Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20121104.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Proverbs: Motivating Teens And Adults To Align With God's Fixed Moral Order
Part V: Proverbs Of Solomon Collected By Hezekiah's Scribes, Proverbs 25:1-29:27
C. Studying Proverbs 25:13-26:3
  1. Introduction
    1. Two hundred and fifty years after Solomon, Hezekiah's scribes copied more of Solomon's proverbs from separate works, and they comprise Proverbs 25:1-29:27. (Bible Know. Com., O. T. , p. 960)
    2. We view some of these collected proverbs of Solomon in Proverbs 25:23-26:3 as follows:
  2. Studying Proverbs 25:23-26:3.
    1. Proverbs 25:23 teaches [just as surely as] a north (sapon, Kittel, Bib. Hebr., p. 1186; B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 860-861) wind brings forth (hol, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 296-297; Polel = intens. reflex.) rain (geshem, Ibid., p. 177), so a tongue of secrecy [slander] (seter , Ibid., p. 712) [brings forth] faces (panim, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 315-319) stirred with indignation (za'am, Ibid., p. 276; Niphal = passive). We must avoid slandering others if we wish to live agreeably with others.
    2. Proverbs 25:24 asserts it is more wholesome (tob, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1186 and 2 in citing Gen. 1:31 of God's wholesome [tob] created universe) to dwell ( yashab, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 442-443) on the corner (pinah, Ibid., p. 819) of a roof [top] (gag, Ibid., p. 150-151) than in a house of association [house in common with] (bit-heber, Ibid., p. 288) a noblewoman (ishah, Ibid., Kittel; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) of contention (madon , Ibid., B. D. B., p. 193). It is more wholesome for a man if he dwells alone in a destitute location than if he lives in a home with an argumentative wife!
    3. Proverbs 25:25 claims [like] cool (qar, Ibid., p. 903) water to a weary [here, thirsty] (ayep, Ibid., p. 746) life principle (nepesh, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1186 and 3 in citing Gen. 2:7 where God made man a nepesh with mental, emotional, spiritual and physical life), [so is] wholesome (tob, cf. Pr. 25:24) news from a distant (rahoq, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 935) land. We should seek to be bearers of edifying news from far away family.
    4. Proverbs 25:26 teaches [like] a spring (ma'yan, Ibid., p. 745-746) muddied by treading (rapas, Ibid., p. 952) or a fountain, well (maqor, Ibid., p. 881) [that is] spoiled (shahat, Ibid., p. 1008; Hophal = passive causative), [so is] a righteous man who totters, slips [gives way] (mot, Ibid., p. 556-557) to the face of [before] the wicked. Other people heed a righteous man's example much as people in ancient Israel relied on a fresh spring or good well for their livelihood, so if the upright compromises with the wicked, he deeply hurts the many who view him as an example. We must thus stay upright for the sake of others.
    5. Proverbs 25:27 asserts it is not wholesome (tob, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1187; cf. Pr. 25:24) to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek (haqar, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 350) [one's own] glory.
    6. Proverbs 25:28 claims [like] a city broken through (paras, Ibid., p. 829) [so that] there is no wall (homah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 327), [so] is a nobleman (ish, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., Girdlestone) [in] which there is no restraint [self-control] (ma'sar, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 784) of his spirit [temper] (ruha, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 924-926). Controlling one's anger protects one from serious harmful retaliation.
    7. Proverbs 26:1 teaches like snow (sheleg, Ibid., p. 1017) in summer (qayis, Ibid., p. 884) or like rain (matar, Ibid., p. 564) in harvest ( qasir, Ibid., p. 894), thus (ken, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 485-487) honor, glory (kabod, Ibid., p. 458-459) is not fitting, comely (na'weh, Ibid., p. 610) for one with a dull and closed mind (kesil, Ibid., Kittel; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 908). To be honored, we must remain teachable to the way of wisdom, for, failure here makes any honor we receive repudiated by onlookers.
    8. Proverbs 26:2 asserts like a sparrow (sipor, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 861-862) in its fluttering (nud, Ibid., p. 626-627) or a swallow (deror, Ibid., p. 204) in its flying ( up, Ibid., p. 733), thus (ken, cf. Pr. 26:1) a curse (qelalah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 887) without cause (hinam, Ibid., p. 336) does not come [to alight] (bo', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 97-99). Criticism must be deserved or it will not be effective!
    9. Proverbs 26:3 claims a whip for a horse and a bridle for a male donkey (hamod, Ibid., p. 331) and a rod of chastening (shebet, Ibid., p. 986-987) for the back (gew, Ibid., p. 156) of those with dull, closed minds (kesil, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., Bible Know. Com., O. T.) People with dull, closed minds need constant, painful correction like horses and male donkeys, so we best be teachable to avoid constant, painful correction!
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.