Proverbs 1:26

Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

Ver. 26. I also will laugh.] Quod Deus loquitur cum risu, tu legas cum fletu. {a} If God laugh, thou hast good cause to cry. Note here the venomous nature of sin, which is so offensive to God, that it makes him (against his ordinary wont) merry at his creatures’ misery, who otherwise delights in mercy. {Mic 7:18}

When your fear cometh.] That "terrible tempest." {Job 15:21-22 Psa 11:6} Tullus Hostilius (a profane prince) set up and worshipped at Rome two new gods, viz., Pavor and Pallor, as Lactantius {b} testifieth. Cataline was wont to be afraid at any sudden noise, as being haunted with the furies of his own evil conscience. {c} So was our Richard the Third after the murder of his two innocent nephews, {d} and Charles the Ninth of France after the Parisian massacre {e} These tyrants became more terrible to themselves than ever they had been to others.

{a} Augustine.

{b} Lactan. Instit.

{c} Salust.

{d} Daniel.

{e} Thuan.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This is spoken according to our capacity, signifying that the wicked, which mock and jest at God’s word, shall have the just reward of their mocking.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

In their extreme distress He will not only refuse help, but aggravate it by derision.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(26) I also will laugh . . . I will mock.—For expressions like this, comp. Psa_2:4; Psa_37:13; Psa_59:8, where the same actions are attributed to God. They are not to be taken literally, of course, for the sight of human folly can give no pleasure to Him. They signify that He will act as if He mocked when He refuses to hear their cry. Similar expressions, imputing human actions to the Almighty, are Gen_11:5; Gen_11:7; 2Ch_16:9; Psa_18:9; human feelings, Gen_6:6.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. at] Rather, in, i.e. in the time of. Comp. on this verse Psa_2:4; Psa_37:13; Psa_59:8.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I also will laugh at your calamity,.... By way of retaliation, measuring measure for measure; even as they scorned him, and delighted in their scorning, now he in his turn will "laugh" at them and their distress; which act is ascribed to the Lord by an anthropopathy; see Psa 2:4; signifying that he should not at all pity them, show no compassion to them, and have no mercy upon them; but rather express a pleasure and delight in displaying the glory of his justice in their destruction: the plain sense is, that no favour would be shown them, Isa 27:11. The word translated "calamity" signifies a "vapour" (f), or cloud; denoting it would be a very dark dispensation with the Jews, as it was when "wrath came upon them to the uttermost", Th1 2:16; even on their nation, city, and temple; as in their last destruction by the Romans, which is here intended;

I will mock when your fear cometh; which is the same thing in different words; for by "fear" is meant the dreadful calamity on which brought dread, terror, and consternation with it, and of which they had fearful apprehensions beforehand: wherefore this is mentioned among the signs of Jerusalem's destruction, "men's hearts failing them for fear", Luk 21:26.

(f) "significat vaporem", Vatablus, Mercerus, Amama.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Compare the marginal reference. The scorn and derision with which men look on pride and malice, baffled and put to shame, has something that answers to it in the Divine Judgment. It is, however, significant that in the fuller revelation of the mind and will of the Father in the person of the Son no such language meets us. Sadness, sternness, severity, there may be, but, from first to last, no word of mere derision.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Mock. God is too much above us to act thus; but he will treat us as an enraged enemy. (Calmet) --- In hell, the damned will cry in vain, ver. 28. They had sufficient graces offered while they were alive. (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

As you have scoffed at me and my ways,

I also will laugh at your calamity, i.e. destroy you without pity, and take pleasure therein. Compare Rev 18:20.

Your fear; the misery which you do or should fear. The act for the object, as Isa 8:12, and elsewhere.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

26. I…

laugh — Ye have laughed at my expostulations and mocked at my words; now, when your calamity comes, I also will laugh at you and deride your fears.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I also will laugh at your calamity; or, more accurately, in the time of your calamity; as in the Vulgate, in interitu vestro ridebo. The preposition prefixed to the substantive b"eyd"chem ( refers to the time, or state, or condition (Gesenius, "Gram.," 154, 3). In the time of their calamity wisdom will exult or rejoice. The LXX, Th umetera apleia epigelasomai , however, favours the rendering of the Authorized Version. Calamity (dyae, eyd) is heavy overwhelming misfortune, that which oppresses and crushes its victims. The terrific nature of the punishment of the wicked is marked by a succession of terms all of terrible import calamity, fear, desolation, destruction, distress, and anguish (vers. 26, 27). When these come upon them, then Wisdom will laugh and have them in derision. The verbs "laugh" (qjc, sakhak) and "mock" (gl laag) are the same as in Psa_2:4, where they are rendered "to mock" and "have in derision." When your fear cometh; i.e. has actually arrived. Fear (djp, pakhad); here used metonymically for that which causes the fear or terror (id, quod timebatis, Vulgate). There is a similar use of fobov in 1Pe_3:14.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Your fear - The misery you do or should fear.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Wisdom continues to speak, describing what happens to those who ignore her.

I will laugh

This can be stated with the word "therefore" to show that the woman wisdom laughs at them because they ignored her. AT: "Therefore I will laugh" (See: Connecting Words)

at your calamity

"when bad things happen to you"

when the terror comes

The abstract noun "terror" can be stated as an adjective. AT: "when you are terrified" (See: Abstract Nouns)

when your fearful dread comes like a storm ... like a whirlwind ... come upon you

Terrible things happening to the people is compared to a storm hitting them and causing fear and suffering. (See: Simile)

whirlwind

a very strong wind storm that causes damage

translationWords

mock

terror

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.