John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. Go to the ant, thou sluggard , etc.] That art become surety for another, and got into a snare and net, and yet takest no pains to get out. Or this may be directed, not to the surety, but the debtor; who, through his slothfulness, has contracted debts, and uses no industry to be in a capacity to pay them. Or, it may be, this has no connection with the former; but the wise man proceeds to a new subject, and to dissuade from idleness, which brings ruin on families, and leads to all sin; and, for the instruction of idle and slothful men, proposes the example of the ant, and sends them to it to learn industry of it f128 ; consider her ways ; what diligence and industry it uses in providing its food; which, though a small, weak, feeble creature, yet will travel over flints and stones, climb trees, enter into towers, barns, cellars, places high and low, in search of food; never hinder, but help one another in carrying their burdens; prepare little cells to put their provisions in, and are so built as to secure them from rain; and if at any time their corn is wet, they bring out and dry it, and bite off the ends of it, that it may not grow. These, with others, are taken notice of by Frantzius f129 ; and some of them by Gersom on the place; and be wise ; learn wisdom of it, and be wiser than that, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions: this is a mortification of proud men, that would be reckoned wise, to be sent to so despicable a creature to get wisdom from.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-11 - Diligence in business is every man's wisdom and duty; not so much tha he may attain worldly wealth, as that he may not be a burden to others or a scandal to the church. The ants are more diligent than slothfu men. We may learn wisdom from the meanest insects, and be shamed by them. Habits of indolence and indulgence grow upon people. Thus lif runs to waste; and poverty, though at first at a distance, graduall draws near, like a traveller; and when it arrives, is like an arme man, too strong to be resisted. All this may be applied to the concern of our souls. How many love their sleep of sin, and their dreams of worldly happiness! Shall we not seek to awaken such? Shall we not giv diligence to secure our own salvation?
Original Hebrew לך1980 אל413 נמלה5244 עצל6102 ראה7200 דרכיה1870 וחכם׃2449
