Pro 29:3

Parable of prodigal son: Luk 15:11-31.

Pro 29:11

A FOOL GIVES FULL VENT TO HIS ANGER: ” ‘A fool speaketh all his mind’, heedless of what the effect may be. A knave sometimes uses words that do not express himself; he is only intent on impressing the minds of others. A just and wise man speaks as he thinks and feels, but guards the door of his mouth so as not to express too much. He may think that one to whom he speaks is foolish, but it is not wise to say so. He may know that some of his hearers are knaves, but it is perfectly honest to treat them as honest men. He can only have two motives in speaking, to express himself and to influence other people. Usually the second object is much the more important, so self-expression must be controlled lest it should interfere with the real object of speech” (PrPr).

“Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him” (Epictetus).

Pro 29:13

HAVE THIS IN COMMON: Cp Mat 5:44,45. Or, as LXX: “When creditor and debtor meet together, the Lord is overseer of them both.”

Pro 29:15

See Lesson, Prov, parents and children.

“He who lives without discipline is exposed to grievous ruin” (Thomas a’ Kempis).

Pro 29:18

CAST OFF RESTRAINT: Or, as KJV mg, “is made naked”: cp Gen 3:7-11; Rev 16:15.

Pro 29:20

“We can bring ourselves into line if we frequently raise the question: what is our aim in speaking? Speech may be with the object of giving instruction, or putting questions to receive instruction, or it may be in the ordinary amenities of social life. We can think of nothing else unless it is mere self-expression, a talk for the love of talking. Where is there room for any ill-feeling to be expressed in any of these opportunities for speech? In the ordinary amenities of life there is surely every reason for good feelings which may be revealed freely with only good effects. If anyone is so unfortunate as to find ill-feeling at home, then a desperate effort should be made to avoid any aggravation of it. Words provocative of anger are always out of place in the home, but they are especially to be deprecated when such provocation has already begun. If a little fire started in a dry corner of the house, no man would be fool enough to throw petrol on it. It is strange that men should often be so ready to feed that more terrible flame, which, as the apostle James says, is set on fire of hell. Homes have been wrecked and lives made sad by the folly of hasty and ill-tempered speech. It is perfectly true, as the wise man says, that there is more hope for a fool than for a man who is hasty in his words” (PrPr).

Pro 29:21

Vv 21-23: Parable of prodigal son (cp Pro 29:3).

“He that lives wantonly from a child shall be a servant, and in the end shall grieve over himself” (LXX).

Pro 30:2

Vv 2-5: “For I am the most simple of men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men. God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the Holy. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the winds in his bosom? Who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? What is his name? and what is the name of his children? For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him” (LXX).

Pro 30:3

See Lesson, Double negative, Hebrew.

Pro 30:4

Christ has gone up to heaven after descending to the grave (Joh 3:13).

Pro 30:6

// Rev 22:18.

Pro 30:8

GIVE ME NEITHER POVERTY NOR RICHES…: In the materialistic age in which we sojourn, we see all around us both men and women striving for greater things, seeking better work conditions, better pay, a better position in society. And even for Christ’s brethren, there is immense pressure for them to “succeed” in the things of this life — a success which is measured purely in terms of social advantages, and material possessions. Yet when measured against the standards of Divine Wisdom, this “success” proves to be nothing short of failure.

“Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luk 12:15). This was the exhortation of the Lord Jesus, introducing his parable of the man seeking to build bigger and better barns in which to store his accumulation of wealth.

But although riches are not to be sought after; neither is there any virtue in poverty. There are those who suppose that there is righteousness in becoming poor for poverty’s sake, and so give up all to live on the goodwill of others. But there can be no virtue in making ourselves burdensome to others, or even worse, looking to the state as a provider. Indeed, scripturally, poverty is associated with shame: “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured” (Pro 13:18).

There is no intrinsic virtue to poverty, for it merely cultivates covetousness, and in many cases, theft to obtain that which is desired, yet beyond lawful means to obtain.

Pro 30:9

First part: Nabal in 1Sa 25:10. Last part: David in 1Sa 25:21,22.

WHO IS THE LORD?: The question of the “fool”: Psa 14:1; 53:1. The question asked by Pharaoh: Exo 5:2.

Pro 30:10

Cp Rom 14:4.

Pro 30:11

Vv 11-15: 4 characteristics of a wicked generation: cp 2Ti 3:1-7.

Pro 30:13

Prayer of Pharisee: Luk 18:11.

Pro 30:18

Vv 18-20: 4 “wonderful” things: God’s ways, unfathomable. Wonders of nature, uselessness of natural life. All of first 3: leaving no trace or trail. Eagle and ship = rapid course of life. Serpent = sin esp. No lasting mark. So… tracing on sky or rock, or plowing on sea: the same as sowing to the flesh — ie will reap only corruption and vanity.

Pro 30:19

THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A MAID: Seduction — swift, evil, useless, leaving no continuing profit in lusts of the flesh.

Pro 30:20

MOUTH: Euphemism for vagina? Cp Pro 22:14.

I’VE DONE NOTHING: See Gen 39:13-19.

Pro 30:22

A SERVANT WHO BECOMES KING: Zimri (1Ki 16:9-20).

A FOOL WHO IS FULL OF FOOD: Nabal (1Sa 25).

Pro 30:23

AN UNLOVED WOMAN WHO IS MARRIED: Leah (Gen 29:30).

A MAIDSERVANT WHO DISPLACES HER MISTRESS: Hagar with Sarah (Gen 16:4-6).

Pro 30:25

“Laying up treasure in heaven”: Mat 6:20.

Pro 30:26

CONEYS: “I have seen them in the wild cliffs of the Litany, below Blat, and also above the rocky pass of el Bulyad, on the Ladder of Tyre. In shape they resemble the rabbit, but are smaller, and of a dull russet colour” (LB 298). Conscious of their own natural defenselessness, the coneys resort to burrows in the rocks, and are secure from their enemies. In spiritual matters, we may be as weak and as exposed to peril as the timid coney, and we should be as wise to seek a shelter. Our best security is within the fortresses of an unchangeable Yahweh, where His unalterable promises stand like giant walls of rock. All His glorious attributes are guarantees of safety for those who put their trust in Him. Blessed be the name of the Lord, Especially is this true of His Son: the sinner may flee to the cleft of the rock Christ Jesus, and in his wounded side find a delightful resting-place. No monarch in his Masada, his impregnable fortress, is more secure than the coney in his rocky burrow. The master of ten thousand chariots is not one bit better protected than the little dweller in the mountain’s cleft. In Jesus the weak are strong, and the defenseless safe; they could not be more strong if they were giants, or more safe if they were in a great fortress. Faith gives to men on earth the protection of the God of heaven. The coneys cannot build a castle, but they avail themselves of what is there already: I cannot make myself a refuge, but Jesus has provided it; tonight I enter it, and am safe from every foe.

Pro 30:27

LOCUSTS HAVE NO KING: But ct Rev 9:11!

Pro 30:28

LIZARD: “Spider” in KJV.

Pro 30:33

CHURNING… TWISTING: Sw in both cases. A form of butter is produced by squeezing and pummeling animal skins filled with milk (LB 256).

Pro 20:3

“Alas! We have known many such troubles and we have no great hope that either this or any other appeal will do much good. There are men who will agitate until they swamp the boat rather than have the sails set in any way other than their own. There are many occasions in life when ‘it is an honour for a man to cease from strife’, but this is an honour to which many men do not aspire” (PrPr). See Lesson, Prov and strife.

Pro 20:6

MANY A MAN CLAIMS TO HAVE UNFAILING LOVE, BUT A FAITHFUL MAN WHO CAN FIND?: “Our words are the first things people hear. They can be the fastest way to judge a character, but it can also be one of the most inaccurate. What we may say about ourselves will only be confirmed by the way we act. We will be found out to either be true to our word or liars. Do we claim to have unfailing love for our God, our husbands, wives or families? Test yourself and look at your actions as another person would look at them, or better still, as God sees you. Are we sometimes unfaithful even in small ways?” (RP).

Pro 20:8

HE WINNOWS OUT ALL EVIL WITH HIS EYES: Christ with the woman taken in adultery (Joh 8).

Pro 20:12

“Who has made man’s mouth?” (Exo 4:10).

Pro 20:14

“Having mentioned such a buyer [who showed little enthusiasm when seeking to purchase the article] we may observe his methods and then follow him home. He has not said much during the negotiations and all that he has said has been to depreciate the value of the thing offered. It is a poor beast and he is not at all anxious to buy. When the sale is effected, however, and he goes home with his purchase, it is quite probable that his tone will change completely. It was the best animal in the market and he only gave such a figure for it! Just as Solomon observed three thousand years ago. ‘It is nought, it is nought, saith the buyer, but when he has gone his way then he boasteth’ [AV]” (PrPr).

Pro 20:15

Cp Pro 8:11; Mat 13:45.

Pro 20:16

PUTS UP SECURITY: Cp Pro 6:1; 11:15; 17:18; 22:26; 27:13.

Pro 20:27

If as in mg [‘the spirit of man is the LORD’s lamp’], then ref the power of intelligent self-awareness, or conscience, enabling a man to examine his own mental processes subjectively.

Pro 20:30

BEATINGS PURGE THE INMOST BEING: Cp “stripes” of Isa 53:3 esp. “Faithful are wounds of a friend” (Pro 27:6). “We are chastened of LORD, not to be condemned with world (1Co 11:32). Cp Pro 19:25; 22:15; 26:3; Heb 12:5-11; 1Pe 1:7; Job 23:10.

Pro 21:1

See Dan 4:17,35; Gen 20:6 / Psa 105:14,15; Gen 41:37-45; Ezr 1:1 / Neh 1:1; Isa 10:7; Est 6:1,2.

WATERCOURSE: Not a river, but a small irrigation channel — easily diverted.

“This is another way of saying that God rules in the kingdoms of men, a doctrine found in all parts of Scripture. Even the wicked are used as the divine sword for the punishing of other wicked. The proverb, however suggests more than this. It gives us a glimpse of the process by which the hearts of kings may be turned. It is not by a direct influence such as would make a man into a machine. It is rather as we turn the course of water, placing obstacles here and removing them there to guide the stream as we desire. The Scriptures furnish many illustrations of this principle. The King of Egypt was influenced by that which he saw and heard. The partial success of his magicians hardened his heart. The Syrians were driven from Samaria by the sound as of a host approaching. It was not in the heart of the king of Assyria to perform any work for God, but he was lured by the prospect of spoil and the hope of power. There have been illustrations of this truth in our days, nations deterred by obstacles or encouraged by easy success have taken their proper places in the world; for the heart of the king is still in the hand of the Lord, turned like a stream of water into the channel designed for it” (PrPr).

Pro 21:3

Cp 1Sa 15:22; Isa 1:11; Jer 7:22; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:6-8.

Pro 21:4

LAMP: “Ploughing” in KJV. But by a vowel change, “lamp”. Cp usage: Pro 13:9; 24:20. The outwardly bright prosperity of the wicked. Principle of Tit 1:15.

Pro 21:5

The diligent is usually contrasted with slothful, but here with hasty. Cp Heb 12:1; Mat 13:20,21.

Pro 21:6

Cp Judas; Jos 7:21-26; 2Ki 5:21-27.

FLEETING VAPOR: A desert mirage?

Pro 21:9

Better the tempest without than the “tempest” within! Importance of choosing a good wife: Pro 18:22; 19:14; 1Pe 3:4.

Alternate translation (LXX): “…than in plastered (white-washed) rooms with unrighteousness, and in a common (ie unclean) house.” Allusion to Temple being unclean: cp Act 23:3.

Pro 21:10

Cp Mat 18:23-35: parable of debtors.

Pro 21:11

The simple must see a demonstration, but the wise will listen to a warning.

Pro 21:12

Ct Psa 73:2-14: an unwise consideration of the wicked. Cp Psa 73:16-22: A wise consideration of the wicked.

Pro 21:13

SHUTS HIS EARS TO THE CRY OF THE POOR: See Pro 29:7; Luk 10:30-32.

Pro 21:15

JOY: “Delight” (Psa 40:8; Joh 4:32-34), an easy yoke (Mat 11:28,29). Ct joy of ungodly, in sport (Pro 10:23; 26:18,19) and in sin (Pro 15:21).

Pro 21:16

COMES TO REST IN THE COMPANY OF THE DEAD: The permanent hold of death on the children of folly, without ref to the resurrection, a mere incident in the way (Xd 35:293). Ct 2Ti 3:14,15; cp 2Pe 2:21; Jam 1:24. Isa 53:6: we are ALL wanderers.

DEAD: “Rephaim”: sw Job 26:5; Psa 88:10n; Pro 2:18; 9:18; Isa 14:9; 26:14,19.

Pro 21:17

HE WHO LOVES PLEASURE WILL BECOME POOR: “The way to enjoy pleasure is not to love it, but to live above it.” Cp 1Co 7:30,31. “Earthly joys are vain indeed; they MAY leave us; we MUST leave them.”

WHOEVER LOVES WINE AND OIL WILL NEVER BE RICH: Examples in Jdg 16:1-21; Luk 15:13-16.

Pro 21:18

RANSOM: Sw “sum of money” / “ransom” in Exo 21:30; 30:12,13. Cp word and usage in Isa 43:3.

Pro 21:20

AND OIL: Cp parable of 10 virgins (Mat 25:1).

Pro 21:21

See Mat 6:33; Phi 3:12-14; 1Ti 4:8; Rom 2:7; Gal 5:23; 2Pe 1:6.

Pro 21:22

A WISE MAN ATTACKS…: “Our warfare”, as in 2Co 10:4; cp Luk 14:31,32. “Even in warfare, intelligence and counsel does more than brute strength.”

Pro 21:23

Cp Jam 3:5-13; Mat 15:11-20.

Pro 21:25

Mental laziness kills, as does procrastination.

Pro 21:26

THE RIGHTEOUS GIVE: “Freely give” (Mat 10:8). Giving also in showing mercy to others: Mat 6:12; 18:23.

Pro 21:27

Cp 1Sa 15:22; 2Sa 15:7-13; Pro 7:14,15; Rom 6:1; Mat 23:14; Mal 1:7,8.

Pro 21:28

Examples of true witnesses: Rev 3:14; Joh 3:11.

Pro 21:29

See Deu 32:5. Examples: Gen 4:8,9; 2Ki 5:25; Mat 26:47-49; Pro 7:10-13.

Pro 21:30

See Pro 16:33; 19:21; Isa 54:17.

Pro 21:31

THE HORSE IS MADE READY FOR THE DAY OF BATTLE: Do not put confidence in horses: Deu 17:16; Psa 20:7,8; 33:17; 147:10; Isa 31:1; 2Ki 6:14-17. Cp 1Sa 17:45.

VICTORY RESTS WITH THE LORD: Or, as KJV, “Safety is of the LORD.”

“Hold fast. All present things will pass. God never changes. The Truth never changes. All evil is temporary. All good is eternal. The present is but for a moment. The future is forever. Regardless of the sorrow, the disappointment, the griefs, the losses, the betrayal of those we trusted, the pettiness of those we respected, the antagonism of those we looked to for friendship, the weakness of those we looked to for strength — still all is as it should be, all things are working together for good. All we need to do is hold fast in faith, in unwavering assurance, in calm confidence, yea, in thankful joy and cheerful rejoicing. The dross is a mountain: but the gold is but a handful. All we see at present is the mountain: the gold is there, and will endure when all else is gone. Just leave it all to God to work out in His time — and labor and pray every moment that you may be part of that which at last endures” (GVG).

Pro 22:1

See 1Ki 1:47; Rth 4:11; Ecc 7:1; Luk 10:20; Phi 4:3. And so Samuel chose a good name over riches: 1Sa 12:3.

GOOD: Sb omitted: a “name” (ie Yahweh) is more desirable than…

Pro 22:3

REFUGE: As Isa 26:20.

Pro 22:6

See Lesson, Prov, parents and children.

START A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO, AND WHEN HE IS OLD HE WILL NOT TURN FROM IT: “A statement of general tendencies and not of an inexorable law. Human beings are neither machines nor plants. They have a power of choice; they can respond to good influences or they can be rebellious. Some very good men have had a bad early training and some very bad men were given every opportunity in the instruction of their early days. One of the surprising discoveries made by each successive generation is that children differ from the very cradle” (PrPr).

Pro 22:12

THE EYES OF THE LORD KEEP WATCH OVER KNOWLEDGE: The Bible, preserved from and through antiquity, for our edification.

HE FRUSTRATES THE WORDS OF THE UNFAITHFUL: See 2Sa 17:14: the counsel of the unfaithful Ahithophel, frustrated by Hushai.

Pro 22:14

MOUTH OF AN ADULTERESS: Prob euphemism for vagina: cp same idea in Pro 30:20.

Pro 22:15

See Lesson, Prov, parents and children.

Pro 22:20

THIRTY: This translation is based on LXX. Supposedly 30 sections from here through Pro 24:22 (CPro).

Pro 22:26

DO NOT BE A MAN WHO STRIKES HANDS IN PLEDGE OR PUTS UP SECURITY FOR DEBTS: Never lend money unless you can afford to lose it. “In this matter adults often reveal less capacity for learning than children. They have the advantage of books containing all the accumulated wisdom of mankind, and beyond all this and permeating a great deal of it, there is the instruction that has come direct from God, yet the knowledge is very little used. Life is full of avoidable evils through men ignoring principles or rules of conduct which are perfectly well known, and which have had their wisdom demonstrated in every generation.

“Sometimes the individual failure is so obvious that almost all observers smile at it. I recall two instances of this kind in which the facts were related by the victim when sufficient time had passed for him to join in the amusement. The first was of a capable business man who lightheartedly put his name to paper and became surety for another without even knowing the full extent of his commitment. As is usual in such cases, the one thus assisted failed to pay his way, and the guarantor was for some weeks on the verge of ruin, not knowing when the crushing blow would fall. While in this worried condition he one day opened the Bible to find a little consolation, and almost the very first passage he read was one in Proverbs warning men against the very folly he had committed. ‘What a foolish man I am’, he thought. ‘I have carelessly brought myself into this trouble, when all the while the whole matter is explained in the Bible in the most up-to-date manner. If I had read it before I might have been warned’ ” (PrPr).

STRIKES HANDS: “It is interesting to note the expression ‘strike hands’ in this connection. It suggests that without any signature, the offering and acceptance of the hand would constitute a bond which no one would repudiate. We may sometimes see in English cattle markets a custom which is probably a survival of that to which the wise man refers. Two men will be haggling over the price of a beast. Finally the vendor, having made a concession, declares that he will take nothing less. He holds out his right hand, stating the price, and perhaps with quite a dramatic indication of finality. The buyer, with no show of enthusiasm, and without saying a word, strikes the outstretched hand with his own palm and the sale is effected. Surely a survival from three thousand years or more” (PrPr).

Pro 22:28

ANCIENT BOUNDARY STONE: As the landmarks, or bounds, of the land when divided amongst tribes and families, etc. Cp Deu 19:14; 27:17; Hos 5:10.

Pro 23:2

Advice for fellowship meal: If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home (1Co 11:34).

Pro 23:4

DO NOT WEAR YOURSELF OUT TO GET RICH; HAVE THE WISDOM TO SHOW RESTRAINT: “I once heard the saying that no-one ever said on their deathbed that they wished they had spent more time at the office. That is very true. From the deathbed our whole perspective on life comes into focus. Our focus will no longer be on how much money we have in the bank, but on how we have used what we have spent. Or maybe we will wish we had used our time more profitably instead of spending it at the office earning more money. But the proverb has a stronger meaning than just spending time to get money. It tells us not to wear ourselves out to get rich. If getting rich wears us out, then any benefit we would get from our riches will be of no use to us at all. Riches do wear many people out. They work hard, put in long stressful hours and on top of that have the worry of protecting all the ‘assets’ they have gained. They need insurance, alarms and other protections, and due to the worry involved can die an early death. Riches are not worth the bother. You cannot serve God and riches. So choose God!” (RP).

Pro 23:7

WHO IS ALWAYS THINKING: “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (KJV). “What we are doing externally is secondary, though important. What we are doing internally is vital: what we are thinking, and what we are thinking about, and what we are thinking about it. What are our purposes and motives for what we do and the decisions we make? Are we just seeking personal self-satisfaction and pleasure or do we want to be a useful part of eternity: something bigger than ourselves?” (GVG).

“These inmost thoughts are necessarily the most effective, for they are with us all the time and they are always genuine. Even the most loquacious are sometimes silent and the most honest sometimes conceal thoughts by words. But the inmost thoughts of the heart are with us in all our waking hours, and possibly even during sleep, and those inmost thoughts are subject to no prudential restraint except the laws we impose upon them for our own good. The momentary act of self-control may have little or no effect upon character, but the continuous and diligent control of deed, word, and thought may have a great effect and indeed mark the difference between death and life” (PrPr 140).

You cannot change your thoughts without changing your life in the process — either for good or for bad. Immerse yourself in the right thoughts and you will become the person you long to be, just as surely as the planting of an acorn yields an oak tree and not a pine tree.

Pro 23:9

Not everyone can accept the Truth: Mat 10:14; 7:6.

Pro 23:10

See Pro 22:28; Jer 6:16.

Pro 23:12

“Make the total dedication and devotion of your life your sincere desire and goal. Realize clearly that this is the only possible way to either present joy or future life. Do not be discouraged by repeated failures. Just keep doggedly at it, with determination and prayer. Try to make each day a new accomplishment of some kind, and not just a piece of colorless passed time. Try to make each day a little better than the one before. Think big and eternally. Make yourself face and realize the foolishness and emptiness and uselessness of present things. Think! Keep thinking! Keep examining yourself, and what you are doing, and why. The flesh is your enemy, a very deceptive and hypocritical one: promising everything and delivering nothing. Don’t mistake it for a friend. There is no real joy and satisfaction except in spiritual things. To realize this in youth is a tremendous blessing. Most realize it too late — or never at all. Thank God for the light — and walk in it” (GVG).

Pro 23:13

See Lesson, Prov, parents and children.

Pro 23:23

BUY THE TRUTH: But not with money (Isa 55:1-3).

HAW told the story of meeting a JW, who had for sale a pile of his booklets, with the sign “Buy the truth”. HAW approached him, and asked him if he knew what the rest of the verse. He did not!

Pro 23:29

Vv 29-35: See Lesson, Drinking.

Pro 23:31

Wine when it is rich, appetizing, as it pours into the cup.

Pro 24:3

HOUSE: Ecclesia (1Pe 2:5), city of Rev 21; Eph 2:20-22.

Pro 24:12

See Lesson, Double negative, Hebrew.

Pro 24:16

Notice: the “righteous man” falls many times; and — apparently — the “wicked man” falls only once. BUT… the righteous man keeps getting up!

“In order to succeed you must fail, so that you know what not to do the next time” (Anthony J. D’Angelo).

Pro 24:23

See Deu 1:17. Cp Job’s experiences: trials and persecutions may be punishment for wicked, OR chastening for righteous (1Pe 1:7; 1Co 11:32; Heb 12:6).

Pro 24:26

See Lesson, Honesty (GG).

Pro 24:27

Count the cost: Luk 14:28; Mat 7:24-27. Determine to finish what is started; do not serve two masters: Mat 6:24.

Pro 24:30

Judgment parables: vineyard (Mat 20:1-16), talents (Mat 25:14-28), virgins (Mat 25:1-12).

Pro 24:31

WEEDS: Tares in Mat 23:24-30.

Pro 24:33

Vv 33,34: “The worst of sluggards only ask for a little slumber; they would be indignant if they were accused of thorough idleness. A little folding of the hands to sleep is all they crave, and they have a crowd of reasons to show that this indulgence is a very proper one. Yet by these littles the day ebbs out, and the time for labour is all gone, and the field is grown over with thorns.

“It is by little procrastinations that men ruin their souls. They have no intention to delay for years — a few months will bring the more convenient season — tomorrow if you will, they will attend to serious things; but the present hour is so occupied and altogether so unsuitable, that they beg to be excused. Like sands from an hour-glass, time passes, life is wasted by driblets, and seasons of grace lost by little slumbers.

“Oh, to be wise, to catch the flying hour, to use the moments on the wing! May the Lord teach us this sacred wisdom, for otherwise a poverty of the worst sort awaits us, eternal poverty. Like a traveller steadily pursuing his journey, poverty overtakes the slothful, and ruin overthrows the undecided: each hour brings the dreaded pursuer nearer; he pauses not by the way, for he is on his master’s business and must not tarry. As an armed man enters with authority and power, so shall want come to the idle, and death to the impenitent, and there will be no escape. O that men were wise betimes, and would seek diligently unto the Lord Jesus, or ere the solemn day shall dawn when it will be too late to plough and to sow, too late to repent and believe. In harvest, it is vain to lament that the seed time was neglected” (CHS).

“Here the literal meaning is obvious enough and there is no difficulty in applying the description just as it stands. The main danger of wrong application would be from those who have had little experience of gardens. They might judge a man as slothful when he had only been away for a short holiday or a few days of illness. The garden, however, is only an illustration, and there are lessons in this rapid growth of weeds. Wherever the surface of the soil presents itself seeds will fall and weeds will grow. Wherever there is unoccupied surface of mind, impressions will be made and thoughts will develop. Wrong thoughts seem as hardy as weeds while right thoughts are like rare and tender plants. Just as weeds, unless they are eradicated in the early stages will quickly run to seed and increase the evil, so it is with wrong thoughts in the mind” (PrPr).

Pro 24:34

LIKE A BANDIT: Moving swiftly: cp Pro 6:11; Psa 104:3.

Pro 25:2

The types of the Law: to teach righteousness.

“We should not have anticipated this thought, but all experience shows that it is fundamentally true. Men have often found that all their attempts to understand the laws of Nature have only opened up a vista of increased complexity. Last century the materialists were in the ascendant and for a time imagined that they were on the point of explaining everything. Now they are discredited and it is acknowledged that the universe is far more mysterious than our forefathers ever imagined. Last century the food experts thought that they knew all about the subject of nutrition; then, through the practical failure of their theories, vitamins were discovered, and now experts who certainly know far more than their predecessors, admit as Mr. Eustace Miles once wrote: ‘We really know very little about the matter.’ At one time the ductless glands of the body were regarded as useless, now they are found to be so mysteriously important that some investigators have claimed that they are practically everything.

“As in Nature so in the written Word, God has concealed things and has called upon His servants to exercise their minds in searching for the treasures of divine wisdom. It has always been ‘line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.’ Faithful men and women try to put the littles together and in the process find the mental exercise which brings their minds nearer to God” (PrPr).

“The Bible is the Word of God. Inspired men wrote as God gave them the message. The word of God is perfect. There are no mistakes in it, and it has been preserved for thousands of years and translated into our native languages so that we are able to read the message God had given us. But it is more than just a message from God to man — it is an invitation to become part of the family of God and to live with Him through eternity. Every page and every letter of this amazing book is there for a reason; it carries the signature of God. All the way through the Bible are patterns, types and prophecies that God has hidden from plain view and urges us to search out. The whole message of the Bible can be seen in what seem like simple stories in the text. Even lists of people’s ancestors can tell their own incredible story if we just take the time to search out the jewels that God has hidden. Show your worth, honour and glory by searching his word today” (RP).

Pro 25:4

Faith as gold that has been refined: 1Pe 1:7; Lam 4:1,2. Cp Mal 3:8; Lev 6:28; 2Co 4:10,11.

Pro 25:6

Take the lowest place: Luk 14:8-10; cp Mat 23:12.

Pro 25:8

DO NOT BRING HASTILY TO COURT: Be careful, like a king going to war: Luk 14:31.

Pro 25:11

APTLY SPOKEN: “Revolving around”, or “encircling”. Making the word of God the center of one’s life, around which everything revolves. Cp idea of cherubim/chariot wheels.

APPLES OF GOLD IN SETTINGS OF SILVER: Prob carvings of fruit in gold, in settings of silver.

APPLES: The Heb “tappuwach” is prob derived from the Hebrew root meaning “scent, breath” which is related to the Arabic root meaning “fragrant scent” (HAL). Hence, the term ref to a fruit with a fragrant scent. The term occurs 4 times in Song (Song 2:3,5; 7:8; 8:5) and twice outside (Pro 25:11; Joe 1:12). It may ref to “apples” or “apricots” — known esp for their fragrance. “…Sometimes associated with the ‘apple’ tree, but while domesticated apple trees are now found in Israel, wild specimens are not believed to have grown there in biblical times since it is a tree native to the northern hemisphere. Apricots, however, grow in warmer climes and are native to China; they have long been abundant in Israel and most prob were introduced in Bible times. Apricots in Cyprus are still known as ‘golden apples’ [poss ref to Pro 25:11?]” (ABD).

Pro 25:13

Seasons controlled by God (Gen 8:21,22), as a token of God’s plan for the earth.

COOLNESS: Refreshing: v 25.

MESSENGER: Or angel: Rev 3:15.

Pro 25:15

“There is no incongruity in these apparently opposing thoughts. The gentle and reasonable answer to angry declamation will calm the storm. The fire of anger will die down for lack of fuel, or the irate man will make an effort to calm himself for very shame. At the same time the reasonable appeal, gently stated, will sometime prevail even against ossified determination” (PrPr). See Lesson, Prov and strife.

“The fact is that most men judge the value of an argument from the wrong side. They appraise the efforts of their spokesman by their own reactions instead of trying to determine what the effect will be in the opposite camp. It may be pleasant to hear vigorous and emphatic declamation in the presentation of ideas that we hold. It may be even pleasanter to hear biting sarcasm at the expense of those who hold doctrines that we repudiate. On the other hand, it may seem disappointing to hear our cherished beliefs presented in mild and temperate language, or to hear a perfectly fair and sympathetic review of that which we detest. If, however, we desire to persuade men and to turn them from darkness to light, the exercise of a little imagination ought to teach us that the declamation and the sarcasm are worse than useless, while the sympathetic understanding will pave the way for conversion and the mildly stated argument will linger in the memory and be a moving force long after the dust of controversy has cleared away. It is the soft answer that breaketh the bone” (PrPr).

Pro 25:17

Temperance: Gal 5:23; 2Pe 1:6.

Pro 25:18

See Lesson, Double negative, Hebrew.

Pro 25:22

Cited Rom 12:20.

BURNING COALS: Sym judgments of God: Psa 11:6; 140:10; 2Sa 22:13.

ON HIS HEAD: Where brazier might be carried when going to a neighbor’s house to borrow a fire (Str Scr 32). Heaping burning coals on your enemy’s head figuratively describes doing good that results in the conviction and shame of the enemy. The expression alludes to the old custom of carrying burning coals in a pan. When one’s fire went out at home, a person would have to go to a neighbor and request hot coals that he or she would then carry home on the head. Carrying the coals involved some danger, discomfort, and uneasiness for the person carrying them. Nevertheless they were the evidence of the neighbor’s love. Likewise the person who receives good for evil feels uncomfortable because of his neighbor’s love. This guilt may convict the wrongdoer of his or her ways in a gentle manner.

Pro 25:27

See Lesson, Double negative, Hebrew.

Seek God’s honor, not one’s own: 2Co 12:1; Luk 14:7-11; 18:10-14.

Pro 25:28

“Bring body into subjection” (1Co 9:27).

SELF-CONTROL: “One of the best business exhortations I ever read was on the subject of habits. It was not merely a condemnation of bad habits on the lines of ordinary moral maxims. It pointed out that habits of many kinds may be developed; and the subconscious powers of the brain furnish us with a whole army of servants, which may be so well trained as to become most efficient helps, or so mismanaged as to become our masters. Cultivate good habits, and the higher part of the brain is left free to perform the work which it alone can accomplish. The right thing is done at the right time as a matter of routine, regular duties are performed with the same instinctive certainty that calls us to the breakfast table in the morning, and the higher part of the brain is able to devote itself more thoroughly to the realm of pure thought” (ConCon 139).

Pro 26:3

HORSE: Related to war (Job 39:19,21), but is stubborn and vain (Psa 147:10; 33:17), unrepentant (Jer 8:5,6), and must first be chastised — the whip (Jam 3:3; 1Co 4:21).

DONKEY: An unclean animal, but could be redeemed and loosed on Sabbath (Luk 13:15), more submissive (Isa 1:3) and peaceful (Zec 9:9; Joh 12:14), but still needed guidance (halter).

ROD: Guidance, as provided by a shepherd. Lit “scepter”: perhaps of Christ (Isa 11:4).

Pro 26:4

See Mat 7:6.

Pro 26:5

Practically illustrated by the incident of the question of John’s baptism: “By whose authority?” (Mat 21:24-27; cp Luk 20:1-8).

Pro 26:6

DRINKING VIOLENCE: That is, planning violence while drinking (cp Pro 4:17).

Pro 26:7

Such a parable does not proceed smoothly, but falls of its own weight.

Pro 26:8

Isa 7:7.

IT WILL NOT TAKE PLACE, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN: Judah will be safe from the depredations of Syria and Israel; God has guaranteed it!

Pro 26:9

A drunkard is insensible to pain! cannot be rebuked…

Pro 26:14

AS A DOOR TURNS ON ITS HINGES, SO A SLUGGARD TURNS ON HIS BED: “We have never encountered one who was attached to his bed quite as securely as a door is attached to its hinges. All these sayings are lively caricatures of human weaknesses… The door turning on its hinges may serve a useful purpose, allowing entrance to a room while keeping out the wind, but the sluggard turning on his bed performs no service of any kind. This seems like a caricature of a man who cannot make up his mind. Is indecision really one of the effects of sloth? We can imagine that men who experience difficulty in making decisions would answer this question with an emphatic No. They spend much mental energy in their careful weighing of arguments and so they multiply the tasks which a sluggard would scheme to avoid. They would attribute their difficulties to an excess of caution, never to sloth” (PrPr).

Pro 26:15

“What an incredible picture is brought to the mind: a person starving to death but too lazy of pick up the food that is right there in front of him. How many people do you know that profess to be Christians yet would have great difficulty telling you where in the Bible the book of Hebrews is? Could they even tell you if it was in the OT or the NT? Could they even tell you if there was such a book in the Bible? Yet, there are few households in first world countries that don’t have a Bible somewhere in them” (KT).

Pro 26:17

Or, perhaps, “like one who takes a passing dog by the ears” (RSV).

See Lesson, Prov and strife.

LIKE ONE WHO SEIZES A DOG BY THE EARS: “This surely would be bad for the dog and bad also for the one who interfered. The intervener can rarely do any good in such a matter and he may easily do harm. Probably the only way in which such interference can end the original dispute is by turning the wrath of both combatants upon the would-be peacemaker” (PrPr 147).

IS A PASSER-BY WHO MEDDLES IN A QUARREL NOT HIS OWN: “Adults often reveal less capacity for learning than children. They have the advantage of books containing all the accumulated wisdom of mankind, and beyond all this and permeating a great deal of it, there is the instruction that has come direct from God, yet the knowledge is very little used. Life is full of avoidable evils through men ignoring principles or rules of conduct which are perfectly well known, and which have had their wisdom demonstrated in every generation.

“Sometimes the individual failure is so obvious that almost all observers smile at it. I recall two instances of this kind in which the facts were related by the victim when sufficient time had passed for him to join in the amusement… The other case was that of a young man who, when returning home one night, chanced to pass a low part of the city where there was a quarrel between man and wife. The young fellow, perceiving that the woman was being ill-treated, gallantly went to her assistance. He was, as he expressed it, ‘getting on very nicely’ in his contest with the man when the ungrateful woman came up behind and hit her champion on the head with a saucepan. According to his own account, the young man spent a carefree hour in the gutter before he came back to consciousness of this painful life. Then, as he limped slowly homeward, he began dimly to recall to memory certain maxims regarding the unwisdom of meddling with strife that does not belong to us” (PrPr).

Pro 26:19

See Lesson, Honesty (GG).

Pro 26:20

See Lesson, Prov and strife.

Pro 26:23

Basic idea: a bright glaze covering an impure substance.

A COATING OF GLAZE: Heb “kesep sigim”. KJV’s “silver dross” is basically meaningless. The NIV rendering is based on Hittite “zapzagu” (“glaze”), Ugaritic “spsg” (MNIV 99).

Pro 26:28

A LYING TONGUE HATES THOSE IT HURTS: “This is certainly not a principle of human conduct to light our way through life; but it is a primary fact of human weakness which we need to recognize. Keen observers in each generation discover the fact for themselves, and sometimes remark on it as a paradox. Yet it was more perfectly stated in the Proverbs of Solomon than ever by writers of later days.

“The converse truth has also been noted, although perhaps not put in this definite form: the truthful tongue loves those who are blest by it. There is nothing so fruitful of love as the practical works of love. Action sometimes has to precede feeling. Works of love may be undertaken only from a sense of duty, or for the love of Christ, and eventually the worker will develop a genuine love for the unattractive people who benefit by his labours” (PrPr).

Pro 27:1

Two wrongs: boasting about tomorrow (here), and fretting about tomorrow (Mat 6:34). See Jam 4:13 (because we must submit to God); Luk 12:16-21.

Pro 27:2

AND NOT YOUR OWN MOUTH: Which would be the act of a “fool”, as Paul says in 2Co 6:5-12; 12:11. Ct Mat 8:8 with Luk 7:3,4,9.

Pro 27:4

JEALOUSY: As of a wronged husband (Pro 6:34).

Pro 27:5

HIDDEN LOVE: That is, “love” that never shows itself in speaking truth or giving counsel (Pro 27:16). Cp Lev 19:17. Ct Pro 27:6!

Pro 27:6

KISSES: Judas in Mat 26:48-50.

Pro 27:7

HE WHO IS FULL LOATHES HONEY: Cp Num 11:4-20; 21:5; Psa 78:25: “this light bread”. Cp “rich” Laodiceans (Rev 3:17,18).

EVEN WHAT IS BITTER TASTES SWEET: Thus he rejoices in “bitter” tribulations, knowing they come from God.

Pro 27:8

See 1Co 7:24; Gen 34:1,2.

Pro 27:9

// Pro 7:17; 21:17.

Pro 27:10

AND THE FRIEND OF YOUR FATHER: Examples: 1Ki 5:1-10; Gen 48:15,16.

DO NOT GO TO YOUR BROTHER’S HOUSE: // Pro 17:17; 18:24. Better a friend who is “near” to us than even a brother who is “far away”.

Pro 27:13

A stranger should not be indiscriminately favored with a loan; he may use it for a prostitute: cp Pro 20:16. Cp, generally, Pro 6:1; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26.

Pro 27:14

LOUDLY: That is, extravagantly, insincerely. Gratitude should be offered in secret (cp Mat 6:5,6; Pro 26:24,25; 27:2; Psa 12:2). Cp the flattery of Tertullus with the sincerity of Paul in Act 24:1-10, and the deceitful talk of the Pharisees in Mat 22:16.

CURSE: Men should not desire praise and flattery from other men.

Pro 27:15

// Pro 19:13.

A CONSTANT DRIPPING: Water leaking through clay roofs.

Pro 27:16

RESTRAINING THE WIND: Impossible. Such a woman is an embarrassment which cannot be hidden.

GRASPING OIL WITH THE HAND: “The ointment of thy right hand, which bewrayeth itself” (KJV). So very strong that, if a person walks by, the scent fills the street (LB 294).

Pro 27:17

Man was framed not for solitude but for society: see Mal 3:16. But remember that “iron sharpening iron” can generate a good deal of friction and heat… and can be rather unpleasant!

“This suggests that even those of equal knowledge and ability can sharpen each other. It is not necessary to have a qualified teacher to enable us to learn. A man’s ideas are ‘right in his own eyes, but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.’ The neighbour may not be of equal calibre with the one he so ‘searches’ and yet his criticisms may be of great value. The original idea may need a good deal of modification to make it sound, and the explanatory words may need much clarifying to make them fully intelligible. We may often be surprised at the failure of our friends to appreciate a good thought or to understand language which seems perfectly clear to us. If we are to render service our thoughts must be such as can be appreciated and our language must be easy to understand. A very humble critic may serve us well by misunderstanding us, if he tells us of his difficulties” (PrPr).

Pro 27:18

Care for and nurture your important relationships, as you might a fruit tree. Cp Psa 33:20; 123:2; Mat 25:21.

Pro 27:19

The word of God as a mirror — to reveal clearly our hearts. Whatever the distinguishing characteristics in ourselves, we discover and elicit in others.

Pro 27:20

See Pro 30:6; ct Isa 55:1,2; Mat 11:28,29.

Pro 27:21

Observe what a man prides himself upon, and you will know what kind of man he is.

Pro 27:22

The child might so be changed (Pro 22:15), but not so easily the grown man.

Pro 27:23

In the spiritual sense (1Pe 5:2-4)…

Pro 27:25

That is, as the seasons follow one another in a natural progression…