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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
K. Studying Proverbs 28:22-29:3
- Introduction
- 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)
- We view some of those collected proverbs of Solomon in Proverbs 28:22-29:3 as follows:
- Studying Proverbs 28:22-29:3
- Proverbs 28:22 teaches a nobleman (ish, Kittel, Bib. Hebr., p. 1190; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syn. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) with an evil eye [stingy] (ayin , Ibid., Kittel; B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 744) hastens (bahal, Ibid., p. 96; Niphal = pass.) to [gain] wealth (hon, Ibid., p. 223), but he does not realize, know that poverty ( heser, Ibid., p. 341) will come to him (bo', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 97-99). To avoid poverty, we must be generous and stick to time-honored ways of earning our income.
- Proverbs 28:23 claims he who rebukes (yakah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 406-407; Hiphil = caus.) a common man (adam, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., Girdlestone) afterwards ( ahar, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 29-30) finds more favor (hen, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 336) that he who makes smooth [flatters] (halaq , Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 325; Hiphil = caus.) with the tongue.
- Proverbs 28:24 asserts he who robs (gazal, Ibid., p. 159-160) his father or mother and says, "It is not a transgression!" (pesha', Ibid., p. 833), he (emph. pron.) is partner [NIV] (haber, Ibid., p. 288) to the nobleman (ish, cf. Pr. 28:22) causing ruin (shahat, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1007f; Hiphil = caus.).
- Proverbs 28:25 teaches the broad [greedy] (rahab, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 932) in life principle (nepesh, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1190 and 3 in citing Gen. 2:7 where God made man a nepesh with physical, mental, spiritual and emotional life) stirs up (garah, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 173; Piel = intens.) strife (madon, Ibid., p. 193), but he who totally relies on ( batah, Ibid., p. 105) Jahweh will be made fat (dashen, Ibid., p. 206; Pual = intens. Pass.). Greed hurts relationships, and that income, but total trust in God cures gree d.
- Proverbs 28:26 claims he who totally relies upon (batah, cf. Pr. 28:25) his [own] inner man, heart (lebab, Ibid., p. 523-524), he (emph. pron.) is a dull, closed minded man ( kesil, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1190; Bib. Know. Com., O. T., p. 908), but he who walks in wisdom, he (emph. pron.) is delivered (malat, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 572; Niphal = pass.). We must seek wisdom that is outside of ourselves to be delivered from failure.
- Proverbs 28:27 asserts he who gives to the poor (rush, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 930) will not lack anything (mahedor, Ibid., p. 341), but he who hides ( alam, Ibid., p. 761) his eyes from them [closes his eyes to their need] [receives] many curses (me'erah, Ibid., p. 76). Generosity with finances avoids much relationship failure where refusing to help those we can help due to greed produces terrible relationships.
- Proverbs 28:28 teaches when the wicked rise [to power] (qum, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 877-879), the common man (adam, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., Girdlestone) hides himself ( satar, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 711; Niphal = pass.), but when they perish (abad, Ibid., p. 1-2), the righteous become many, great (rabah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 915-916. Evil leadership intimidates the lowly where good leadership causes them to flourish, all to respective dramatically contrasting effects on the entire institution.
- Proverbs 29:1 claims a nobleman (ish, cf. Pr. 28:22) of [many] reproofs (tokahat, Ibid., p. 407) who stiffens (qashah, Ibid., p. 904; Hiphil = caus.) [his] neck ( orep, Ibid., p. 791) will suddenly (peta', Ibid., p. 837) be broken to pieces (shabar, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 990-991; Niphal = pass.), and there will be no healing, cure ( marpe', Ibid., p. 951).
- Proverbs 29:2 asserts when the righteous become many, great (rabah, cf. Pr. 28:28), the people rejoice (samah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 970), but when the wicked rule, the people sigh in grief, groan ( anah, Ibid., p. 58). Upright leadership is a blessing to the lowly; evil leadership causes them suffering.
- Proverbs 29:3 teaches a nobleman (ish, cf. Pr. 28:22) who loves wisdom rejoices (samah, cf. Pr. 29:2) his father, but he who associates with (ra'ah , Ibid., p. 945) harlots (zanah, Ibid., p. 275-276) destroys (abad, cf. Pr. 28:28; Piel = intens.) his [father's] wealth (hon, cf. Pr. 28:22), Ibid., B. K. C., O. T., p. 967.
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.