Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20120708.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
19. Studying Proverbs 21:19-27
  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 21:19-27.
    1. Proverbs 21:19 teaches more wholesome (tob, Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1180 and 2 in citing Gen. 1:31 where God created the universe tob, "wholesome") is a cessation from work (sebet, B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 992) in the desert (midbar, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1180; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 184) than [to be with] a wife of contention (madon, Ibid., p. 193) and vexation (ka'am, Ibid., p. 495). Adding to Proverbs 21:9 that claims it is better to live on the corner of a roof than to be in a house with a contentious wife, if she be also angry, it is better for him to be idle in the desert and thus starve to death in peace than to die in distress in her presence! Even the lifespan of a man is affected by his wife's demeanor, so he must shrink back from her if she has a bad one, and she must correct a bad one if she wants her husband to live long!
    2. Proverbs 21:20 asserts that a storehouse (oser, Ibid., p. 69-70) of desirable foods (hamad, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 326; Niphal = passive) and olive oil (shemen , Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1032) is in the abode, dwelling (naweh, Ibid., p. 627) of the wise, but the dull, closed minded (kesil, Ibid., Kittel; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 908) common man (adam, Ibid., Kittel; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) swallows [squanders] (bala', Ibid., B. D. B., p. 118) it. Wise men spend their income carefully, thus accumulating riches, where dull, closed minded common men squander their income and are poor!
    3. Proverbs 21:21 claims he who pursues after (radap, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 922-923) righteousness and loyal love (hesed, Ibid., Kittel; Theol. Wrdbk. of the O. T., v. II, p. 305-307) will find life, righteousness and honor (kabod, Ibid. B. D. B., p. 458-459). God equips one who seeks to be righteous and loyally loving to find righteousness life and honor in reward for his search. (cf. 1 Kings 3:5-15)
    4. Proverbs 21:22 teaches that a wise man goes up unto (alah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 748-750) [to attack] the city of the mighty, and he lays prostrate (yarad , Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 432-434; Hiphil = causative active) the might (oz, Ibid., p. 738-739) of their confidence (mibtah, Ibid., p. 105) [that in which they trust]. Wise men demoralize their enemies by destroying that in which they trust to make both the battle to defeat their foes easier, and to make their enemies more manageable after the battle is won.
    5. Proverbs 21:23 asserts he who guards (shamar, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1036-1037) his mouth and his tongue guards (shamar again) his life principle (nepesh, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1180 with 3 in citing Gen. 2:7 where God made man a nepesh with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life) from distress (sarah , Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 865). We must watch our speech to avoid seeing it produce distress for us.
    6. Proverbs 21:24 claims that insolent (zed, Ibid., p. 267), haughty (yahid, Ibid., p. 397), "Mocker" is his name; he acts, behaves with (asah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 793-795) an overflow (ebrah, Ibid., p. 720) of insolence, presumptuousness (zadon, Ibid., p. 268 [the noun form of the adjective zed]).
    7. Proverbs 21:25 teaches the lust, appetite (ta'awah, Ibid., p. 16) of the sluggard, lazy man (asel, Ibid., p. 782) will kill him (mut, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 559-560; Hiphil = causative active) because his hands refuse (ma'en, Ibid., p. 549; Piel = intensive) to work. Laziness itself will destroy a man.
    8. Proverbs 21:26 continues speaking of the Proverbs 21:25 lazy man, adding that all day long he lusts (awah, Ibid., p. 16 [verb form]) with desire (ta'awah , cf. Pr. 21:25), but the righteous gives and does not hold back (hasak, Ibid., p. 362). Laziness rises from self-centeredness, leading to thwarted desires where selfless people work to meet their desires and have a great capacity to give of their production to others.
    9. Proverbs 21:27 claims the sacrifice of the wicked is [already] an abomination; how much more (ap ki, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 64-65) when he brings it with an evil purpose, plan (zimah, Ibid., p. 273).
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.