Proverbs 20:30

“blueness--literally, "joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound throws off purulent matter. stripes . . . belly--So punishment provides healing of soul (Pro 18:8), by deterring from evil courses. Next: Proverbs Chapter 21”

“Better, The blueness of a wound is a cleansing of evil, so are the stripes that go down to the inward parts of the belly. The open sores of wounds left by the scourge, unclean and foul as they seem, are yet a cleansing, purifying process for evil; so also are the stripes that reach the inward parts of the belly, i. e., the sharp reproofs, the stings of conscience, which penetrate where no scourge can reach, into the inner life of man. Chastisement, whatever be its nature, must be real; the scourge must leave its mark, the reproof must go deep. return to 'Top of Page' Footnotes: Copyright Statement These files are public domain. Bibliographical Information Barnes, Albert. "Commentary on…”

“The blueness - Grievous wounds, which make men black and blue; or severe punishments. Cleanseth - Are the means to reclaim a wicked man, and to purge out his corruption. The belly - Of the heart. Grievous wounds or stripes cleanse not only the outward man by keeping it from evil actions, but even the inward man, by expelling or subduing vile affections: which is a great and blessed benefit of afflictions. Next: Proverbs Chapter 21”

“20:30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil: See 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14.”

“cleanseth away evil: Heb. is a purging medicine against evil stripes: Pro 19:25, Pro 22:15; Isa 27:9; Heb 12:10 Next: Proverbs Chapter 21”

“30 Cutting wounds cleanse away evil, And reach the inner parts of the body. The two words for wounds in line first stand in the st. constr.; חבּוּרה (from חבר, to be bound around with stripes, to be striped) is properly the streak, the stripe; but is here heightened by פּצע (from פּצע, to cleave, split, tear open), beyond the idea of the stripe-wound: tearing open the flesh, cuts tearing into the flesh. The pred. is after the Kerı̂ תּמרוּק; but this substantive, found in the Book of Esther, where it signifies the purification of the women for the harem (according to which, e.g., Ahron B. Joseph explains כמו תמרוק לנשׁים שׁהוא יפה להם), is syntactically hard, and scarcely original. For if we…”