Bibliography

There is a sense in which everyone who writes a commentary on any book of the Bible climbs on the shoulders of previous commentators. The book of Numbers has been especially well served, not only with commentaries, but scholarly research. The resulting literature amounts to a mini-library. At any rate, I would like to thank the contributing authors below.

Cohen, Aaron, Proverbs, The Soncino Press, London, 1947.

Freeman, James, The Manners and Customs of the Bible, Whitaker House, New Kensington, Pennsylvania, 1996.

gotquestions.org

Gustafson, Tim. Our Daily Bread. Grand Rapids: RBC Ministries, different years.

Hubbard, David, Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989.

Kidner, Derek, Proverbs TOTC, Inte-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1964.

Laney, J. Carl, Answers to Tough Questions, Wipf & Stock, Eugene, Oregon, 1997.

Leman, Derek, Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, Messianic Jewish Publications,
Baltimore, Maryland, 1999.

Longmen, Tremper III, Proverbs, Baker, Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006.

MacArthur, John, First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2016.

Miller, Gary, Jesus and Proverbs, Cam Books, Berlin, Ohio, 2020.

Morris, Henry, The Bible has the Answer, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1971.

Ortlund, Ray, Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, Crossway: Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012.

Payleitner, Jay, The Prayer of Agur, Multnomah, Random House, Colorado Springs, 2020.

Perdue, Leo G, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, John Knox, Louisville, Kentucky, 2000.

Ross, Allen, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008.

Rubin, Barry, The Complete Jewish Study Bible, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, Massachusetts, 2016.

Seamands, David, God’s Blueprint for Living, Bristol Books, Wilmore, Kentucky, 1988.

Struthers, William, Wired for Intimacy, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2010.

Swindoll, Charles, Living the Proverbs, Worthy Books, Franklin, Tennessee, 2012.

Van Leeuwen, Raymond, Proverbs, The New Interpreter’s Bible: Volume 5, Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1997.

Waltke, Bruce, Proverbs 1-15, NICOT, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004.

Waltke, Bruce, Proverbs 15-31, NICOT, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005.

Warren, Rick, The Purpose Driven Life, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002.

Wiersbe, Warren, Proverbs: Be Skillful (Proverbs), David C Cook, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1995.

Wilson, Lindsay, Proverbs, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, 2018.

Zuck, Roy OT Editor, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983.

End Notes

There are three kinds of end notes. First, when you take an idea or concept that you had never heard of before and cite it. This is done mostly in an academic environment, and this is not a strictly academic commentary, but I included them nonetheless in an effort to be thorough. Secondly, you reword a section written by another author. And thirdly, you quote directly. I have included all three types of end notes to be detailed. Most authors don’t include all three. If the book of Proverbs was bound as a book it would be 503 pages with 203,948 words. That averages out to a very reasonable ratio of about 3 references per page.

1. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 7.

2. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page903.

3. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 9.

4. Proverbs: Be Skillful, by Warren Wiersbe, David C Cook, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1995, pages 25-26.

5. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, pages 131-133.

6. The Truth About Hell, by John MacArthur, Grace to You Ministries, 2013.

7. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, pages 126-127.

8. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, pages 38-45.

9. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 7.

10. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 93-94.

11. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 11.

12. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1063.

13. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 95-96.

14. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 11.

15. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 94-95.

16. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 49.

17. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pages 11-12.

18. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, pages 60-61.

19. Proverbs, by Leo G. Perdue, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, John Knox, Louisville, Kentucky, 2000, page 73.

20. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 99-100.

21. gotquestions.org

22. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 13.

23. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, pages 181-182.

24. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 104-106.

25. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 17-18.

26. God’s Blueprint for Living, by David Seamands, Bristol Books, Wilmore, Kentucky, 1988, pages 75-76.

27. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 18.

28. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 104-105.

29. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, pages 188-189.

30. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 107.

31. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 2012, page 38.

32. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 190.

33. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 107.

34. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 19.

35. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 108.

36. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 21.

37. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 2012, pgs 38-39.

38. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 109.

39. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Il, 2012, page 44.

40. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 110-111.

41. Ibid, page 111.

42. Proverbs: Be Skillful, by Warren Wiersbe, David C Cook, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1995, page 34.

43. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 113-114.

44. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 71.

45. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 118.

46. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pages 30-31.

47. 1 Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2016, page 39.

48. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 31.

49. 1 Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2016, page 40.

50. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 32.

51. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 120.

52. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pages 32-33.

53. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, pages 223-224.

54. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 37.

55. 1 Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2016, pages 40-41.

56. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 55.

57. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 122.

58. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 37.

59. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 56.

60. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 25-26.

61. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1066.

62. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 26-27.

63. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 55.

64. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 39.

65. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 131.

66. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 59-60.

67. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 131.

68. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 40.

69. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 59.

70. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pages 39-41.

71. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 63-64.

72. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pages 47-48.

73. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 66.

74. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pages 133-134.

75. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, page 73.

76. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 67.

77. Ibid, pages 68-70.

78. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 84.

79. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 139.

80. Jesus and Proverbs, by Gary Miller, Cam Books, Berlin, Ohio, 2020, pages 47-53.

81. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 67.

82. Proverbs: Be Skillful, by Warren Wiersbe, David C Cook, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1995, page 48.

83. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 135.

84. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 71-72.

85. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 135.

86. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 73-74.

87. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 136.

88. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 257.

89. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 137.

90. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 259-260.

91. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 67.

92. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 73.

93. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 138.

94. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 73.

95. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 11.

96. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 141-142.

97. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 73.

98. Ibid, page 78.

99. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2002, page 128.

100. Ibid, page 259.

101. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 78-79.

102. Ibid, page 82.

103. Ibid, pages 82-83.

104. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, page 42.

105. Ibid, page 42.

106. Ibid, page 42.

107. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 84.

108. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 82.

109. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 153.

110. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 34.

111. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, page 43.

112. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 35.

113. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 85.

114. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 35.

115. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 82.

116. Ibid, page 82.

117. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 53.

118. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 154.

119. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pages 49-50 and 52-53.

120. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 87.

121. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 56-57.

122. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, pages 206-207.

123. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 59.

124. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 157-158.

125. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, page 50.

126. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 90.

127. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 310.

128. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, page 51.

129. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 92.

130. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2006, pgs 160-161.

131. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 92-93.

132. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 161-163.

133. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 915.

134. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 163-164.

135. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 328.

136. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 170.

137. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 98.

138. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, pages 915-916.

139. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 99-100.

140. Jesus and Proverbs, by Gary Miller, Cam Books, Berlin, Ohio, 2020, pages 65-75.

141. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 171 and 561-562.

142. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 100.

143. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, pages 338-339.

144. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 100.

145. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 172.

146. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 101.

147. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pg 172.

148. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 341.

149. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 173.

150. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 110.

151. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 86.

152. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 110.

153. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, pages 86-87.

154. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 103-104.

155. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 65-67.

156. Ibid, pages 65-67.

157. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 178.

158. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 41.

159. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 178.

160. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 67.

161. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 106.

162. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 118-119.

163. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 107.

164. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 179.

165. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 107.

166. Ibid, page 108.

167. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 124.

168. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 42.

169. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 186.

170. Proverbs: Be Skillful, by Warren Wiersbe, David C Cook, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1995, page 67.

171. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 186-187.

172. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 109.

173. Ibid, page 110.

174. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1072.

175. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 118.

176. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 190.

177. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 380.

178. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 111.

179. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 42.

180. Wired for Intimacy, by William Struthers, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2010, page 95.

181. First Corinthians, by John MacArthur, The Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois, 1984, page 151.

182. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 111.

183. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 392.

184. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 197-199.

185. Ibid, page 200.

186. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 921.

187. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 201.

188. Ibid, page 202.

189. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, page 125.

190. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 123.

191. Ibid, page 84.

192. Ibid, pages 123-124.

193. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 203 and 209-213.

194. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, pages 125-126.

195. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 132.

196. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 923.

197. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 46.

198. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 215.

199. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 123.

200. Ibid, pages 124-125.

201. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1075.

202. The Manners and Customs of the Bible, by James Freeman, Whitaker House, New Kensington, Pennsylvania, 1996, page 331.

203. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 125-126.

204. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 215.

205. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 124.

206. Ibid, pages 127-128.

207. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 215.

208. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 123.

209. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 221.

210. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 140.

211. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 221-223.

212. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 109.

213. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 925.

214. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 109.

215. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 229.

216. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 142.

217. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 925.

218. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 143.

219. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 230.

220. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 150.

221. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 231.

222. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 144.

223. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 232.

224. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 146.

225. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, page 52.

226. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 236.

227. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 64-65.

228. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 237-238.

229. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, page 49.

230. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 239.

231. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 151-153.

232. Living the Proverbs, by Chuck Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 244-249.

233. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 240.

234. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1078.

235. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 67-68.

236. Ibid, pages 67-68.

237. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 243-244.

238. gotquestions.org

239. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 83-90.

240. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 153.

241. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 249-250.

242. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1078.

243. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 62-63.

244. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 253-254.

245. Ibid, pages 254-257.

246. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, pages 915-916.

247. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 257-260.

248. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 145-147.

249. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 260-261.

250. Ibid, page 262.

251. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 163-164.

252. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 2623-264.

253. Ibid, page 264-266.

254. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 154-155.

255. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 270-275.

256. Living the Proverbs, by Chuck Swindoll, Worthy Brooks, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 181-188.

 

257. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 275-276.

258. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1081.

259. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 277-280.

260. Ibid, pages 283-284.

261. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 932.

262. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 284-285.

263. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 169.

264. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, pages 31-32.

265. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 286.

266. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 128.

267. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 287.

268. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 76-77.

269. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 288-290.

270. Ibid, pages 290-291.

271. Ibid, page 564.

272. Ibid, pages 291-291.

273. Ibid, pages 564-565.

274. Ibid, page 292.

275. Ibid, page 296.

276. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 97-99.

277. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 297-298.

278. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 589.

279. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 298-299.

280. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 589.

281. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 176.

282. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 590.

283. Ibid, pages 593-594.

284. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 302-303.

285. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 599.

286. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 303-305.

287. Ibid, pages 305-308.

288. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 936.

289. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, pages 610-611.

290. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 309-309.

291. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, page 157.

292. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 112-114.

293. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 312-313.

294. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, page 49.

295. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 98-99.

296. Goodcatholic.com

297. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 314-315.

298. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1086.

299. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 316.

300. Ibid, page 316.

301. Living the Proverbs, by Charles Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, page 103.

302. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 186.

303. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 317-318.

304. Living the Proverbs, by Chuck Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 105-108.

305. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 319.

306. Ibid, page 319.

307. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 95-96.

308. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 319-320.

309. Ibid, pages 320-322.

310. 1 Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 2016, page 55.

311. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 322-323.

312. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 925.

313. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, pages 235-236.

314. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 327-328.

315. The Bible has the Answer, by Henry Morris, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1971, page 25.

316. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 329.

317. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 940.

318. Our Daily Bread. By Tim Gustafson, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan, September-October-November, 2011.

319. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 330-331.

320. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, pages 248-250.

321. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 332.

322. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, pages 250-251.

323. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 332-333.

324. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, pages 198-199.

325. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 334.

326. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 200.

327. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 335.

328. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 150.

329. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 336.

330. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2004, page 590.

331. Living the Proverbs, by Chuck Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 174-175.

332. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 151.

333. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, page 150.

334. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 110.

335. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 337-338.

336. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 36.

337. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1089.

338. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, page 240.

339. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 109-110.

340. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 343.

341. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 180.

342. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, page 164-165.

343. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 343-344.

344. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 42-43.

345. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 345.

346. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 942.

347. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 345-348.

348. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 130-131.

349. The Manners and Customs of the Bible, by James Freeman, Whitaker House, New Kensington, Pennsylvania, 1996, page 332.

350. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 71-72.

351. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 158.

352. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 63.

353. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 351.

354. Ibid, page 354.

355. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1091.

356. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 161.

357. Living the Proverbs, by Chuck Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 100-102.

358. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 72.

359. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 80.

360. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 237-238.

361. Ibid, page 356.

362. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 75-76.

363. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 356.

364. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 75-76.

365. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 357.

366. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 78.

367. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 357-358.

368. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 81-85.

369. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 359.

370. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 85-86.

371. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 93-94.

372. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 166.

373. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 96.

374. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 171-172.

375. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 97-98.

376. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 365.

377. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 99.

378. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, page 247.

379. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 100.

380. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 365-367.

381. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 102-103.

382. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 365-367.

383. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 103.

384. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 365-367.

385. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 103.

386. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 368.

387. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, page 251.

388. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 107.

389. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 368.

390. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 110-111.

391. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1094.

392. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 369-370.

393. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, pages 312-316.

394. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 371.

395. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 120.

396. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 372-373.

397. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 189-190.

398. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 128.

399. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 377-379.

400. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 137-138.

401. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 380.

402. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, page 242.

403. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 380-381.

404. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 143-144.

405. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 381.

406. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1095.

407. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 381-382.

408. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, page 164-165.

409. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 150.

410. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 383.

411. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page178.

412. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 384-385.

413. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 165.

414. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 386-389.

415. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, page 245.

416. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 169.

417. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 390.

418. Ibid, pages 390-392.

419. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 182.

420. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 392-394.

421. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 179.

422. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 394-395.

423. Proverbs: The Preacher’s Commentary: Volume 15, by David Hubbard, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989, pages 336-337.

424. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 182-183.

425. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 124.

426. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 396.

427. Daniel, by Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Ariel Ministries, San Antonio, Texas, 2023, page 196.

428. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1098.

429. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 396.

430. Ibid, pages 397-400.

431. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 191-192.

432. Ibid, page 198.

433. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 402-403.

434. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 142-143.

435. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 404.

436. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 153-156.

437. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 165-167.

438. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 406.

439. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 210-213.

440. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 408.

441. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 154-156.

442. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 216.

443. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 954.

444. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 415-416.

445. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 223-224.

446. Jesus and Proverbs, by Gary Miller, Christian Aid Ministries, Berlin, Ohio, 2020, pages 65-66 and 73-75.

447. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 416-418.

448. Ibid, pages 418-419 and 422-423.

449. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1100.

450. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 425-426.

451. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 249-250.

452. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 426-427.

453. Ibid, pages 426-427.

454. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 152-153.

455. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pgs 429-431, 436.

456. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 270.

457. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 436-437.

458. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, pages 258-259.

459. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 270.

460. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 199.

461. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 275-276.

462. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 137-138.

463. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 438-440.

464. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1103.

465. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 440.

466. Ibid, page 441.

467. Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2002, pgs 146-147.

468. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 442-444.

469. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 960.

470. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 203.

471. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 449-450.

472. Ibid, pages 450-452.

473. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1105.

474. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 450-452.

475. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, page 164-165.

476. Ibid, pages 291-292.

477. The Manners and Customs of the Bible, by James Freeman, Whitaker House, New Kensington, Pennsylvania, 1996, page 335.

478. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 454.

479. Ibid, pages 454-455.

480. Ibid, pages 455-457.

481. Living the Proverbs, by Chuck Swindoll, Worthy Books, Franklin, TN, 2012, pgs 209-211.

482. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 458.

483. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 334.

484. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 458-459.

485. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 345-346.

486. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 463-464.

487. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 211.

488. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 213-214.

489. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1106.

490. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, page 214.

491. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 350.

492. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 465.

493. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, pages 351-352.

494. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 466.

495. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, pages 353-354.

496. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 467.

497. Ibid, pages 561-562.

498. The Manners and Customs of the Bible, by James Freeman, Whitaker House, New Kensington, Pennsylvania, 1996, page 335.

499. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 468.

500. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 357.

501. Ibid, pages 358-359.

502. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 469.

503. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 359.

504. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, page 150.

505. Proverbs, by Lindsay Wilson, TOTC, Volume 17, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2018, page 110.

506. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 470-471.

507. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 372 and 380.

508. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 475.

509. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 374.

510. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 162-163.

511. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 160-162.

512. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 477-478.

513. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 378 380-381.

514. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 480-481.

515. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2002, page 237-238.

516. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1109.

517. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 391.

518. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 483.

519. Jesus and Proverbs, by Gary Miller, Christian Aid Min, Berlin, Ohio, 2020, pages 77-81.

520. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 159-160.

521. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 487-488.

522. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 53-54.

523. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 489-490.

524. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 55-56.

525. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 490-491.

526. Jesus and Proverbs, by Gary Miller, Christian Aid Min, Berlin, Ohio, 2020, pages 83-90.

527. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 491-492.

528. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 143-146.

529. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 492-495.

530. The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2002, pg 147.

531. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 496-498.

532. Ibid, pages 501-503.

533. Ibid, pages 503-504.

534. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 230.

535. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 504-505.

536. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 442.

537. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 505-506.

538. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 443.

539. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 506.

540. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 444.

541. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 506.

542. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 445.

543. Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, by Derek Leman, Messianic Jewish Publications, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, pages 69-70.

544. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 448-449.

545. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 160-161.

546. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 160-161.

547. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 453-454.

548. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 510-511.

549. The Prayer of Agur, by Jay Payleitner, Multnomah, an imprint of Random House, Colorado Springs, 2020, pages 1 and 5-9.

550. The Prayer of Agur, by Jay Payleitner, Multnomah, an imprint of Random House, Colorado Springs, 2020, page 5.

551. Ibid, pages 16-45.

552. Ibid pages 48-49.

553. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Roy Zuck OT Editor, Cook Communications Ministries, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1983, page 970.

554. The Prayer of Agur, by Jay Payleitner, Multnomah, an imprint of Random House, Colorado Springs, 2020, pages 52-53.

555. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 529.

556. The Prayer of Agur, by Jay Payleitner, Multnomah, an imprint of Random House, Colorado Springs, 2020, pages 52-53.

557. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 529.

558. The Prayer of Agur, by Jay Payleitner, Multnomah, an imprint of Random House, Colorado Springs, 2020, page 61.

559. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 531.

560. The Prayer of Agur, by Jay Payleitner, Multnomah, an imprint of Random House, Colorado Springs, 2020, pages 61-66.

561. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 533.

562. The Prayer of Agur, by Jay Payleitner, Multnomah, an imprint of Random House, Colorado Springs, 2020, pages 68-71.

563. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 536-537.

564. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1115.

565. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 538.

566. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, pages 506-507.

567. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 539.

568. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 509.

569. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Proverbs and Isaiah: Volume 6, by Allen Ross, Zondervan Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2008, page 245.

570. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, by Bruce Waltke, Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005, page 520.

571. The Complete Jewish Study Bible, Rabbi Barry Rubin, General Editor, Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, Peabody, MA, 2016, page 1116.

572. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 542.

573. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, page 101.

574. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, page 150.

575. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 543-544.

576. First Kings 1-11, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: The Rise and Fall of Solomon, by John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2016, pages 102-103.

577. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, pages 545-547.

578. Proverbs: Wisdom that Works, Preaching the Word, by Ray Ortlund, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois, 2012, pages 150-152.

579. Proverbs, by Tremper Longman III, Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 2006, page 548.

Wisdom for Women
31: 10-31

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

The book of Proverbs ends with this poem about wives of noble character. A careful reading shows that her value is derived from her character of godly wisdom, which is beneficial to her family and to her community as a whole. This poem reminds us of the role that women play in Proverbs and is written from the perspective of her husband. That this poem concludes the book and helps to explain why, in the Hebrew canon, Proverbs is followed by Ruth (who herself is called a noble woman in Ruth 3:11). She is a woman who is defined not just by her actions but also by her attitudes. She is confident in the present and in the future because her confidence rests in her wisdom. She knows how to stay out of trouble through preparations such as making warm clothes in anticipation of winter. Her industry frees her husband up for tasks important to his life. While she is taking care of the home front, he is at the gate, the place where town leaders gather to decide on the important matters affecting the whole community. This is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

According to tradition, Proverbs 31:10-31 were originally created by Abraham in memory of his wife Sarah. Later usages of this passage in Jewish mysticism allude to Shabbat as a queen (a concept designed to bring reverence to the Sabbath), who is welcomed into the home. In contemporary Judaism, these verses are read at the Shabbat table every Friday evening, usually by man in honor of his wife. These praises praise the virtuous woman, indeed all women who shine the light of ADONAI through their actions.⁵⁷¹

Alef: Who can find a wife of noble character? She is worth far more than precious jewels (31:10 Hebrew). The climax of the book of Proverbs is a poem of the ideal woman. The word noble (Hebrew: chayil) has military overtones, but is not restricted to military use. The basic meaning of the term is strength and power. But in her strength, she is not competing with her husband. She is not going through an identity crisis over sexual politics. She is beyond that. She is giving herself away to her family and her community with wholehearted selflessness. She has high standards and sticks to them. The question: who can find? Underscores the rarity, and therefore the preciousness, of such a woman. The second colon emphasizes this by asserting that her worth exceeds that of precious jewels.⁵⁷²

Bet: Her husband trusts his heart to her, and he will have no lack of gain (31:11 Hebrew). Her husband does not maintain a jealous guard over his wife, or keep his valuables locked up so she cannot access them, as was a common ancient practice in a house of distrust. The wise woman is faithful to her marriage vows, demonstrates impeccable loyalty to her husband, and is prudent with the family finances. As a result, her husband has complete trust in her.⁵⁷³ The word translated gain means loot, plunder, or spoils of war. Why this wording? Because life is a struggle. This woman is not living in a perfect environment where life is a breeze. She is living in the real world, and she is up to the challenge. No wonder her husband trusts her. He feels honored to be her husband. This woman that God gave him is his greatest earthly treasure. In fact, there is only one Person this husband trusts more than his wife, and that is ADONAI Himself. She has won a deep place in his heart and he cherishes her.⁵⁷⁴

Gimel: She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life (31:12 NLT). This poem continues to describe the benefits that the woman of noble character brings to her husband. In this case, the statement is general. As long as she lives, she will bring him good and not evil things. Good things and evil things can encompass a wide variety of moral and material blessings, some of which will be explained in the verses to come.

Dalet: She finds wool and flax and works with willing hands (31:13 BSB). The woman is not stuck at home, but goes out into the public square, the market, in order to obtain the materials that she needs. We presume that she needs the wool and flax in order to make the clothes described in the following verses. The second colon informs us that she not only does the labor, but she also does it joyfully.

He: She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar (31:14 NLT). A merchant ship buys and sells. It sets out from one port to deliver goods needed there and then picks up and delivers other goods needed at the home port. The woman of noble character works with her hands to produce products she can sell in the public market, and then buys food and brings it back to sustain her household.⁵⁷⁵

Vav: She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plans the day’s work for her servant girls (31:15 NLT). To accomplish all that she does, this woman doesn’t get much sleep. She gets up early, and we will discover that she goes to bed late in verse 18. She is selfless in serving her household, starting her day early on behalf of others, and is generous with those who help her – even her servant girls. Notice there is no hint of a grudging attitude in her selfless service toward others in her household.

Zayin: She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard (31:16 Hebrew). Women in the ancient world were typically not involved in business transactions, yet this wise woman transcends cultural expectations in service to her family. The Hebrew word consider implies careful thought and advance planning. She is not shopping for shopping’s sake; rather, she has her eyes set on the future. She’s not an impulse shopper, but she gives thorough consideration to her finances and searches out the most profitable purchases for her family’s long-term benefit.

Chet: She is energetic and strong (Exodus 12:11; Second Kings 4:29 and 9:1; Dani’el 10:5), a hard worker (31:17 NLT). This wise woman is not soft, for the work she does vigorously and with zeal has made her strong. It is a simple maxim that we accomplish more when we work with effort. In this way the woman of noble character is contrasted with the lazy person.

Tet: She knows when to buy or sell, and she stays busy until late at night (31:18 CEV). The wise woman takes pride in all the labors of her hands and strives toward excellence in all she does. There is no sense here that she considers any labor menial or that she expects the praises of others for all her hard work. She regards excellence for her family as enough of a reward in itself. We were told earlier that she works hard and does not sleep much, getting up before dawn (verse 15), and here we see the flip side of that, since the text tells us that she also stays up late at night.

Yod: Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber (31:19 NLT). On the surface of it, this verse returns us to the woman’s ability to make clothing. These were parts of the loom, used for spinning thread and making garments. The woman of noble character; therefore, takes responsibility for the clothing and appearance of her family.

Chaf: She extends her palm to the poor (11:24, 28:27, 29:7 and 14) and reaches out her hands to the needy (31:20 Hebrew). The wise woman pours herself out in service to her family, but she also finds the time to reach out to the poor outside of her own home. The verbs extend and reach out emphasize that this is a deliberate effort, not an afterthought. She can afford to be concerned for others because she has already made provision for herself and her family. The emphasis on her household in these verses, however, suggests that her family’s needs come first.⁵⁷⁶

Lamed: She has no fear of the winter, for everyone in her household has warm clothes (31:21 NLT). As we learn at the end of this poem, this wise woman’s only fear is ADONAI (verse 30). The fear of ADONAI drives out all other fears. Specifically, the woman is not afraid of the weather because she prepares for it. It is not unusual for it to snow in the central hill country of Isra’el, though not frequently. But even though not frequent, the wise woman is ready, having already made warm clothes for all the members of her household.

Mem: She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns (31:22 NLT). This is the first time we read the wise woman had done anything for herself. Purple gowns required expensive dyes and were usually worn only by royalty. The wise woman thus uses her own efforts to gather and create the very best for her family, clothing them like kings and queens. These materials point to significant wealth.

Nun: Her husband is well known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the Land (31:23 Hebrew). This verse describes the important status and function of the woman’s husband. He is a leader in the community. That he sits with the elders at the gate indicates that he is an elder himself. The gates of the city were the public meeting area and served as a kind of city hall. There the elders would make decisions and render judgments that affected the whole city. The implication is that her husband can achieve such a significant role only with the support of his wife. She takes care of the household while he works in the community. Her reputation also enhances his.

Samech: She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes (31:24 BSB). With all her other responsibilities faithfully taken care of, the woman of noble character helps support the family by making linen garments for the purposes of trade.

Ayin: She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future (31:25 NLT). A number of the verses of this poem describe the woman’s facility at making clothes for herself, her household, and for sale. Perhaps this is what has suggested the more figurative use here. She conducts and carries herself as though clothed in strength and dignity. Since clothing may display style and status, her demeanor displays strength and dignity. People who looked at her would recognize these qualities in her. The second colon might then be seen as a particular feature of her strength and honor. The future is unknown. But the one thing everyone knows about the future is that it will bring difficulties and obstacles. Yet in spite of that knowledge, she is fearless because of her wisdom, which implies a relationship with ADONAI. The fear of ADONAI will sustain her (to see link click Ai – The Fear of ADONAI is the Beginning of Wisdom).

Pe: When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with chesed (31:26 NLT). Like her divine counterpart, Lady Wisdom, the noble woman’s speech is soaked with wisdom (Bj – Lady Wisdom’s Call). Wise speech is a broad category, but it would include words that are godly, righteous, and also a blueprint for living. She would impart lifesaving advice for those who would listen to her. The second colon also praises her speech as that which is characterized as instruction (from torah) of chesed (see Ruth Af – The Concept of Chesed). Her kind words reflect the covenant between God and His people.

Tzadi: She is a lookout post over the affairs of her household and does not suffer from laziness (31:27 Hebrew): The woman is upright as she looks out for the needs of her household. She may not be worried about the future (verse 25), but that does not mean that she takes a “hands-off” attitude toward it. A person high up in the lookout post would need the qualities of great diligence and observation. Ezeki’el understood his role as watchman (see Ezeki’el Di – The Prophet as a Watchman). By now we are far from surprised about the information provided to us in the second colon. The woman of noble character was definitely not lazy.⁵⁷⁷

Right now some of us men might be feeling, “I haven’t trusted and valued and affirmed my wife as she deserves.” Let’s talk about that, because the primary message here in the book of Proverbs is for us husbands and husbands-to-be, which includes nearly all of us men. What does the word “husband” mean? We have a related English word “husbandry,” that is, cultivation. And when the word “husband” is used as a verb, it means to cultivate. If you are a husband, your job is to cultivate, to nurture your wife. Your life-time impact on your wife should be that her life opens up more and more, and she is enabled to become all that God wants her to be. ADONAI is calling you, as her husband, to care for her so that in her later years she will be thinking, “What a great life I’ve had! My husband understood me. He cared for me. He inspired me to grow in Messiah.” How does a husband do that? Not by criticizing his wife – God doesn’t treat us that way – by encouraging her.

Kof: Her children stand and bless her; her husband praises her (31:28 NLT). Her children rise up, they stand up, and they speak respectfully to their mom. They tell her why they esteem her, why they admire her as a woman of God. Where did the children learn that? From dad . . . “he praises her” (31:28). The key word from verses 28 to 31 is praise. It appears three times. A husband cultivates his wife by setting an example and praising her in their home. No putdowns. No fault-finding. No insults. Not even neutral silence. But rather bright, positive, life-giving praise. The picture here is of the woman of noble character giving herself to her family and to others, and she is receiving praise from her husband and children at home and from her community at the gates. ADONAI wants us to fill our homes and congregations with this beautiful wisdom, where men are not passive, but overtly cultivating the excellence of their wives, and women are thriving.

Resh: What is it that the husband says? There are many noble and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all (31:29 NLT)! How does your wife excel? Tell her. Tell her in front of the children. Have a conversation at the dinner table tonight . . . and tomorrow night. And if you can’t think of any way in which your wife excels and truly deserves to be praised, then that’s your fault, because God called you to husband her into excellence.

Men, this is not a pep talk. This is the Word of God. How you see God will inevitably show up in how you treat your family. You can fake it at work, but can’t fake it at home. How you really see God will show up in how you treat your wife. A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) wrote, “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” If your concept of God is beneath who He really is, then you will have unworthy thoughts about your wife and unworthy words to her. And the problem is not her. The root problem is, your Yeshua is not the real Yeshua. If you cannot bring yourself to praise your wife and you live with her in silent, sullen, defeated mediocrity, there is a reason. The reason is how you see Messiah. It may be that you have no complaints about Him. He may seem to you a pleasant Savior. But if you have no passion for Him, it’s because you don’t see in Him a mighty passion for you, and a mighty salvation for you, and a glorious future for you. That vision of Messiah is unworthy of Him. The truth is, the Lord Yeshua Messiah is a glorious Savior. Believe it. See Him in His grace and glory towards you, rejoicing over you with all His mighty heart. It will change how you treat your wife . . . and a lot more.

Men, let’s repent of our silence and the sin of withheld love. Have we robbed our families of the love they deserve? Have we truly and worthily represented Messiah to our families? Or have we, in effect, denied the Word of God in our homes? And here is a basic principle for men: If we don’t get radical, nothing will ever change. Messiah got radical for us at the cross, and it changed everything forever. And He put you with your wife because He loves her. So get radical, start changing, begin a new tradition in your home, starting today. If you step out in new obedience, the Lord will help you. And your family will rejoice over you.⁵⁷⁸

Shin: The husband continues the praise of his wife. Charm is deceptive and beauty meaningless, but a woman who fears ADONAI will be greatly praised (31:30 Hebrew). This verse puts things in perspective. People, and men in particular (let’s be honest here guys), are typically attracted to superficial attributes, like beauty, figure, and charm. However, charm may hide a nasty personality, and beauty is meaningless unless it is also accompanied by godliness. Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion (11:22 Hebrew). The common experience shows that the futility of physical beauty in large part derives from its relative brevity. This verse does not mean that this wise woman is abrasive and ugly, it simply contrasts these relatively worthless traits of charm and beauty with what is truly important: fear of ADONAI. This is true of all people, male and female, but here there is a reminder that a woman who deserves to be called noble is motivated by a proper relationship with her God.

Tav: Giver her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates (31:31 ESV). Such a woman deserves reward, and the final verse of the poem calls for it. She should benefit from her hard work. She should also be praised both at home and in public.⁵⁷⁹

The Wife of Noble Character
31: 10-31

The book of Proverbs comes to a close with the addition of this poem about the wife of noble character. A careful reading of the passage shows that her value is derived from her character of godly wisdom, which is beneficial to her family and to the community as a whole. Traditionally, this poem was recited by husbands and children at the Sabbath table on Friday after sundown. It is a paradigm for godly women.

The theme of the poem, the wife of noble character, captures the ideals of wisdom that have filled the book. It may well be that these verses sum up more than merely portraying the ideal wife. The woman presented is a wealthy aristocrat who runs a household estate with servants and conducts business affairs – real estate, vineyards, and merchandise – domestic affairs, and charity. It would be quite a task for any woman to emulate. She is the idealized wife, in an ideal home, in an ideal society; she is not just some man’s dream woman but represents a universal type of woman or instructions for the bride-to-be. Moreover, nothing is said about the woman’s personal relationship with her husband, her intellectual or emotional strengths, or her religious activities.

In general, it appears that the woman of Proverbs 31 is a symbol of wisdom. Therefore, this poem plays an important part in the personification of wisdom in ancient Near Eastern literature. Indeed, many commentators correctly invite a contrast to the earlier portrayals of Madame Folly lurking dangerously in the streets (to see link click Bo – Madam Folly’s Invitation to Death) – she was to be avoided – and Lady Wisdom, who is to be embraced (see Bn – Lady Wisdom’s Invitation to Life). The wife of noble character in this chapter stands in the strongest contrast to the adulterous woman in the earlier chapters.⁵⁶⁹ In conclusion, this wife has been canonized as a role model for all Isra’el for all time. Wise daughters aspire to be like her, wise men seek to marry her, and all wise people aim to exemplify the wisdom she symbolizes.⁵⁷⁰

Wisdom for Leaders
31: 1-9

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

The sayings of King Lemu’el contain this oracle (Hebrew: massa meaning oracle or burden) which his mother taught him (31:1 NLT). The mother of King Lemu’el urges him to live moderately, avoiding excessive drinking and a large harem. Instead, she urges self-control. But more than that, she calls on him to bring justice to his kingdom. The true business of kings is to defend the poor and the helpless, and to use their power to help those who have none.⁵⁶⁴ Nothing is known about King Lemu’el. The same question of translation occurs here with massa that occurred in 30:1. It is possible that massa is a place; however, the idea of a burden normally describes a prophetic oracle of some kind. Jewish legend identifies Lemu’el as Solomon and the advice as from his mother Bathsheba. We have already noted and commented on the fact that in Hebrew proverbs, as opposed to other ancient Near Eastern proverbs, mothers are mentioned as those engaged in the instruction of their children (to see link click Ak – Obey Your Parents). However, this is the only place where we actually hear the voice of the mother independently of the father. The topic of her teaching is something that a wise mother, especially the wise mother of a leader, would want to drive home to her son: women and alcohol are great temptations that young men face along with power and money.⁵⁶⁵

Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my vow (31:2 NIV). Vows were extremely important in Jewish society (see the commentary on Leviticus Fb – Personal Vows), as seen in Hannah’s vow to ADONAI Almighty (see the commentary on the Life of King Sh’ul Aj – Hannah’s Prayer). This probably meant that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to live according to God’s wisdom. Appealing to Lemu’el’s affection for her, she motivated him to embrace her teachings. He then immortalized her life and teachings by passing them on to others, and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh and the Council of Jamnia canonized them following the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 ACE (Psalm 116:16; Ephesians 6:4; Second Timothy 1:5 and 3:15). Her wisdom through Lemu’el still instruct the people of God today.⁵⁶⁶

Do not waste your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings (31:3 NIV). It would be a tremendous temptation for a king to use his power to amass a great number of wives and concubines. Because women can get even a king in trouble. Solomon is an example of that, with multiple wives, who ultimately led him astray (see the commentary on the Life of Solomon Bx – Solomon’s Wives). This was also illustrated by David whose pursuit of Bathsheba (see the commentary on the Life of David Dc – David and Bathsheba) was responsible for many palace intrigues that plagued his later years and succession. In any case, the sages surely would argue that even the king had the same responsibility to act with integrity in sexual relationships as the teaching required for other young men (see Chapters 5-7).

Lemu’el’s mother also warned him about the danger of getting drunk. The sages have already warned about drinking too much (20:1, 23:19-21 and 29-35). The problem has to do with one’s ability to make good decisions if under the influence of alcohol. A clear mind is important to the wise person. The Bible as a whole is not opposed to drinking, but it is opposed to getting drunk (see the commentary on Ephesians Bs – Do Not Get Drunk with Wine). It is very important for a king to know what he is doing when he makes important decisions. It is not for kings, Lemuel – it is not for kings to guzzle wine; rulers should not crave alcohol. For if they get drunk and forget what has been decreed, they deprive all the oppressed of their rights (31:4-5 Hebrew).

Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those whose life is bitter. That Lemu’el’s mother commends the use of alcohol to the poor may be seen in part as a strategy to discourage her royal son. Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more (31:6-7 NLT). In other words, it’s almost like she is saying, “Don’t act like those derelicts who drink to forget their hardships. Act like the king you are!” The king is the human representative of ADONAI Himself, who protects the rights of those who lack power.⁵⁶⁷

Verses 4-7 negatively warned the king against getting drunk so that he couldn’t issue just decrees to protect the poor. By contrast, verses 8-9 positively command him to enact righteous decrees to protect them. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and the helpless (16:10, 20:18, 25:5, 29:4a and 14; Psalm 72:12-14; Jeremiah 22:15-19), and see that they get justice (31:8-9 NLT). They are socially and economically too weak to defend themselves against the rich and powerful. The poor may be defenseless against them because they are too ignorant to counteract the obstructionist tactics of the legally savvy, too inarticulate to state their case convincingly, too poor to produce proper evidence, and/or too lowly to command respect. Furthermore, the rich and powerful can bribe witnesses to accuse them falsely. In the final analysis, the king must be accessible to the people (2 Sam 15:3; 1 Kgs 3:1ff; 6:26ff), and champion the cause of the one who cannot otherwise get a fair hearing.⁵⁶⁸

Both men and women can be leaders. All the gifts of the Spirit are available to women except, do not preach or have authority over men (see Genesis Lv – Women and Spiritual Gifts). The book of Ezra-Nehemiah is a training manual for leaders, giving twelve examples of leadership from the life of Nehemiah (see the commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah Bt – The Third Return), and also giving us the ten fatal flaws that derail those who think they are in charge (see Ezra-Nehemiah Ch – The Completion of the Walls Despite Opposition).

The Sayings of King Lemuel
31: 1-31

The final chapter of Proverbs concludes with what appears to be two separate poetic compositions. First, instructions that the mother of King Lemuel gives to her royal son (to see link click Dx – Wisdom for Leaders), and secondly, an acrostic poem that celebrates the noble woman (see Dz – Wisdom for Women). A cursory reading of the chapter doesn’t see any connection between the two parts that would be significant to the meaning of the text, and such an understanding is supported by the fact that the Septuagint demonstrates a different order of this latter part of Proverbs, so that these two poems are not contrasted. Furthermore, verses 1-9 are an instruction spoken in the second person by a mother to her son, while verses 10-31 represent a different genre, something like a “heroic hymn.” Finally, the acrostic form of verses 10-31 clearly sets that text off as a separate unit altogether.⁵⁶³

The Wisdom of Agur
30: 10-33

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

Agur could have ended Chapter 30 with his prayer (to see link click Du – The Prayer of Agur). But he chose to continue . . . and so shall we. When he finished his thought-provoking prayer, Agur was only one-third of the way through his inspired writing assignment. What more was there to say? Well, as it turns out, more worth listening to, even three thousand years later. He wants to make sure no serious Bible student forgets his humble prayer.

After the prayer (30:10-15a): Agur may very well have read many of the proverbs written by King Solomon. They were organized into chapters and verses centuries later, but you can be sure those nuggets of wisdom were being passed around ancient Jerusalem – mostly by word of mouth. I can imagine Agur studying the words of the wise king and then trying to figure out some of the same literary techniques.⁵⁵² Without wasting any time, Agur says Never slander a worker to his employer because he will curse you, and you will deserve it. This verse is a warning not to meddle in another person’s domestic affairs. Then Agur mentions four kinds of people: (1) Disrespectful: Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. (2) Hypocritical: They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed. (3) Arrogant: They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances. (4) Oppressive: They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind. The leech has two daughters. “Give! Give!” they cry (30:11-15a NLT).⁵⁵³

Of Agur’s five lists, four of them begin with a kind of joke, as if he’s playing a game with words and numbers. He composes these curious lists to make a point about God’s creation, including geology, zoology, physics, and human nature. Each list has only four items. But he wants the reader to know that each list could conceivably go on for several pages. He says: “There are three things, no, actually four . . .” That play on words invites us to use our imagination to envision other examples of mysteries, mistakes, and marvels. In other words, the Bible isn’t something you just read. It’s meant to be applied to everyday life. Agur wraps up his chapter in Proverbs with five short lists that read like notes jotted down by a comedian specializing in observational humor. “Did you ever notice . . . Did you ever wonder about . . . Let me tell you a few things that really bother me . . .” So, let’s take a look at them one at a time.

List one – things that are never satisfied (30:15b-17 NLT): This first list really serves as a reality check. Agur wants us to know that he is a shrewd observer of the world in which we live, noting that there are truths we cannot escape. We can’t ignore them, so we might as well prepare for them. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that say, “Enough!”⁵⁵⁴ (1) Sh’ol (see Af – Sh’ol): Sh’ol is never satisfied. There is always room for one more dead person. Death never stops, and its insatiability means that everyone inevitably will be found in the grave. In light of this spiritual truth, we should live with the awareness that this earth is not our home yet (Hebrews 13:14a). We have only so much time here on earth, and eternity awaits. (2): A woman who cannot bear children: And a barren womb. Perhaps we should look to some of the barren women in the TaNaKh to paint a picture of the insatiability of a barren womb. Having a child was the most important thing for a woman in Jewish society. When Rachel saw that she wasn’t having any children, she said to Jacob: Give me children, or I’ll die (Genesis 30:1). Or we can remember Hannah, who is described as crying bitterly as she prayed to ADOANI for a child (First Samuel 1:10).⁵⁵⁵ (3) The thirsty earth: the earth, never satisfied with water. Back in middle school you learned about the water cycle. Rain, plants, underground water, rivers, oceans, and clouds all play their part in the endless movement of life-giving water. The water cycle is another example of God’s organized creation. And (4) Fire: And fire, which never says, “Enough!” Just like the earth thirsting for water during the growing season, fire also cannot be satisfied. A raging fire will continue to consume any combustible material in its path. It will never stop on its own.

With this list of elements that can never be satisfied, Agur confirms that he has a tight grip on the realities of surviving in this world. Death is inescapable, family circumstances can be unsettling, and the demands of the land and the volatile nature of fire reveal that the world is not perfect. Agur may even be reflecting on the opening chapters of Genesis. ADONAI had created paradise, and even saw that it was good, but mankind was not satisfied. The devil’s temptation led to the first sin, which ushered in our broken world.

Then, as he does with three of the five listings, Agur adds a follow-up idea. The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures. In this case, he uses hyperbole to confirm another truth. Young people need to respect and listen to their dad and mom. A child best learns the truth through the eyes of caring parents. The pecking ravens are most likely a metaphor suggesting that if you mock or disrespect your parents, your worldview turns dark. Agur gets it. He understands the ways of the spiritual and physical worlds, and human relations. His insight can be trusted.

List two – amazing enigmas (30:18-20 NLT): Agur’s second list confirms that ADONAI’s ways are beyond human imagination. And that’s the way it should be. I don’t know about you, but I prefer a God who has my best interest at heart and who has a better handle than me on how things work. When we stop and think about the LORD’s design for the natural world, it should blow our minds. Isaiah 55:8-9 explains that we can seek to know YHVH, but we can never truly understand who He is or how He carries out His plan: My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares Ha’Shem. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Agur gives us four examples of how the Creator of the universe works in ways that we will never understand. There are three things that amaze me; four that I don’t understand. With this list, Agur reveals his appreciation for God’s design when it comes to biology, physics, and human nature. (1) How an eagle flies: Most of us have been transfixed by how an eagle glides through the sky. (2) How a snake moves: How a snake slithers on a rock, and have been slithering on their bellies since the Garden of Eden. (3) How a ship stays afloat. How a ship navigates the ocean. Ship builders in ancient Isra’el knew how to build a seaworthy vessel, but they probably weren’t calculating buoyancy forces and the physical properties of water displacement. (4) The birds and the bees. And the way of a man with a virgin (30:19 NLT). Once again, Agur reveals his sense of humor and speaks to every future generation when he confesses that men really don’t know what women want.

After listing those four amazing enigmas, Agur adds a follow-up idea and tackles an issue that might not be so mysterious. As can be found in many chapters in Proverbs, he offers a verse with a condemning tone that seems to come out of nowhere, perhaps to address an issue that he has seen tearing apart families. This is how an unfaithful wife behaves: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, “I did nothing wrong” (30:20). Agur reports that an unfaithful wife can commit adultery and completely deny that she has sinned. That tendency to say culpability when we have done something wrong is a part of our old sin nature. Cain denied his role in the first murder and was banished from paradise (Genesis 4:1-15). In Titus 1:16, we read about people who claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. Even Peter denied Messiah, but his immediate repentance rescued him from God’s wrath and secured his place as the leader in the early Church. By highlighting these enigmas, Agur confirms that ADONAI has an all-encompassing, well-ordered design for our world that the human mind cannot grasp. We should not expect to understand God, but we can trust that His plan for our lives is far better than we could imagine ourselves.⁵⁵⁶

List three – human mistakes (30:21-23 NLT): There are three things that make the earth tremble, no, four it cannot bear up. (1) Life experience matters: a slave who becomes a king. To Agur, a servant is a servant and does not have what it takes to be a ruler. If someone with the mentality and background of a servant were to take over, then who knows what chaos would result? We have already seen this sentiment expressed in 19:10, but also in Ecclesiastes 10:5-7: Another evil I have seen under the sun, cutting God out of the picture, the kind of mistake rulers make, is that fools are promoted to high positions, while the rich occupy low places. I have seen servants riding horses, while princes walk on foot like slaves.⁵⁵⁷ (2) Laziness kills: a godless fool who prospers (30:22 NLT). When people get everything they want without working for it, they have no motivation, no responsibilities, and no reliance on ADONAI. Consider the fate of most lottery winners. Unearned wealth is a burden few can handle. Similarly, if your parents leave you a fortune, be warned. Don’t spend your days lounging around the pool or your nights throwing wild parties. Consider the lesson of the prodigal son (see the commentary on the Life of Christ Hu – The Parable of the Lost Son and His Jealous Brother). (3) love wins: a bitter woman who finally gets a husband. A marriage without love is destined to fail. Of course, every marriage will go through seasons of highs and lows. And love can be difficult to define. Love is different when you’re 20 than when you’re 80. But consider this warning before the engagement: Don’t marry for spite, lust, or greed. Don’t marry out of convenience, practicality, or to escape your parents. Marry your best friend, and marry because you can’t imagine living without that person.⁵⁵⁸ (4) Inappropriate ambition destroys: and a servant girl who displaces her mistress (30:23 NLT). Just as it is inappropriate for a slave to be in the position of a king (30:21), so it is inappropriate for a servant girl to displace her mistress. Here, we can see why Sarah was so furious with Hagar. Hagar was a secondary wife. But once she had given birth to Ishmael, she began to treat her mistress with contempt (Genesis 16:4).⁵⁵⁹

Agur is not covering new ground here. The undeniable benefits of following God’s guidance are sprinkled throughout Proverbs and all of Scripture. There are clear moral values to uphold as well as evidence for absolute right and wrong. Nevertheless, don’t panic when you or a loved one strays from the path of righteousness. Human mistakes may cause your world to tremble, but not to crumble. ADONAI will always make room for a repentant sinner. Agur is simply reminding us that there’s a better plan. And we can know it. If your choices align with God’s perfect plan when it comes to life experience, earning your daily bread, marrying for love, and climbing the social ladder, well done! Thinking back to the big idea of Agur’s prayer, your ongoing assignment is to consider our own areas of weakness, find your sweet spot, and build your foundation on solid biblical footing.

List four – small wonders (30:24-28 NLT): Ants, hyraxes, locusts, and lizards are the stars of Agur’s next list. What can we possibly learn from these small wonders? How about this? These brilliantly designed critters all take full advantage of the limited gifts granted to them by their Creator. There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: (1) Ants wisely store food in bulk for the winter: the ants – they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer. Ants can lift up to five thousand times their body weight. Agur didn’t have an electron microscope or a micro-CT scanner to calculate that number, but he was inspired by YHVH to recognize that the ants’ diminutive size doesn’t prevent their work or define their potency. Ants effectively use the abilities that God gave them to prepare for their future needs. (2) The clever hyrax takes refuge in hillside crags: the hyraxes – they aren’t powerful, but they make their home among the rocks. Hyraxes, huh? The hyrax is the cutest little creature you’ve never seen. Go ahead, search online, find a photo or two and prepare to smile. The TaNaKh mentions them several times. Leviticus 11:5 and Deuteronomy 14:7 note that the cud-chewing hyrax is unclean, while David mentions that the crags provide refuge for them (Psalm 104:18). Also called coneys, and rock badgers, these cute little guys spend most of their time sunbathing on narrow cliffs but quickly scamper into mountain crevices when danger appears. For you and me, the reminder is obvious. We also have a Rock in which to hide. When ADONAI delivered David from the power of all his enemies, David declared: ADONAI is my Rock, my fortress and my deliverer (Second Samuel 22:2). Even as we bask in His provision, let’s not wander too far from His protection. (3) Locusts have no leaders, yet they spread terror and destruction quite effectively: the locusts – they have no king, but they march in formation. The lesson of the locust might be to acknowledge the power of many individuals working together. Conversely, Agur might be warning us that unguided mob action leads to rampant carnage. Or maybe he’s giving Bible readers a reminder of the plagues of Egypt or a foreshadowing of the locust demons who will torture unbelievers during the Great Tribulation (see the commentary on Revelation Da – The Fifth Trumpet: Locusts Came Down Upon the Earth and Were Given Power Like That of Scorpions). As a prophet, Agur might have had the ability to see that far into the future. (4) Lizards sneak into castles: the lizards – they are easy to catch, but they are found even in king’s places. Agur paints a humorous picture here. Imagine hulking palace guards bumping into one another as they try to catch a scampering lizard. I think Agur might be telling us not to take ourselves too seriously, and not to panic when minor details don’t go our way. After all, even powerful kings cannot stop lizards from scampering around their homes. Or maybe Agur is reinforcing the main lesson on this list: don’t take small things for granted.⁵⁶⁰

List five – The downfall of kings (30:29-33 NLT): There are three things that walk with a stately stride, no, four that strut about. Power breeds confidence, and confidence is reflected in the way one walks. The three, no, four parallelism gives us four examples of those who walk without fear. Three are from the animal kingdom, and the fourth is a king. However, it starts with the animal that even today we call the king of beasts. (1) The lion king: the lion, king of the beasts, who never backs down from anything. The lion is afraid of nothing. (2) the rooster, crowing king of the barnyard: the strutting rooster. Roosters also have a cocky gait, as do male goats. (3) the male goat, braying from the mountain top: the male goat. But the most dangerous is the king and his army. (4) the king who thinks he is invincible: and a king who leads his army.⁵⁶¹

This short list of those who stand tall is followed by wise words for all those who foolishly exalt themselves. If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame; As the churning of cream produces butter and striking the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife. Even if lions, roosters, goats, and arrogant kings miss the lesson, it’s still valuable to us. No matter how powerful you are, when you act rudely, stir up anger, or actively plan evil, then you should know what’s coming. It won’t be pleasant, and you probably deserve it. In the final two verses, Agur clearly describes a frequent source of human strife and turmoil. Whether it’s cataclysmic or quite unsettling, much of our conflict is the result of that classic human stumbling block: pride. Or more accurately, destructive pride. Unfortunately, the English language uses the same word for haughty arrogance as it does for the feeling of accomplishment that comes from working hard and achieving a goal. It’s really okay to feel proud after you finish rebricking your patio, have a poem published, or get that promotion. If you’re a parent, I hope you do feel parental pride when your child wins a spelling bee, graduates from trade school, or scores the winning basket. Let’s all agree not to discourage feelings of uplifting pride just because the other kind of pride can be so destructive.

One way to counteract destructive pride is to practice submissive authority. Admitting our reliance on ADONAI is a recurring theme of Agur’s chapter and a character trait valued throughout Scripture. Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commands himself who is approved, but the one who the Lord commends (Second Corinthians 10:17-18).

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves (Philippians 2:3).

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10).

This should leave us with a significant realization. Like the lion, rooster, goat and king, we each have been given our own Serengeti, barnyard, or kingdom to watch over and maintain. But unlike those earthy kingdoms, you are smart enough to realize you are dependent on ADONAI. The Creator provided the territory over which you reign, and He has established a purpose and plans unique to you. In order for those plans to bear fruit, God Himself has showered you with gifts, resources, and wisdom. Every one of us is different. None of us is more important than anyone else. But make no mistake; your personal kingdom requires you to be your best self. God is calling you because there is work to do.

Don’t panic over that responsibility. Rejoice and accept the challenge. Self-proclaimed kings are destined to fall. But you were given authority by the King of kings, which means you are destined for greatness. Consider again the wisdom of Agur and his five lists; the physical world has limits, there are mysteries we cannot understand, we make mistakes, and even earthly kings need to remember that this world is not our home.⁵⁶²

The Prayer of Agur
30: 1-9

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

Ancient wisdom for discovering your sweet spot in life.

What is a sweet spot? Tennis players know there is a sweet spot on their racket where the ball jumps off the nylon strings with maximum velocity and precision. When that happens, there’s no vibration in their hand and the ball travels straight and true. The same is true of baseball bats and vocal performances. You’ll hear players say things like, “It was a fastball right down the middle, and it found the sweet spot of my bat.” Or vocalists say, “I love that song. It’s really in my sweet spot.” Career counselors will describe your sweet spot as the job where your gifts and passions meet with the needs of the marketplace. In other words, doing what you love, doing it well, and getting paid for it. Likewise there is a way ADONAI wants you to live. Where you’re living with purpose, not futility. Where your senses realize clarity, not chaos. It’s not running too fast nor too slow. It’s not amassing a fortune or living in squalor. You’ll find your sweet spot when you have a sense of belonging because you know God loves you for who you are, not for what you have or what you do. Sound good?⁵⁵⁰

Utterance from a collector (30:1-3): These are the sayings and the oracle (Hebrew: massa meaning oracle or burden) of Agur, son of Jakeh. It is possible that massa is a place; however, the idea of a burden normally describes a prophetic oracle of some kind. In Hebrew, the name Agur can be translated as “collector.” Which leads us to ask, “What did Agur collect?” As you will discover, he was a list maker. The short lists he includes in the second half of his chapter are the kind of deep thoughts with an ironic twist you might expect from a standup comedian specializing in observational humor. You might say Auger was a collector of ideas and questions, which he would ultimately share with us.

The name of Agur’s father, Jakeh, comes from an Arabic root meaning carefully religious. If I may speculate, it’s possible that Agur’s father would get caught up in scrutinizing the complexity and subtext of every papyrus scroll laying around the Temple or every word passed down by word of mouth from the days of Abraham, the Exodus, judges, and kings. Being carefully religious can be a healthy pursuit, unless getting caught up in the details prevents you from applying God’s Word to your daily life. I think I prefer the approach taken by Jakeh’s slightly rebellious son, Agur, who uses down-to-earth common sense to observe and reveal the obvious. After reviewing his personal lineage. Agur introduces us to his audience of one.

Agur declared to Ithiel (Hebrew, scholars translate his name as God is with me). It could be that Agur sought out Ithiel as someone with godly insight who might be able to answer his many questions. But you’ll notice at this point, Agur doesn’t speak with great confidence or authority. He delivers a mere utterance that suggests some hesitation or searching for the right words. “I am completely worn out, ADONAI, but I can prevail” (30:1 Hebrew)? Agur admits to being weary but he still wants to say something worthwhile: I can prevail, he writes, with a hint of hopeful desperation.

In the verses that follow, our new friend powers through his weariness to formulate some perceptive questions. Still, there’s a disarming and welcome humility about his approach. Agur is the refreshing opposite of those slick, conceited “teachers” to claim to have all the answers to every question. Personally, I prefer to listen to a Bible teacher who acknowledges his need for a Savior. Someone who tells self-deprecating stories and admits he doesn’t know it all. Therefore, Agur declares: Surely I am the most stupid person alive, because I lack common sense; I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One (30:2-3 Hebrew). Agur uses irony and exaggeration to humbly declare his ignorance compared to ADONAI’s unrivaled power and supreme wisdom. Despite his extensive quest for knowledge, Agur knows that his wisdom does not come close to the sovereign wisdom of YHVH, the Holy One. The introduction to his oracle contains five rhetorical questions:

Agur asks six questions worth asking (30:4): As Agur begins verse 4, he speaks with clarity and conviction, asking six questions: Who has visited heaven? Who has cupped the wind in the palms of his hands? Who controls the seas? Who made the earth? What is His Name? And what is the Name of His Son? Then he answers his own questions by saying: Surely you know! You have to love his confidence. It’s the same confidence expressed in Psalm 19:1: The heavens declare the glory of God. Agur is acknowledging that his confidence comes from something beyond himself. He’s confirming that anyone who considers the wonder of nature . . . the wind, the seas, the size and scope of the earth . . . must acknowledge the Creator.

In the B’rit Chadashah, that confidence is reinforced and takes a step further. Romans 1:20 tell us that since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. In other words, the creation proves there is a Creator. There really isn’t any excuse for not coming to that conclusion. People who think otherwise are probably a little too distracted with their own personal accomplishments to notice God’s accomplishments.

Going back to verse 3, Agur has just confessed that he doesn’t have knowledge of the Holy One. In verse 4 he explains why. Agur has been busy pondering the source of creation, deliberating about who or what controls the universe. Agur asks big questions. Then he lands on the obvious answer. Surely you know! he tells his audience with exceeding confidence. Indeed. Surely anyone who has ever contemplated the heavens, the seas, or the scope of the planet knows that ADONAI is large and in charge. While the first four questions center on the idea of creation, the next two bombshells take on the task of identifying who is in control. What is His Name? And what is the Name of His Son?

Keep in mind that Agur’s writings appear in the middle of the TaNaKh. As he asked those questions, a great number of names for the Creator of the universe had already been established, including LORD (YHVH), El Shaddai (God Almighty), El Elyon (God Most High), ADONAI (YHVH), Ha’Shem (YHVH), and ADONAI Jireh (ADONAI will provide). After a dose of humility, Agur reveals a firm grasp on God’s sovereignty. His confidence establishes a foundation for the sincere prayer he will be offering in just a few more words. By asking: What is His Name? he confirms that not only is God worth praising, but even His Name is glorious. Just as we are commanded in Deuteronomy 28:58, His glorious and awesome Name must be revered.

Then comes Agur’s sixth question. What is the Name of His Son! When Proverbs came together, anyone paying close attention to the writings of the prophets would have seen scores of verses foreshadowing the coming Messiah. But there had been only three references that the Messiah would be the Son of God: 2 Sam 7:12-15, Ps 2:7-12 and Ps 89:24-28. The members of Agur’s ancient audience may have been a bit perplexed since they would not have known the name of Yeshua – but that’s the nature of prophecy.

Agur takes a moment to endorse Scripture (30:5-6): After establishing his humility and stunning his audience with insight about God and His Son, Agur tell us that every word of God is pure; He shields those taking refuge in Him. Don’t add anything to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you to be a liar (30:5-6 CJB). This is reinforced in Second Timothy 3:16 where we are promised that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. Aagur’s warning in verse 6, that anyone adding to God’s Word will be rebuked, foreshadows one of the last verses in the Bible. Revelation 22:18 promises: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. That is to say God’s Word can, and does, stand on its own. In his own way, Agur was saying, “ADONAI is eager and able to give you refuge from all the crud of this world. If you go your own way and listen to what the world says, you will suffer the consequences. Agur is confirming that the Bible speaks to everyone in the world who is willing to listen. God’s love extends to every soul. But God’s protection only applies to those who have surrendered to Him. Agur doesn’t spend any time at all defending the Bible. He just wants you to make sure – before he begins his prayer – that you know where he stands.

Agur’s Prayer, Part I (30:7-8a): Agur wants us to find our sweet spot for our finances. He begins his three-verse prayer with a promise to keep his request short. Just two things. ADONAI, I have asked two things of You; do not refuse them before I die (30:7 NIV). That’s a good strategy for prayer. If we drone on and on with a long list of complaints, frustrations, and requests, we’re going to start adding items we don’t really need, plus we’ll have a hard time tracking God’s response. Any time you can boil your prayer down to a small number of specific heartfelt desires – as modeled by our friend Agur – you’re going to find yourself more aware of God working in and through you to deliver answers. So what two things does Agur ask for? After thinking it through, he identified his top two most hazardous personal weaknesses. The two things that he struggles with the most: discerning truth and owning stuff.

First, Agur prays: Keep falsehood and lies far from me (30:8a Hebrew). You can almost hear Agur’s thought process and expanded prayer, as if he’s saying, “I know the world is filled with lies, and they trip me up way too often. Father in heaven, please protect my ears from hearing lies that might lead me down the wrong path. And keep my lips from lying so that I might not deceive others. I think Agur is on to something. Truth matters. Whether it’s input of output, whether you are hearing it or speaking it, there’s truth and we know it. It sets us free. Ignore truth, and bad decisions result. Satan, the father of lies, has been obstructing truth since the Garden of Eden, and we all know how that turned out.

An excellent example of disregarding truth comes from Pontius Pilate, the wishy-washy Roman governor of Judea who couldn’t make up his mind about what to do with Yeshua. In John 18:37-38, he asks Yeshua a series of questions attempting to discern whether He really claimed to be a king. The Master responded: You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into this world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me. Pilate scoffed: What is truth? If Pilate ha been paying closer attention, he would have known that the man he was about to sentence to death was truth incarnate. Messiah was, and is, ADONAI’s promise of love, hope, faith, and virtue in human form. Curiously, Pilate suggested more than once that Yeshua was innocent, but he caved to public pressure. Once you start denying the existence of truth, then every decision you make will be without a firm foundation.

Part I of Agur’s prayer is a sincere brokenness before the Creator of the universe. Somehow he knows the destructive consequences of falsehood and lies. He recognizes that the Adversary – even though he is a master deceiver – can’t stand up to virtue and integrity. Agur wants us to be on the winning team. That comes from hearing the truth, discerning the truth, and speaking the truth. The three short opening lines of Agur’s prayer also foreshadow one of the key teachings that the Lord would give regarding prayer during the Sermon on the Mount: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13).

Agur’s Prayer, Part II (30:8b-9): The beginning of Agur’s prayer is a personal request that he would give and receive only truth. That’s extraordinary, but not surprising. After all, everyone wants to know what’s really true. Even liars know lying is wrong. However, Agur’s second request is a stunner. He dares to pray for a life of moderation. Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread (30:8 NLT).

Moderation? That’s not on anyone’s checklist, especially in the twenty-first century. We are living in an age of extremes. For most people, bigger and better. More house. More car. More closet space. More shelves for more trophies. More activities. More responsibility so you can gain more of the above.

On the flip side is another extreme: a subculture of people – even entire communities – who are choosing to live as minimalists. It’s not a new phenomenon, but minimalism has recently made it back into the public eye. They are obsessed with cutting up credit cards and cutting down on the amount of clothes they need. Their expressed goals include napping more and living 100 percent debt-free. They are conspicuously moving into micro apartments and tiny houses. Committed minimalists pause before purchasing and practice the “one-in, one-out” rule, they don’t buy something without getting rid of something they no longer need or use.

Agur is not endorsing minimalism, or that wealth and influence define success. He endorses neither fast nor slow, big nor small, fancy nor simple. Our engaging friend Agur has identified the sweet spot: the perfect balance of getting what you need and needing what you get. He sums it up nicely: my daily bread. Any of Agur’s peers who heard this prayer would instantly connect this request to the daily manna that YHVH had provide to their ancestors as they wandered the desert for forty years as described in Exodus. Manna appeared once a day, provided by ADONAI in just the right amount at just the right time (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Cr – I Will Rain Down Manna from Heaven for You).

As twenty-first-century readers, we recognize the phrase: give us this day our daily bread from the Lord’s Prayer, delivered almost a thousand years later by Yeshua in His Sermon on the Mount (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Dp – When You Pray, Go into Your Room and Close the Door). The words are comfortable, and we nod our heads. Yes, Lord please meet our daily needs. The thing is, that’s not what Agur prayed. He added the word only. That introduces an entirely deeper level of trust in the One who provides. Raise your hand if you have the courage to say: but give me only my daily bread. Why, by the way, would anyone pray that way? The last verse of Agur’s prayer presents two good reasons.

For if I grow rich, I may have too much and deny you, saying, “Who is ADONAI?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus dishonor the name of my God (30:9 Hebrew). Do you know your weaknesses? Have you considered when and where you are most vulnerable to temptation? Agur, a bright guy who had a lot going for him, identified the chink in his armor. It was greed. This passage reveals that he was well aware he had trouble dealing with money. Agur’s personal obsession over his cash flow was his Achilles’ heel. He knew that too much or too little could easily distract him. Even destroy him.

To be clear, money itself wasn’t the problem. It was Agur’ emotional attachment to money. That idea reminds us of the often quoted (and misquoted) warnings of the B’rit Chadashah. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (First Timothy 6:10a). It’s worth noting that many quote this verse but leave off the first three words. Paul was not saying that money causes all kinds of evil. What kinds of evil? Some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10b).

Once again, let’s applaud the self-awareness displayed by our friend Agur. He is praying, in essence, “Lord, keep me dependent on You. Having complete trust in You is the sweet spot in which I want to live. I can’t do life without You.” Agur also realizes that if he has too little, his physical hunger will likely override his integrity. He will steal food and get caught, and the Name of ADONAI will be dragged through the mud. Agur knows Deuteronomy 5:19, Do Not Steal, is still valid, and accepts that stealing is punishable by the courts and God.

Having more than we need; having less than we need. Both extremes are a lose-lose proposition. But somewhere in between is that beautiful concept known as contentment. Is that something you can pray for? Can you pray to have neither too much or too little? Can you pray for just right? If having just enough becomes one of your top priorities, you’ll find plenty of biblical support. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:12-13); Godliness with contentment is great gain (First Timothy 6:6); Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil (Proverbs 15:16).

Now let’s move beyond Agur’s temptations and vulnerabilities and talk about yours. Perhaps greed isn’t a problem for you. Congratulations! But beyond greed, what about laziness, envy, anger, pride, lust, or gluttony? Commonly called the seven deadly sins, these vices are not listed in the Bible. But they can be a helpful place to start when choosing to do a self-examination of what’s broken in your life.

Like Agur, if you trust ADONAI with your weaknesses, you just might find a satisfying balance in your life. Whether you’re lazy or a workaholic, ask God to help you find that sweet spot balance of work and rest. If you’re a control freak, you’ll want to find a career path or avocation that requires an impassioned organizer, but ask the Lord to help you consciously let some things slide once and a while. Maybe you have a troubled relationship with food, leaning either toward deprivation or over-indulgence. That’s a tough one, but without God’s help, you can find a healthy balance.

No one is saying it’s always easy to live in contentment with who you are and in every circumstance. From the outside looking in, moderation may even seem boring. But it’s not at all. In fact, it’s freeing – especially when you invite God to help you find your sweet spot. Expect to find joy in having things just right.

Whatever character trait causes you problems, there may be a constant push and pull against extremes. Like Agur, you’ll want to identify when and where you are most likely to feel Satan’s tug. In some cases, you may want to seek the help of a counselor, an accountability partner, or trusted family member. And when you find your balance, continue to pray for God’s protection. Pray that you’ll never forget the Adversary’s seductive power, because he’s always just around the corner. But also pray to cast your cares on the Lord. Don’t let you heart be troubled (John 14:1). Trust Him for shelter in any emotional storm. Trust Him for your daily bread. This is ADONAI’s sweet spot for your life.⁵⁵¹

The Sayings of Agur
30: 1-33

As Jay Payleitner relates in his book The Prayer of Agur: Are you, like me, caught in the middle? Being pulled in two directions? Some days, we want more. More opportunities. More responsibilities. And, yes, more stuff. Other days, we want less. Fewer distractions. Fewer responsibilities. Less stuff to take care of and worry about. We’re either energized or exhausted. Confident or reluctant. Spiritually in tune or entertaining doubts. Allow me to introduce you to Agur. He’s the guy inspired by ADONAI to unscramble this exact mystery. Agur’s common sense approach to life and his strangely amusing chapter near the end of Proverbs reveal how to get in the center of God’s will. And that’s a wonderful place to be. Especially in today’s turbulent culture. Join me as we consider living in God’s sweet spot. Finding a balance between too much and too little. Inviting Him to simply love us where we are. And knowing we can trust Him to provide exactly what we need.

Allow me to introduce a man I am quite confident will be a new friend, colleague, and favorite author. His name is Agur. His identity is unknown. He’s smart, funny, and quite perceptive. He loves ADONAI. He’s streetwise in a good way, and he’s not afraid to speak his mind. Agur’s prayer is the only prayer in Proverbs. But Agur realizes there is much he doesn’t know. Yet he asks good questions. He will occasionally interrupt himself right in the middle of a stream of thoughtful teaching to deliver a seemingly random, but enlightening, truth we all need to hear. His sayings make for quite and wild ride.

Somehow, Agur’s sayings made their way into the book of Proverbs. You have to give him credit for that. Three millennia ago there were quite a few authors filling papyrus scrolls with inspired reflections. Being included in the TaNaKh alongside kings, prophets, and other spiritual giants is quite the accomplishment. Bible scholars agree that Solomon personally wrote or compiled Chapters 1 through 29 of Proverbs. But how and why the last two chapters were tacked on at the end is a bit of a mystery. No one disputes their relevance of authenticity, but very little is known about the authors.

We know that Lemu’el, the author of Chapter 31, was a king who received wise teaching from his mother. King Lemuel’s celebrated description in verses 10-31 of a wife of noble character has helped keep that last chapter of Proverbs in the limelight. Even less is known about Agur, author of Chapter 30. He was the son of Jakeh (30:1), another obscure reference, and he may have been from northern Arabia. That’s all the history we have. I suspect most of us have never thought much about him, his reputation, or his single puzzling appearance in the Bible. Actually, that’s not unusual. There are a few historical characters who show up for a single scene or have only the briefest mention in Scripture but still leave a memorable impression. So let’s look at three of them.

First, there’s Simeon, the aging prophet who met Mary and Joseph in the Court of the Women (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Au – Jesus Presented in the Temple), soon after the fortieth day following His birth. The Ruach Ha’Kodesh had promised Simeon he would not die before seeing the Messiah. Taking the infant in his arms, the old man prophesied that Yeshua would be a light to the world, causing the fall and rise of many people. His memorable account takes up a mere eleven verses in Luke 2.

Secondly, the name Jochebed is mentioned only twice overtly – both times in long genealogies (Exodus 6:20 and Numbers 26:59), and once subtly in Exodus (see the commentary on Exodus Ak – A Man of the House of Levi Married a Levite Woman). But we could make the case that her actions launched biblical history. The mother of three heroes of faith – Moses, Aaron, and Miriam – Jochebed had the foresight and courage to send the three-month-old Moses floating down the Nile in a papyrus basket to rescue him from the Egyptian death squads. We may not remember her name, but she should be revered as a beacon of hope for anyone living under oppression and for mothers who love their children enough to let them go.

A third unforgettable biblical character mentioned ever so briefly is the repentant thief on the cross. On that history-making Friday in Golgotha (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ls – Then They Brought Jesus to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull), one criminal hurled abusive taunts at Yeshua, but the other recognized the divinity of Messiah and confessed his own brokenness (see The Life of Christ Lu – Jesus’ First Three Hours on the Cross: The Wrath of Man: The Conversion of One of the Criminals). We don’t know his name, but that thief’s insight at the triple crucifixion brings hope to those who come to Messiah late in their life, even in their final moments. In addition, Yeshua’s promise to the thief: Truly, I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise (Luke 23:43), suggests there is no lag time between our time on earth and our entrance into heaven. That’s good to know.

It’s also good to know that modest lives like yours and mine can still make an impact. Can you identify with a guy who was moved to tears when he held a new baby, a mother who saw a great leader when she looked at her infant son, or someone whose eyes were opened upon meeting Yeshua for the first time? Like Agur, these were real people. Simeon, Jochebed, and the thief on the cross, were simply living their lives.

Therefore, I appreciate that Agur’s sayings, all thirty-three verses of Proverbs 30, made the cut. Since this chapter is included; then clearly, the Bible would be incomplete without it! Which means we have a responsibility to spend time reflecting on how Agur’s sayings apply to our lives. What’s more, his voice and his message desperately need to be heard today by anyone who longs for a friend and a dose of reality.

In this chapter, and especially in his prayer, Agur admits he doesn’t have all the answers and asks for help. He confesses that falsehoods occasionally flow from his mouth. He can’t always discern between the truth and lies he hears from others. He knows he needs a certain amount of money to live, but he doesn’t want too much or too little. In other words, he wanted to find God’s sweet spot in life (see Du – The Prayer of Agur).

The idea that a prophet and contributor to the Bible lives with a bit of angst and uncertainty should be a comfort. In this life, it’s okay if we don’t have all the answers. ADONAI welcomes our doubts and questions. Our Lord said: Whoever comes to Me I will never cast out (John 6:37), and: Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Like us, Agur has all kinds of questions and makes several quirky observations. That’s why Proverbs 30 is so engaging. Agur is the real deal, flaws and all. The Bible is filled with people who make mistakes, then turn to God and find answers, then still attempt to do life under their own power. Thankfully, God’s mercy, grace, and discipline override their failures and ours. So bring your doubts, questions, fears, and suspicions. God is big enough to handle them. You won’t hurt His feelings; He already knows them anyway.⁵⁴⁹

The difference of style, language and content in this chapter, as compared with the rest of Proverbs, is too striking to escape notice. That it is an addition is evident from the heading, but equally so from the author’s mode of thought and expression. The feeling created is that the reader is transported to a later age than Solomon’s, when the life of the nation had matured and inquiring minds were exercised with mysteries and problems of human existence. The questions in the prologue are reminiscent of passages in the book of Job.

Without Vision the People Perish
29: 16-27

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

With single framing proverbs, 29:16 and 27, this proverb is comprised of two equal halves: verses 17-21 and 22:26. The first half is stitched together through a leapfrog pattern of catchwords and subjects, alternating between the topics of household and public in its aim to instruct the son on the necessity of discipline both in his life and in the nation.⁵³⁸

Introductory framing proverb (29:16): This single framing proverb separates the many transgressions of the wicked with the righteous observing the sudden overturn of the evil ones. When the wicked increase, so does their sin (26:16a NIV). The proverb begins with the observation that as the wicked increase, so does their sin (28:12 and 28, 29:2). The verb increase seems to naturally point to numerical increase, but it may also imply growth in strength. Actually, as the wicked increase in number, it is natural to think that they also increase in their influence. The offences may be seen as sin against the law and crime against society, which are often intertwined. But the righteous will see their downfall (29:16b NIV). The second colon points out that the predominance of the wicked is always temporary. In the end, the righteous will be victorious. Ironically, the very increase of the wicked will also bring about their downfall, for offences against society bring social unrest as well as divine retribution. This proverb could be read as a word of warning to the wicked: You may be strong now, but it won’t last. This proverb is also a comfort to the righteous during a period where it appears that the lawless dominate.⁵³⁹

The necessity of discipline (29:17-21): A rare admonition directly addressed to the son introduces the theme of this unit. In addition to the leapfrog pattern of topics, the unit is stitched together by an alternating tandem series of catchwords in every other verse: discipline (verses 17 and 19), servant (verses 19 and 21).⁵⁴⁰

Discipline your children (29:17a NIV). This word of advice is directed toward parents and is another encouragement to engage in the tough work of disciplining their children. Whereas parental neglect of instruction will lead to tremendous problems in the future (29:15), this proverb gives positive reinforcement to the parents. Instruct the child now, and in the future the parents will not have to deal with the problems that arise from a wicked child.⁵⁴¹ The second colon teaches us that if the parents discipline their children, they will give them peace of mind and delight (Hebrew: ma’adannah) in their hearts (29:17b NIV). Ma’adannah occurs only three times, and in its other two occurrences it refers to delightful food (Genesis 49:20 and Lamentations 4:5). In this proverb it is probably also an analogy for emotional luxuries such as peace (29:17), joy (29:2 and 12), and honor (29:15), in addition to the rest that accompanies a son’s providing the physical necessities of need, aging parents. Paradoxically, the rod of discipline brings the parents joy and shalom, and its absence, disgrace and turmoil (29:15).⁵⁴²

A wise son follows instruction, but those with worthless friends bring shame to his father (28:7 Hebrew). Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he who keeps the Torah is happy (29:18 KJV). As Derek Leman recounts in his book Proverbial Wisdom and Common Sense, there are two places outside of ourselves where ADONAI’s teaching must dwell: in our family and in society around us. Moses clearly instructed the teaching of YHVH’s ways in the home. He wrote these instructions that YHVH gave about when to practice His Word: Speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up (6:7).

Through Moshe, ADONAI also instituted a society based on His teaching and made a covenant with Isra’el involving blessings on the land for obedience and curses for disobedience (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Fd – Blessings and the Curses). Although today no nation exists under the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of Torah), there is yet a general sense in which blessings depend on following God’s teachings. Like Nineveh (see the commentary on Jonah Aw – Jonah Goes to Nineveh), our modern cities and nations are called to a standard of corporate righteousness or they will face the judgment of Ha’Shem.

In 28:7 we see a contrast between a son who pleases his father by keeping the teachings of ADONAI, and a son who shames his father by hanging out with the wrong crowd. This struggle is familiar to parents and teenagers. Often, children are raised in godliness and yet end up hanging out with other rebellious children who drag them down. This issue is of such importance in training our children in righteousness that Solomon devoted much of the opening chapter of Proverbs to this subject (see Aj – Proverbs to the Youth).

These teachings are for teenagers who face the decision of two paths for the first time in their lives. Faithfulness, wisdom, and love, line the pathway of the first (28:7a), while selfishness, rebelliousness, and violence litter the second (28:7b). The first is the road to life and blessing (see Bn – Lady Wisdom’s Invitation to Life); the second leads to the grave – often an early grave (see Bo – Madam Folly’s Invitation to Death). Why is this so important to fathers and mothers? Because parents have such hope for the good of their children. To see errant children squandering the blessings of a good upbringing is a terrible disappointment, a crushing blow to years of love and hope.

Similarly, 29:18 considers the impact of Torah on society. Like the family on a larger scale, society must run on God’s Word and wisdom. The society that lacks a moral compass, sinks ever deeper into the quicksand of debauchery and collapse. In Israel, the prophets called the people back to the standard set by YHVH at Mount Sinai (see Deuteronomy Fm – Renewal of the Covenant). They applied those moral standards to everyday living for the people (see Deuteronomy Cr – The Second Address: The Specific Stipulations of the Covenant). Every society needs a moral compass, even though we may not have the kind of prophets in our day that graced Isra’el in the past (see the commentary on First Corinthians Cp – The Gift of Prophecy). Every society needs voices calling people to faith and to obedience to ADONAI. As Yeshua said: You are the light of the world . . . let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5: 14 and 16).

Families and societies cannot live by God’s teachings in some abstract, corporate mass. His teaching must be lived out by the people who make up these families and societies. Everyone ought to ask, “Have I shamed my father and mother by a life of rebelliousness?” It would befit every parent to ask, “Am I raising my children to improve society, to maintain the status quo of righteousness, or am I actually contributing to the problem by refusing to discipline my children or allowing them to learn evil? Yeshua’s children must be a preserving element in society, like salt preserves (see The Life of Christ Df – You are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World). The figures of salt and light emphasize different characteristics of influence, but their basic purpose is the same.⁵⁴³ The world needs salt because it is corrupt and it needs light because it is dark. Evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves (Second Timothy 3:13). The world cannot do anything but get worse, because it has no inherent goodness to build on, no inherent moral or spiritual life in which it can grow. Year after year, decade after decade, century after century, the system of evil accumulates a deeper and more perverse darkness.

Words alone will not discipline a servant; the words may be understood (29:19a NLT). The sages operated on the principle that wisdom is not an inherent human quality. Their teaching implies that people in their natural state are naïve, or foolish. It takes work to become wise. They also thought that it is harder to educate some people than others to do the wise thing. Here, we see that servants were thought by the wise to be especially difficult to train. Words alone won’t do it. It’s not that the servants aren’t intelligent enough to understand intellectually what they are being told. The second colon affirms that they do understand, but they will not respond (29:19b NLT). This likely indicates a lack of desire to carry out the commands of the master. It appears that they need something more to motivate them. Perhaps the rod. “If the rod is far from his master, the servant will not obey him” (Insinger Papyrus 14:11).

Do you see a person who is hasty with his words? There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking (29:20 NLT). The fool’s speech is hasty, rash, and reckless (12:23, 14:16, 15:2), like the one hasty to get rich (28:20), he misses the way (19:2). However, he doesn’t blurt out his foolishness, but rationally calculates how to get what he wants when he wants it. But the blabbermouth’s hope for salvation is even less than a fool.

A servant pampered from childhood will eventually be trouble (29:21 Hebrew). The buzzword trouble (Hebrew: manon) is uncertain. In Aramaic it means to pamper and in Arabic to let someone lead a pleasant, easy and prosperous life. Trouble is the consequence, the end, of treating the young servant with excessive care and attention so that he can lead a free and easy life instead of training him for work that he will be required to do when he grows up. Thus, instead of stimulating gratitude to his master, diligence to his work, and respect for others, it makes him unruly and brings his owner trouble.

The faithless verses the faithful (29:22-26): The second subunit warns the son/disciple against spiritual troublemakers (verses 22-24) and instructs him to trust in ADONAI (verses 25-26). The subunit begins in verse 22 with a double aleph, and ends in the framing proverb of verse 27 with a fourfold taw. Moreover, there is an alphabetic progression of initial aleph, bet and gimel in the first three versets.⁵⁴⁴

An angry (Hebrew: aleph) person stirs up strife; a hot-tempered person (Hebrew: ba’al) commits all kinds of sin (29:22 Hebrew). Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper shows himself to be a fool (14:29 Hebrew). As Ray Ortland relates in his commentary on Proverbs, Wisdom that Works, we all feel anger. And not that all anger is wrong. In fact, the closer we get to Messiah, the angrier we will get to real evil. By nature we are cowards and compromisers. We need holy anger if we are going to represent the real Yeshua to our world today. But it’s so hard to sort out which anger is good and which anger is bad, isn’t it? The book of Proverbs helps us to get to the point. What do we do with our anger?

The anger that is hated stirs up strife. The word translated strife in 10:12 has to do with judgments and opinions. It’s when someone walks up and demands of you, “So what do you think about __________? As if you are expected to have a strong opinion. But wisdom is not intimidated by that approach. Wisdom asks, “Why should I feel intensely about that issue?” Moreover, why does anyone need my opinion? Why are we even talking about this? Does this involve the Gospel? Podcasts, X, and emails would be spared much conflict if we humbled our opinions before the Lord. What are we really here for? What does ADONAI want to stir up in our hearts? He says, stir one another up to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).

Even if you are angry for good reason . . . sometimes there is real provocation . . . still, it is a glory to overlook (show restraint) a personal offense (19:11). We have a higher standard than getting even. Our standard is glory, because ADONAI is glorious. He overlooks our offenses because of the cross. He does not embarrass us. He’s above that. There is more than one world in the TaNaKh for glory, and this word in 19:11 means beauty. This same word is used to describe beautiful clothing (Isaiah 52:1), beautiful jewels (Ezeki’el 16:17), a beautiful city (Isaiah 28:1), and the beauty of God Himself (First Chronicles 19:11). He makes beautiful people who know how to ignore the slight.

Anger is a judging emotion. Anger is our hearts feeling that something is wrong. And a lot is wrong. But wisdom brings this judging emotion itself under judgment. Fools unleash it with no filter. In so doing, they lift up for everyone to see their own foolishness (14:29). But the wise rule their emotions with a nobility that outclasses world conquerors: He who rules his spirit is better than he who captures a city (16:32b CJB). Conquering a city is child’s play compared with ruling the turbulent, demanding, upset world inside of us. The one is only the battle of a day; the other is the conflict of a lifetime.

Here is how the Gospel helps us rule our anger moment by moment . . . the doctrine of the wrath of Ha’Shem. Messiah is coming again in wrath to punish all the evil with terrible finality. This is the clear teaching of the Bible (see the commentary on Revelation Ex – The Eight Stage Campaign of Armageddon). And it is a great resource for tolerance and patience right now. The certainty of God’s judgment at the end of the Dispensation of Grace (see the commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace) is the premise for the rejection of being angry with others in the middle of it. We can be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16), but if you really believe that Messiah will come in final and inescapable judgment, you don’t need to be anyone’s judge right now. The Lord Yeshua Messiah has all the wrath this world needs.⁵⁴⁵

One’s pride will bring a person low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor (29:23 ESV). In a number of places, the sages warn concerning pride and encourage humility. This proverb contributes to this important theme. Humility is valuable in acquiring wisdom because it depends on a teachable spirit. Wisdom is not a natural trait. Folly is natural; wisdom must be taught. To do so, people need to be open to criticism of their words and behavior. They hear, and they change. However, because of the pride of fools, they will resist criticism, even mocking those who try to help them. The results are clear. The proud are doomed to repeat their mistakes over and over again, where the humble spirit will gain glory.

Those who divide plunder with a thief (Hebrew: gimel) hate their own lives, they are put under an oath but dare not testify (29:24 Hebrew). At first this proverb is enigmatic to the modern reader, but it is understandable against the teaching of the Torah: If anyone deliberately sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible (Leviticus 5:1). The situation envisioned in this proverb is that of a person participating in the crime with the robber so that they will not testify against the criminal. But by doing so, he will suffer the same consequences as the criminal. Today, for example, someone who drives a criminal to the scene of a murder is just as guilty as if he pulled the trigger himself. This proverb is a specific instance of the broader proverbial warning against consorting with the ungodly (see Al – Bad Company Corrupts Good Character).

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but whoever trusts in ADONAI is kept safe (29:25 Hebrew). At heart, when read in the context of the whole book of Proverbs, this verse is saying something like: perfect love drives out all fear (First John 4:18). Those who trust YHVH have nothing to fear from anyone spiritually. Another way of thinking about this subject in the book of Proverbs is to think that one who fears ADOANI (see Ai – The Fear of ADONAI is the Beginning of Wisdom) does not have to fear human beings spiritually. As Psalm 56:11 says: I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?. What can mere mortals do to me?

Many seek the king’s favor, but justice comes from ADONAI (29:26 NLT). Humanly, when people want something done, they go to the one with the power to do it. For justice, we go to the police, or governmental officials. But in ancient Isra’el that person was the king. People clamor to get before the king to get done what they think needs to be done. But sometimes that could be risky (see the commentary on Esther Ba – I Will Go to the King: If I Perish, I Perish). The first colon makes this observation, but then critiques it in the second colon. The king is not the one who can assure justice in this world, it is ADONAI. The implication of the second colon is that people should be clamoring to get into the safe presence of ADONAI to get justice. One might also remember that whatever power the Israelite king had was from God, who is the ultimate King of Isra’el (see the commentary on the Life of David Ct – The LORD’s Covenant with David).⁵⁴⁶

The concluding framing proverb (29:27): This file comes to a conclusion by contrasting the disdain that the righteous and the wicked feel for one another’s ways. It contrasts the ways of an unjust person who commits crimes and abuses the legal system, against the righteous who stay within the boundaries established by ADONAI to protect the social, legal, and/or economic rights of others. The difference that separates the righteous from the wicked is a matter of the heart (3:32, 11:1 and 20, 12:22, 15:8-9 and 26, 16:5 and 12, 17:15, 20:10 and 23, 21:27, and 28:9). It also teaches the right kind of intolerance.⁵⁴⁷

An unjust man is abominable to the righteous, and the straight path of the righteous is abominable to the wicked (29:27 Hebrew). In the early part of Proverbs, we grew familiar with the phrase: abomination to ADONAI (11:1 and 20, 12:22, 15:9 and 26, 17:15, 20:10 and 23) to indicate the cherem judgment of YHVH (see the commentary on Leviticus Ff – Cherem). Here, the term abomination is the same Hebrew word, but instead of something being an abomination to ADONAI, Solomon contrasted the righteous and the wicked. By structuring the verse in this way, we are able to see the relative values of these two groups, and we see precisely how much in contrast they are to each other. On the one hand, the righteous find the unjust repulsive; on the other, the straight path of the righteous is despised by the wicked. The righteous follow Lady Wisdom to life (see Bn – Lady Wisdom’s Invitation to Life), and the wicked follow Madam Folly to death (see Bo – Madam Folly’s Invitation to Death).⁵⁴⁸

Peace Through Righteousness
29: 8-15

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

Mockers can get a whole city agitated, but the wise will calm everything down (29:8 Hebrew). Mockers are radical fools. They not only lack wisdom; they also ridicule those who do. When they have influence over a city, whether officially or by their own allegations, they get the whole city agitated. They are those who would take a bad situation and intensify it into a riot. On the other hand, the wise are coolheaded. In a bad situation, they would calm everyone down for the good of the community.

The result of righteousness will be peace, quietness, and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest (Isaiah 32:17-18). This is seen more clearly in the progressive revelation of the B’rit Chadashah. The person who has received the grace of ADONAI’s forgiveness is at peace with Him. For He Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14a). When Yeshua’s character is central in our lives, we don’t have to lean upon others to supply our own needs. The fact that this has not produced significant long-term changes in the world is a testimony to the extent of our old sin nature. I don’t know about your neighborhood, but there is no “Garden of Eden” sign posted in mine!

The wise debate the stupid, and there is agitation and scoffing with no rest (29:9 Hebrew). When the wise and fools get into a debate, this proverb asserts, there is not a reasoned, logical discussion that leads dispassionately toward resolution. Rather, there is chaos. The fool (here called stupid) will not listen to corrections (29:1) and will just cause more trouble. For this reason, Proverbs allows for the possibility of not entering into a debate with a fool to begin with (to see link click Dj – How to Deal with the Fool).⁵³³

The bloodthirsty hate the innocent, but the upright seek to preserve his life (29:10 Hebrew). In the first colon, bloodthirsty men loathe the integrity of the upright. Because the wicked despise all sense of decency or integrity, they seek to destroy it. The second colon forms a contrast; literally it reads, as for the upright, they seek his life. Normally this is a hostile act, but here the contrast requires the idea of seek to preserve his life. Seek here means to seek the welfare of someone. As a result, it means that the upright have a high regard for people of integrity.⁵³⁴

A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man quietly holds it back (29:11 Hebrew). Fools may not listen well, but they certainly talk a lot. But their talk gets them into trouble and also agitates others. They are not emotionally intelligent, and their talk will often inappropriately express emotions that will only inflame a situation (see 29:8 above). On the other hand, the wise, who are coolheaded, speak only when necessary and are helpful. They can also clean up the mess started by the agitation of fools.

If a ruler listens to liars, all his advisors will be wicked (29:12 NLT). According to this proverb, it all begins with the ruler’s lax ethics. If the ruler shows himself open to unethical influence, then everyone will take advantage of that fact. A wicked ruler leads to wicked officials serving under him. This proverb puts the ultimate blame for a troubled reign squarely with the person at the top. In psalm 101:6b-8, David declares that he would not tolerate deception or fraud: Only the one walking in blamelessness will serve me. No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. Each morning I silence all the wicked in the Land; I will cut off every evildoer from ADONAI’s City (see the commentary on Psalms Zd – Pledge of Integrity).

The poor and the oppressor have this in common: ADONAI gives light to the eyes of both (29:13 CJB). On the surface of things, nothing could seem to be farther apart than the rich and the poor, especially the rich who exploit the poor in order to get rich. The rich live lives of luxury and ease, while the poor are dirty and scrape by in life. But this proverb points to a very important truth: they are both created in the image of God. So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them (see the commentary on Genesis Ao – Let Us Make Man in Our Image, In Our Likeness). We might imagine that the intention of this proverb is to bring hope to the poor. Perhaps, however, it is meant to serve as a warning to those who exploit them and treat them like dirt under their feet. Perhaps this proverb serves both purposes. In any case it fits in with a group of proverbs that urge care for those who are poor (29:7 and 13 for example). The proverb 22:2 closest to it in concept as well as form: The rich and poor have this in common – ADONAI made them both.⁵³⁵

If a king judges the poor fairly (29:14a NLT). This verse protects verse 13 against the misinterpretation that since God gives life to the oppressor, a king, who is supposed to represent God’s rule on earth (16:10-15 and 24:21-22), may be indifferent to the oppression of the powerless. In the first colon, the king is charged by ADONAI to care for all the socially vulnerable. In Jeremiah 22:16, when describing good king Josiah, the prophet noted: He did what was right and just, so, as a result, all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy (see the commentary on Jeremiah Ai – Josiah Ruled For 31 Years from 640 to 609 BC). Those in power are not to exploit those who are weak, but rather to take care of them. The second colon refers to the permanence of God (Psalm 111:3; Isaiah 57:15; Micah 7:18), notably His throne, the symbol of the king’s authority to rule (Psalm 111:3; Isaiah 57:15; Micah 7:18), which will last forever (29:14 NLT).⁵³⁶

The rod and correction produce wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child (29:15 Hebrew). Through progressive revelation, the B’rit Chadashah will eventually reveal that we are all sinners from birth (see the commentary on Romans Bm – The Consequences of Adam), but the sages believed that people, having a choice in the matter, would do bad things. Thus, modern Judaism says you are a sinner because you commit acts of sin; but the B’rit Chadashah says you commit acts of sin because you are a sinner. Nevertheless, in the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah), the youths were anything but innocent. It takes energy to move from being a fool to being wise. Correction is required, and that often will have to be accompanied by the rod of correction. Physical punishment in gaining wisdom is a common theme in Proverbs (see Cf – Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child). With the strong emphasis on kindness throughout the book, this teaching certainly doesn’t encourage parental abuse. Indeed, this proverb raises the question whether abuse is suffered where there is no discipline in a young person’s life. Parents are motivated to do the hard work of correction in order to avoid the detrimental effects of rebellion on one’s life, and the shame that a wayward child brings on a family.⁵³⁷

The Lazy Person
26: 13-16

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

Proverbs mock laziness more than any other form of foolishness. This behavior drives the hard-working sages crazy. The quantity of proverbs on laziness and hard work is surprising. The sting of the images used to mock those who refuse to put in any effort is also notable. Indeed, the sage is at his most sarcastically comedic when it comes to the lazy person. Because it takes effort to make it in this world, the wise teacher is concerned that the lazy will impoverish themselves. Therefore, the sages warn their disciples to work hard (to see link click Be – Don’t be Lazy). It is true today, as in antiquity, that some lazy people are rich, not because of their efforts, but because of being born into a wealthy family. However, the fact that there are exceptions does not disprove the importance of the point that is relevant in ninety-nine percent of the cases, that laziness leads to destitution or want.

On the other hand, according to a proverb like 22:29, those who work hard get ahead in life: Do you see anyone truly skilled at their work? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people (22:29). We are not surprised to find the following description of the wife of noble character: She watches over the affairs of her household and does not suffer from laziness (31:27). Here we have a collection of four separate proverbs, some of which practically repeat previous examples, that form an intense criticism of sloth.⁴⁹⁷

The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there” (26:13 NLT). This verse is identical to 22:13 in content and very close in actual wording. The proverb ridicules lazy people for using the thin excuse for avoiding work. While it is true that lions could be found in ancient Isra’el, they were not so numerous that they could be a legitimate excuse not to leave one’s house. Thus, both proverbs represent the lazybones as suffering from an irrational fear. What better reason could a person have for staying at home and not going to work than having a lion eat him alive at the marketplace!

As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed (26:14 NLT). The second proverb makes fun of the tendency of lazy people to spend too much time in bed. The proverb is quite clear: The lazy person is attached to his bed like a door to its hinges.⁴⁹⁸ They may move, but they go nowhere, they make no progress. Both are anchored. The sluggard makes no progress because he is firmly fixed to his comfort zone.

Lazy people take food in their hand, but don’t even lift it to their mouth (26:15 NLT). The third proverb in this collection is a near repetition of 19:24: The lazy person buries his hand in the dish, but doesn’t even bother to bring it to his mouth. The sage mocks the lazy person depicting him as even too lazy to eat. This humorous portrayal is certainly an exaggeration. It probably was meant more widely for anyone who starts a project but lacks the energy to finish the job; the example being that he refuses to lift food to his mouth. Any thought of exerting himself exhausts him.

Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors (26:16 NLT). The problem with lazy people, and probably the reason they perpetuate their self-destructive behavior, is that they believe they are wise in their own eyes (3:7a and 26:12). As such, they are unwilling to hear the criticism of other people.⁴⁹⁹ In conclusion, while there is hope for a fool to be saved from being a deluded fool, there is no hope for the sluggard to be saved from his delusion. There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise (26:12). The number seven symbolizes the perfection of the wise counselors’ advice. That is probably why King Artakh’shasta seven counselors in Ezra 7:14 (this number according to Persian tradition also seen in Esther 1:14) to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Torah of your God, which is in your hand (see the commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah Bi – King Artakh’shasta’s Letter to Ezra).⁵⁰⁰

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for always being so awesome and wonderful! What a comfort to know that You never sleep nor slumber, but are always watching over me. Behold, the Keeper of Isra’el neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalms 121:4). Lord, help me not to be lazy about using my spiritual gifts for Your Kingdom. Sometimes the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). But I do love You. Your steadfast love and infinite wisdom are so encouraging, causing me not to be lazy but to work hard for such a wonderful heavenly Father! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Joy and Stability Through Righteousness
29: 1-7

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery (29:1 NLT). This proverb addresses the danger of not listening to those who use constructive criticism. Those who are repeatedly warned about behavior that has potentially dangerous consequences but do not listen, and thus are stubborn, will find that sudden consequences catch up with them, and will have moved beyond the point of an easy fix. The purpose of the proverb is not just to explain why some people end up in the ditch of life, but also to encourage the wise not to reject criticism.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked are in power, they groan (29:2 CJB). This proverb is similar in thought to 28:28 as well as 28:12. The contrast is between a situation where the righteous are dominant and in control, and one in which the wicked are the majority influence in society. In these circumstances, the well-being of the people is at stake. They rejoice when the righteous are in control because they will lead the community with wisdom and justice. As a result, the community will prosper; however, they moan if the wicked are in control because, at best, they will make foolish decisions, and at worst, they will exploit the people.

The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth will be squandered (29:3 Hebrew). The first colon is a general statement. A wise child makes his father rejoice. Here we may clearly see that the father himself is understood in the proverb to be a wise man. After all, what other kind of father would rejoice at the wisdom of his child? The contrast between colon 1 and 2 has to do with wisdom and folly. Though the latter is not used in the second colon, we know full well that chasing after prostitutes is an act of fools (to see link click Bi – Avoid the Seductress). Here the trouble caused by having sex with prostitutes is financial. That does not mean that this is the only problem; after all, proverbs are not nuanced or exhaustive statements. And it is true that prostitutes are expensive. It is unclear whether the wealth is that of the father or the son, but especially if the former (unless the latter is gained by inheritance), we can see why such foolish behavior would lead to the sadness of the father.

The king gives stability to the land by justice, but tax man destroys it (29:4 Hebrew). This proverb likely cannot be used to argue against all taxes as detrimental to a nation. The tax man (literally man of tribute) is a person whose influence and motivation are defined by taxes. Likely, this person’s taxes are to be understood as unjust since the contrast is with the just king of the first colon. Unjust taxation takes all the energy out of the land. Samuel warned Isra’el that the king they wanted could well turn out to be an exploiter and detrimental to the people (see the Life of King Sha’ul Br – Samuel’s Warnings). On the other hand, the first colon describes the king who rules justly. Such a strategy leads to the long-term health of the land.

A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his own steps (29:5 BSB). Proverbs speak consistently against flattery (5:3, 6:24, 7:5 and 21, 26:28, 28:23). Flattery is different from encouragement because the latter is based on truth. As the proverb indicates, flattery energizes people but does not help them; rather, it harms them. The harm is communicated here by the image of the net that is spread out. Just as a net is set out in secret to hide it from its prey, so flattery sets people up for a fall. Flattery might, for instance, convince someone that their abilities are superior to what they really are. Thus, when they try to act on their own supposed abilities, they fall flat. Closer to the intention of the proverb, however, is the idea that the flatterer is buttering up the recipients in order to gain an advantage over them or a favor from them. In any case, the sages warn their listeners to beware of such a tempting thing as flattery, since it will lead to trouble. In Proverbs Chapters 5 through 7, we see that the adulterous woman uses flattery to lure the young man into her bed (see Bh – Warning Against Adultery), causing him much harm.

An evil person’s crime is a trap, but the righteous sing and rejoice (29:6 CJB). To the wicked and sometimes even to the righteous (see Psalm 73), it seems as if sin is the way to get ahead in life. The wicked often seem to prosper, while the righteous suffer. But as this proverb points out, that is only true from a superficial vantagepoint. Sin complicates life, setting traps for the sinner. On the other hand, righteous behavior leads to rejoicing. The believer takes the long view on retribution. Although in the short run the righteous may suffer for their righteousness, the future will bring rejoicing.

The righteous understand the cause of the poor, but the wicked do not understand knowledge (29:7 CJB). The rich are often stereotyped as being so callous that they believe that ADONAI blesses them with their riches and that poverty or disease is a sign of God’s punishment for their sin (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gt – Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind). It is true that some proverbs hold out the reward of riches for the acquisition of wisdom (3:9-10 and 15-16), and the fear of poverty for the lack of it. However, this proverb is a generally true proposition, not a promise. It is true if all things are equal, but often all things aren’t equal. Sometimes the wise are poor because of an injustice or a natural disaster. Therefore, the wisdom of Proverbs also calls for compassion and action in favor of the poor. The second colon seems to imply that by their lack of compassion for the poor, the wicked show they are not on the side of the wise, who would understand knowledge. This knowledge, like all wisdom in general, refers to an active, caring concern.⁵³²

Wealth and the Kingdom of God
28: 12-28

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

We have seen that there are major differences between Proverbs and the teaching of Yeshua (to see link click Da – Ten Sayings about Wealth). In his book Jesus and Proverbs, Reconciling the teachings of Jesus and Proverbs regarding money and business, Gary Miller examines wealth and the Kingdom of God at work in our everyday lives. Most businessmen and women can easily wrap their minds around the common-sense teachings of Proverbs. But what about the teachings of Yeshua and Paul? The apostle reiterated Yeshua’s view when he told the church at Corinth: No one should seek their own good, but the good of others (First Corinthians 10:24). How can one operate a profitable business while doing this, and what does a Kingdom business look like? Let’s look at some elementary business principles. Whether you sell sweet corn in front of your house or own a large company with many employees, there are some basic biblical principles that apply.

1. The Kingdom of God is to be first. Yeshua was clear that we must first seek the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). This foundational truth is easily forgotten amid the constant stress and pressure of business life, and we need to be reminded often. Following Messiah is to be first, and every other passion and pursuit must be under His control. Yeshua said those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be My disciples (Luke 14:33). Our Lord calls us to surrender everything and follow Him, even if it means abandoning family relationships. Since Yeshua calls us to place our families on the altar, we must place our businesses there as well. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (First Timothy 5:8).

The B’rit Chadashah commands us to work and provide for our families. But sometimes that can become an excuse for selfish business ambitions. God has given men a desire to make things work – an inner craving to produce and provide. This is good and normal, and we become concerned when this is absent in a man’s life. But this inner desire, which ADONAI meant for good, can become a trap when outside the lordship of Yeshua Messiah. We need to examine our motives daily. Yeshua said that your soul is worth more than the entire world. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul (Matthew 16:26)? Do you really believe that? If you own a business, would someone watching your business transactions believe it? The kingdom of God must be first in our lives, and we need to be called back to this truth daily.

2. ADONAI still cares about “all these things.” A superficial reading of the teachings of the Master might cause you to conclude that God no longer blesses materially – that during the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah) Ha’Shem blessed His people with earthly things, but now His only blessings are spiritual. While it is true that Yeshua warned against the love of money, taught that it is extremely difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and cautioned us not to worry about our physical needs, we must remember that ADONAI still provides for us materially. After strongly admonishing us not to worry about what we will eat, drink, or wear, the Lord said: Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33). God hasn’t forgotten our physical needs. He has made us and understands that we need food and clothing to survive. This verse isn’t saying that He will supply all of our wants. But it does promise He will be with us and provide for our needs.

3. We are to hold our possessions loosely. Many believers throughout history have been called to live in poverty, and many today are willing to live in difficult conditions to follow the Master. There are many people in foreign lands that follow Yeshua at great cost, even death. But our Lord cares about these situations and is well able to provide. Messiah declares: Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or [husband or wife], or parents or children or fields for Me and the Gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, [husbands, wives], mothers, children and fields – along with persecutions – for the sake of the kingdom of God. Those who follow Yeshua will receive many times as much in this age and in the age to come. They will inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29b; Mark 10:29-30; Luke 18:29-30).

Many believers in tyrannical countries could attest to the truth of this promise. They have walked away from earthly resources and relationships, and in exchange God has provided new friends, homes with open doors, and meals around tables with people who care. So let’s follow Yeshua Messiah in faith. Let’s place our business decisions, our family budgets, in His care. He knows we have material needs and is well able to provide all of these physical things.

4. Multiplication is of God. Messiah didn’t teach it is wrong to earn a profit. In fact, all through His teachings you find the opposite. Many of His teachings, His miracles, and even nature demonstrate that profit, or increase, is of God. How many of us would plant one seed of corn if we knew at harvest time we would only get one seed in return? Multiplication is a basic principle in nature and it tells us something about the character of God. In fact, be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28) was one of His first commands. It’s obvious that ADONAI loves increase!

Consider how YHVH has revealed this truth about Himself in Scripture. In one parable, a servant was rebuked for not putting his money to work and earn interest before his master came back from a long trip (see The Life of Christ Iq – The Parable of the Ten Minas). In the same parable, others were praised for multiplying the investment that had been entrusted to them. Messiah multiplied the five loaves of bread and two fishes and at one point caused the apostle’s nets to break from a huge catch of fish. Yeshua was not opposed to increase. But He wants us to understand that it is from God. Sometimes we overreact to others’ selfish use of their profits and come to wrong conclusions. But ADONAI intends our fields, factories, and investments to multiply and produce a profit.

5. Much will be required. As those profits multiply, so does our responsibility as stewards of what the Lord has given us. For whoever much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48). We live in an amazing time. America represents only about 5 percent of the world’s population, yet it controls about 45 percent of the world’s wealth. Never in the history of mankind has there been such disparity in the world or such opportunity in one country. Those of us who have grown up in this environment often fail to appreciate the blessing we have been given. If you live under a stable government or have steady employment, you have a tremendous opportunity. Compared to global reality, you have been blessed abundantly!⁵²⁶

When the righteous triumph, everyone is glad. Righteousness is the ethical side of wisdom, and wickedness the ethical side of foolishness. The proverb comments on the community benefits of wisdom versus the disadvantage of folly. The righteous rejoice when wisdom prevails, and when wisdom prevails there is success, not just for the individual but also for the society as a whole. Much glory increases in the community when wisdom makes its influence felt. But when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding (28:12 Hebrew). They hide in fear that bad consequences will fall on them, through either abuse or neglect.

Whoever conceals their wickedness will not prosper. Wickedness does not lead to success in work, relationships, and life in general. This is true whether wickedness is explicit or implicit. In order to reverse their fate, the wicked must confess their wickedness and then demonstrate their commitment by stopping their wicked actions. But if they confess and turn from it they will receive mercy or compassion (28:13 Hebrew). This mercy is not running around all day saying, “Yeah, yeah, I did it again;” it’s in repenting and turning from your sin the you find mercy. This compassion may come from fellow human beings, but the unspoken agent of mercy is God Himself (see the commentary on Ruth Af – The Concept of The Concept of Chesed). In the final analysis, this verse (like 28:11) is against deception and for openness and mercy. This is the only verse in Proverbs calling for a confession. Improvement only comes when people listen to criticism are open to acknowledge their faults and changing their lifestyle.⁵²⁷

Blessed are those who always fear (Hebrew: mefached) ADONAI. The Hebrew word for fears in this proverb is different from the word in 1:7, where we read: The fear (Hebrew: yir’at) of ADONAI is the beginning of knowledge. The word in 28:14 is more important. It means to tremble, to shiver, or to shake. And the second colon shows us that fearing ADONAI is the opposite of a hard heart. But whoever hardens their heart will fall into trouble (28:14 Hebrew). It is the opposite of a flippant, carefree, unserious heart. But the irony here is the word blessed is a joyful word. It basically means “Congratulations!” The word blessed is a biblical high-five. Do you see the surprise? The surprise is that a meltdown before God is like a dam breaking with overflowing joy. Emotional meltdown before God, when we see Him as He really is and ourselves as we really are, it sweeps away our internal barriers, the defensiveness that keeps God at a manageable distance and makes us so sad. But then the Gospel breaks through and floods us in divine forgiveness. Getting past our image-management and trembling before ADONAI brings us deep joy.⁵²⁸

A roaring lion or a charging bear is like a wicked ruler over his own helpless people (28:15 Hebrew). This proverb and next one pit a cruel and oppressive tyrant against destitute people. In the first colon, this comparison proverb presents two animals, the lion and the bear, both known to be dangerous. The danger is intensified by the addition of the modifiers roaring and charging. These animals are in search of prey that they can devour. In the second colon, the wicked ruler is mentioned, and seems to be the third violent animal. This ruler’s prey is his own helpless people. Tyrants in the past, and even today, as we saw the Muslim leaders slaughtering the helpless people of Iran in 2026, suck the lifeblood out of their subjects, making themselves rich and their people poor. This comparison is an observation, but an observation that serves as a warning to wicked rulers. It is also important for us to understand that no one, in reality, is getting away with anything (see the commentary on Revelation Fo – The Great White Throne Judgment).

A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people, but one who hates corruption will have a long life (28:16 NLT). This comparison proverb is associated with the previous one according to the theme of the evil ruler. The two colons contrast bad and good rulers. The first colon describes a cruel and oppressive ruler as the one who is without understanding. In the second colon, we read about one, probably a prince, who hates unjust profit. By not exploiting his people in any economic way, this prince is showing himself to be wise. And as is well known in the book of Proverbs, wisdom leads to long life (3:16 and 13:12).

A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into sh’ol (see Af – Sh’ol). Don’t protect him (28:17 NLT). This proverb upholds the dignity of human life. If people take a life, their own life is forfeited (see the commentary on Genesis Cz – Whoever Sheds Human Blood, by Humans Shall Their Blood be Shed). Here the first colon describes someone who has taken the life of another and feels tormented by that act. The second colon seems to suggest that the murderer is suicidal. The proverb offers no comfort to such a person, indeed, just the opposite. Solomon advises the reader of this proverb to offer the tormented person no help. It doesn’t encourage a person to hurry the murderer’s dash to death, but it does prohibit hindering it.

Those who walk the path of blamelessness will be saved, but the crooked will be suddenly destroyed (28:18 Hebrew). The metaphor that drives this proverb is that of the path, so prevalent in the first part of the book. There are two paths: the straight and the crooked. The first colon assumes the former. Those who walk in innocence will be saved. This raises the question “From what?” At the very least, the blameless will be saved from trouble and an early death. The opposite is true for those who walk on the crooked path, which presume evil. As a result of their wickedness, they will be suddenly destroyed.

Verses 19 and 20 contrast the gaining of wealth by just and unjust means. A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty (28:19 Hebrew). This proverb is another version of the warning against the dangers of laziness (see Be – Don’t be Lazy). Here, as elsewhere (10:5), this truth is expressed in agricultural terms. The point is obvious. If people go out and do the work of planting, caring for their crops, and harvesting, they will have plenty of food for themselves and their families. But if they waste their time on nonessential matters, then they will have nothing at harvest time but an empty stomach. But it is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal. It doesn’t consider all the possibilities. A storm or a drought may undermine even the hardest worker. But if one does not work hard, then there is no chance for a good crop. See 12:11 for a nearly similar proverb.

A trustworthy person will be richly blessed, but a person who wants quick riches will not go unpunished (28:20 Hebrew). Proverbs warn against those who rush to get rich (13:11). In contrast to the impulsive, this proverb says that those who are trustworthy will be richly blessed. According to the parallel, these blessings are probably thought to include wealth. A number of proverbs also associate material gain with wisdom (as in 3:15-16). However, it is also likely that the blessings could have been understood even more broadly to include things like relational happiness or long life. The punishment of those who rush to riches also is not specified. Such could include the deep disappointment of the sudden loss of wealth, since other proverbs understand the gain of get-rich-quick schemes as short-lived.

Showing partiality is never good, yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread (28:21 NLT). The first colon is similar, though not identical, to what is found in 24:23, where we read: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment. There the context is more a courtroom scene since the expression when passing judgment is added; however, the courtroom setting is the most natural context for this proverb as well. But the principle is broader and would certainly cover other areas such as showing favoritism in business practices. The second colon provides the motivation for those who do show favoritism for personal gain. It makes fun of those who do so for a mere piece of bread.

Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty (28:22 NLT). The expression “Greedy” is a translation of evil eye. This proverb, like 28:20 and 21:6, display Solomon’s contempt for those who try to find shortcuts to riches. Those who are greedy with their time and money would not want to invest either to gain more. However, they will have a surprise waiting for them: not more, but much less. Poverty.⁵²⁹

In the end, people appreciate frankness far more than flattery (28:23 NLT). We have already been introduced to the idea that constructive criticism is better than superficial and misleading praise (13:1 and 17:10). It is also the subject of this proverb, with its encouragement of frankness over flattery. Real fellowship, whether in a marriage, a friendship, or in your congregation, depends on frankness. In fact, the tunnel of conflict is the passageway to intimacy in any relationship. Until you care enough to confront and resolve underlying barriers, you will never grow close to each other by facing and resolving our differences. However, frankness is not a license to say anything you want, wherever and whenever you want. It is not rude. The Bible tells us that there is a right time and a right way to do everything. There is a proper time and a proper procedure for every matter (Ecclesiastes 8:6). Thoughtless words leave lasting wounds. ADONAI tells us to speak to each other in the congregations of God as loving family members. Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters (First Timothy 5:1-2 GWT).⁵³⁰

Whoever robs their father or their mother and says, “What’s wrong with that?” is no better than one who destroys (28:24 Hebrew). Proverbs insists that children show proper respect to their parents (20:20, 30:11-14 and 17). A number of these proverbs assume that the parents are godly, and this proverb probably does as well. However, the principle of not stealing would apply to anyone, and those who stoop low enough to rob their parents, no matter what their parents are like, would earn Solomon’s contempt. Stealing destroys the most intimate of relationships. What is especially reprehensible about their behavior is that they don’t feel any remorse. Perhaps they feel a sense of ownership of their parents. The one who destroys may refer to a particularly dangerous type of criminal (also see 18:9). Such children may think that they are simply taking what rightfully belongs to them because they are a member of the family. But in reality, they are no better than a criminal from outside the family. Such a proverb may come from the mitzvah to honor one’s parents (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bp – Honor Your Parents). Stealing does not honor them.

The greedy stir up strife, but the one who trusts in ADONAI will prosper (28:25 Hebrew). The contrast here is between those who are greedy and those who trust in ADONAI. Those who trust in ADONAI do not have to stir up strife to find satisfaction with their lot in life. As the greedy stir up strife, they annoy and even anger others from who they are trying to get what they think they need. Therefore, there is always chaos around them. On the other hand, those who put their faith in ADONAI are content with life.

Those who trust in their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom will be safe (28:26 NLT). Wisdom involves the fear of ADONAI and an aversion to self-reliance (3:5 and 7, 26:12, 27:1, 28:11). To trust in one’s own heart is the epitome of foolishness because the heart is limited in its knowledge and also, apart from relationship with God, wicked. Solomon would have agreed with Jeremiah, who in 17:9 states: The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? As is taught in numerous places in Proverbs, fools are on the road to death (1:19 and 32, 2;18, 8:36, 9:18, etc), which may be implied here by the explicit statement in the second colon that those who walk on the right path, walking in wisdom, will be rescued. Proverbs typically leave the general danger from which the wise are rescued, but they would at least include things like relational entanglements and/or an early death.

Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed (28:27 NLT). Proverbs consistently teaches that those with means must be generous toward the poor. This proverb motivates such generosity with the promise that the giver will lack nothing. This would imply that ADONAI would take care of such a person and would undercut the primary fear behind not giving. Not to give is a form of control and a human attempt to grasp at security. To give requires the giver to trust more. Those who don’t give, according to the second colon, will only increase their troubles. It seems obvious that ADONAI is the driving force behind the curses.

When the wicked rise up, the people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous flourish (28:28 Hebrew). The first colon is a close variant of 28:12b, and the thought is essentially the same. When wicked people are in a position of power and influence, the harm that results is such that people “head for the hills,” if they can. People go underground because if their rulers are wicked, then it is likely that they will abuse those under their power. However, when these abusive rulers are destroyed, then the righteous can flourish. Such a situation bodes well for the public good. This proverb, among many others, points out that wisdom not only benefits the individual but also the community.⁵³¹

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for Your steadfast love! Any possessions that I have are only the result of trusting in You. It is a far greater gain to follow You and grow to be like You, for godliness brings contentment, but riches often bring temptations and traps. Now godliness with contentment is great gain (First Timothy 6:6). But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil – some, longing for it, have gone astray from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (First Timothy 6:9-10a), but loving the Messiah brings eternal peace and joy! These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have shalom. In the world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33)! Thank You for Your great love and wisdom that puts trusting in You as the most important thing anyone can do, far above obtaining wealth. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Caring for Flocks and Herds
27: 23-27

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

This proverb, addressing the son as an owner of flocks and herds, warns him to personally concern himself with the well-being of his animals. Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds (27:23 NLT). It takes a lot of effort to provide animals with pastures and water, and to breed them appropriately (Genesis 31:38-42). It takes energy, discipline, kindness, shrewdness, and other virtues given by wisdom. Moreover, all should not be left to servants. The master’s eye, like that of Bo’az, should, as much as possible, overlook the work (see the commentary on Ruth, to see link click Ar – Bo’az and the Overseer).⁵¹⁷

For riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation (27:24 NLT). The motive here suggests that such care is necessary even if the farmer has some “money in the bank.” If one lives off of past riches, the proverb warns, and neglects one’s day-to-day work, the surplus will run out, and then the crops and animals will not be there to provide any food.

After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears and the mountain grasses are gathered in, the lambs will provide your clothing, the goats will sell for enough to buy a field, and you will have enough goats’ milk for yourself, your family, and your servant girls (27:25-27 NLT). This proverb unit seems to advocate a fundamental dependence on renewable resources, such as letting fresh grass replace dried grass and gathering vegetation from the mountains and crops for food. Lambs and goats provide food, milk, and clothes. All that is really necessary for life are associated with the things that are part of a farmer’s daily life. Dreaming of treasures and crowns may distract people from what is really important in the long run.

That wisdom is concerned about the right strategy to sustain life may be seen in the book of Ecclesiastes, where a lengthy passage gives advice to work hard in light of the risks of life: Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return. Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie. Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well⁵¹⁸ (see the commentary on the Life of Solomon Cx – Work Diligently, Live Joyfully and Responsibly).

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for being so wise, loving and caring. You promise is so wonderful that you will live in those who believe in You. You are kind to animals and so should we. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground apart from your Father’s consent (Matthew 10:29). You even care that the ox who is treading out the grain is not muzzled and is able to eat some of what he is treading on. You are not to muzzle the ox while it is threshing (Deuteronomy 25:4). You matured and trained several of your great leaders by having them work as shepherds, out in the fields daily with flocks of animals. David was a great shepherd in caring for his sheep (First Samuel 17:34-36a). Joseph and his brothers pastured their flock (Genesis 37:2). Moses kept the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, in the land of Midian (Exodus 2:15, 3:1). Serving You is a Joy! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

 

Torah and Wealth
28: 1-11

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

We have seen that there are major differences between Proverbs and the teaching of Yeshua (to see link click Da – Ten Sayings about Wealth). In his book Jesus and Proverbs, Reconciling the teachings of Jesus and Proverbs regarding money and business, Gary Miller examines four ways that both messages have powerful roles to play in our lives.

1. Proverbs provides the how, and Yeshua provides the why. Proverbs tell us how to produce income, and the teachings of Yeshua tell us why. Proverbs provides the tools to make the material world work for us. We learn that it is important to get out of bed in the morning, that we need to be out in the field/workplace to survive, and that we must plan ahead. In the B’rit Chadashah we discover why ADONAI wants us to be involved in these activities. We are to use money to provide for our families (First Timothy 5:8), to assist the fatherless and widows (James 1:27), and to send aid to needy believers around the world (Second Corinthians 8:14). None of this is possible without industry, and nothing surpasses Proverbs in teaching how to make business profitable.

2. Money can be useful in furthering the Kingdom. In some ways it would be easier if Yeshua had just told us to stay away from money. Sometimes I see young people taking this position out of reaction. But Yeshua didn’t say this. In fact, He taught that, as dangerous as money is, it can be useful in the Kingdom. One of the most lengthy and difficult parables the Master told was the story of the shrewd manager (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Hw – The Parable of the Shrewd Manager). Through the years men have wrestled to understand why Yeshua used an unrighteous man to illustrate a godly concept. But the concluding message is clear. While we are not to serve money, it can be useful if furthering the Kingdom of God. Paul picked up this theme in his letter to the church at Ephesus when he encouraged them to earn money so they would be able to share with those in need (Ephesians 4:28b).

3. Surrendering what is right and fair. Proverbs describes what is right and fair and has many teachings regarding cause and effect. If you do certain things, you can expect certain results. It describes what is just and fair, every business owner should be familiar with it. But the teachings of Yeshua take us far beyond the pursuit of what is right and fair. They call us to lay down our personal rights – to not insist on receiving what may be fair and equitable, and to consider each business transaction from the other person’s perspective. Yeshua doesn’t disagree with the teaching of Proverbs describing fair treatment. He just taught us not to insist on it.

4. Wealth is to be accumulated. Both Proverbs and the teachings of Yeshua encourage accumulation of wealth. But while Proverbs primarily focuses on the blessings that come from accumulating temporal wealth (Proverbs 14:24), Yeshua’s teachings emphasize another kind of treasure and a different place to save. In contrast to temporal wealth, which is subject to moth, rust, and thieves, Messiah reveals a savings account surpassing any security measures man can provide: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal (Matthew 6:19). He says we can direct-deposit into this heavenly account now. Imagine that! You can almost sense the excitement in our Lord’s voice as He urges His listeners: Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out. Purses is a metaphor for the contents in them. In other words, one should not even attempt to use one’s earthly money to lay up treasure in heaven. But by being generous with your money, you will store up a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys (Luke 12:33). Business owners are interested in a return on investments. There is no greater risk-free investment being offered today, and wise business owners will shift their assets to this heavenly account as quickly as possible.

The book of Proverbs contains the universal building blocks to help us provide for our families. I can think of no better resource for a young man or woman who wants to understand how to make the material work for them. It will teach them to work hard and plan ahead, it will provide the principles for successful business operation. Everyone should become familiar with this teaching. But in the middle of our hustle and bustle, it is essential to stop and ask why diligence and good work ethic are so important. Proverbs and the teachings of Yeshua are meant to complement each other.

An entrepreneur loves logic, challenge, production, common sense, and the business would naturally reward those who pursue these attributes. Consequently, believers who enjoy business can become enamored with the biblical truths in Proverbs and give less attention to the call of Messiah. Beware! One who lives only by the teachings of Proverbs is a fool!⁵¹⁹

The wicked flee when no one pursues them; but the godly are as bold as a lion (28:1 NIV). One of the reasons we don’t fear ADONAI enough is that we fear people too much. We fear their disapproval. We think that our self-esteem comes from the approval of other people. But wisdom redirects our hunger for approval. Whose smile really satisfies us? If ADONAI approves of us, that should be enough. If you are “in Messiah” today (Ephesians 1:1, 1:3, 1:5, 1:9, 1:12-13, 2:1, 2:6-7, 2:10, 2:13, 3:11, 3:21, 4:32), God wants you to know that your relationship with Him is pre-approved. He will correct you as needed, but He will not reject you (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). That assurance continually draws our hearts toward Him. The Bible says that when we are filled with spiritual wisdom, our goal changes; we want to be entirely pleasing to Him (Colossians 1:10 CJB). We’d like to please everybody; but we must please Him. This is the fear of ADONAI (see Ai – The Fear of ADONAI is the Beginning of Wisdom). Wouldn’t it be great to stop fearing people so much?

Here is how. Since the fear of ADONAI is the beginning of wisdom, the fear of people is the beginning of foolishness. Let’s all admit, that is a real problem among us. We are always performing, hoping for applause. Then we can consider ourselves successful; then we can feel good about ourselves. We even perform in front of ourselves, in the theater of our minds. We are constantly going onstage to build emotional capital from human applause and attention. But it’s all false. What if people found out the truth about us? Our idol is human approval. Our heaven is the spotlight. Our hell is bad reviews. Our ritual worship is to keep up appearances. We have the wrong fear. And that wrong fear is the beginning, the entry point, the thin edge of wedge for folly. Living a lie hollows us out. We end up so insecure, we flee even when no one is pursuing us – always fugitives, never settled in one place.

To fear ADONAI means His opinion is the only thing that matters. We have an audience of One. And He promises His approval through Yeshua Messiah. The Gospel puts the Master on stage for us and says, “You can stop posing, you can stop fearing exposure. You can stop looking over your shoulder and worrying about the sins of yesterday. You can know for sure today that goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life (Psalm 23:6) because of the Messiah. If you fear ADONAI enough to let His Gospel satisfy you, then you will be bold and confident and valiant as a lion, like Messiah Himself (see the commentary on Revelation Ce – The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David has Triumphed).⁵²⁰

When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. The translation of the first colon is relatively clear, and its point is almost as transparent. Basically, the point is that the offense of a nation will lead to the increase of many leaders, which is not a good thing. Long-lived benevolent rulers are the best circumstance for a nation, providing it with stability and security. The offense in this parable may well have been rebellion, which itself could introduce instability into a nation. Many leaders may point to the fragmentation of a previously united land (see the commentary on the Life of Solomon Dn – The Kings of Isra’el). But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability (28:2 NLT). The second colon simply asserts that people of wisdom and understanding know that rebellion will lead to trouble, so they remain loyal to ADONAI and the Torah, therefore avoid the destructive consequences.

A poor person who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no food (28:3 Hebrew). Those who try to get something out of the poor are trying to get “blood out of a rock,” as the modern saying goes. This proverb envisions an especially pitiful scene as poor people oppress other poor people, leading to devastating results. People who have nothing, try to get something from people who have nothing, which leads to nothing. The driving rain that washes away food may refer to crop-destroying rains that ruin a harvest (26:1a).⁵²¹

Those who abandon the Torah praise the wicked, but those who obey the Torah oppose them (28:4 CJB). This proverb speaks of those who abandon the Torah. The verb denotes a divorce, as in a wife who is abandoned (Isaiah 60:15). Thus, when Solomon speaks of one who abandons the Torah, he means someone who was familiar with it first. This is more than rejection by an unbeliever, but refers to one who follows the Word for a while and then abandons it. Such people often end up praising the wicked. The apostate often leaves God’s teaching in pursuit of the fruits of a sign, saying in his heart, “God will not punish the wicked, so why be religious?” By the same principle, those who do follow the teachings of ADONAI generally end up opposing those who abandon the faith. Their apostasy makes us angry.

The righteous and the wicked are contrasted many times in Proverbs (see Cl – Consequences of Righteousness and Wickedness). Ha’Shem punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous. But here we see a contrast based completely within the realm of human relationships. The Torah separates the righteous from the wicked. Even more so, abandoning the Torah separates the righteous from the wicked. There is more hope for a sinner who has not yet discovered God’s perfect teaching, than for one who knows it and has left it for the world. They went out from us, but they weren’t part of us; for if they had been part of us, they would have remained with us [in the church] (First John 2:19 CJB).

Ironically, Solomon didn’t ultimately follow his own advice. He became one who abandoned the Torah. He committed spiritual adultery with the wicked rulers of foreign nations. And the righteous of the TaNaKh battled with him, as we can see in the story of Ahijah, who came at the bidding of God to give ten of the tribes of Solomon’s kingdom to another ruler (see the Life of Solomon Bz – The First Prophecy of Ahijah). Isra’el’s unity came to an end, just as the proverb ironically warned – through Solomon abandoning the Torah.

Do you know someone who has rejected ADONAI’s teaching? Perhaps that person used to attend the congregation, but now won’t come near it. He might be like Dave, who became bitter with YHVH after finding out that his wife had committed adultery. Dave has abandoned God. Or he might be like Mike, who read certain books that convinced him that the Bible is not the Word of God. How can we convince them that they have abandoned their only source of help? It is not right to despise them, but we can fight for their souls, as Jude says: Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh (see Jude Az – Be Merciful to Those Who Doubt, Snatch Others from the Fire, to Others Show Mercy, Mixed with Fear).⁵²²

Evil people don’t understand justice. This first colon is obviously true. Understanding involves more than mere awareness of the concept of justice. It implies that they appreciate it. Evil people don’t want to understand justice because they live lives that are at odds with justice. Not only that, they do not see the divine justice that will catch up with them. On the other hand, those who seek ADONAI understand fully (28:5 CJB). One question that we may ask is, “What does the proverb mean fully?” It would be really egotistical to be calm to fully know anything in this world. It probably is best to restrict the word fully to matters of justice. After all, those who seek YHVH are wise, and they want to know His will. ADONAI defines the nature of justice, so by knowing Him, they come to know His justice.

Better to be poor and honest than one who walks crooked paths and is wealthy (28:6 Hebrew). This “better-than” proverb provides a relative judgment between integrity and wealth. Nothing is wrong with wealth in and of itself, but if a decision must be made, it is clear that integrity is more important, and wealth should be sacrificed. Proverbs 19:1 provides a similar idea: Better to be poor and honest than one whose lips are crooked and is a fool. The metaphor of walking on a path, so familiar in Chapters 1-9, underlines this proverb. There are two paths. There is a path of the righteous (see Cc – The Path of the Righteous), and a path of the wicked (see Az – Don’t Follow the Path of the Wicked).

A wise son follows instruction, but those with worthless friends bring shame to his father (28:7 Hebrew). This proverb, presuming a wise father, gauges the child’s wisdom by whether the parent is shamed by his or her actions. As in 28:4, the term “instruction” (Hebrew: torah) could hypothetically refer to either the mitzvot of ADONAI in the Torah, or to the father’s advice. Elsewhere in Proverbs, the father encourages moderation, and lack of control in one’s diet is criticized (23:1-3). It is possible the instruction here refers to the advice that we find represented in Proverbs itself, but we should also refer to Deuteronomy, where a son is described as a stubborn and rebellious son who does not listen to the voice of his father or mother (see Deuteronomy Ds – The Tale of Two Sons: The rebellious son).

Income from charging high interest rates will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor (28:8 NLT). Wealth is good and often considered a sign of wisdom and the blessing of God (3:9-10, 10:15 and 22). But not always. Proverbs recognizes that some people gain wealth illegitimately (11:8, 21:6 and 22:16), and one such illegitimate way is through charging high interest rates. Charging any interest to fellow Israelites violated a mitzvah of the Torah (see Deuteronomy Ef – Don’t Gouge Your Brother: No interest for the Jew). Here, the consequence is that wealth would be taken away and given to someone who would be kind to the poor. Proverbs often encourages generosity to the poor (11:24, 28:27, 29:7 and 14).⁵²³

If a person will not listen to the Torah, even his prayers are an abomination (28:9 CJB). This proverb paints a picture of ADONAI, betrayed and disgusted with those who refuse to listen to the Torah (Hebrew: teaching). This proverb could possibly refer to general instruction and not specifically to the Torah. Even so, this verse rings true. People who are unteachable often hold an inflated opinion of their own knowledge, an attitude that reflects on their relationship with God. For anyone who cannot bring himself to learn from other humans is not likely not to be open to learn the hard lessons that YHVH desires of him.

The word translated abomination (Hebrew: to’evah) is the same word used to describe sexual sins, including homosexuality, bestiality, and incest (see Leviticus De – Homosexuality). This is a strong word. The prayers of those who reject God’s teaching are offensive to Him. Far from winning points with God, those who reject His Word (John 1:1 and 14) and then offer Him a prayer, are offending Him by their pretense.

Yeshua and the prophets spoke of such pretense. Samuel rebuked Sha’ul’s ritualism: To obey is better than sacrifice (First Samuel 15:22). Isaiah spoke for God who cried out: Why are all those sacrifices offensive to me (Isaiah 1:11). Hosea also spoke for ADONAI who teaches: What I desire is chesed (see the commentary on Ruth Af – The Concept of Chesed), not sacrifices, knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6). Yeshua blasted hypocrites who fasted with grimaced faces or who drew attention to themselves by praying loudly on street corners (Matthew 6:5 and 16). They all practiced ritualism.

Marriage is a useful analogy for understanding God’s point of view on this matter. Imagine a husband who speaks romantically to his wife and yet is known to be cheating on her. Imagine the disgust with which those romantic words are met, words that would otherwise bring joy and warmth. So are the words offered to God by those who are not faithful to His Word.

There is a common idea that it is possible to “put in one’s time” with ADONAI. This fallacy occurs on many levels, and includes those who practice empty ritual (a prayer book, a service at the congregation, or even “quiet time”) instead of knowing and obeying the living God. This may be an unbeliever who hides behind the practice of religion, a secular person who scoffs at God’s Word, yet speaks of a “personal spirituality,” or even a believer who has “personal devotions” out in nature and believes that he doesn’t need the Body of Messiah. But those who reject God’s Word are not in communion with Him. This is not to be confused with sins of weakness or failure, but refers to willful rejection of God’s teaching in any area. Turning away is an active rebellion. It would be better not to pray, unless it’s a prayer of repentance.⁵²⁴

Whoever causes the honest to pursue evil ways will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance (28:10 Hebrew). It is bad enough being wicked, but it is even worse for one who is walking on the straight path to go astray. Those who might be tempted to influence the righteous of the TaNaKh to act wickedly are warned that they are the ones who will suffer. Jesus said to His apostles, “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.” Using the graphic image of the millstone, Christ told the Twelve that it would be better for them to die than to be the source of another person’s sin. It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone (a heavy stone for grinding grain) tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones, the weak and vulnerable for whom Messiah had so much concern, to stumble (Luke 17:1-2). Here and elsewhere in Proverbs, the wicked are told they will experience the pain that they want to inflict on others. On the other hand, the blameless, those who do act with honesty and wisdom, will receive a good inheritance.

The wealthy are wise in their own eyes, but a poor person with discernment can see right through them (28:11 Hebrew). The contrast between the wealthy and the poor is just to make the contrast between those who pretend and those who can see right through them all the more dramatic. In Proverbs, wealth is better than poverty, but as the wealthy use their wealth to cheat others, then their wealth is worse than poverty. The expression in their own eyes is used a number of times in Proverbs (3:7, 12:15, 26:5) to refer to egotism. Wealth can sometimes cloud the mind so that the rich think that the wealthy are so smart that they became wealthy on their own, leaving God out of the picture. This breeds an attitude of conceit and self-reliance. On the other hand, a wise person, a person with discernment, even if poor, can see right through them.⁵²⁵

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being so absolutely wonderful, loving and just, all at the same time! How important it is to never leave you out of the picture of our lives. Money may make the picture of our lives a bit more comfortable, but money disappears and is gone. A loving relationship with You lasts for all eternity and is worth far more than all the money in the world! You are always there to help and to guide me! For God Himself has said: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5c). What a joy it is to know that when I am perplexed about what to do in life, I can always run to Your Word seeking Your wisdom. If Your Word doesn’t talk specifically about the situation, then I can run to You in prayer and You promise to answer! But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all without hesitation and without reproach; and it will be given to him (James 1:5). Your Word enlightens me on how to be wise with my time and money. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

About Friends and Friendship
27: 1-22

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

First Instructions on Friends and Friendship (27:1-10): Hezekiah’s men copied and compiled 22 proverbs into one literary unit. The word praise forms two bookends, it being the first word in verse 1 and the last word in verse 21. Verse 22 is a janus, a transition saying, looking backward and forward. The unit falls into two balanced halves of ten verses each (verses 1-10 and 11-21). Both haves begin and end with either explicit warnings directed to the son, “you” (verses 1-2 and 10, 11 and 22), and both conclude with an extended proverb. The first half consists of five couplets.⁵⁰⁷

The first couplet (27:1-2): Don’t boast (Hebrew: halal, meaning to praise) about tomorrow, for you don’t know what the day may bring (27:1 CJB). Warning against bragging unites these two proverbs. The first proverb warns against overconfidence concerning the future. One may think of the bragging done by Ben-hadad, king of Aram, that he would defeat Samaria. At this point the unnamed king of Isra’el (probably Ahab) responds with what looks like a proverb: One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off (First Kings 20:11). Indeed, thanks to divine intervention, the Israelite army repulsed the army of Aram. Of course, our present proverb extends beyond a military context. Boasting in the future would assume one’s control over the future, and as we have already learned in Proverbs, though one can plan the future, the future is ultimately in the hands of God (to see link click Cn – We Plan, but God Determines Our Steps).

The second proverb also warns against improper boasting, but here it does not concern certainty about the future, but rather one’s character or accomplishments. Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth, a stranger and not your own lips (27:2 CJB). The sages tell their students not to boast about themselves, but rather to let someone else do it. Such teaching shows that the praise of others is something to be desired. In the B’rit Chadashsh, Paul has extensive teaching about boasting, and the most important point that he makes is that God’s people should boast in the Lord. He deflects any praise that might come his way back toward ADONAI (First Corinthians 1:31, Second Corinthians 10:17), just as Jeremiah does (Jeremiah 9:23-24).⁵⁰⁸

The second couplet (27:3-4): These proverbs are united by their common comments on anger/resentment, though the vocabulary differs between them. Stone is heavy and sand a dead weight, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier (27:3 NLT). This implicitly “better-than” proverb shows the heaviness of the resentment of a fool is more than that of stone and sand. Even today we talk about a “heavy mood” when feeling oppressed. We even talk about how a mood “weighs heavily” on people and those around them. The lesson of Solomon to his son is this: Stay far away from fools because they aim to seduce you to join them (see Al – Bad Company Corrupts Good Character).⁵⁰⁹

Anger is cruel and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous (27:4 NLT). Anger can be violent, but jealousy is worse. Here’s why. Anger at its best is reacting against something that is right and good. If you wrong someone they might forgive you. But if you’re better than someone they might never forgive you. Jealousy is that bad. Cain did not murder Abel because his brother had wronged him: Why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brothers righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you (First John 3:12-13). The Bible says it was out of envy that the enemies of Messiah passed him over to the Romans to be crucified (Matthew 27:18). And the early Church was persecuted because of jealousy (see the commentary on Acts Au – The Apostles are Persecuted). Who can stand before jealousy? It will keep coming after you relentlessly, until you come down to its level. If you refuse to knuckle under, it will punish you – and blame you for all of it. This is one of the reasons we admire Paul so much. When he was put in prison and had to cancel his preaching plans, other preachers in the early Church were glad. With Paul out of the way, they finally got the limelight. Was Paul jealous or resentful? No. He was happy, because Messiah was being preached, even out of bad motives (see the commentary on Philippians An – Proclaiming Messiah Out of Jealousy). When Yeshua, not self, is who matters most to us, that frees us to be happy even when we are shoved aside, overlooked, or passed over.⁵¹⁰

The third couplet (27:5-6): Dealing with the mystery of friendship and correction, this proverb is very helpful. It compares open rebuke on the one hand, and hidden love on the other. Better is open rebuke than hidden love (27:5 CJB). What is going on here is that Solomon has done some thinking behind the scenes that is not apparent on the surface. The terms are alike yet opposite. Open is the opposite of hidden. Rebuke is similar to love, if you understand that people who love each other correct each other. To those who have not thought this through, an open rebuke seems like a bad thing. On the other hand, hidden love sounds like a good thing though not as good as open love. In reality, however, an open rebuke is giving something beneficial and hidden love is withholding something beneficial.

Thus, properly understood, the two terms are really opposite. It is better to give something beneficial, even if it hurts, than to withhold something beneficial, even if it’s sweet. Thus, Solomon can also say: Trustworthy are the bruises caused by the wounding of one who loves you; deceitful is the flattery of one who hates you (27:6 Hebrew). There is a relationship between love and rebuke (correction). But it’s important to realize that not only does friendship involve rebuke, but also that flattery can be the action of an enemy. An enemy’s kisses are insincere. We judge a compliment of a criticism by the relationship we have to the speaker. An enemy’s compliments are usually insincere, but a friend’s rebuke is motivated by love. Here is the key to successfully being able to correct those whom we love: getting them to trust that we love them and desire their best interest.

Being willing to correct others, especially with love, is not easy. People tend to resent correction. But if we befriend someone and demonstrate our commitment to them, they are more likely to hear us. In other words, we have earned the right to be heard. Also, if we learn to speak with gentleness and grace, we are more likely to be heard. In the end, people appreciate frankness far more than flattery (28:23). If we keep on loving someone, that person will eventually see that we are more valuable to them than others who just want to tell them what they want to hear.

In fact, just as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (27:17). The type of relationship with others in which there is mutual accountability, in which there is freedom for loving correction, is greatly desired. A file made from lead would never be used to sharpen an iron blade. So, too, it is difficult for a person to accept correction from people who are not well known or trusted. Truthfully, we ought to receive and think about correction. But there is a special relationship, iron sharpening iron – that gives us a regular source of correction.⁵¹¹

The fourth couplet (27:7-8): A person who is full refuses honey (27:7a NLT). In the book of Proverbs, the right course of action or saying the right thing depends on circumstances, or timing. Honey is a delicacy, sweet to the taste and providing all kinds of energy. However, for those who are full, it may cause vomiting (25:16). But even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry (27:7b NLT). On the other hand, anything tastes good to someone who is hungry. Something naturally sweet like honey is spurned by someone with a full stomach; yet even something sour tastes sweet (like honey) to someone whose stomach is empty. The message articulated by this proverb is that it is important to know the situation.

Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home (27:8 ESV). This comparative proverb likens a man who willingly flees his home to a fluttering bird that flies away from the security of its nest. This is compared to a man leaving his home. Cut off from the security of his family he opened himself up to danger. The proverb is thus a warning to those who might think that “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence,” and be grateful for what they have.⁵¹²

The fifth couplet (27:9-10): Both of these proverbs praise friendship and encourage the cultivation of deep and loyal friendships. Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend (27:9a Hebrew). The first proverb begins by talking about two expensive luxuries that make people very happy. But the second colon celebrates the sweetness of friendship over one’s own advice. The second of the pair turns from the friend’s counsel to his support. The proverb envisions a situation where the son suffers sudden destruction and he asks for the help of a trusted friend of the family rather than a blood relative (27:10b). Such a friend is indispensable at those times. Never abandon a friend – either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. Such a friend is better in a crisis than a relative who is far off (18:24). It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away (27:10 NLT).

Second Instructions of Friends and Friendship (27:11-21): The unit falls into two balanced halves of ten verses each (verses 1-10 and 11-21). The second half begins with a proverb pair that pertains to education. Be wise, my son (verse 11) is followed by an implied warning to be prudent, not gullible (verse 12). Both haves begin and end with either explicit or explicit warnings directed to the son, “you” (verses 1-2 and 10, 11 and 22), and both conclude with an extended proverb.

Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad. Then I will be able to answer my critics (27:11 NLT). The teaching of the father to his son reminds us of the dynamic of Chapters 1-9 (see Aj – Proverbs to the Youth). The same is true for the nature of the advice, which is a general call to seek wisdom. The motivation given for the son to seek wisdom is the benefit that comes to his parents. They are happy because they have an answer to any criticism of their son’s reputation. If the son pursues wisdom and not foolishness, then the father’s critics won’t have any basis for their verbal attacks on the family (10:1). The second proverb of the pair implicitly defines “being wise” in verse 11 as being prudent and not gullible. The prudent person (1:4a) foresees danger and takes precautions; the gullible blindly goes on and suffers the consequences (27:12 Hebrew). The difference between the prudent and the gullible is based on their ability to navigate life, which really gets at the heart of wisdom. It’s easy to take precautions if you see danger coming. The prudent have that sense, and this allows them to work around the problems. On the other hand, the gullible just plunge ahead and suffer the consequences of their foolish actions. This proverb repeats 22:3 with only minor variations.

Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners (27:13 NLT). This verse essentially repeats 20:16.

Whoever greets his neighbor in a loud voice at dawn might just as well have cursed him (27:14 Hebrew). This proverb picks up the file’s key word neighbor, but now within the context of a “bad neighbor.” The flamboyant manner in which he rises at the crack of dawn to pronounce a “blessing” on his neighbor is deceitful. His unnatural voice and timing betray him as a hypocrite. The neighbor will not be fooled and will regard the act as a curse, not a “blessing.” Instead of receiving the phony “blessing,” he will curse the hypocrite. The innocent neighbor, however, has nothing to fear, for an undeserved curse will not land (26:2). Real friendship is expressed in actions and truth, not in flashy words. Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions (First John 3:18 NLT).⁵¹³

A nagging wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. The language of verse 15 is similar to 19:13b, which proclaims that a nagging wife is like dripping water that just won’t quit (19:13). Here the language of 19:13b is divided into two parts and distributed in the two colas of the verse, and the dripping is placed into the context of a rainy day. The metaphor highlights just how annoying and depressing a nagging wife can be. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop a storm or trying to hold something with greased hands (27:15-16 NLT). The home should have provided her and her husband shelter from the storm, but, ironically, she brings the storm, and chaos, into it.

Just as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (27:17 Hebrew). The topic shifts from false “friendship” back to true friendship. This proverb is one of the best-known and often-quoted verses in the book. It is often exclusively cited in connection with male friendship, but there is really no reason to think it does not also apply to women. The rubbing of iron against iron produces a sharp edge, so the only real question has to do with what sharpening a person implies. It means that friends help each other prepare for the ups and downs of life. In the context of the book of Proverbs, this means instruction in matters of wisdom, which would help a person navigate successfully. It would certainly include receiving and giving correction to foolish behavior and speech. In this way, the friends could avoid making the same mistake in the future.

As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit, so workers who protect their employer’s interest will be rewarded (27:18 NLT). This proverb encourages the wise to take good care of those who employ them for their professional services. It pivots on the use of fruit for consequences or rewards. Just as those who tend (or possibly protect) a fig tree will have the benefit of its fruit, so will those who take care of their employer’s interest will also be rewarded.⁵¹⁴

As a face is reflected in water like a mirror, so that heart reflects the real person (27:19 NLT). On the one hand, your heart reveals the real you – what you really are, not what others think or what circumstances force you to be. Your heart determines why you say the things you say, feel the way you feel, and do the things you do. Another word for heart is passion. There are certain things you feel passionate about and others you couldn’t care less. Some experiences turn you on and capture your attention while others turn you off or bore you to tears. These reveal the nature of your heart. On the other hand, the heart reveals you to others. So, it is not so much self-revelation, but rather revelation to others.⁵¹⁵

Sh’ol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes (27:20 Hebrew). Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by [his reaction] to being praised (27:21 NLT). Praise is dangerous because it can produce pride. Praise is often flattery, and at other times it may simply be courtesy or for encouragement. Because of his insecurity, a person can also take praise to be an affirmation of his own importance. The Torah warns against pride since that often results in forgetting about ADONAI (Deuteronomy 8:14).⁵¹⁶

Janus (27:22): This verse is a janus, named after the Roman god of endings and beginnings, symbolized by having two faces – one looking back toward the past and one looking forward toward the future. Looking back, you can’t do much with foolish people. You cannot separate fools from their foolishness, even though you grind them like grain with mortar (a vessel in which substances are crushed or ground with a pestle) (27:22 NLT). Looking forward, caring for flocks and herds (see Dn – Caring for Flocks and Herds) is the wise thing to do.

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being the very best friend and Father that ever could be! Bragging about something that we do is foolish, for our achievements are only temporary and very minimal compared to Your greatness. For Hannah, with a grateful heart, boasted in You, for You are all-knowing and wise. You see the intentions of the heart (First Samuel 16:7) and weigh the attitude behind why deeds are done. Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in ADONAI, my horn is lifted high in ADONAI. I smile wide over my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation. Friends are also important. How wonderful to have such a wise and understanding friend as You dear God, for You are full of lovingkindness, and judge with righteousness. But let one who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows Me. For I am ADONAI who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth. For in these things I delight.” It is a declaration of ADONAI (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like the great deep. You preserve man and beast, ADONAI. How precious is Your love, O God (Psalms 36:6-7a)! Thank You for always being such a loving and caring heavenly Father. It is a joy to boast about You and praise You. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Four Kinds of Troublemakers
26: 17-28

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

1. The busybody (26:17): Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears (26:17 NLT). The least dangerous of the antisocial troublemakers is the busybody, for she only hurts herself. This first proverb ridicules those who get involved in a dispute or fight in which they have no business. In the south they would say that such a person “has no dog in the hunt.” It is obviously stupid to yank a dog’s ears. Because of the Jews belief that dogs were unclean, most dogs in Isra’el were considered wild, something like a jackal. Yanking a jackal by its ears implies the inevitability of getting bit by getting involved in somebody else’s dispute. Not even Sampson yanked the foxes by their ears (Judges 15:4). Thus, the busybody should leave the wild dog alone, and the son, who is the object of Solomon’s teaching, should walk away from a dispute in which he has no business.⁵⁰¹

2. The deceiver (26:18-19): Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking” (26:18-19 NLT). The second proverb considers yet another situation: when people deceive those who are close to them and then claim that it was a joke. From the context it is unclear whether the claim that it was a joke. From the context it is unclear whether the claim that they were kidding comes before or after the deception is discovered. Certainly, if the admission comes afterward, the claim to be joking would be even weaker. In this case, their words start a war. One may as well shoot at neighbors with deadly flaming arrows. Undoubtedly, it will result in the death of any kind of relationship they may have had with their friends or neighbors.⁵⁰² The comparison of the treacherous clown with the armed berserk warrior is a double. Both cannot distinguish between right and wrong and both inflict horrible tragedy on the community. However, the difference is that the madman is out of his mind and cannot plot evil, while the deceiver is cunning, showing that he is intellectually capable of carrying out a crime. His problem is not intellectual but spiritual.

3. The slanderer (26:20-22): Hezekiah’s collectors (to see link click Df – Proverbs of Solomon Copied by Hezekiah’s Men) now ratchet up the section on antisocial types to the slanderer, who destroys the community by inflaming strife (16:28 and 18:8). Slander involves speaking to third parties about a person with the intention of harm, not help. Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. But then, a quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood. Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart (26:20-22 NLT). Verses 20-21 present two sides of the same coin. The inflammatory speech of the slanderer burns the community down (verse 21), but his absence gives it an opportunity to restore its peace (verse 20). His words are so destructive to the community’s well-being because people swallow his inflammatory slanders like dainty morsels (verses 22a). But the community that tolerates his slander is also guilty for the conflicts that tear it apart.⁵⁰³

A deceiver stirs up strife, and a slanderer can separate even close friends (16:28 CJB). Slander always causes hurt and divisions, and it destroys fellowship, and ADONAI is very clear that we are to confront those who cause division among the congregations of God. They may get mad and leave your small group or place of worship if you confront them about their divisive actions, but the fellowship of the Body of Messiah is more important than any one person.⁵⁰⁴ The Word of God is very clear about this: There are six things that ADONAI hates, yes, seven that are detestable to Him (6:16 Hebrew). This verse is known as a numerical saying; a typical wisdom form found prominently in Proverbs (see Proverbs 30:15, 18, 21, 24, and 29; Job 5:19; Ecclesiastes 11:2; Amos 1:6, 9, 13 and 2:1, 4, and 6; Micah 5:5). The clue to reading numerical sayings is that the focus of the message is often on the last item mentioned. The seventh example here: the person who stirs up descension in the congregation, draws together the remainder of the other descriptions.⁵⁰⁵

4. The hater (26:23-28): Finally, the compilers narrow the troublemakers down to the son’s hateful enemy. The imperative “do not trust him” shows that the son is the hater’s target and states the aim of the partial subunit. The first of its triplet sayings depicts the enemy’s deception. Like a clay vessel overlaid with silver dross, are the burning lips of a wicked heart. This first proverb begins by describing how silver can cover clay in order to produce a beautiful vase. However, the silver is only paper thin, and once penetrated, you can see that the silver gives way to ordinary clay. The surface gives the illusion of a completely silver vessel, but that isn’t the reality. The same is true of smooth speech of someone with a wicked heart. They hide their intentions. They say nice things, but inside their hatred burns. He may cover his hatred with smooth speech, but he’s deceiving you. The third proverb moves from observation to advice. Always be looking for signs that others are not honestly reflecting their true feelings. He pretends to be kind, but don’t trust him, for there are seven abominations in his heart (26:23-25 Hebrew). Seven is a symbolic number representing completion (see the commentary on Genesis Ae – The Number Seven). Hence, they are totally abominable. The term an abomination has been used frequently so far in the expression an abomination to ADOANI (3:32, 11:20, 12:22, 15:8-9, and 26, 16:5, 17:15, 20:10 and 23). This indicates the utmost divine censure against something or someone, the cherem judgment of Ha’Shem (see Leviticus Ff – The Cherem).

The second triplet depicts the hater’s destruction. While their hatred may be concealed deceit, their wickedness will be exposed in public. Although people can hide their true thoughts and intentions for a while, they will eventually come out. They just wait until they have enough harmful ammunition to attack their intended victim. But unwittingly, he who digs a pit will fall into it. The idea that the wicked will be hurt by their own actions aimed at others appears frequently in the book (Proverbs 1:18-19; also see Psalm 7:4-5; Ecclesiastes 10:8). And he who rolls a stone down onto others, it will crush you instead. The first colon is clear enough, falling into a pit dug as a trap for another person. But the second colon only makes sense if provided with a bit of narrative. We might imagine the wicked pushing a stone to the top of a hill, planning to drop it on the head of a passerby. Instead, as he rolls it up the height, its weight proves to be too much, and it rolls back, crushing the wicked. Lastly, a lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin (26:26-28 Hebrew). The first colon simply states that the wicked who lie about others hate those people that they are trying to harm. The second colon makes the point that flattering words also cause destruction. Flattery can be a certain way of lying. Without conviction or reality, it exaggerates the positive points of another person. Flattery may be used to set a person up to be taken advantage of. Flattery may also cause those who are flattered to think too highly of themselves, and thus, to act in a way that is detrimental.⁵⁰⁶

Dear heavenly Father, praise You that Your love and power is greater than any problems that troublemakers can make. To be connected to You and to please You brings great joy, no matter what the circumstances. Your heart is a heart of love – for God is love (First John 4:8). You never slander, nor are You ever deceitful. Your words are always pure and wise. Even in discipline Your words and actions are couched in love so that the fruit of righteousness is produced from the discipline (Hebrews 12:11). When slandered or put down by a busybody, I can take comfort in Your abiding love. Thank You that You are not a father who is far off, but rather a Father who is always near me, watching over me to care and to protect me when others gossip about me. O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You. My flesh longs for You in a dry and weary land, where there is no water (Hebrews 13:5c). Thank you that when others gossip or slander me, I can always run into Your loving arms, knowing that in You I am accepted, blessed and connected to You. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

 

How to Deal with the Fool
25:28 to 26:12

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

Janus (25:28): A person with no self-control is like a city with broken-down walls (25:28 NLT). This verse is a janus, named after the Roman god of endings and beginnings, symbolized by having two faces – one looking back toward the past and one looking forward toward the future. Looking back, this proverb is connected with 25:27 by presenting a person prone to excess and a lack of self-control: Just as it’s not good to eat too much honey, it’s also not good to seek out honors for yourself. But looking forward, this proverb points to a collection of proverbs about the fool who is characterized by a lack of self-control (12:16).

Introduction (26:1-3): Verse 1 summarizes the negative of the theme: Honor is not fitting for a fool. Verse 2 functions as a comparison and a contrast with verse 1. Verse 3 is the climax to the introduction and tells us that what is fitting for the fool is a rod to his back.⁴⁸⁵

Honor is no more fitting for a fool than snow with summer or rain with harvest (26:1 Hebrew). In other words, a fool with honor is impossible. The summers in Judea are hot and dry. Harvest time is a time of no rain. Fools have no honor, or at least no honor that they deserve. Indeed, the comparison may imply that on the chance that snow came in the summer or rain at harvest, it would do great damage. After all, the only time in the Bible that rain came during harvest was through divine intervention, and when it came, it was a sign of divine judgment (First Samuel 12:17-15).

Like a fluttering sparrow or a flying swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim (26:2 NLT). The ancient Near East knew curses that took on formal and ritualistic patterns. Even some in Isra’el may have been convinced that a curse worked merely because of the power of the words. This proverb would have been reassuring to a person that undeserved curses would really have no effect.⁴⁸⁶

Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back (26:3 NLT)! The introduction now turns from what is not fitting to what is fitting. The object of the teaching is that a fool must be controlled by physical force. The point is that the fool is as difficult to manage as a horse or a donkey. Elsewhere, however, even the rod for discipline is seen to be fruitless when applied to fools. They are simply hell-bent on going in the wrong direction. By implication, then, the fool is a stupid animal. Neither the fool nor these animals respond to reason; therefore, they must be driven by the whip, the bridle, or the rod.⁴⁸⁷

Body (26:4-10): The composition’s seven-verse body consists of two partial subunits: two statements that advocate correction as fitting for the fool (verses 4-5), and five sayings, in the form of a chiasm, prohibiting honor for the fool because he is unfit (verses 6-10).

Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are (26:4 NLT)! Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation (26:5 NLT). Looking at the opening phrase of each verse, we see that there is a direct contradiction: don’t answer versus answer. Liberal scholars see this as another example of the Bible contradicting itself. They suggest that Proverbs, gathered over many generations by men, is a mixture of wisdom sayings that reflect human wisdom, rather than godly wisdom. However, ADONAI was behind the process of inclusion of wisdom sayings in Proverbs, and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh inspired Solomon to put all his human wisdom in the context of faith and service to Ha’Shem. The Bible teaches that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (Second Timothy 3:16-17).

A shallow interpretation that only sees a contradiction here misses the subtlety of wisdom. Wisdom sayings are just part of wisdom. Experience and insight are necessary to know how and when to apply different wisdom principles. For example, Solomon says: A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch in the hand of a drunk (26:9 NLT).⁴⁸⁸ The wise person must discern when it is appropriate to answer fools according to their folly and when it would be harmful to do so. In this passage, Solomon shows both sides of the problem of answering a fool at all.⁴⁸⁹

When a fool boasts, says something in anger, or speaks as a know-it-all, the wise person has a choice to make. One response is to humble the boastful fool by boasting of greater qualifications. Anger from a fool could be answered with righteous anger in return. And a know-it-all might need a response that would put him to shame. Sometimes, one must answer in this way to keep the fool from thinking otherwise. Sometimes, wise people must do this either for themselves or for the sake of the fool.

Yet, the circumstances could change. If one were to respond to a fool on his own level, then one might look foolish to others. This would result in vindicating the fool in his own action. Key factors in deciding which course is wiser would include the relationship between the wise person and the fool, whether there are onlookers or not, and whether the fool in question might have any hope of learning from being humiliated.

One lesson we learn from the complexity of these wisdom principles is that we ought to be careful how we answer people. It is wise to become a student of people and learn how they might respond to us. We ought to think of justice, and also of their welfare in deciding how to answer. For like apples of gold in a silver basket is a word appropriately spoken (25:11).⁴⁹⁰

Hezekiah’s editors outlined this chiasm by exactly repeating in its inner core: A proverb in the mouth of a fool, on either side of the pivot (C). Its outer core relates to hiring the fool for a job, one of which is asking him to send a message. The pivot is also the center verse of the chiasm and its conclusion, as if shouting out the big idea: to honor a fool is unfitting.⁴⁹¹

A. Committing important business to a fool: Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison (26:6 NLT)! Sending a message by the hand of a fool is as bizarre as chopping off one’s own feet and as deadly as drinking poison. Cutting off one’s feet suggests that the message will never be delivered. Drinking poison may suggest that the one who sent the message will be harmed due to the incompetence of the fool. One can compare this warning about foolish behavior to 10:26: Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.⁴⁹²

B. A proverb in a fool’s mouth: A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg (26:7 NLT). Just as a person with paralyzed legs cannot use them, so a moral proverb in the mouth of a fool carries no authority and gets him nowhere. The proverb teaches us that it is inappropriate to educate the fool by putting proverbs in his mouth. Why would a fool wish to pay for wisdom when he has no desire to learn (17:16). The proverb’s good message in the mouth of the flawed messenger falls flat on its face and makes no impact at all.

C. Honoring a fool: Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone [boulder] to a sling (26:8 NLT). The pivot pokes fun at anyone who gives honor to a fool by explicitly comparing him to putting a large boulder in a sling. A sling was made of leather that had been broadened in the middle and into which a stone was placed (see the commentary on the Life of David, to see link click Al – David Kills Goliath). The person held the ends of the strip together and swung it until he let go of one of the ends so that the stone could fly against its intended target. Whoever gives honor to a fool looks as ridiculous (and is just as effective) as if he tried to sling a boulder from his sling.⁴⁹³

B. A proverb in a fool’s mouth: A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch in the hand of a drunk (26:9 NLT). We are asked how a thorny branch in the hand of a drunk is like a proverb in the mouth of a fool. As we contemplate the comparison, we conclude that it is saying something similar to 26:7. Thus, a fool may be able to learn a proverb, but won’t be able to apply it to the right circumstance. While 26:7 points out that such a situation renders the proverb ineffective, this one points out that it can actually be dangerous.⁴⁹⁴ A thorny branch in the hands of a person who doesn’t know where he is going or what he is doing is like the proverbial gun in the hands of a child. A proverb in the mouth of the wise brings healing, but in the mouth of a fool only brings destruction.

A. Committing important business to a fool: Whereas verses 7 and 9 reveal that the fool is unfit to utter any proverb, this verse shows him unfit for any kind of work. An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random (26:10 NLT). Both in word (verse 7) and deed (verse 9), he inflicts damage. Anyone who hires him hires one who is as crazy and dangerous as a mass terrorist.

Conclusion (26:11-12): Verse 11 ridicules the fool as being incapable of saving himself, but verse 12 speaks of the hope of his salvation. According to verses 3-5, his hope lies in physical punishment and wise answers. The catchphrase wise in his own estimation and the use of a direct address to the son in verse 5 and 12 also point to the connection between these two verses. The conclusion matches the introduction (verses 1-2) and the pivot (verse 8), and poetically by returning to negative animal images: fluttering sparrow and flying swallow (verse 2), horse and donkey (verse3), with the dog of verse 11.⁴⁹⁵

Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his foolishness (26:11 ESV). One of the characteristics of fools is their unwillingness to listen to corrections. They make mistakes, but since they will not listen to criticism, they are doomed to repeat those same mistakes over and over again. For this reason, they are compared to a dog that throws up and then returns and eats its vomit. The presumption is that the dog threw up because the food it ate didn’t agree with it. In spite of that, however, the dog eats it again! Second Peter 2:22 makes use of the first colon to refer to false teachers within the early Messianic community. They knew the right way to live (2:21) but then rejected it, thus returning to their old sinful, worldly lifestyle.

There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise (26:12 NLT). Proverbs make it clear from the start that the only true wisdom is wisdom from God (see Ai – The Fear of ADONAI is the Beginning of Wisdom). Human beings are not inherently wise, so it is the height of arrogance to think of oneself as being wise (3:5 and 7, 27:1, 28:11 and 26). Humility, not pride, is the quality of wise people. The sad nature of this “pseudo-wisdom” is that there is less hope for such people than for a fool. Now, one may well respond that those who think they are wise in their own estimation are fools; but here, the proverb is saying they are even worse than fools. See the similar structure in the proverb found in 29:20.⁴⁹⁶

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for Your infinite perfect wisdom that allows us to know how to deal with a fool. But first, Lord, help me to know Your Word and learn how not to act foolish. Also ADONAI, please give me wisdom when dealing with a fool. Help me to act appropriately in every situation, with kindness if possible, while setting clear boundaries. Thank you for being such a wise and wonderful heavenly Father! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Resolving Conflicts
25: 15-27

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

Introduction (25:15): Patience can persuade a ruler, and tender speech can break bones (25:15 NLT). This proverb tells the reader that tough things are won over not by force or a show of force, but by patience and tenderness. This is the exact opposite of what might be expected. A military commander is presumably a tough individual, one who is accustomed to dealing with confrontation. The unexpected, “patience” wins him over. In the second colon, one might expect the best results from a harsh word, but here it is the tender speech. Following this introduction, there are four proverb pairs and one triad.

The first proverb pair (25:16-17): Do you like honey? Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick; so don’t visit your neighbors too often, or you will wear out your welcome (25:16-17 NLT). These two proverbs are joined by their second cola, each warning against overdoing good things and the bad consequences that follow such behavior. The first warning has to do with eating too much of a good thing. Honey tastes deliciously sweet, to be sure, but those who eat too much of it will find that their stomachs can’t keep it down. It will make them sick. This principle is not tied just to honey, but also applies to any food. Overeating or overdrinking will sicken, not energize. The second colon has to do with the relationship with one’s neighbors. Again, it is not that the sage recommends having nothing to do with one’s neighbors. It is a matter of overdoing it and, as our own expression states it: you will wear out your welcome. A person who does so will become a nuisance rather than a friend or a help. While both of these proverbs have their applications in a particular aspect of life (eating and social relationships), they still raise the question of application even more generally. Too much of almost any good thing will have negative consequences.⁴⁷⁹

The proverb triad (25:18-20): Giving false testimony is as harmful as hitting them with a club, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow. Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of crisis is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking with a lame foot (25:18-19 Hebrew). These two proverbs are united by their form more than their content. They both begin with a list of items that will be implicitly compared, thus forming a metaphor, with something in their second colon. It’s the item in the second colon that is the object of the teaching.

Verse 18 lists three weapons: club, sword, and arrow. These may be used to hurt, or even kill, another person. They are compared to someone who gives false testimony against their neighbor. The language in Proverbs 25:18b is similar to that in the ninth commandment (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Ds – You Shall Not Give False Testimony Against Your Neighbor). The teaching against bearing false witness is pervasive throughout Proverbs (14:5 and 25, etc). It is likely that the primary setting of the teaching is in the courtroom. False testimony could result in penalties against the neighbors that would really hurt them. In an extreme case, where capital punishment might be called for, it is conceivable that it could even result in someone’s death. The story of the trumped-up case against Naboth is a good example of the latter (see the commentary on Elijah and Elisha Az – King Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard), not to speak of the false witnesses brought to testify falsely against Yeshua.

Verse 19 presents a list of two items, body parts, that are disabling and producing pain. The proverb points out that an unreliable or unfaithful person is just like that when trouble arises. Just as a broken tooth will let you down and hurt when you are trying to eat, or a lame foot lets you down and hurts when you are trying to walk, so will such a person who gives false testimony. The comparison invites us to think about the character of the people we associate with and assess whether they will help or hurt when trouble arises.

Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like removing someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in an open wound (25:20 NLT). The proverb sets up a comparison that functions as a metaphor. The intention is to explain the effects of trying to be cheerful in the midst of trouble. It makes things worse to sing a cheerful song when someone is down and depressed. Removing someone’s coat certainly doesn’t help to warm a cold person. Vinegar also reacts violently when mixed with soda. Cheerfulness just aggravates a troubled heart. The sage instructs us how to approach a depressed person.

Our natural inclination is to want to hurt those who hurt us. We want revenge against our enemies. Ancient tribal society tended to be extreme in its methods of revenge. Indeed, institutions like the cities of refuge (see the commentary Numbers Gk – Cities of Refuge), and even the principle of an eye for an eye (see the commentary on Exodus Ea – A Life for a Life, an Eye for an Eye), were attempts to curb excessive vengeance. But this proverb presents a remarkable statement of compassion toward enemies that works against this natural inclination. Instead of harming opponents when their weakness presents an opportunity we are to help them! Other proverbs suggest kindness toward enemies (14:29, 19:11, 20:22, 24:17 and 29), but this one takes the idea the furthest. This proverb is quoted by Paul in Romans 12:20 to discourage taking revenge against enemies (see Romans Dd – Walking in Love). Yeshua cites the eye for an eye teaching of the Torah and presents an even more radical idea about retaliation: Love your enemies (Matthew 5:38-38).⁴⁸⁰

Forgiveness is not forgetting. People who try to forget, find that they cannot. ADONAI says He will remember no more of our sins (Hebrews 10:17), but YHVH, being omniscient, cannot forget. Remember no more means that God will never use our past against us (Psalm 103:12). Forgetting may be a result of forgiveness, but it is never the means of forgiveness. When we bring up the past against others, we haven’t forgiven them (see the commentary on First Corinthians Dd – Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs). Forgiveness is a choice, a crisis of the will. Since God requires us to forgive, it is something we can do. God would never require us to do something we cannot do. Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person’s sin. Forgiveness is costly; we pay the price for evil we forgive. Yet you’re willing to live with those consequences whether you want to or not; your only choice is whether you will do so in the bitterness of unforgiveness or the freedom of forgiveness.

The second proverb pair (25:21-22): Grace is simply kindness extended to another person regardless of merit . . . or lack of it. Grace is showing kindness without first considering whether or not that person deserves it. Hezekiah’s men who copied Solomon’s proverbs urge us: If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink (25:21 NIV). In the ancient Near-East, it was customary to extend hospitality to travelers, to friends and strangers alike. ADONAI, however, called His people to extend the same courtesy to enemies, to those who have harmed you without repenting and/or would take every opportunity to harm you again. Ha’Shem is not asking us to be fools. We need to protect ourselves from any further harm. But we can still be kind. We can still give grace. In the words of the Master: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28).

The following proverb suggests a potential result of extending unmerited kindness to our enemy, which is expressed in a curious figure of speech: In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and ADONAI will reward you (25:22 NIV). The rabbis interpreted this to say, “ADONAI will cause him to make peace with you.” No one knows for certain the origin of this odd and ancient metaphor. Some suggest it points to an ancient Egyptian practice of carrying a pan of coals on one’s head as a sign of contrition. But I believe the phrase is merely an idiom describing humility, not unlike our expression, “He came to me with his hat in his hand.” In ancient times, allowing a fire to go out was seen as the epitome of irresponsibility. The humiliating experience of walking home from a neighbor’s house with a pan of coals probably gave rise to this word picture for humility. Following Solomon’s advice can literally melt the hardest of hearts and turn enemies into friends. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal. However, nothing can rival unmerited kindness for its ability to disarm our enemies. Hopefully, our godly conduct and our humility will bring about humility and repentance in return.⁴⁸¹ Our Lord exemplified and established this principle. Through His life and death for His enemies, He reconciled them to God (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Be – The Ministry of Reconciliation).

The third proverb pair (25:23-24): As surely as a north wind brings rain, and so a gossiping tongue causes anger (25:23 NLT). This proverb teaches us about the effects of gossip, which Proverbs has much to say (11:13, 16:28, 18:8, 20:19, 26:20 and 26:22). Once gossip is discovered, it produces anger in those toward whom it is directed. The implicit warning of the proverb, then, is to inform people that gossip may well result in the gossiper being the object of some rather intense anger.⁴⁸² It is better to live alone in the corner of an attic than in a house shared with a nagging wife (25:24 HCSB). This proverb about the nagging wife is identical to 21:9 (see Cw – Justice is a Joy to the Righteous: Janus: the nagging wife). Nagging from one’s wife is as unwelcome as rain from a north wind or words of gossip. The nagging wife presents a striking contrast to the sexually satisfying wife (see Bc – Be Faithful to Your Spouse).⁴⁸³

The fourth proverb pair (25:25-26): These proverbs compare the perseverance of a weary person, to the wavering righteous person’s lack of perseverance. Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty (25:25 NLT). If one is far away from family and friends, one will normally have a great desire. Receiving good news is really comforting. The metaphor that begins the proverb shows that the intense desire for good news and the comfort upon hearing the good news are the object of the proverb. What a relief! It’s like a drink of cold water on a hot, and dry, day. Not only that, this proverb could be used as a motivation to send good news to a loved one far away. But if the righteous give in to the wicked, it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a clear spring (25:26 Hebrew). According to 10:30: The righteous will never be moved, but the wicked will not remain in the Land. And 12:3 says: Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots. But this verse envisions the righteous giving in to the wicked. This is not the way things are supposed to work! However, it is important to note that proverbs are not guaranteed. This proverb acknowledges that sometimes the righteous will be treated poorly in favor of the godless. Yet, that doesn’t make it right. It’s like a poisoned water source.⁴⁸⁴

Conclusion (25:27): Just as it’s not good to eat too much honey (or it will make you sick), it’s also not good to seek out honors for yourself (25:27 NLT). Here learn that excess, seeking out honors for yourself, as well as eating too much honey, both lead to problems. This verse brings the whole unit to a close (see Df – Proverbs of Solomon Copied by Hezekiah’s Men).