Proverbs 1:21

21 It crieth oft in the head of companies; in the leaves of [the] gates of the city it bringeth forth his words, and saith, (It crieth often at the tops of the streets; and at the leaves of the gates of the city, it bringeth forth its words, and saith,)

Proverbs 1:21 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 1:21

She crieth in the chief place of concourse
Where a multitude of people meet together; the Targum is,

``on the top of palaces;''
but rather it is to be understood of the synagogues of the Jews, where Christ frequently preached; and which, from hence, they build in the highest part of the city F3; and best of all the temple, whither the tribes of Israel went up to worship in great bodies, and to which the Jews daily resorted; here Christ taught publicly, as he himself says, ( John 18:20 ) ; in the opening of the gates;
either of the city, at which people went in and out in great numbers; or of the temple, where they passed and repassed continually on account of worship; see ( John 10:23 ) ( Acts 3:10 Acts 3:11 ) ; in allusion hereunto the public worship of God's house is signified by the gates of Zion, and also of Wisdom, ( Psalms 87:2 ) ( Proverbs 8:34 ) ; in the city she uttereth her words;
the doctrines of the Gospel; even in the city of Jerusalem literally, and in other cities of Judea and Galilee, the singular being put for the plural; and figuratively in the church of God, often compared to a city; and so all these expressions of "without", in the "streets", in the "chief place of concourse", "the opening of the gates", and "the city", may denote in general the openness and publicness of the Gospel ministry, both by Christ in his apostles, in Judea, and in the Gentile world; more especially the former; [saying],
as follows.
FOOTNOTES:

F3 Maimon. Hilchot Tephillah, c. 11. s. 2.

Proverbs 1:21 In-Context

19 So the paths of each avaricious man ravish, or take away, the souls of them that wield (them).
20 Wisdom preacheth withoutforth; in streets it giveth his voice. (Wisdom preacheth outside; yea, it raiseth up its voice in the streets.)
21 It crieth oft in the head of companies; in the leaves of [the] gates of the city it bringeth forth his words, and saith, (It crieth often at the tops of the streets; and at the leaves of the gates of the city, it bringeth forth its words, and saith,)
22 How long, little men in wit, love young childhood, and fools shall covet those things, that be harmful to themselves, and unprudent men shall hate knowing? (How long, ye of little wit, or of low intelligence, shall ye love foolishness, and shall fools desire those things that be harmful to themselves, and shall the imprudent hate knowledge, or understanding?)
23 Be ye converted at my reproving (Be ye changed by my rebukes); lo, I shall bring forth to you my spirit, and I shall show (you) my words.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.