Proverbs 1:23

Proverbs 1:23

Turn ye at my reproof
Or rather "to my reproof", for the words are not an exhortation to the conversion of the heart, or to him repentance; but to an attendance to the external ministry of the word preached, which reproves of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and does not design the turning of the heart to it, which is God's work, but the turning of the face and ears to hear it; and so the Targum,

``turn your face to my reproof,''

and not your backs, as they did, showing a dislike of it; or, as Aben Ezra,

``turn ye to hear my reproof;''

turn your ears and listen to it, and do not pull away the shoulder, or stop your ears that you may not hear it; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you;
not "upon you", but "unto you": for the Holy Spirit of God is not here designed, and the effusion of his gifts, ordinary and extraordinary, or of his special grace; but the mind of Wisdom, or Christ, as the word is used in ( Proverbs 29:11 ) . Some interpret it, "here, my will" ^F4; the external revelation of his will made in the ministry of the word, by whom "grace and truth", the doctrines of grace and truth, "came" in their full extent, ( John 1:17 ) ; for as the doctrines of "grace [were] poured into [his] lips", ( Psalms 45:2 ) , so they were poured out by them again, out of his heart, as out of a fountain or well, as the word ^F5 here used signifies; which denotes the large and abundant revelation of the Gospel by Christ, and is mentioned as an encouragement to men to attend unto it; which sense is confirmed by what follows; I will make known my words unto you;
the doctrines of the Gospel, words of grace and wisdom, and such as never man spake as Christ did, his enemies being witnesses; the words of peace and reconciliation, of life and righteousness, and of eternal salvation, which were made known in a ministerial way by Christ and his apostles; but the Jews were such fools as to hate and despise the knowledge of these things; wherefore it follows:

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 So some in Ben Melech.
F5 (heyba) "fluere, vel scaturire faciam", Baynus; "scatebrae instar effundam", Cocceius, Michaelis; "scaturiam", Gussetius; "ebulliam", Schultens; so Ben Melech.