Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20120729.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Proverbs: Motivating Teens And Adults To Align With God's Fixed Moral Order
Part III: Solomon's Proverbs Reflecting God's Fixed Moral Order For Blessing, Proverbs 10:1-22:16
B. Proverbs With Directions On Righteous Living, Proverbs 16:1-22:16
21. Studying Proverbs 22:6-16
  1. Introduction
    1. Where Proverbs 10:1-15:33 contrasts wise, upright lives with foolish, wicked ones, Proverbs 16:1-22:16 focuses mainly on the upright life, guiding us on how to live righteously in many realms of experience.
    2. We thus view each proverb in this section to draw out its deeper insight that Proverbs 1:5-6 implies exists:
  2. Studying Proverbs 22:6-16.
    1. Proverbs 22:6 tell us to rub the palate with dates (hanak, B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 335) on the mouth of a child's way; surely (gam , Kittel, Bib. Hebr., p. 1181) when he is old, he will not turn from (sur, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 693-694) it. The palate of a newborn was rubbed with tart dates to accent his good natural sucking ability so he might nurse well for his health. Thus, to train a child well, we should accent the right way to express his natural bents versus trying to get him to go against them.
    2. Proverbs 22:7 asserts the rich rule over the poor, and the borrower (lawah, Ibid., p. 531; Qal ptc.) is slave (ebed, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 713-714) to the nobleman (ish, Ibid., Kittel; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) who causes to borrow; lends (lawah again, but as a Hiphil = causative).
    3. Proverbs 22:8 claims he who sows injustice (awelah, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 732) will reap trouble (awen, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 19-20); the rod [in smiting others unjustly] (shebet, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 986-987) of his overflowing fury (ebrah, Ibid., p. 720) will perish (calah, Ibid., p. 477-478).
    4. Proverbs 22:9 teaches he who has a wholesome (tob, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1181 and 2 to cite Gen. 1:31 where God made the universe tob, "wholesome") eye [bountiful mental quality] (ayin, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 744-745) will himself (hu' emphatic pron.; Ibid., Kittel) be greatly blessed (barak, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 138-139; Pual = intensive passive), for he gives from his food to the low, weak, poor (dal, Ibid., p. 195).
    5. Proverbs 22:10 asserts drive away (garash, Ibid., p. 176-177; Piel = intensive) a mocker, and contention (madon, Ibid., p. 193) goes out (yasa', Ibid., p. 422-425) [with him]; legal strife (din, Ibid., p. 192) and disgrace (qalon, Ibid., p. 885-886) are ended. Mockers do harm at all levels, so we must part from them.
    6. Proverbs 22:11 claims he who loves an [ethically] pure (tahor, Ibid., p. 373) heart and his speech (sapah, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1181; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 973-974) is grace [gracious] ( hen, Ibid., p. 336), [even] the king [is, will be] his friend, companion (re'a, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 945-946).
    7. Proverbs 22:12 holds Jahweh's eyes guard knowledge (nasar, Ibid., p. 665-666), but He overturns (salap, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 701) the affairs (dabar, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 182-184) of the treacherous (bagad, Ibid., p. 93). Wisdom and knowledge gains God's refuge but treachery His discipline.
    8. Proverbs 22:13 asserts the sluggard (asel, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 782) says, "There is a lion in the street! In the midst of (tawek, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1063-1064) the open plaza (rehob, Ibid., p. 932) I will be slain!" (rasah, Ibid., p. 953-954; Niphal = passive) Lions did not frequent city streets and plazas, but if one did, many people would try to kill it versus waiting for it to kill them and their families! This proverb shows the excessive excuses the lazy give to remain idle! ( Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 954)
    9. Proverbs 22:14 claims that the mouth of an immoral woman (zur, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 266) is a deep (amoq, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 771) pit (shuhah, Ibid., p. 1001); [he who is under the] wrath (za'am, Ibid., p. 276) of Jahweh (NIV) will fall (napal, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 656-658) there.
    10. Proverbs 22:15 holds folly (iwelet, Ibid., p. 17; pride, flippancy, Ibid., B. K. C., O. T., p. 908) is bound up (qashar, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 905) with a child's heart, [but] the rod (shebet, cf. Pr. 22:8) of correction, (musar, Ibid., p. 416) [it] will make it go far (rahaq, Ibid., p. 934-935; Hiphil = causative) from him.
    11. Proverbs 22:16 asserts he who oppresses, extorts (asaq, Ibid., p. 798-799) the low, weak, poor (dal, cf. Pr.22:9) to increase abundantly (rabah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., p. 915-916; Hiphil = causative) his own wealth [and] he who gives [gifts] to the rich (ashir, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 799) -- surely (ak, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 36) [both will come] to poverty (mahsor, Ibid., p. 341).
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.