Bridges on Proverbs 24:19-20
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 24:19-20
 
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19.  Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; {Fret...: or, Keep not company with the wicked} 20.  For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. {candle: or, lamp}
 
This fretting must be a deep-rooted disease, to need such repeated discipline. (Verse 1; 23:17.) One moment's recollection of our mercies might shew, how little reason there is for it. Mercies infinitely more than we discover might be sufficient to sweep the clouds from our sky, and to make us ashamed of our despondency. Before — the envy of the wicked was checked by the remembrance, that there was an end — surely an happy end to the righteous. (Chapter 23:18.) Let them wait for it. It will not disappoint them. Here we are further reminded, that there is no end,† no reward, to the evil man. Leave him to his judge. His candle, notwithstanding all his efforts to keep it burning,† shall be put out.† Sometimes in bold daring he puts out his own candle. ‘I give’ — said the infidel Hobbes — ‘my body to the dust, and my soul to the Great Perhaps. I am going to take a leap in the dark.’ Alas! — was it not a leap in the dark, — into “the blackness of darkness for ever”?
Take then the balance of eternity. Learn neither to overvalue the fancied sunshine of the wicked, nor to undervalue our own real happiness. Envy not his lot. Repine not at our own. Ours is far beyond his reach. His is far below our envy. ‘His candle burneth; his prosperity flourisheth, until it hath kindled hell-fire; and then it is extinguished; whereas the lamp of the godly is put out here, to shine as a star in heaven.’†
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 24:1
1 ¶ Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
 
Proverbs 23:17
17 ¶ Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 23:18
18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. {end: or, reward}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Same word in Heb. as chapter 23:18. ‘There shall be none end of plagues to the evil man.’ — Old version.
 
 
Proverbs 23:18
18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. {end: or, reward}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 21:21, with 2 Kings 10:1-7.
 
 
1 Kings 21:21
21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
 
with
2 Kings 10:1-7
1 ¶ And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying, {them...: Heb. nourishers} 2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour; 3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. 4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? 5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. 6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up. {mine: Heb. for me} 7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 13:9; 20:20. Job 18:5, 6; 21:17.
 
 
Proverbs 13:9
9 ¶ The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. {lamp: or, candle}
 
Proverbs 20:20
20 ¶ Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. {lamp: or, candle}
 
Job 18:5, 6
5 ¶ Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. 6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. {candle: or, lamp}
 
Job 21:17
17 ¶ How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. {candle: or, lamp}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Jermin in loco.