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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
N. Studying Proverbs 29:20-27
  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 29:20-27 as follows:
  2. Studying Proverbs 29:20-27.
    1. Proverbs 29:20 teaches do you see, behold (hazah, B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 302) a nobleman (ish, Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1191; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) [who] makes haste (us, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 21) with his words? There is [more] hope (tiqwah , Ibid., p. 876) for an arrogant, flippant man (kesil, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. K. C., O. T., p. 908) than for him. Being in a hurry to voice one's opinion carries great risk of harm to the speaker, so we must think before speaking to be sure we reflect the facts, and will say those things that will not create a harmful response!
    2. Proverbs 29:21 asserts one who pampers (panaq, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 819) his servant from his [servant's] youth, in the end he will become (hayah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 224-228) unmanageable (minon, Ibid., Kittel; Jerome's Latin Vulgate translates this otherwise unknown Hebrew word as "contumax," "unmanageable," the best meaning in this context, A. R. Hurst, O. T. Translation Problems, 1960, p. 129).
    3. Proverbs 29:22 claims a nobleman (ish, cf. Pr. 29:20) of anger (ap, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 60) stirs up strife (garah, Ibid., p. 173; Piel = intensive) of contention (madon, Ibid., p. 193), and a (literally) "lord of rage" (ba'al hemah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 127, 404-405) [a hot-tempered man] (stirs up the strife of) many, great (rab, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 912-913) rebellious transgressions (pesha', Ibid., p. 833; Ibid., Girdlestone, p. 81). We must control our anger, and be slow to express it to avoid creating not only contentions, but riling up people to rebel against duly appointed authority in great sin.
    4. Proverbs 29:23 teaches the haughtiness (ga'awah, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 144) of a common man (adam, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., Girdlestone, p. 45-50) brings, sets him in a low place, station (shapel, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1050; Hiphil = causative), but the lowly (shapel again, but in the basic Qal stem) of spirit [humble] attains (tamak , Ibid., p. 1069) honor, glory, abundance (kabod, Ibid., p. 458-459).
    5. Proverbs 29:24 asserts having shares [being an accomplice] (halaq, Ibid., p. 323) with (im, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 767-768) a thief (ganab , Ibid., p. 170) [makes one] hate (sane', Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 971) his (own) life principle (nepesh, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1191 and 3 in citing Gen. 2:7 where God made man a nepesh with physical, mental, spiritual and mental life) [makes one his own worst enemy]; the oath (alah, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 46) he hears (shama' , Ibid., Kittel, p. 1191; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1033-1034) [he is put under oath invoking God's divine Name to testify], but he does not play the informer (nagad, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 616-617) [for fear of exposing himself as a thief, too!]. Partnering with sinners leads one to get cornered by his own sin, so we should not partner with others in sin.
    6. Proverbs 29:25 claims the trembling, fear (haradah, Ibid., p. 353) of common man (adam, cf. Pr. 29:23) sets (natan, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 678-681) a snare (moqesh, Ibid., p. 430) [for the one who thus fears], but he who lies fully extended [utterly relies] (batah, Ibid., p. 105) upon Jahweh will be set inaccessibly high (sagab, Ibid., p. 960) [from his foes]. Being afraid of people brings with it a snare to one's harm, but the cure for this fear is complete trust in the Lord Who saves us from our worst enemies!
    7. Proverbs 29:26 teaches many seek the face [audience] of one who rules (mashal, Ibid., p. 605), but from Jahweh is justice (mishpat, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1048-1049) for a nobleman (ish, cf. Pr. 29:20).
    8. Proverbs 29:27 asserts the nobleman (ish, cf. Pr. 29:20) of injustice is an abomination (to'ebah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1072-1073) to the righteous, (awel, Ibid., p. 732), and the upright of way is an abomination (to'ebah again) to the wicked. In choosing the path of righteousness, one must remember that this very choice alienates him from fellowship with the wicked due to the opposing values involved. We must thus dare to adhere to righteousness though it costs us some fellowship.
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.