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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
M. Studying Proverbs 29:12-19
  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 Knowledge Commentary, O. T. , p. 960)
    2. We view some of those collected proverbs of Solomon in Proverbs 29:12-19 as follows:
  2. Studying Proverbs 29:12-19.
    1. Proverbs 29:12 teaches if he who rules, has dominion (mashal, B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 605) gives attention (qashab, Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1191; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 904) unto the word(s) of falsehood (sheqer, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1055), all of his serving officials (sharat, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1058) [become, are] wicked (rasa', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 957). All men have sin natures (Romans 3:20, 23), so if a ruler gives attention to falsehoods, bribes, etc., all his officials will become wicked. Rulers must heed what is upright to keep their realms as free of corruption as is possible.
    2. Proverbs 29:13 asserts the poor man (rus, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 930) and the nobleman (ish, Ibid., Kittel; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) of oppression [oppressive] (tok, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1067) meet together [have this in common] (palash, Ibid., p. 803; Niphal = passive), Jahweh gives the light (or, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 21; Hiphil = causative) of the eyes [fig. of life, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Pr. 29:13] to the two of them (shenayim, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1040-1041). God gives both the oppressive nobleman and the oppressed poor man life, so the oppressor must repent and the poor man not be embittered at the nobleman as both must answer to God!
    3. Proverbs 29:14 claims if a king passes judgment upon (shapat, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1047-1048) weak, poor men (dal, Ibid., p. 195) with faithfulness, truth [lawful fairness] (emet, Ibid., p. 54), his throne will be stable, secure, firmly established (kun, Ibid., p. 465-467; Niphal = passive) unto perpetuity, forever [always] ( ad, Ibid., p. 723). Lawful fairness in an overseer neutralizes cause for rebellion from his subordinates where unjust oppression breeds discontent that weakens the power of the overseer's rule.
    4. Proverbs 29:15 teaches the [disciplinary] rod and correction, rebuke (tokahat, Ibid., p. 407) give wisdom, but a youth [child] (na'ar, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 654-655) let loose [unrestrained] (shalah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1018-1019; Pual = intensive passive) puts to shame (bush, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 101-102; Hiphil = causative) his mother. Parents must dare to discipline or suffer shame.
    5. Proverbs 29:16 asserts when the wicked are many, great (rab, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 912-913), transgressions become many, great (rabab, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 915-916), but the righteous will see their overthrow, ruin (mapelet, Ibid., p. 658). Righteousness always outlasts even flourishing sin, so one best remain righteous regardless how futile his doing so may appear to be at any given time.
    6. Proverbs 29:17 claims discipline (yasar, Ibid., p. 415-416) your son and he will set you at rest [peace] (nuha, Ibid., p. 628-629; Hiphil = causative); he will give [literally] "dainty food" [delight] (ma'adan, Ibid., p. 726) to your life principle (nepesh, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1191 and 3 in citing Gen. 2:7 where God created man a nepesh with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life). The blessings of disciplining one's son are not only great in degree ("dainty food"), but in extent (to the whole nepesh realms of life)!
    7. Proverbs 29:18 teaches where there is no divine vision, oracle or prophecy [no special divine revelation] (hizayon, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1191; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 303), the people are let loose, unrestrained (para', Ibid., p. 828-829; Niphal = passive), but blessed is he who keeps the written Law or body of prophetic literature [Scripture] (torah, Ibid., p. 435-436). Though a lack of prophetic vision leads to an unrestrained populace with great sin and a loss of blessing, individuals who still heed God's written Scriptures will be blessed!
    8. Proverbs 29:19 asserts a servant by [mere] words can not be corrected, chastened (yasar, cf. Pr. 29:17; Niphal = passive) because he discerns, understands (bin, Ibid., p. 106-107), but there is no (ayin, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 34-35) response [obedience] (ma'aneh, Ibid., p. 775). One must discipline an errant subordinate so that it costs what is painful to him so that he will be motivated to heed correction!
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.