16:1 [Ne jucunderis in filiis impiis, si multiplicentur : nec oblecteris super ipsos, si non est timor Dei in illis.
*H Rejoice not in ungodly children, if they be multiplied: neither be delighted in them, if the fear of God be not with them.
Ver. 1. Rejoice. Gr. "desire not an useless multitude of children," &c.
16:2 Non credas vitae illorum, et ne respexeris in labores eorum.
*H Trust not to their life, and respect not their labours.
Ver. 2. Labours. All will end in ruin which springs from corruption. H. — Achab and Gedeon had seventy sons, but all were presently exterminated, while Abraham had a numerous posterity by his son Isaac.
16:3 Melior est enim unus timens Deum, quam mille filii impii :
For better is one that feareth God, than a thousand ungodly children.
16:4 et utile est mori sine filiis, quam relinquere filios impios.
And it is better to die without children, than to leave ungodly children.
16:5 Ab uno sensato inhabitabitur patria : tribus impiorum deseretur.
By one that is wise a country shall be inhabited, the tribe of the ungodly shall become desolate.
16:6 Multa talia vidit oculis meus, et fortiora horum audivit auris mea.
Many such things hath my eyes seen, and greater things than these my ear hath heard.
16:7 In synagoga peccantium exardebit ignis, et in gente incredibili exardescet ira.
*H In the congregation of sinners a fire shall be kindled, and in an unbelieving nation wrath shall flame out.
Ver. 7. Out. They shall perish by civil and foreign wars, (C.) and by God's indignation. Deut. xxxii. 23. H. — They who yield to the fire of concupiscence, will feel God's wrath for ever. W.
16:8 Non exoraverunt pro peccatis suis antiqui gigantes, qui destructi sunt confidentes suae virtuti.
The ancient giants did not obtain pardon for their sins, who were destroyed trusting to their own strength:
* Footnote
* Genesis
6 : 4
Now giants were upon the earth in those days. For after the sons of God went in to the daughters of men, and they brought forth children, these are the mighty men of old, men of renown.
16:9 Et non pepercit peregrinationi Lot, et execratus est eos prae superbia verbi illorum.
*H And he spared not the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for the pride of their word.
Ver. 9. Of their word, is not in Gr. but may imply the effrontery of the Sodomites, who were not ashamed of openly professing their brutality. Ezec. xvi. 49. C.
16:10 Non misertus est illis, gentem totam perdens, et extollentem se in peccatis suis.
He had not pity on them, destroying the whole nation that extolled themselves in their sins.
16:11 Et sicut sexcenta millia peditum, qui congregati sunt in duritia cordis sui : et si unus fuisset cervicatus, mirum si fuisset immunis.
*H So did he with the six hundred thousand footmen, who were gathered together in the hardness of their heart: and if one had been stiffnecked, it is a wonder if he had escaped unpunished:
Ver. 11. Six hundred thousand footmen, &c. Viz. the children of Israel, whom he sentenced to die in the wilderness. Num. xiv. (Ch.) Ex. xii. 37.
* Footnote
* Numbers
14 : 20
And the Lord said: I have forgiven according to thy word.
* Footnote
* Numbers
26 : 51
This is the sum of the children of Israel, that were reckoned up, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.
16:12 Misericordia enim et ira est cum illo : potens exoratio, et effundens iram.
For mercy and wrath are with him. He is mighty to forgive, and to pour out indignation:
16:13 Secundum misericordiam suam, sic correptio illius homines secundum opera sua judicat.
According as his mercy is, so his correction judgeth a man according to his works.
16:14 Non effugiet in rapina peccator, et non retardabit sufferentia misericordiam facientis.
*H The sinner shall not escape in his rapines, and the patience of him that sheweth mercy shall not be put off.
Ver. 14. Off. The virtuous shall be rewarded. Rom. ii. 6. Gr. "the patience of the impious shall not delay." He shall soon be punished, (H.) while he who gives only a cup of cold water to the poor, shall find a recompense. Matt. x. W.
16:15 Omnis misericordia faciet locum unicuique, secundum meritum operum suorum, et secundum intellectum peregrinationis ipsius.]
*H All mercy shall make a place for every man according to the merit of his works, and according to the wisdom of his sojournment.
Ver. 15. And, &c. is not in Gr. the different editions of which vary. C. — Instead of this sentence, Grabe inserts from the Comp. "the Lord hardened Pharao, that he might not know him, that his surprising works might be manifest under heaven. To every creature his mercy is evident, and he has divided his light from darkness with adamant. H. — His counsels are unsearchable, and the good are entirely separated from the reprobate. 1 Tim. vi. 16. Lu. xvi. 26.
* Footnote
* Romans
2 : 6
Who will render to every man according to his works.
16:16 [Non dicas : A Deo abscondar : et ex summo, quis mei memorabitur ?
*H Say not: I shall be hidden from God, and who shall remember me from on high?
Ver. 16. High. God would not be God if he were indifferent about virtue. None of his creatures can be beneath his notice. All the world is but like a drop of water to him. Is. xl 15. 22. He cannot be distracted. C.
16:17 in populo magno non agnoscar : quae est enim anima mea in tam immensa creatura ?
In such a multitude I shall not be known: for what is my soul in such an immense creation?
16:18 Ecce caelum et caeli caelorum, abyssus, et universa terra, et quae in eis sunt, in conspectu illius commovebuntur.
Behold the heaven, and the heavens of heavens, the deep, and all the earth, and the things that are in them, shall be moved in his sight,
16:19 Montes simul, et colles, et fundamenta terrae, cum conspexerit illa Deus, tremore concutientur.
The mountains also, and the hills, and the foundations of the earth: when God shall look upon them, they shall be shaken with trembling.
16:20 Et in omnibus his insensatum est cor, et omne cor intelligitur ab illo.
*H And in all these things the heart is senseless: and every heart is understood by him.
Ver. 20. And. Gr. "his ways." v. 21. H. — God's threats and promises touch not the sinner.
16:21 Et vias illius quis intelligit, et procellam quam nec oculus videbit hominis ?
And his ways who shall understand, and the storm, which no eye of man shall see?
16:22 Nam plurima illius opera sunt in absconsis : sed opera justitiae ejus quis enuntiabit, aut quis sustinebit ? longe enim est testamentum a quibusdam, et interrogatio omnium in consummatione est.
*H For many of his works are hidden, but the works of his justice who shall declare? or who shall endure? for the testament is far from some, and the examination of all is in the end.
Ver. 22. Testament. The law, or the judgment, which God shall pronounce. C.
16:23 Qui minoratur corde cogitat inania, et vir imprudens et errans cogitat stulta.]
He that wanteth understanding thinketh vain things, and the foolish, and erring man, thinketh foolish things.
16:24 [Audi me, fili, et disce disciplinam sensus, et in verbis meis attende in corde tuo :
Hearken to me, my son, and learn the discipline of understanding, and attend to my words in thy heart.
16:25 et dicam in aequitate disciplinam, et scrutabor enarrare sapientiam : et in verbis meis attende in corde tuo, et dico in aequitate spiritus virtutes quas posuit Deus in opera sua ab initio, et in veritate enuntio scientiam ejus.
And I will shew forth good doctrine in equity, and will seek to declare wisdom: and attend to my words in thy heart, whilst with equity of spirit I tell thee the virtues that God hath put upon his works from the beginning, and I shew forth in truth his knowledge.
16:26 In judicio Dei opera ejus ab initio, et ab institutione ipsorum distinxit partes illorum, et initia eorum in gentibus suis.
*H The works of God are done in judgment from the beginning, and from the making of them he distinguished their parts, and their beginnings in their generations.
Ver. 26. And their. The heavenly bodies continue their courses, (Grot. Jans.) and all things still subsist, (H.) being formed and preserved by an intelligent being. He refutes the epicureans. C.
16:27 Ornavit in aeternum opera illorum : nec esurierunt, nec laboraverunt, et non destiterunt ab operibus suis.
He beautified their works for ever, they have neither hungered, nor laboured, and they have not ceased from their works.
16:28 Unusquisque proximum sibi non angustiabit in aeternum :
Nor shall any of them straiten his neighbour at any time.
16:29 non sis incredibilis verbo illius.
*H Be not thou incredulous to his word.
Ver. 29. Be. Gr. "they shall not disobey his order for ever." H. — After the sun, &c. had been regulated on the fourth day, God set in order sublunary things. v. 30. C.
16:30 Post haec Deus in terram respexit, et implevit illam bonis suis :
After this God looked upon the earth, and filled it with his goods.
16:31 anima omnis vitalis denuntiavit ante faciem ipsius, et in ipsam iterum reversio illorum.]
*H The soul of every living thing hath shewn forth before the face thereof, and into it they return again.
Ver. 31. Forth, the glory and power of God upon the earth. Ch. — Before. Gr. "hath covered its (the earth's) face, and into it," &c. H. — All living creatures shall return to dust. Ps. ciii. 29. C. — Rational and brute creatures praise God by answering the ends designed by him. W.