It shall be health to thy navel
That part of the body which is the knot of the intestines; and
may be put for the bowels and inward parts, which being sound,
the body is in health; and these may be put for the whole body:
and so the Septuagint version renders it, "to thy body"; and this
may be put for the whole person. And the sense is, either wisdom,
as Jarchi; the doctrine of wisdom, the Gospel; which teaches men
to trust in the Lord, and not in themselves, to apply to him for
wisdom, and not lean to their own understanding; this contributes
much to a man's spiritual health and welfare: or else the fear of
the Lord is of this use to men, both in soul and body; since by
it they depart from those sins which bring diseases upon the
body; and are influenced by it to the exercise of such graces,
and the discharge of such duties, as are the means of keeping the
soul in good plight; and marrow to thy bones;
or, "watering" F13 to them: that which irrigates and
moistens them, and makes and keeps them strong and solid: see (
Job 21:24 ) .
What marrow is to the bones, that is wisdom, or the fear of God,
to the souls of men; the means of establishing and strengthening
them against sin, and snares and temptations, and to do the will
and work of God.