Proverbs 27:25

Pro 27:25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

Ver. 25. The hay appeareth, and the tender grass.] And the due time must be taken to take it in for fodder in the hard winter. The earth is alma mater, a bountiful mother, to man and beast. It is, as one well saith, marsupium Domini, the Lord’s great purse. The stars also are God’s storehouses, which he openeth to our profit. {Deu 28:12} Every star is like a purse of gold, saith one, out of which God throws down riches, which good men gather, bad men scramble for. By their influence they make a scatter of corn, hay, fruits of all sorts. And good husbands cut hay, not only in the valleys, where there is great store, but upon the mountains too, as soon as it is ready, lest heat or wet mar it. Note here by the way - (1.) How good the Lord is, that stoops so low as to teach us thrift; (2.) How perfect the Holy Scripture is, that instructs us in these lessor matters also.

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.

Pro 27:25-27. The hay appeareth, and the tender grass — In their proper seasons. These and the following things are mentioned as further arguments and encouragements to persuade to diligence: God invites thee to it by the plentiful provisions wherewith he hath enriched the earth for thy sake. And herbs of the mountains are gathered — Even the most barren parts afford thee their help. The lambs are for thy clothing — By their wool and skins, either actually used for thy clothing, or sold to purchase other clothing for thyself and family; and the goats are the price of thy field — By the sale whereof thou mayest either pay the rent of the field thou hirest, or purchase fields or lands for thyself. Goats might better be spared and sold than sheep, which brought a more certain and constant profit to the owner. And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, the food of thy household — Or, if thou choosest rather to keep thy goats, their milk will serve thee for food to thyself and family. In ancient times men used a plain and simple diet, and neither knew nor used that luxury therein which after ages invented.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The fact that providential arrangements furnish the means of competence to those who properly use them is another motive to diligence (compare Psa 65:9-13).

The hay appeareth--literally, "Grass appeareth" (Job 40:15; Psa 104:14).

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

Verse 25. The hay appeareth] Take care that this be timeously mown, carefully dried, and safely ricked or housed. And when the tender grass and the proper herbs appear in the mountains in the spring, then send forth the lambs, the young of the flock, that they may get suitable pasturage, without too much impoverishing the home fields; for by the sale of the lambs and goats, the price of the field is paid - all the landlord's demands are discharged. Either a certain number of lambs, goats, and other cattle, was given to the landlord; or so much money as so many lambs, &c., were then worth.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(25) The hay appeareth.—Or perhaps better, is gone. The quiet succession of the crops and seasons is here described.

Herbs of the mountains—i.e., pasturage.

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

25. hay] “Heb. grass,” R.V. marg.

appeareth] Rather, is carried.

of the mountains] Com p. Psa_147:8.

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.

And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food,.... The word for "goats", in Pro 27:26, signifies he goats, which were sold to buy fields, pay servants or rent, or purchase the necessaries of life; and this here signifies she goats, which were kept for their milk; and which was daily used for food in some countries, and is still in use for the same purpose in some parts of our kingdoms; and in medicine it has been preferred by some physicians above others, next to the milk of women (w): and the diligent husbandman is promised not only plenty of this his own eating, at least a sufficiency of it, but for his family;

for the food of thy household; his wife and children:

and for maintenance for thy maidens: or "the lives" (x) of them, on which they should live; for, though menservants might require strong meat yet the maidens might live upon milk; besides, Athenaeus (y) speaks of most delicious cheese made of goats' milk, called "tromilicus". The design of the whole is to show that a man diligent in his business shall have a sufficiency for himself and his family; and, though it may be but the meaner sort of food and clothing he may get, yet, having food and raiment, he should therewith be content.

(w) Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 28. c. 9. Vid. Scheuehzer. Physic, Sacr. vol. 5. p. 1016. (x) "vitas", Montanus; "ad vitam", Gejerus; "life" is often put for "bread"; or for that by which life is maintained, both in Greek and Latin writers; so in Hesiod. Opera, l. 1. v. 31, 328. and "vita", in Plaut. Stichus, Act. 3. Sc. 2. v. 9. Trinum, Act. 2. Sc. 4. v. 76. (y) Deipnosoph. l. 14. c. 22. p. 658. see also l. 1. c. 8. p 10.

Next: Proverbs Chapter 28

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

The hay appeareth, and the tender grass showeth itself, in their proper seasons. These things may be here mentioned, either,

1. As the matter of his diligence. Take care that thy hay and grass may be well managed, and seasonably gathered, for the use of thy cattle. Or rather,

2. As another argument and encouragement to diligence, because God invites thee to it by the plentiful provisions wherewith he hath enriched the earth for thy sake. Thou needest not compass sea and land for them, for God puts them into thy hand, if thou wilt but receive them.

Herbs of the mountains, even the most barren parts afford thee their help,

are gathered; or, are to be gathered, as such passive verbs are oft used; they are ripe and ready for the gathering. So this clause suits best with the former.

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

25. The hay appeareth — חציר, (hhasir.) It may be doubted whether this is a correct translation. Stuart unsatisfactorily gives: “The grass passeth away.” The word also means an enclosure, court yard, encampment, village. It is probable that it means here either an enclosure for flocks or for pasturage. The verse might be translated: “The pasturage is discovered, and the tender grass appears, and the herbs (herbage) of the mountains are gathered.”

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

As ver. 23 commended the rearing of cattle, and ver. 24 supported the injunction by showing its comparative permanence, so this and the following verses discuss the material advantages of such occupation. The hay appeareth; rather, the grass passeth away, is cut and carried. This is the first stage in the agricultural operations described. And the tender grass showeth itself; the aftermath appears. And the herbs of the mountain are gathered; the fodder from off the hills is cut and stored. All these verbs are best taken hypothetically, the following verses forming the apodosis. When all these operations are complete, then crone the results in plenty and comfort. Septuagint, "Have a care of the herbage (clwrwn ) in the plain, and thou shalt cut grass, and gather thou the mountain hay."

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

The hay - Another encouragement to diligence; God invites thee to it by the plentiful provisions wherewith he has enriched the earth for thy sake. The mountains - Even the most barren parts afford thee their help.

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

When the hay is carried away When the hay is carried away in the days of Nissan, the grass becomes visible, and the grasses are gathered to grow (?), then it will be beneficial to you, for you will have the fleece of the lambs for your clothing.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.