Proverbs 8:6

Pro 8:6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips [shall be] right things.

Ver. 6. I will speak of excellent things.] ηγεμονικα; ruling cases, master sentences, axioms of state, principles for princes. "I have written for them the great things of my law." {Hos 8:12} Solomon calls the Scriptures "lords of collections," as some sense that text, Ecc 12:11.

Shall be right things.] Right for each man’s particular purposes and occasions. The Scriptures are so penned, that every man may think they speak de se, in re sua {a} of him and his affairs. In all the commandments of God, there is so much rectitude and good reason, could we but see it, that if God did not command them, yet it were our best way to practise them.

{a} Athanas.

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_8:6

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things.

The excellency of wisdom

Wisdom is represented as making a public appearance in a rude, ignorant, and corrupt world, loudly proclaiming her doctrines and counsels, and calling upon all men to hearken to them. What consideration could be more powerful to engage their attention than this, that she speaketh of excellent things: the opening of her lips is of right things, and her mouth speaketh truth. I propose to show that this is the just character of the instructions and precepts of religious virtue.

I. The excellence of the doctrines and injunctions of wisdom, absolutely and in themselves. We must fix an idea of excellence, making it the standard whereby to try everything which pretendeth to that character. There must be some common and plain rule wherein all men are agreed, and which must have so deep a foundation in nature as the necessary invariable determination of our minds. If you suppose the character of excellent and right to be the result of arbitrary human constitutions, it would never be uniform. But our notions of excellent and right are before the consideration of all laws, appointments, orders, and instructions whatsoever; for we bring all these to the test in our own minds, and try them by a sense which we have prior to any of them. Nor does this sense depend on any positive declaration of Gods will. The original idea of excellence is essential to our nature. It is one of those perceptions to which we are necessarily determined when the object fitted to excite it is presented to us. There is a test, or power of discerning, in the mind. And this discerns the excellency of religious things. Set right and true against their opposites, in any case wherein you are competent judges, and you will see to which of them your own minds must necessarily give the preference. There is eternal truth in all Gods testimonies; they are founded on self-evident maxims.

II. Compare the doctrines and precepts of wisdom with other things which are most valued by man, and show their superior worth. That wisdom is better than rubies, pearls, or whatever else can be described in this world, is shown--

1. In that none of them come up to the character of excellence before insisted on, and which must be attributed to wisdom. They all have only a limited and relative worth.

2. The most precious treasures of this world are not valued but with some regard to virtue, but religious wisdom is necessarily esteemed excellent independently of them, and without any manner of regard to them.

3. The things of this world, which rival wisdom in our esteem, have many inconveniences attending the acquisition and use of them, which do not affect this invaluable possession. Application:

(1)We should hear the counsels of wisdom, make it our choice, and use our utmost endeavours to attain it.

(2) We should entertain our minds with the excellency of wisdom as a very agreeable contemplation.

(3) The excellence of wisdom should affect the characters of men in our esteem, and regulate our regards to them. (J. Abernethy, M. A.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8:6-9 Wisdom is associated with truth, understanding, and knowledge, which are right, wholesome, plain, and clear. Wisdom detests deception, which is devious and crooked (cp. 1:2-7; 6:16-19).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

excellent things--or, "plain," "manifest."

opening . . . things--upright words.

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 6. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things] נגידים negidim, things which are pre-eminent, and manifestly superior to all others. The teaching is not trifling, though addressed to triflers.

The opening of my lips shall be right things.] מישרים meysharim, things which are calculated to correct your false notions, and set straight your crooked ways. Hence she declares,

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

(6) The opening of my lips shall be right things.—That is, I will open my mouth to speak them.

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

6. excellent things] The word is always used elsewhere of persons, princes, or leaders. Here, poetically, my words shall march forth, instinct with the nobility of truth and rectitude.

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.

Hear; for I will speak of excellent things,.... Such are the things of the Gospel; they not only excel what the light of nature dictates and directs to, but even what the law of Moses commands and requires; the doctrines of the Gospel are excellent in their author, nature, and use; particularly those which respect the love, grace, and mercy of God, the person and offices of Christ, the efficacy of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, and the great salvation which he has wrought out. These are the doctrines of grace which proceed out of Wisdom's mouth, and are such as never man spake the like; they are to be approved of, being what differ from others, and to be preferred unto them, Phi 1:9; or "princely things" (u), as the word may be rendered; which became him who is the Prince of the kings of the earth, and the Prince of peace to speak; and are worthy to be received by princes, though little known and valued by the princes of this world; and are embraced and, esteemed by those who are the princes of the Lord s people: or they are "principal" ones, or "leading" truths (w); of the greatest importance, interesting ones; "praiseworthy", as Aben Ezra, or "honourable", as Gersom, and to be had in the highest esteem and veneration;

and the opening of my lips shall be right things: agreeable to right reason, though above it; consonant to the righteous law of God, and even to the perfection of God's righteousness, which is greatly glorified by the obedience, sufferings, and death of Christ, and redemption through him; and these are the excellent and principal doctrines of the Gospel, even justification by Christ's righteousness, atonement by his sacrifice, and redemption through his blood; all which are consistent with and greatly display the justice of God: nor are any of the doctrines of the Gospel licentious ones, but on the contrary teach men to live soberly and righteously; as well as they are plain and easy to such who are conversant with them, as is often expressed, and may be the sense of the word here used also.

(u) "principalia, i.e. digna principibus", Mercerus, Gejerus, Michaelis; "ducalia", Gussetius, p. 485. (w) "Praecipua quaedam", Tigurine versions.

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

Excellent - literally, “princely things.” The word is not the same as in marginal reference, and is elsewhere always used of persons (compare “captain” in 1Sa 9:16; 2Sa 5:2). The poetic style of this part of the book applies it here to the things taught, or to the character of the teaching.

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

Of excellent things, Heb. of princely things, worthy of princes to learn and practise them; or such as excel common things as much as princes do ordinary persons.

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

6. Excellent things — Noble, princely things; things of primary importance, or plain, obvious things, (Pro_8:9.) The word is elsewhere always used of persons: see 1Sa_9:16; 2Sa_5:2, in both which cases the word is rendered captain; that is, foremost, leader.

Right things — Straight; the opposite of every thing tortuous, disingenuous, dishonest.

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

I will speak of excellent things; de rebus magnis, Vulgate; semna ga , Septuagint. The Hebrew nagid is elsewhere used of persons; e.g. a prince, leader; (1Sa_9:16 1Ch_26:24) so it may here be best translated "princely," "noble an epithet which the subject matter of Wisdom"s discourse fully confirms. (comp. Pro_22:20, though the word there is different) Hitzig and others, following the Syriac, prefer the meaning, "plain, evident truths" (comp. ver. 9); but the former interpretation is most suitable. The opening of my lips shall be right things. That which I announce when I open my mouth is just and right. (Pro_23:16) Septuagint.

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

when my lips open

Here "lips" represents a person's mouth, with which he speaks. AT: "when I open my mouth to speak" (See: Synecdoche)

upright

proper or just

my mouth speaks

Here "mouth" represents a person who speaks. AT: "I speak" (See: Synecdoche)

what is trustworthy

"what people should believe"

wickedness is disgusting to my lips

Here "lips" represents a person who is speaking. AT: "wickedness is disgusting to me" or "saying wicked things would be disgusting to me" (See: Synecdoche)

wickedness

Here the abstract noun "wickedness" represents wicked speech. (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

noble

trust

evil

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

Hearken for I will speak noble things Words of nobility and importance.

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.