John Gill Commentary Proverbs 30:13

"There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up." — Proverbs 30:13 (ASV)

[There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and
their eyelids are lifted up .
] Above others, on whom they look with scorn and contempt; as those do who have more riches than others, and boast of them; they despise their poor neighbours, and disdain to look upon them: and such also who have more knowledge and wisdom than others, or at least think so; they are puffed up in their fleshly minds, and say of the illiterate or less knowing, as the proud Pharisees did, "this people, who knows not the law, are cursed":

And likewise those who fancy themselves more holy and righteous than others; these, in a scornful manner, say, "stand by yourself, I am holier than you"; and thank God they are not as other men are, as publicans and sinners; see (Proverbs 19:4Proverbs 19:7) (John 7:49) (Isaiah 65:4) (Luke 18:11Luke 18:12) .

Hence Pliny ^F9 says, that in the eyebrows there is a part of the mind; those especially show haughtiness; that pride has a receptacle elsewhere, but here it has its seat; it is bred in the heart, but here it comes and here it hangs: wherefore Juvenal ^F11 calls pride and haughtiness, "grande supercilium"; and proud haughty persons are said to be supercilious.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F9: Nat. Hist. 1. 11. c. 37.
• F11: Satyr. 6. v. 168.