![]() He turneth it whithersoever he will contrary to their first designs, and to answer another purpose oftentimes towards his people, and for the good of his cause and interest, which they never designed and to bring about such things as were out of their view. The heart of a king is as much at the dispose of the Lord, and can be turned by him as easily as such canals may be made, or the course of a river turned for it follows: The allusion is to gardeners, that make channels for the water to run in, to water their gardens or to husbandmen, that cut aqueducts from rivers, to water their fields or to the turning of the course of rivers, as Euphrates was by Cyrus, when he took Babylon. And which are as "rivers of water" for so the words may be rendered, as rivers of water is "the heart of a king", which is "in the hand of the Lord" unstable, fluid, and fluctuating and yet the Lord can stay and settle, and fix them, and keep them steady and within bounds: or which, like a torrent of water, comes with force and impetus and so the Septuagint render it, "the force of waters" and bears all before it, as do the wills of despotic kings and yet these the Lord can stop and bound, and rule and overrule: or like rivers of water, reviving and refreshing, so is the heart of a good king, full of wisdom and prudence, of integrity and faithfulness, of clemency and goodness the streams of whose bounty and kindness flow among his subjects, to their great pleasure and profit so Christ, the King of kings, is said to be as "rivers of water", Isaiah 32:2. The heart of every king, and all that is in it, his thoughts, counsels, purposes, and designs the hearts of bad kings, as Pharaoh, whom the Lord hardened and softened at pleasure the antichristian kings, into whose hearts he put it to give their kingdoms to the beast, Revelation 17:17 the hearts of good kings, as David, Solomon, Cyrus, and others: and if the hearts of kings are in the hands of the Lord, which are full of things of the greatest importance with respect to the government of the world and which are generally more untractable and unmanageable and who are more resolute and positive, and will have their own wills and ways, especially arbitrary princes then much more the hearts of other persons. Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water. Withersoever he will so as they shall fulfil his counsels and designs, either of mercy or of correction to themselves, or to their people. He turneth it directeth and boweth, partly by suggesting those things to their minds which have a commanding influence upon their wills and partly by a direct and immediate motion of their wills and affections, which being God’s creatures must needs be as subject to his power and pleasure as either men’s minds or bodies are, and which he moves sweetly and suitably to their own nature, though strongly and effectually. He names kings not to exclude other men, but because they are more arbitrary and uncontrollable than other men.Īs the rivers of water which husbandmen or gardeners can draw by little channels into the adjacent grounds as they please, and as their occasions require. The king’s heart his very inward purposes and inclinations, which seem to be most in a man’s own power, and out of the reach of all others, and much more his tongue and hand, and all his outward actions. God disposes even kings as He pleases (Pr 16:9 Ps 33:15). rivers-irrigating channels (Ps 1:3), whose course was easily turned (compare De 11:10). Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentar圜HAPTER 21ġ. ![]() God does this partly by suggesting those considerations to their minds which have a commanding influence upon their wills and affections, and partly by a powerful, although insensible operation upon their minds and hearts. He turneth it - Hebrew, ישׂנו, he inclineth, or bendeth it whithersoever he will - So that they fulfil his counsels and designs, either of mercy, or of correction to themselves, or to their people. He names kings, not to exclude other men, but because they are more arbitrary and uncontrollable than others. ![]() As the rivers of water - Which husbandmen, or gardeners, can draw by little channels into the adjacent grounds, as they please. The king’s heart - His very inward purposes and inclinations, which seem to be most in a man’s own power, and out of the reach of all other beings and much more his tongue, and hand, and all his outward actions are in the hand of the Lord - Subject to the influence, control, and government of the great Lord of all. ![]()
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