This latter part of the verse is only a confirmation of what was said before, and therefore I shall briefly pass it. Those appearances or realities of danger, at which we are affrighted, cause us to turn back; but the horse not being affrighted with, turneth not back from, the sword. The Hebrew is, he turneth not back from the face of the sword; further, the Hebrew is plural, from the faces of the sword. The sword hath a face, it hath (as it were) many faces, and they all look very terribly; therefore not to be afraid of the faces of the sword, is a high expression of fearlessness. Not to turn back from the face of the sword may have this sense, not to fear when the sword is very near him; when the sword looks the horse in the face, and makes dreadful faces, then he turns not back from it, nor yields a foot of ground. The Horse doth not only mock at fear, or at things which are to be feared, when they are afar off, but when they are near, even, when the sword is drawn and brandished before his face. To talk great words, when an enemy is far from us, is the cowards guise; but when we see his face, to stand to it, is the trial of courage.1 The Lioness is a very fierce and stout creature, and yet it is reported, that when she is fighting for her whelps (at which time she is most fierce and furious) she casts her eyes down to the ground, as not being willing to behold the weapons or hunting arms of those who pursue her. But though the natural Historian reports some kind of fear in the Lioness, yet Solomon reports the courage of the Lion altogether fearless and undaunted (Prov. 30.30.) He turneth not away for any; The Hebrew saith, from the face of any; we may say, man or beast, that is, she takes not a step back for any; neither man nor beast can make him afraid. An ancient Writer, describing the Lion, tells us, He ⟨p. 449⟩never feareth, nor flieth, nor hasteth away in the sight of any; but though oppressed with the multitude or number of his pursuers, he makes his retreat softly and gradually, or by several stands, to see who dares engage him, as was showed before at the 38th Chapter (ver. 39, 40.) Thus the valiant horse behaves himself at the appearance and face of the sword; he doth not only not turn quite away from the sword, but doth not so much as turn his eyes from it, but looks it full in the face, though it showeth a dreadful and bloody face.
This latter part of the verse is only a confirmation of what was said before, and therefore I shall briefly pass it. Those appearances or reallities of danger, at which we are affrighted, cause us to turn back; but the horse not being affrighted with, turneth not back from, the sword. The Hebrew is, he turneth not back from the face of the sword; further, the Hebrew is plural, from the faces of the sword. The sword hath a face, it hath (as it were) many faces, and they all look very terribly; therefore not to be afraid of the faces of the sword, is a high expression of fearlesness. Not to turn back from the face of the sword may have this sence, not to fear when the sword is very near him; when the sword looks the horse in the face, and makes dreadful faces, then he turns not back from it, nor yields a foot of ground. The Horse doth not only mock at fear, or at things which are to be fear'd, when they are afar off, but when they are near, even, when the sword is drawn and brandished before his face. To talk great words, when an enemy is far from us, is the cowards guize; but when we see his face, to stand to it, is the trial of courage.1 The Lioness is a very fierce and stout creature, and yet it is reported, that when she is fighting for her whelps (at which time she is most fierce and furious) she casts her eyes down to the ground, as not being willing to behold the weapons or hunting arms of those who pursue her. But though the natural Historian reports some kind of fear in the Lioness, yet Solomon reports the courage of the Lion altogether fearless and undaunted (Prov. 30.30.) He turneth not away for any; The Hebrew saith, from the face of any; we may say, man or beast, that is, she takes not a step back for any; neither man nor beast can make him afraid. An ancient Writer, describing the Lion, tells us, He ⟨p. 449⟩never feareth, nor flyeth, nor hasteth away in the sight of any; but though oppressed with the multitude or number of his pursuers, he makes his retreat softly and gradually, or by several stands, to see who dares engage him, as was shewed before at the 38th Chapter (ver. 39, 40.) Thus the valiant horse behaves himself at the appearance and face of the sword; he doth not only not turn quite away from the sword, but doth not so much as turn his eyes from it, but looks it full in the face, though it sheweth a dreadful and bloody face.
- 1Plin. not. hist. l. 6. c. 16.Plin. nat. hist. l. 6. c. 16.