Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20120610.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
15. Studying Proverbs 20:13-21
  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 20:13-21.
    1. Proverbs 20:13 teaches do not love sleep lest you be dispossessed (yarash, B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 439; Niphal = passive); open (paqah , Ibid., p. 824) your eyes and you will be filled (sabe'a, Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1178; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 959) with bread [food] (lehem , Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 536-537). Not paying attention to the acts of others leads one to be dispossessed by the greedy, but if one observes what others around him do, he avoids abuses by the unscrupulous and earns a good living.
    2. Proverbs 20:14 claims "Bad! Bad!" says the buyer (qanah, Ibid., p. 888-889), thereupon (az, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 23) he goes away [from the marketplace] (azel, Ibid., p. 23) and boasts (halal, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 237-239; Hithpael = intensive reflexive). The words of those in the marketplace are often biased due to greed, so one must always evaluate everything that is claimed there!
    3. Proverbs 20:15 asserts there exists gold and an abundance of [highly prized] red corals (peninim, Ibid., p. 819; Zon. Pict. Ency. Bib., v. One, p. 959), but lips that speak knowledge are a jewel (keli, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 479-480) of preciousness (yeqar, Ibid., p. 430). Those speaking words of knowledge are as valuable to the hearer as a highly prized, rare gem, for their knowledge leads hearers to great prosperity.
    4. Proverbs 20:16 teaches take the garment of one who takes a pledge to be collateral (arab, Ibid., p. 786) for a stranger (zur, Ibid., p. 266), and hold it in pledge (habal, Ibid., p. 286) [if he is collateral] in behalf of (ba'ad, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 126) a foreign [immoral] woman (nakeri, Ibid., p. 648). It is always bad to be collateral, for those needing it are not reliable as their track record requires another to be their collateral. Yet, an immoral woman is especially unreliable, so being collateral for her is foolish!
    5. Proverbs 20:17 claims pleasing, sweet (arab, Ibid., p. 787) to a nobleman (ish, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1179; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T. , 1973, p. 45-50) is food gained by deceit (sheqer, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1055), but afterwards (ahar, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 29-30) his mouth will be full ( male', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 569-571) of gravel (hasas, Ibid., p. 346). Even noblemen can not afford to obtain gain by deceit as it causes disastrous reprisals long-term!
    6. Proverbs 20:18 asserts we should establish (kun, Ibid., p. 465) plans with advice (elah, Ibid., p. 420) and with counsels (tahebulah, Ibid., p. 287) make war (milhamah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 536). Entering a conflict is not only very risky to one's welfare, but it can indicate a lack of wisdom on the part of the one entering the conflict, so he must get advice before intentionally entering any conflict.
    7. Proverbs 20:19 teaches he who uncovers (galah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 162-163) secret counsel (sod, Ibid., p. 691) walks about in slander (rakil , Ibid., p. 940), so do not fellowship with (arab, Ibid., p. 786; Hithpael = intensive reflexive) one who is foolish [in opening wide to gossip with] (patah , Ibid., p. 834) his lips. We must avoid fellowship with gossips as they expose secrets to the harm of others.
    8. Proverbs 20:20 claims if a man curses (qalal, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 886-887) his father or his mother, his lamp [of prosperity] (ner, Ibid., p. 632) will be extinguished (da'ak, Ibid., p. 200) in the pupil of the eye [extreme of] (ishon, Ibid., p. 36) of darkness (hoshek, Ibid., p. 365). God punishes those who disrespect their parents, so to curse one's parents will bring a severe loss of divine blessing.
    9. Proverbs 20:21 asserts an inheritance (nahalah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 635) hastily gained (bahal, Ibid., p. 96; Pual = intensive passive) at first will afterwards not be blessed (barak, Ibid., p. 138-139; Pual = intensive passive). Inheritances gained quickly are gained in greed at the cost of honoring family ties, leading to a later loss of blessing. Long-term, then, we best take our time in acquiring family inheritances.
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.