Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20121028.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
B. Studying Proverbs 25:12-22
  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 Solmon in Proverbs 25:12-22 as follows:
  2. Studying Proverbs 25:12-22.
    1. Proverbs 25:12 teaches an earring (nezem, B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 633-634) and a necklace (hali, Ibid., p. 318) of [foreign Nubian, fine] gold (ketem, Ibid., p. 508; T. W. O. T., v. I, p. 459) is a reproof (yakah, Ibid., p. 406-407) of a wise man to a listening (shama', Kittel, Bib. Hebr., p. 1186; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1033-1034) ear. We must be sure a colleague will heed us before we can reprove him.
    2. Proverbs 25:13 asserts like the coolness (sinah, Ibid., p. 856) of snow (sheleg, Ibid., p. 1017) in the day [time] of harvesting (qasir, Ibid., p. 894) is a trustworthy (aman, Ibid., p. 52-53) messenger (sir, Ibid., p. 851) to those who send him; he refreshes (shub, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 996-1000; Hiphil = causative) the life principle (nepesh, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1186 and 3 in citing Gen. 2:7 where God made man a nepesh with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life) of his masters.
    3. Proverbs 25:14 claims rising mists, clouds (nasi', Ibid., B. D. B., p. 672) and wind, but rain (geshem, Ibid., p. 177) -- there is none (ayin, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1186; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 34-35), [so is] a nobleman (ish, Ibid., Kittel; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) who makes his boast ( halal, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 236-239; Hithpael = intens. reflex.) of gifts (matat, Ibid., p. 682) of disappointment [he does not give] (sheqer, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1055). Do not make promises we cannot keep!
    4. Proverbs 25:15 teaches with length (orek, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 73) of anger (ap, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 60) [patience] a ruler (qasin, Ibid., p. 892) can be persuaded (patah, Ibid., p. 834; Pual = intens. reflex.), and a soft (rak, Ibid., p. 940) tongue [gentle word] breaks in pieces (shabar, Ibid., p. 990) the bone (gerer, Ibid., p. 175; coll. noun). Patient gentleness is far more persuasive than harsh impatience.
    5. Proverbs 25:16-17 asserts (16) if you found honey, eat enough (di, Ibid., p. 191) for you [only enough for you], lest (pen, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 814-815) you have excess (saba', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 959) and you vomit it up (qi', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 883); (17) make rare, prized [withhold] (yaqar, Ibid., p. 429; Hiphil = causative) your foot in the house of your neighbor lest (pen, cf. Pr. 25:16) he have excess of you (saba', cf. Pr. 25:16) and he hate you (shane', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 971). We must be sure we "do not wear out our welcome," for even our best friend can get too much of us!
    6. Proverbs 25:18 claims like a club or a sword or a sharpened (shanan, Ibid., p. 1041-1042; ptc. form) arrow is a nobleman (ish, cf. Pr. 25:14) who testifies (anah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 772-773) against his neighbor as a false (sheqer, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1055) witness.
    7. Proverbs 25:19 teaches like a bad tooth or a tottering, slipping [lame] (ma'ad, Ibid., p. 588) foot is confidence (mibtah, Ibid., p. 105) in a treacherous man (bagad, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 93) in the day [time] of narrow straits, distress (sarah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 865).
    8. Proverbs 25:20 asserts like one who takes off (ESV) a garment covering, [outer] robe (beged, Ibid., p. 93-94) on a cold (qarah, Ibid., p. 903) day, or like vinegar ( homes, Ibid., p. 330) [that is poured] on carbonate of soda (neter, Ibid., p. 684) is he who sings (shir, Ibid., p. 1010) songs (shir , the noun, Ibid.) to an injured, distressed [heavy] (ra', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 948-949) heart.
    9. Proverbs 25:21-22 claims (21) if your enemy hungers, feed him bread [food] (lehem, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 536-537), if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, (22) because hot coals (gahelet, Ibid., p. 160-161) you (emph. pron.) will snatch up from the hearth (hatah, Ibid., p. 367) [to put on a firepan] upon his head, and Jahweh will reward (shalem, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1022) you. The "neighborly" thing to do was to provide live coals for a neighbor to start his fire, so giving food and water to a needy enemy overcomes evil with good (Rom. 12:21), what God rewards, Ibid., Bib. Know. Com., O. T., p. 961.
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.