Proverbs 8:29

Pro 8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Ver. 29. When he appointed the foundations.] That it should remain unmoveable, though it hang in the air, as it were by geometry.

“ Terra pilae similis nullo fulcimine nixa,

Aere suspenso tam grave pendet onus. ” - Ovid.

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.

commandment--better, the shore, that is, of the sea.

foundations--figuratively denotes the solid structure (Job 38:4; Psa 24:2).

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 29. When he gave to the sea his decree] When he assigned its limits, adjusted its saltness, and proportioned the extent of the surface to the quantity of vapours to be raised from it, for the irrigation of the terrene surface.

The foundations of the earth] Those irreversible laws by which all its motions are governed; its annual and diurnal rotation, and particularly its centrifugal and centripetal forces; by the former of which it has its annual motion round the sun like all other planets; and by the latter all its particles are prevented from flying off, notwithstanding the great velocity of its motion round its own axis, which causes one thousand and forty-two miles of its equator to pass under any given point in the heavens in the course of a single hour! These are, properly speaking, the foundations of the earth; the principles on which it is constructed, and the laws by which it is governed.

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

(29) When he gave to the sea his decree . . .—Compare the same thoughts in Job_38:4; Job_38:10-11.

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

29. his decree] So R.V. marg.; its bound, R.V. text. It may be doubted, however, whether the translators of A.V. did not mean, its (for which they often use his) decree, i.e. the law laid upon it by God for its observance. Terminum suum, Vulg. Comp. Job_38:8-11; Psa_104:9.

appointed] or, marked out, R.V.

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.

When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment,.... A perpetual decree, which never has been altered nor never will: he has placed the sand for the bounds of the sea everywhere, which it cannot pass, though its waves toss, foam, and roar; this is his decreed place, with which he has shut it up, as with doors, bars, and bolts; so that those proud waves may come hitherto and no further, Jer 5:22;

when he appointed the foundations of the earth; which are laid on the seas and floods; nay, the earth is hung like a ball in the air upon nothing; and yet its foundations are such as that it shall not be removed; being the purpose and decree, the power and might, of the Lord himself, Job 26:7. Now Christ was present when those were laid, for he was concerned in the laying of them himself, Heb 1:10. The Lord asks Job where he was then, Job 38:4; he was not theft in being, but Christ was.

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

Pass. This is often remarked, Psalm xli. 8. --- Earth. See Job xxxviii. 8. (Calmet)

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).

His decree; or, his bound or limits, to wit, those parts of the earth which border upon it.

Not pass his commandment, i.e. not overflow the earth.

Appointed, or laid, the foundations o the earth; either,

1. The centre of the earth; or,

2. The earth itself, which is the foundation of the world; or rather,

3. The firm standing of the earth upon its foundations, notwithstanding all the assaults which the waters of the sea or within the earth make against it; which is a singular work of God’s providence.

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

29. Should not pass his commandment — קיו, his mouth, that is, the mouth of the sea, used tropically — the edge, margin, shore. Should not pass over its shore.

Foundations of the earth — Or, land. ארצ, (erets,) stands opposed to ים, (yam,) sea, and should, probably, be rendered land. The solid land, with its everlasting rocks as its foundations, constitutes the barrier of the sea, keeping it within its appointed limits. Translation: “When he defined to the sea its statute, (limit,) that the waters should not pass over its shore: when he decreed, (marked out,) the foundations of the land. Comp. Gen_1:9-10; Job_38:4; Job_38:10-11.

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

When he gave to the sea his decree; (chok, as Job_28:26 Jer_5:22) or, its bounds. The meaning is much the same in either case, being what is expressed in Job_38:8, etc, "Who shut up the sea with doors...and prescribed for it my decree, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shall thou come, and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?" The LXX omits this hemistich. When he appointed the foundations of the earth. 9:9, "Wisdom was with thee; which knoweth thy works, and was present when thou madest the world." Joh_1:2, "The Word was with God." As one brought up with him; Vulgate, cuncta componens ; Septuagint, Hmhn par autw armozousa , "I was with him arranging things in harmony." The Hebrew word is wOma; (amon), "an artificer," "workman". (Jer_52:15) Thus in RAPC Wis 7:22 Wisdom is called h pantwn tecnitiv , "the worker of all things." The Authorized Version takes the word in a passive state, as equivalent to alumnus, "foster child." and this interpretation is etymologically admissible, and may possibly, as Schultens suggests, be glanced at in St. John"s expression, (Joh_1:18) "the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father." But as the point here is the creative energy of Wisdom, it is best to take the term as denoting "artificer." It will then accord with the expression dhmiourgov , applied by the Fathers to the Word of God, by whom all things were made. (Eph_3:9, Textus Receptus, and Heb_1:2) And I was daily his delight; literally, I was delights day by day, which may mean either as in Authorized Version, or "I had delight continually," i.e. it may signify

(1) either that God took pleasure in the wisdom which displayed his workmanship, saw that it was very good, (Gen_1:4, etc.) looked with delight on the beloved Son in whom he was well pleased; (Mat_3:17, etc.) or

(2) it may mean that Wisdom herself rejoiced in her power and her work, rejoiced in giving effect to the Creator"s idea, and so "founding the earth". (Pro_3:19) Vulgate, delectabar per singulos dies. The Septuagint adopts the former of these views, "I was that wherein he took delight." But the second interpretation seems most suitable, as the paragraph is stating rather what Wisdom is in herself than what she was in the eyes of Jehovah. What follows is a parallel. Rejoicing always before him; Vulgate, ludens coram eo omni tempore, as though the work of creation was a sport and pastime of a happy holiday. The expression is meant to denote the ease with which the operations were performed, and the pleasure which their execution yielded. David uses the same word, speaking of his dancing before the ark, when he says. "Therefore will I play before the Lord". (2Sa_6:21; comp. Pro_10:23)

The pre-eminent glory of Christ.

This is affirmed of wisdom, and wisdom in the Proverbs is always an abstraction, an attribute of God, or a grace conferred upon man. Thus we have the highly imaginative picture of a certain quality of thought described like a personal favourite in the heavenly presence. But surely it is not necessary for us to rest with this idea. The New Testament cannot be out of our minds when we read the Old. It was not long before Jews learnt to personify wisdom, and when Christ appeared he realized in his own Person what had previously been ascribed to an abstract quality. Christ is "the Truth" (Joh_14:6) and "the Wisdom of God". (1Co_1:24) His pre-existence is affirmed by himself (Joh_8:58) and repeatedly asserted by his apostles. (e.g. Col_1:16) We may, then, think of Christ embodying this wisdom of God in the awful ages of the past, and see how truly what is here predicated of wisdom applies to him in whom that wisdom dwelt.

I WISDOM IN CHRIST WAS WITH GOD. "I was by him.

1. Wisdom was always with God, always at his right hand. There was never a time when God acted blindly, imperfectly, without full consciousness. We have no ground for thinking of a lawless chaos previous to the exercise of Divine wisdom and power in creation. Even when the world was" without form and void", (Gen_1:2) God"s wise thought presided over it. God"s mind did not grow like ours, from infantile simplicity. He was ever fully God.

2. Christ was similarly eternal with God. "The Word was with God". (Joh_1:1) When he came to our earth he came forth from God. His condescension was seen in this, that he left his place by the right hand of his Father and came down to dwelt with men.

II WISDOM IN CHRIST WAS CONCERNED IN CREATION.

1. God made the universe in wisdom. It bears the impress of thought. Deep purposes have impregnated it. Creation is a parable of infinite ideas.

2. God created all things through Christ. "By whom he made the worlds". (Heb_1:2) Of course, the humanity of Jesus was not then existing. But the Divine side of our Lord was not only eternal; it was even directly active. Therefore there is a Christ-spirit in nature.

III WISDOM IS CHRIST WAS GOD"S DAILY DELIGHT.

1. God rejoices over his work, as an artist over the thing of beauty that his hand has fashioned according to the dream of his heart. "God saw that it was good". (Gen_1:10) The thought that is in God"s work is his especial delight. He cares not for mere exhibitions of brute force. He loves wisdom.

2. God rejoices over Christ. So Christ is God"s "beloved Son". (Mat_3:17) There are times when we grieve our Father, though at other seasons he may smile upon us. But Christ always dwelt under the smile of his Father, a daily delight rejoiced in for his wisdom and the holy and gracious use he made of it.

IV CHRIST, BY HIS WISDOM, WAS REJOICING ALWAYS BEFORE GOD. Wisdom is a source of joy. Wisdom devoted to God is doubly joyous. Christ had an ancient joy. (Joh_15:11) He left a happy home to come to us. The word for this joy is "sporting." Is there humour in nature? May there be in heaven those lighter, innocent joys which make up so much of the mirth of children on earth? Why should Christ have been always solemn?

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

when He gave the sea its boundary and decreed upon the Reed Sea when he created it, on the condition that it split before Moses.

when He established the foundations of the earth Heb. בחקו from an expression of engraving (חקוי), as in (Isa. 49:16): “Behold on [My] hands I have engraved you (חקתיך),” and so (Ezek. 43:14): “And from the bottom (מחיק) upon the ground.”

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.