King James Version
Proverbs 27
27 verses with commentary
Proverbs on Friendship and Prudence
Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. to: Heb. to morrow day
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KJV Study Commentary
This proverb warns against presumption about the future: 'Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.' The command forbids boasting (halal) about tomorrow—making confident predictions or plans without acknowledging human ignorance and God's sovereignty. We 'knowest not' (lo teda) what a single day may produce. This calls for humility about the future, recognizi...
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XXVII.
(1) **Boast not thyself of to-morrow.**—This is forbidden also in James 4:13, *sqq.*; but there on the higher ground that it argues a want of submission to the will of Almighty God. This temper of mind, as well as the opposite one of too great anxiety for the morrow (Matthew 6:34), proceed from the same cause, too much dependence upon self, and are only to be met by learning to realise the ...
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**26. Ponder--**Consider well; a wise course results from wise forethought.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
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Let another praise you, not your own mouth; 'a stranger, and not thine own lips.' The Hebrew 'halal' (praise) should come from others, not self. Self-praise is prideful and lacks credibility. Reformed theology condemns pride and self-promotion, valuing humility instead. Proverbs 27:21 notes that we're tested by praise—handling it rightly requires grace. Jesus exemplified this, not promoting Himsel...
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(2) **Let another man **(*zar*) **praise thee . . .** **a stranger **(*nokhrî*)*.—As *to the difference between these words, see above on Proverbs 2:16. A higher consideration than this is suggested in 2Corinthians 10:18.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
27. (Compare Pr 4:25). Avoid all by-paths of evil (De 2:27; 17:11). A life of integrity requires attention to heart, speech, eyes, and conduct.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both. heavy: Heb. heaviness
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KJV Study Commentary
A stone and sand are heavy, but 'a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.' The Hebrew 'kobed' (heavy/weighty) describes burden. A fool's anger creates disproportionate problems exceeding physical weights. Foolish wrath is unreasonable, prolonged, and destructive. Reformed theology recognizes anger's danger—'the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God' (James 1:20). While righteous indig...
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(3) **But a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both**—*i.e., *harder to bear. (Comp. Ecclesiasticus 12:15.) The “fool” here (*evil*) is the headstrong, self-willed person. who has never learned to control himself, but bursts out into the maddest rage when crossed.
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? Wrath: Heb. Wrath is cruelty, and anger an overflowing envy: or, jealousy?
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KJV Study Commentary
Wrath is cruel, anger is outrageous, but 'who is able to stand before envy?' The Hebrew 'qinah' (envy/jealousy) exceeds even wrath and anger in destructiveness. Envy destroys quietly and relentlessly, harder to confront than open anger. Proverbs 14:30 calls it 'rottenness of the bones.' Reformed theology recognizes envy as violation of the tenth commandment and fruit of covetousness. Envy destroye...
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(4) **But who is able to stand before envy?—**Rather, *jealousy. *(Comp. Proverbs 6:34.) “Wrath” and “anger” rage for awhile like a storm, and then subside; but jealousy can never be completely set at rest.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 5 Pr 5:1-23. A warning against the seductive arts of wicked women, enforced by considering the advantages of chastity, and the miserable end of the wicked.
1. This connection of wisdom and understanding is frequent (Pr 2:2; 3:7); the first denotes the use of wise means for wise ends; the other, the exercise of a proper discrimination in their discovery.
Open rebuke is better than secret love.
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Open rebuke is better than 'secret love.' The Hebrew 'ahab satan' (hidden/concealed love) fails to act for the beloved's good. True love corrects and rebukes when necessary (Hebrews 12:6). Love that won't confront sin isn't genuine love but sentimentality or cowardice. Reformed theology values church discipline as loving act. Faithful wounds from friends exceed kisses from enemies (27:6). This ver...
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(5) **Secret love—**i.e., that never discloses itself in acts of kindness, not even in “open rebuke” when such is needed.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. regard--**or, "observe."
**keep--**preserve constantly.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. deceitful: or, earnest, or, frequent
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.</strong> This proverb presents one of Scripture's most counter-intuitive truths about relationships. The Hebrew word <em>ne'emanim</em> (נֶאֱמָנִים, "faithful") describes reliability, trustworthiness, and covenant loyalty. True friendship demonstrates faithfulness not through constant affirmation but through lov...
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(6) **Faithful are the wounds of a friend—***i.e., *the “open rebuke” of the previous verse, the “smiting” and “reproof” of Psalm 142:5.
**The kisses of an enemy are deceitful.—**Rather, *plentiful, *showered upon one, but all meaningless.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
3. (Compare Pr 2:16). Her enticing promises are deceitful.
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. loatheth: Heb. treadeth under foot
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KJV Study Commentary
The 'full soul' (Hebrew 'saba'—satisfied, satiated) despises honeycomb, but to the hungry every bitter thing is sweet. Satisfaction breeds contempt for blessings; deprivation makes even poor things seem good. This warns against taking God's blessings for granted. Reformed theology recognizes our tendency toward ingratitude when blessed. Israel despised manna despite its miraculous provision (Numbe...
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(7) **The full soul loatheth an honeycomb.—**So the moderate use of the good things of this life increases our enjoyment of them. But in spiritual things, the less we content ourselves with, the less hunger we feel, and less enjoyment do we derive from them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**4. her end--**literally, "her future," in sense of reward, what follows (compare Psa 37:37; 73:17). Its nature is evinced by the use of figures, opposite those of Pr 5:3. The physical and moral suffering of the deluded profligate are notoriously terrible.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place</strong>—The Hebrew <em>noded</em> (נֹדֵד, 'wanders/flees') suggests restless instability, not purposeful travel. The bird that abandons her <em>qen</em> (קֵן, 'nest') leaves eggs or fledglings vulnerable to predators. Similarly, a man who wanders from his <em>maqom</em> (מָקוֹם, 'place/position') abandons re...
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(8) **A man that wandereth from his place.—**That wandereth forth as an exile that has lost his home. Comp. Genesis 12:4, and, on the contrary, Job’s hope that he would “die in his nest” (Proverbs 29:18). For the spiritual sense comp. Luke 15:13, s*qq.*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5. feet ... , steps--**that is, course of life ends in death.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. by: Heb. from the counsel of the soul
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel</strong>—The Hebrew <em>shemen u-qetoret</em> (שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת, 'oil and incense') evokes pleasant sensory experience that gladdens the <em>lev</em> (לֵב, 'heart'). Yet superior to aromatic delight is a friend's <em>metheq-nephesh</em> (מֶתֶק־נֶפֶשׁ, 'sweetness of soul')—counsel that comes fr...
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(9) **Ointment and perfume.—**Comp. Proverbs 7:17 and note on Proverbs 21:17.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6. her ways ... know--**Some prefer, "that she may not ponder the path of life," &c.; but perhaps a better sense is, "her ways are varied, so as to prevent your knowledge of her true character, and so of true happiness."
Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off</strong>—The Hebrew <em>re'akha v-re'a avikha al-ta'azov</em> (רֵעֲךָ וְרֵעַ אָבִיךָ אַל־תַּעֲזֹב, 'your friend and your father's friend do not forsake') emphasizes multi-generational covenant loyalty. True fri...
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(10) **Better is a neighbour that is near.—**See above on Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 18:24. “Near” and “far off”—*i.e.*, in feeling.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>My son, be wise, and make my heart glad</strong>—The Hebrew <em>ḥākam</em> (חָכַם, be wise) is more than intellectual knowledge; it's skillful living in the fear of the Lord (1:7). The father's joy (<em>śāmaḥ</em>, שָׂמַח) is tied to the son's moral choices. <strong>That I may answer him that reproacheth me</strong> reveals the apologetic dimension of wise living—a godly child vindicates p...
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(11) **My son.—**The address of a father to his son, or master to pupil.
**That I may answer him that reproacheth me **for having brought you up badly when he sees you ignorant or ill-behaved. So Christians are exhorted to let their “light so shine before men” that their Father in heaven may be thereby glorified (Matthew 5:16).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
8-9. Avoid the slightest temptation.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>A prudent man foreseeth the evil</strong>—The Hebrew <em>ʿārûm</em> (עָרוּם, prudent) means shrewd or sensible, one who perceives danger before it arrives. <strong>Hideth himself</strong> (<em>sātar</em>, סָתַר) means to take protective action, not cowardice but wisdom. Contrast <strong>the simple</strong> (<em>pĕtāʾîm</em>, פְּתָאִים)—the naive, gullible ones who <strong>pass on</strong> ...
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(12) **A prudent man foreseeth the evil.—**See above on Proverbs 22:3.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
8-9. Avoid the slightest temptation.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Take his garment that is surety for a stranger</strong>—This legal advice warns against careless financial guarantees. Hebrew <em>ʿārab</em> (עָרַב, surety) means pledging oneself for another's debt. <strong>Take a pledge</strong> (<em>ḥābal</em>, חָבַל) means seize collateral. <strong>For a strange woman</strong> (<em>nokrîyâ</em>, נָכְרִיָּה) may refer to a foreigner or adulteress—both s...
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(13) **Take a pledge of him for a strange woman.**—See above on Proverbs 20:16; and for “strange woman” comp. note on Proverbs 2:16.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**10. wealth--**literally, "strength," or the result of it.
**labours--**the fruit of thy painful exertions (Psa 127:2). There may be a reference to slavery, a commuted punishment for death due the adulterer (De 22:22).
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him</strong>—This proverb exposes insincere flattery disguised as blessing. The Hebrew <em>bārak</em> (בָּרַך, blesseth) combined with <em>qôl gādôl</em> (קוֹל גָּדוֹל, loud voice) and inappropriate timing (early morning disturbance) reveals ulterior motives.<br><br>The excessive, ill...
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(14) **He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice **. . .—If gratitude is to be acceptable, the time, place, and manner of shewing it must all be well chosen. A man who is so eager to express his thanks that he begins early in the morning, and in so loud a voice as to draw upon his patron the attention of all the bystanders, is looked upon as a nuisance; any one would as soon be cursed as bless...
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**11. at the last--**the end, or reward (compare Pr 5:4).
**mourn--**roar in pain.
**flesh and ... body--**the whole person under incurable disease.
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike</strong>—The Hebrew <em>deled tôrēd</em> (דֶּלֶף טוֹרֵד, continual dropping) describes relentless dripping through a leaky roof. <strong>Contentious</strong> (<em>midyānîm</em>, מִדְיָנִים) means quarrelsome, argumentative. The comparison is to constant irritation that wears down patience and makes home unbearable.<...
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(15) **A continual dropping in a very rainy day.—**See above on Proverbs 19:13.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
12-14. The ruined sinner vainly laments his neglect of warning and his sad fate in being brought to public disgrace.
Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind</strong>—Attempting to restrain (<em>ṣāp̱an</em>, צָפַן, hide/restrain) a contentious woman (v. 15) is like trying to contain wind (<em>rûaḥ</em>, רוּחַ)—impossible. <strong>The ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself</strong>—perfume (<em>shemen</em>, שֶׁמֶן) inevitably reveals its presence; you cannot conceal fragrance. Both metaphors empha...
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(16) **Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind—***i.e., *you might as well try and stop the wind from blowing as seek to restrain her.
**And the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.**—Rather, perhaps, *and oil meeteth his right hand*—*i.e., *if he puts out his hand to stop her she slips through it like oil.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
12-14. The ruined sinner vainly laments his neglect of warning and his sad fate in being brought to public disgrace.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
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KJV Study Commentary
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. This elegant metaphor teaches that genuine friendship functions as a sharpening process where each friend improves the other through their relationship. The comparison to iron sharpening iron suggests friction, challenge, and refinement rather than mere comfort or ease. Two pieces of iron cannot sharpen each other through pas...
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(17) **So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend**—*i.e., *the play of wit with wit sharpens and brightens up the face.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
12-14. The ruined sinner vainly laments his neglect of warning and his sad fate in being brought to public disgrace.
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof</strong> (שֹׁמֵר תְּאֵנָה יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ, <em>shomer te'enah yokhal piryah</em>)—the Hebrew verb שָׁמַר (<em>shamar</em>, 'to keep, guard, watch') emphasizes faithful, attentive care rather than mere ownership. Ancient fig trees required patient cultivation: pruning, protection from pests, watering during dry seasons.<br><br><strong>...
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(18) **Whoso keepeth the fig-tree—***i.e., *tends it carefully year after year, “shall eat the fruit thereof” when it has come to perfection.
**So he that waiteth on his master—***i.e.*, attends to him, observes and follows out his wishes, “shall be honoured” for his good service. (Comp. Matthew 25:21.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
15-20. By figures, in which well, cistern, and fountain [Pr 5:15, 18] represent the wife, and rivers of waters [Pr 5:16] the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Pr 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring," and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>As in water face answereth to face</strong> (כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים לַפָּנִים, <em>kamayim hapanim lapanim</em>)—the simile of water as mirror employs the ancient practice of seeing one's reflection in still water before polished metal mirrors became common. The Hebrew פָּנִים (<em>panim</em>, 'face') also carries connotations of presence, countenance, and inner disposition.<br><br><strong>So...
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(19) **So the heart of man **(answereth) **to man.—**What is in our own hearts we find in others also. Whatever are the distinguishing features of our own characters we discover and elicit the same in others. The merciful, the generous, the devout, the pure, recognise the same qualities in others, and themselves feel and receive sympathy from such persons. So the evil, too, find themselves in harm...
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15-20. By figures, in which well, cistern, and fountain [Pr 5:15, 18] represent the wife, and rivers of waters [Pr 5:16] the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Pr 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring," and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. never: Heb. not
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Hell and destruction are never full</strong> (שְׁאוֹל וַאֲבַדּוֹ לֹא תִשְׂבַּעְנָה, <em>sheol va'abaddo lo tisba'enah</em>)—שְׁאוֹל (<em>Sheol</em>) denotes the realm of the dead, the grave that swallows all humanity; אֲבַדּוֹן (<em>Abaddon</em>, 'destruction, place of perishing') appears six times in Scripture, personified in Revelation 9:11 as the angel of the abyss. The verb שָׂבַע (<em...
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(20) **Hell and destruction.—**See above on Proverbs 15:11.
**The eyes of man are never satisfied.—**Comp. Ecclesiastes 1:8; Ecclesiastes 4:8. God would thus teach us that in Himself only can man find complete satisfaction. (Comp. Psalm 36:8-9; 1Corinthians 2:9.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
15-20. By figures, in which well, cistern, and fountain [Pr 5:15, 18] represent the wife, and rivers of waters [Pr 5:16] the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Pr 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring," and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold</strong> (מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב, <em>matzeref lakkesef ve'khur lazahav</em>)—the מַצְרֵף (<em>matzeref</em>, 'crucible, refining pot') and כּוּר (<em>kur</em>, 'furnace') test metal purity by extreme heat, burning away dross. Malachi 3:2-3 uses this imagery for God's refining work.<br><br><strong>So is a man to his praise</s...
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(21) **So is a man to his praise—***i.e.*, as the fining-pot and furnace test the metals put into them, so does that on which a man prides or boasts himself. Observe what this is—*e.g., *wealth, or show, or popularity, or duty—and you will see what sort of a man he is. Or it may mean, praise—*i.e., *popularity, is as great a trial to a man as the fining-pot to silver; he must be of good metal if h...
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15-20. By figures, in which well, cistern, and fountain [Pr 5:15, 18] represent the wife, and rivers of waters [Pr 5:16] the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Pr 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring," and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle</strong> (אִם־תִּכְתּוֹשׁ אֶת־הָאֱוִיל בַּמַּכְתֵּשׁ בְּתוֹךְ הָרִיפוֹת בַּעֱלִי, <em>im-tikhtosh et-ha'evil bamakhitesh betokh harifot ba'eli</em>)—the graphic imagery employs כָּתַשׁ (<em>katash</em>, 'to pound, beat') and מַכְתֵּשׁ (<em>makhtesh</em>, 'mortar'), tools for grinding grain with an עֱלִי (<em>eli</em>, ...
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(22) **Though thou shouldest bray **(*i.e., *pound) a fool (a self-willed, headstrong person) in a mortar among wheat with a pestle.—This would separate completely the husks from the wheat; but obstinacy has become a part of such a man’s nature, and cannot be got rid of even by such violent measures.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
15-20. By figures, in which well, cistern, and fountain [Pr 5:15, 18] represent the wife, and rivers of waters [Pr 5:16] the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Pr 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring," and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. look: Heb. set thy heart
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks</strong> (יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע פְּנֵי צֹאנֶךָ, <em>yado'a teda penei tzonekha</em>)—the emphatic doubling of יָדַע (<em>yada</em>, 'to know') creates an intensive imperative: 'knowing, know!' This is intimate, experiential knowledge, not mere information. The פָּנִים (<em>panim</em>, 'face') of the flock suggests personal attention to each animal's...
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(23) **Be** **thou diligent **to **know the state of thy herds. . . .**—In the last five verses of this chapter the peace and security of the pastoral life are described as being far superior to the uncertainty attending other sources of wealth and the regal power. For the spiritual sense of this passage comp. 1Peter 5:2-4
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
15-20. By figures, in which well, cistern, and fountain [Pr 5:15, 18] represent the wife, and rivers of waters [Pr 5:16] the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Pr 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring," and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? riches: Heb. strength to: Heb. to generation and generation?
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>For riches are not for ever</strong> (כִּי לֹא לְעוֹלָם חֹסֶן, <em>ki lo le'olam chosen</em>)—חֹסֶן (<em>chosen</em>, 'wealth, riches, treasure') lacks permanence; לְעוֹלָם (<em>le'olam</em>, 'forever, perpetually') is negated. What seems solid proves transient. James 5:2-3 warns the wealthy: 'Your riches are corrupted... your gold and silver is cankered.'<br><br><strong>And doth the crown...
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(24) **For riches are not for ever.—**Comp. Proverbs 23:5. So it is well to have a sure source of income, like husbandry or cattle-feeding, upon which to fall back.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
21. The reason, God's eye is on you,
The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself</strong> (גָּלָה חָצִיר וְנִרְאָה־דֶשֶׁא, <em>galah chatzir ve'nir'ah-deshe</em>)—the agricultural cycle continues: חָצִיר (<em>chatzir</em>, 'grass, hay') is revealed (גָּלָה, <em>galah</em>, 'to uncover, disclose') as mature growth, while דֶּשֶׁא (<em>deshe</em>, 'tender grass, vegetation') appears as new growth.<br><br><strong>And h...
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(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.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
22-23. and He will cause sin to bring its punishment.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The lambs are for thy clothing</strong> (כְּבָשִׂים לִלְבוּשֶׁךָ, <em>kevasim livushekha</em>)—כֶּבֶשׂ (<em>keves</em>, 'lamb, sheep') provides לְבוּשׁ (<em>levush</em>, 'clothing, garment') through wool. The plural suggests sustainable yield: proper management allows shearing without slaughtering the flock.<br><br><strong>And the goats are the price of the field</strong> (וּמְחִיר שָׂדֶה ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(26) **And the goats are the price of the field—***i.e., *you can purchase a field from the profit of your goats.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
22-23. and He will cause sin to bring its punishment.
And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens. maintenance: Heb. life
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food</strong> (וְדֵי חֲלֵב עִזִּים לְלַחְמֶךָ, <em>vedei chalev izzim lelahmekha</em>)—דַּי (<em>dai</em>, 'sufficiency, enough') modifies חָלָב (<em>chalav</em>, 'milk'); עֵז (<em>ez</em>, 'goat') produces abundant, nourishing milk. לֶחֶם (<em>lechem</em>, 'bread, food') represents complete sustenance.<br><br><strong>For the food of thy house...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(27) **For the maintenance for thy maidens, **who tend the cattle.
**Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
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