The light of this morning sunshine is הולך ואור, going and shining, i.e., becoming ever brighter. In the connection of הולך ואור it might be a question whether אור is regarded as gerundive (Gen 8:3, Gen 8:5), or as participle (2Sa 16:5; Jer 41:6), or as a participial adjective (Gen 26:13; Jdg 4:24); in the connection of הלוך ואור, on the contrary, it is unquestionably the gerundive: the partic. denoting the progress joins itself either with the partic., Jon 1:11, or with the participial adjective, 2Sa 3:1; 2Ch 17:12, or with another adjective formation, 2Sa 15:12; Est 9:4 (where וגדול after וגדל of other places appears to be intended as an adjective, not after 2Sa 5:10 as gerundive). Thus ואור, as also וטוב, 1Sa 2:26, will be participial after the form בּושׁ, being ashamed (Ges. §72, 1); cf. בּוס, Zec 10:5, קום, 2Ki 16:7. “נכון היּום quite corresponds to the Greek τὸ σταθηρὸν τῆς ἡμέρας, ἡ σταθηρὰ μεσημβρία (as one also says τὸ σταθηρὸν τῆς νυκτός), and to the Arabic qâ'mt ‛l-nhâr and qâ'mt ‛l-dhyrt. The figure is probably derived from the balance (cf. Lucan's Pharsalia, lib. 9: quam cardine summo Stat librata dies): before and after midday the tongue on the balance of the day bends to the left and to the right, but at the point of midday it stands directly in the midst” (Fleischer). It is the midday time that is meant, when the clearness of the day has reached its fullest intensity - the point between increasing and decreasing, when, as we are wont to say, the sun stands in the zenith (= Arab. samt, the point of support, i.e., the vertex). Besides Mar 4:28, there is no biblical passage which presents like these two a figure of gradual development. The progress of blissful knowledge is compared to that of the clearness of the day till it reaches its midday height, having reached to which it becomes a knowing of all in God, Pro 28:5; 1Jo 2:20.
Verses 20-22
The paternal admonition now takes a new departure: 20 My son, attend unto my words, Incline thine ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life to all who get possession of them, And health to their whole body.
Regarding the Hiph. הלּין (for הלין), Pro 4:21, formed after the Chaldee manner like הלּין, הנּיח, הסּיג, vid., Gesenius, §72, 9; - Ewald, §114, c, gives to it the meaning of “to mock,” for he interchanges
