F. Muehlau, Lips1865), as likewise to the treatises which are there mentioned by P. de Lagarde and M. Heidenheim (the former judging somewhat too unfavorably of the LXX, the latter in some cases contesting the exaggerations of the former, and in other instances reducing them to their proper measure); for these are important aids to the criticism and exegesis of single passages.

Practical and Homiletical: Sam. Bohlius, Ethica sacra, Rost1640 (compare note to § 1); J. Stöcker (Pastor at Eisleben, died in1649) Sermons on the Proverbs of Solomon; Oetinger, Die Wahrheit des sensus communis in den Sprüchen und dem Prediger Salomonis, Stuttg, 1753; Staudenmaier, Die Lehre von der Idee (1840), pp37 sq. (valuable observations on Proverbs 8:22 sq.); C. I. Nitzsch, on the essential Trinity of God, Theod. Stud. u. Krit., 1841, II, 295 (on the same passage; see especially pp310 sq.); R. Stier, Der Weise ein König, Solomon’s Proverbs according to the compilation of the men of Hezekiah ( Proverbs 25-29), expounded for the School and the Life of all times, Barmen, 1849 (the same work also elaborated for the laity, under the title “Solomon’s wisdom in Hezekiah’s days”); same author: “The Politics of Wisdom in the words of Agur and Lemuel,” Proverbs 30, 31. Timely scriptural exposition for every Prayer of Manasseh, with an appendix for scholars, Barmen, 1850. [In English no other recent work of this sort can be compared with Arnot’s “Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth,” 2d edn. Lond, 1866. Bishop Hall’s “Characters of Virtues and Vices,” London, 1609, is designed to be an epitome of the Ethics of Solomon. R. Wardlaw: Lectures on the Book of Proverbs (a posthumous publication), 3Vols, London, 1861].

PREFACE BY THE GENERAL EDITOR

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The present volume corresponds to Parts XII. and XIII. of the Old Testament Division of Dr. Lange’s Biblework, and contains the Solomonic writings, Proverbs,, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. They form an important part of the Old Testament, and give us the poetry and practical philosophy of the wisest of men, with none of his follies and sins, which were overruled in his writings for the advancement of wisdom and virtue.

The English translation, with additions and improvements, was intrusted to three eminent Oriental and Biblical Scholars, too well known in America to need an introduction. They have done their work well, and have added very materially to the value as well as the size of the original.

In this volume the text of the Authorized Version is superseded by a new metrical version in accordance with the laws of Hebrew poetry. The same will be the case in the other poetical books of the O. T. To retain the prose version of King James’ revisers, and to insert the corrections in brackets, would conceal to the reader the beauties of the original as a work of art. In Ecclesiastes, Prof. Tayler Lewis has thought best to retain the common version for the Commentary, and to give his metrical version as a separate appendix.

Some remarks will introduce the author of this part of the Biblework, and explain the relation which the several parts of the American edition sustain to the German.

Dr. ZÖCKLER

The author of this Commentary on the Solomonic writings belongs to the younger generation of German divines, and appears now for the first time in an English dress; none of his previous writings having been translated.

Dr. Otto Zöckler was born at Grünberg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, May27, 1833. After a thorough training in classical and oriental philology, philosophy and theology, he entered the career of an academic teacher of theology, A. D, 1856, as privatim docens, in the University of Giessen; he advanced to the position of professor extraordinarius in1863, and in the autumn of1866 he was called by the Prussian Government as professor ordinarius to the University of Greifswald, in Pomerania, where he still labors with fidelity and success. He is a very able and learned divine, a fertile author, a modest, retiring and amiable gentleman, of unblemished character, a little hard of hearing, and hence the more devoted to the cultivation of the inner life by study and contemplation, yet wide awake to all the living questions of the age. His learning covers a large ground, especially Exegesis of the O. and N. Testaments, Church History, Apologetics, Natural Sciences. His biography of St. Jerome, with which I am quite familiar, is one of the best historical monographs. He is now engaged on Daniel for Lange’s Biblework.

The following is a chronological list of Dr. Zöckler’s writings to the present date:

De vi ac notione vocabuliἐλπίς in N. To. diss. inauguralis. Giss, 1857.

Theologia naturalis. Entwurf einer systematischen Naturtheologie vom offenbarungsgläubigen Standpuncte aus. Bd. I. Frankft. a M, 1860.