The labour of the righteous [tendeth] to life
To natural life, and the support of it; all that he labours for
is to get a livelihood for himself and family; that is all he
desires, nor does he seek great things for himself: or to
spiritual life; so his spiritual exercises in praying, reading,
and hearing the word, and waiting upon ordinances, have a
tendency to promote and maintain a spiritual life in him: or to
eternal life; not that the works of a righteous man (so the
Targum, Septuagint, and Arabic versions, render it in the plural
number) are meritorious of eternal life; for life and
righteousness are not to be had by the works of men, but by the
grace of God; yet, as the righteous man labours for the meat
which endures to everlasting life, given by the Son of God, his
labour may be said to tend to life eternal, ( John 6:27 ) ; the
fruit of the wicked to sin;
whatever he enjoys, whether got by labour; though the word seems
purposely omitted, as some observe, to signify that is not
intended; or whether left him as an inheritance; or whatever way
acquired, lawfully or unlawfully; all his revenues and riches,
the increase of his substance and fields, are all used to sinful
purposes, to pride, luxury, and wantonness; and so tend to death,
even death eternal, the just wages of sin.