Matthew 10:30

Matthew 10:30

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
] A proverbial expression, showing the perfect knowledge God has, and the exquisite care he takes, in providence, of all his creatures, particularly men, and especially his dear children and faithful ministers; as not a sparrow, so not a single hair of a man's head falls to the ground without the knowledge, and will of God: a way of speaking sometimes used to signify, that not the least hurt or damage should befall a person; see ( 1 Samuel 14:45 ) ( 2 Samuel 14:11 ) ( Acts 27:34 ) and the phraseology of the text was in use, and very well known by the Jews; for so they represent God speaking F9;

``do not I number all the hairs of every creature?''


``that the events of man, and accidents which come upon him, (Mymv ydyb lkh) , "are all by", or "in the hands of God";''

and F12 that

``nothing is by chance, but all things are (tnwkb) , "with design";''

or, as they elsewhere say F13,

``a man does not hurt his finger below, but they proclaim concerning it above;''

that is, as the gloss explains it, (wyle wrzg) , "it is decreed" concerning it: which comes very near to the phrase here used.


F9 Pesikta, fol. 18. 4. apud Drusium in loc.
F11 Piske Tosaphot ad Cetubot, art. 119.
F12 Kimchi in Ps. civ. 4.
F13 T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 7. 2.