Bridges on Proverbs 12:10
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 12:10
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 5-7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20-22 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 26 
 27 
 28 
 
10.  A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. {tender...: or, bowels}
 
The minuteness of Scripture is one of its most valuable properties. It shows the mind of God on many points apparently trivial. Here it tests our profession by our treatment of the brutes. They were given to man, as the lord of the creation, for his use, comfort, and food (Genesis 1:28, 9:3); not for his wantonness. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast, duly attends to its comfort (Genesis 24:32), and never presses it beyond its strength. (Ib. 33:13, 14.) The brutal habits, therefore, the coarse words, inhuman blows (Numbers 22:27), and hard tyranny on the public roads, are disgraceful to our nature. The delight of children in putting animals to pain for amusement, if not early restrained, will mature them in cruelty, demoralize their whole character, and harden them against all the sympathies of social life. For, as Mr. Locke wisely observed, ‘they who delight in the sufferings and destruction of inferior creatures, will not be apt to be very compassionate and benign to those of their own kind.’ † Thus the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel, having no right feeling (Genesis 37:26-28); only a milder exercise of barbarity (1 Samuel 11:1, 2. Luke 23:13-16); and usually meted out for some selfish end.†
But why is this humanity marked as the feature of a righteous man? Because it is the image of our heavenly Father, who spreads his cherishing wings over his whole creation. (Psalm 33:5; 145:9, 16; 147:9.) As though the field of man was too small for his goodness, he regardeth the life of the beast. (Ib. 36:6, 7.) Witness the sanctions of his law (Exodus 22:30. Deuteronomy 5:14; 25:4), and the dispensations of his judgments. (Jonah 4:11.) Nay, even did he by miraculous interference put into the mouth of the stupid ass to plead as it were the cause of the dumb creation. (Numbers 22:28-30.) Must not then his children reflect his whole image of love? (Matthew 5:44, 45.) And is not the want of any feature of this image a mark of doubtful relationship to him?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Genesis 1:28
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. {moveth: Heb. creepeth}
 
Genesis 9:3
3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
 
 
Genesis 24:32
32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.
 
 
Genesis 33:13, 14
13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. 14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir. {according...: Heb. according to the foot of the work, etc., and according to the foot of the children}
 
 
Numbers 22:27
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
 
 
Footnote:
Thoughts concerning Education.
 
 
Genesis 37:26-28
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. {were...: Heb. hearkened} 28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
 
 
1 Samuel 11:1, 2
1 ¶ Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
 
Luke 23:13-16
13 ¶ And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. 16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
 
 
Footnote:
Acts 24:26, 27. — ‘We have been used to hear much of the benevolence of infidels, and the philanthropy of deists. It is all a pretense. Self is the idol, and self-indulgence the object, in the accomplishment of which they are little scrupulous about the means. Where self is the idol, the heart is cruel. While they talk of universal charity, they regard not the cruelty of robbing millions of the consolation of religion. While they clamour about reform, they would with unfeeling barbarity exult in the demolition of venerable establishments. While they speak of harmless gaiety and pleasure, they would treacherously corrupt piety, and pollute unsuspecting innocence.’ — Holden in loco.
 
 
Acts 24:26, 27
26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. 27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
 
 
Psalm 33:5
5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. {goodness: or, mercy}
 
Psalm 145:9, 16
9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. 16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
 
Psalm 147:9
9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
 
 
Psalm 36:6, 7
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. {the...: Heb. the mountains of God} 7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. {excellent: Heb. precious}
 
 
Exodus 22:30
30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
 
Deuteronomy 5:14
14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
 
Deuteronomy 25:4
4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. {treadeth...: Heb. thresheth}
 
 
Jonah 4:11
11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
 
 
Numbers 22:28-30
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. {upon...: Heb. who hast ridden upon me} {ever since...: or, ever since thou wast, etc}
 
 
Matthew 5:44, 45
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.