Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20121125.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
F. Studying Proverbs 26:24-27:5
  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 26:24-27:5 as follows:
  2. Studying Proverbs 26:24-27:5.
    1. Proverbs 26:24-26 teaches (24) with his speech a man who hates (sane', Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1188; B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 971; verb) disguises himself ( nakar, Ibid., p. 649; Niphal = passive) [speaks what is foreign to his thinking], but with his inward part (qereb, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 899) he puts [harbors] ( sh(ee)t, Ibid., p. 1011) deceit, treachery (mirmah, Ibid., p. 941). (25) Though his voice [speech] (qol, Ibid., p. 876-877) is gracious (hanan , Ibid., p. 335-336; Piel = intensive), do not believe (aman, Ibid., p. 52-53; Hiphil = causative) him, for seven abominations (to'ebah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1072-1073) are in his heart, inner man ( leb, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 524-525). (26) His hatred (son'ah, Ibid., p. 971-972; noun) may cover over itself (kasah, Ibid., p. 491-492; Hithpael = intensive reflexive) with guile ( masha'on, Ibid., p. 674), [but] his evil will be uncovered (galah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 162-163; Niphal = passive) in the assembly, congregation [publicly] ( qahal, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 874). We must avoid those who hate, for they deceive and will be exposed since they can not hide their hatred forever, and we should also avoid hating others to avoid the same fate.
    2. Proverbs 26:27 asserts he who digs (karah, Ibid., p. 500) a pit (shahat, Ibid., p. 1001), into it will he fall (napal, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., p. 656-658), and he who rolls away ( galal, Ibid., p. 164) a stone, back against (el, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 39-41) him will it return (shub, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 996-1000). Efforts to set traps for others inevitably entrap the trapper! We should not plan to trap others.
    3. Proverbs 26:28 claims a tongue of falsehood [a lying tongue] (sheqer, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1055) hates (sane', cf. Pr. 26:24) those crushed (dak , Ibid., p. 194) by it, and a smooth [flattering] (halaq, Ibid., p. 325) words works an occasion of stumbling (midheh, Ibid., p. 191). We should avoid lying and flattering tongues in others, and be sure to tell the truth and not flatter ourselves!
    4. Proverbs 27:1 teaches do not boast (halal, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 237-239; Hithpael = intensive reflexive) of the day of tomorrow (mahar, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 563-564) because you do not know what a day may bring forth, beget, give birth to ( yalad, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 408-409). When it comes to future events over which we have no control or full knowledge, we must be humble!
    5. Proverbs 27:2 asserts let a stranger (zur, Ibid., p. 266) praise you and not your mouth, a foreigner (nakri, Ibid., p. 648) and not your own lips, speech (shapah , Ibid., p. 973-974). Praising one's self is very odious, but praise from others is appropriate and acceptable by everyone as it is genuine, not boastful.
    6. Proverbs 27:3 claims a stone (eben, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 6-7) is heaviness (kobed, Ibid., p. 458; noun form) and sand (hol, Ibid., p. 297) a burden, weight ( netel, Ibid., p. 642), but the vexation (ka'am, Ibid., p. 495) of the arrogant, flippant (ewil, Ibid., Kittel; Bib. Know. Com., O. T., p. 908) is heavier ( kabed, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 458; adjective form) than both of them. We must avoid fellowship with arrogant, flippant people to avoid creating an excessive burden in the realm of vexation for ourselves!
    7. Proverbs 27:4 teaches fierceness (akezeriut, Ibid., p. 470) of rage (hemah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 404-405) and a flood (shetep, Ibid., p. 1009) of anger ( ap, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 60), but who can stand (amad, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 763-764) before jealousy (qin'ah, Ibid., p. 888)? We should try to diffuse what jealousy others have of us, and never be jealous, for it is highly destructive!
    8. Proverbs 27:5 asserts more beneficial (tobah, Ibid., p. 375) is an uncovered, open (galah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 162-163; Pual = passive intensive) reproof ( tokahat, Ibid., p. 407) than love that is carefully concealed (satar, Ibid., p. 711; Pual = passive intensive). Genuine love expresses itself by correcting the one loved; otherwise, failure here means one's love is false, Ibid., B. K. C., O. T., p. 963!
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.