by Paul Apple | May 25, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (:13-14) RIGHTEOUS VS. UNRIGHTEOUS RESPONSE TO SIN A. (:13) Confessing and Forsaking vs. Concealing – Impenitent Sinner “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” Allen Ross: Repentance and...
by Paul Apple | May 24, 2024 | Bible-OT
Lindsay Wilson: These verses deal with both the righteous and the wicked, but there is a greater emphasis on the wicked. In most verses both are mentioned, but sometimes there is a focus only on the wicked (vv. 3, 9). The righteous are never the subject of an entire...
by Paul Apple | May 24, 2024 | Bible-OT
Lindsay Wilson: While Van Leeuwen regards these verses as a loosely structured section, Waltke has shown that they divide into two parallel sections (vv. 1–10 and 11–21), with the hinge verse 22 (or Janus) at the end. He suggests that each section begins with ‘to whom...
by Paul Apple | May 22, 2024 | Bible-OT
Richard Clifford: According to its topics, the chapter falls into three parts, each marked by repetition of key words: vv. 1–12, 13–16, and 17–28. In vv. 1–12, “fool” occurs eleven times, being found in every verse but v. 2. “Sluggard” occurs in every verse of vv....
by Paul Apple | May 21, 2024 | Bible-OT
Lindsay Wilson: In this section on wicked characters, there appear to be six sections with negative figures mentioned: a hateful friend, false witness, faithless man/tormentor, enemy, backbiter/bad wife and the wicked (so Bryce 1972). Verse 27b operates as an inclusio...
by Paul Apple | May 20, 2024 | Bible-OT
(:1) PROLOGUE A. Author “These also are proverbs of Solomon” Van Leeuwen: Analysis of chapters 25-27 identifies the following components: 25:2–27 – a ‘proverb poem’ addressed to courtiers, about social rank and social conflict; 26:1–12 – a ‘proverb poem’ dealing...
by Paul Apple | May 20, 2024 | Bible-OT
(:23a) STRUCTURAL TRANSITION “These also are sayings of the wise.” Paul Koptak: A new section begins with the title, “These also are sayings of the wise.” It is distinct from the “sayings of the wise” (22:17 – 24:22) in what it lacks: There is no father’s address to...
by Paul Apple | May 17, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (:1-14) CONTRAST BETWEEN THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF WISDOM AND THE EVIL BEHAVIOR OF FOOLS A. (:1-2) Do Not Envy the Wicked (:1) Prohibition – Do Not Envy the Wicked or Associate with Them “Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;” Paul Koptak: The...
by Paul Apple | May 16, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (:12-14) IMPORTANCE OF DISCIPLINE AND INSTRUCTION IN PURSUING WISDOM A. (:12) Priority of Personal Discipline and Appropriating Wisdom “Apply your heart to discipline, And your ears to words of knowledge.” Richard Clifford: A new section (23:12–35) begins here,...
by Paul Apple | May 15, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (22:22-29) OPENING SERIES OF PROBIBITIONS A. (:22-23) Don’t Exploit the Poor (:22) Admonition “Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate;” Paul Koptak: While the poverty of these people is reason enough to treat them kindly, most...
by Paul Apple | May 13, 2024 | Bible-OT
Paul Koptak: The shift from individual sayings to the address of a teacher in 22:17 tells us that we have entered a new section of the book, one that spans 22:17 – 24:22. We set this section apart here because (1) there is a new title, “the sayings of the wise”...
by Paul Apple | May 11, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (:1-7) GENERAL INSIGHTS INTO RICHES AND AVOIDING TROUBLE A. (:1) What’s Better than Riches? “A good name is to be more desired than great riches, Favor is better than silver and gold.” Richard Clifford: Human beings are inherently social and find their happiness...
by Paul Apple | May 10, 2024 | Bible-OT
Verse 1 – Divine Sovereignty (over even the King) “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Richard Clifford: It takes great skill and power to direct water, whether it is confining the cosmic waters at...
by Paul Apple | May 8, 2024 | Bible-OT
Paul Koptak: The many doubled proverbs and images of this chapter suggest that a clue for reading can be found by attending to the repetition. So we observe that two pairs of royal proverbs (20:2 and 8; 20:26 and 28) frame two clusters of Yahweh proverbs (20:10 and...
by Paul Apple | May 7, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (:1-4) 4 TYPES OF FOOLS Lindsay Wilson: Context: Verses 1–4 give examples of the consequences of negative behaviour: becoming unwise, forfeiting one’s life, losing honour and finding no harvest. Verse 1 makes a link with the previous chapter by using the word...
by Paul Apple | May 6, 2024 | Bible-OT
(:1-3) INTRODUCTION – INTEGRITY AND KNOWLEDGE GUARD AGAINST FOOLISHNESS Lindsay Wilson: These verses explore the fundamental stance of the fool compared with that of a person of integrity. A. (:1) Value of Integrity vs. Perverse Speech “Better is a poor man who...
by Paul Apple | May 4, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (:1-8) SPEECH AND ITS CONSEQUENCES Paul Koptak: The majority of these proverbs are about speech and its effects; all are concerned with the attitudes and actions that destroy relationships and community. . . The proverbs of chapter 18 make it clear that the...
by Paul Apple | May 4, 2024 | Bible-OT
Paul Koptak: Running through a melange of sayings about families (households) and larger communities are the twin themes of strife and unity. Proverbs about speech habits like gossip and quarreling are intertwined with proverbs about handling money (bribes and...
by Paul Apple | May 2, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (:16-19) MOTIVATIONS FOR ACQUIRING WISDOM – WISDOM BETTER THAN GOLD Lindsay Wilson: The distinctive teaching of these proverbs is about the folly of pride (vv. 18–19), which seems connected to the pursuit of wealth (šālāl, spoil or plunder, v. 19b) but which is...
by Paul Apple | Apr 30, 2024 | Bible-OT
I. (:1-9) YAHWEH SAYINGS – EMPHASIZING DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY Paul Koptak: This outline points up an example of dove-tailing: Verses 1–9 include one non-Yahweh proverb about riches and “injustice” (loʾ mišpaṭ, v. 8), while verses 10–15 have one nonroyal proverb about...
