Ecclesiastes 5 – “Lessons; Reflections”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Qohelet says to guard one’s speech and to accept the realities of financial disparity. He reflects upon greed and says to enjoy life.

II. Photo
A lesson about greed: “A lover of money never has his fill of money, nor a lover of wealth his fill of income.” (v. 9)

III. Select Verses
1: Keep your mouth from being rash, and let not your throat be quick to bring forth speech before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth; that is why your words should be few.
3-4: When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. For He has no pleasure in fools; what you vow, fulfill. It is better not to vow at all than to vow and not fulfill.
7: If you see in a province oppression of the poor and suppression of right and justice, don’t wonder at the fact; for one high official is protected by a higher one, and both of them by still higher ones.
9-10: A lover of money never has his fill of money, nor a lover of wealth his fill of income. That too is futile. As his substance increases, so do those who consume it; what, then, does the success of its owner amount to but feasting his eyes?
17: Only this, I have found, is a real good: that one should eat and drink and get pleasure with all the gains he makes under the sun, during the numbered days of life that God has given him; for that is his portion.

IV. Outline
1-6. Watch your words
7-8. Financial disparity
9-16. Greedy toil
17-19. Enjoy life

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
C. L. Seow, Ecclesiastes (Anchor Yale Bible 18C; New Haven: Yale, 1997).
Photo copied from http://image.tsn.ua/media/images/original/May2011/383425087.jpg

Ecclesiastes 4 – “Reflections”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Qohelet reflects upon the futility of existence, toil, loneliness, and kingship.

II. Photo
Friendship is praised: “Two are better off than one, in that they have greater benefit from their earnings.” (v. 9)

III. Select Verses
1-3: I further observed all the oppression that goes on under the sun: the tears of the oppressed, with none to comfort them; and the power of their oppressors — with none to comfort them. Then I accounted those who died long since more fortunate than those who are still living; and happier than either are those who have not yet come into being and have never witnessed the miseries that go on under the sun.
9-12: Two are better off than one, in that they have greater benefit from their earnings. For should they fall, one can raise the other; but woe betide him who is alone and falls with no companion to raise him! Further, when two lie together they are warm; but how can he who is alone get warm? Also, if one attacks, two can stand up to him. A threefold cord is not readily broken!
13: Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer has the sense to heed warnings.

IV. Outline
1-3. Better to not be born
4-6. Envious toil
7-8. Lonely toil
9-12. The benefits of comraderie
13-16. Kingship
17. Sacrifice

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
C. L. Seow, Ecclesiastes (Anchor Yale Bible 18C; New Haven: Yale, 1997).
Photo copied from http://www.marcandangel.com/images/real-friends-differently.jpg

Ecclesiastes 3 – “Reflections”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Qohelet reflects upon time, the fate of man, and tells people to enjoy their lives.

II. Photo
Qohelet teaches a lesson: “A season is set for everything… A time for wailing and a time for dancing.” (vv. 1, 4)

III. Select Verses
1-8: A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven: A time for being born and a time for dying, A time for planting and a time for uprooting the planted; A time for slaying and a time for healing, A time for tearing down and a time for building up; A time for weeping and a time for laughing, A time for wailing and a time for dancing; A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones, A time for embracing and a time for shunning embraces; A time for seeking and a time for losing, A time for keeping and a time for discarding; A time for ripping and a time for sewing, A time for silence and a time for speaking; A time for loving and a time for hating; A time for war and a time for peace.
12-13: Thus I realized that the only worthwhile thing there is for them is to enjoy themselves and do what is good in their lifetime; also, that whenever a man does eat and drink and get enjoyment out of all his wealth, it is a gift of God
19-21: For in respect of the fate of man and the fate of beast, they have one and the same fate: as the one dies so dies the other, and both have the same lifebreath; man has no superiority over beast, since both amount to nothing. 20 Both go to the same place; both came from dust and both return to dust. 21 Who knows if a man’s lifebreath does rise upward and if a beast’s breath does sink down into the earth?

IV. Outline
1-8. A time for everything
9-15. God has set man’s place; Enjoy life
16-22. The fate of all living things is the same; Enjoy life

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
C. L. Seow, Ecclesiastes (Anchor Yale Bible 18C; New Haven: Yale, 1997).
Photo copied from http://www.omnisalsa.com/images/wedding%20dance.jpg

Ecclesiastes 2 – “Reflections”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Qohelet reflects upon the futility of pleasure, wealth, wisdom, and hard work. He believes that people should enjoy life if they can.

II. Photo
Qohelet worked hard: “I laid out gardens and groves, in which I planted every kind of fruit tree.” (v. 5)

III. Select Verses
1: I said to myself, “Come, I will treat you to merriment. Taste mirth!” That too, I found, was futile.
3: I ventured to tempt my flesh with wine, and to grasp folly, while letting my mind direct with wisdom, to the end that I might learn which of the two was better for men to practice in their few days of life under heaven.
4-11: I multiplied my possessions. I built myself houses and I planted vineyards. I laid out gardens and groves, in which I planted every kind of fruit tree. I constructed pools of water, enough to irrigate a forest shooting up with trees. I bought male and female slaves, and I acquired stewards. I also acquired more cattle, both herds and flocks, than all who were before me in Jerusalem. I further amassed silver and gold and treasures of kings and provinces; and I got myself male and female singers, as well as the luxuries of commoners — coffers and coffers of them. Thus, I gained more wealth than anyone before me in Jerusalem. In addition, my wisdom remained with me: I withheld from my eyes nothing they asked for, and denied myself no enjoyment; rather, I got enjoyment out of all my wealth. And that was all I got out of my wealth. Then my thoughts turned to all the fortune my hands had built up, to the wealth I had acquired and won — and oh, it was all futile and pursuit of wind; there was no real value under the sun!
13-15: I found that Wisdom is superior to folly As light is superior to darkness A wise man has his eyes in his head, Whereas a fool walks in darkness. But I also realized that the same fate awaits them both. So I reflected: “The fate of the fool is also destined for me; to what advantage, then, have I been wise?” And I came to the conclusion that that too was futile.
24: There is nothing worthwhile for a man but to eat and drink and afford himself enjoyment with his means. And even that, I noted, comes from God.

IV. Outline
1-11. The futility of pleasure and wealth
12-17. The wise die just like the foolish
18-23. Future generations and the futility of toil
24-26. Enjoy life if you can

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
C. L. Seow, Ecclesiastes (Anchor Yale Bible 18C; New Haven: Yale, 1997).
Photo copied from http://badhuman.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/orange-tree.jpg

Ecclesiastes 1 – “Reflections”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Qohelet reflects upon the futility of mankind, the natural world, and the study of wisdom.

II. Photo
Qohelet reflects upon wisdom: “I set my mind to study and to probe with wisdom all that happens under the sun… I found that all is futile and pursuit of wind!” (vv. 13-14)

III. Select Verses
1: The words of Koheleth son of David, king in Jerusalem.
4: One generation goes, another comes, But the earth remains the same forever.
5: The sun rises, and the sun sets — And glides back to where it rises.
9-11: Only that shall happen Which has happened, Only that occur Which has occurred; There is nothing new Beneath the sun! Sometimes there is a phenomenon of which they say, “Look, this one is new!” — it occurred long since, in ages that went by before us. The earlier ones are not remembered; so too those that will occur later will no more be remembered than those that will occur at the very end.
12-14: I, Koheleth, was king in Jerusalem over Israel. I set my mind to study and to probe with wisdom all that happens under the sun. — An unhappy business, that, which God gave men to be concerned with! I observed all the happenings beneath the sun, and I found that all is futile and pursuit of wind
18: For as wisdom grows, vexation grows; To increase learning is to increase heartache.

IV. Outline
1. Superscription
2-8. The futility of mankind and the world
9-11. Nothing is new
12-18. The futility of wisdom

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
C. L. Seow, Ecclesiastes (Anchor Yale Bible 18C; New Haven: Yale, 1997).
Photo copied from http://crunchybytes.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/studying.jpg

Proverbs 31 – “Speech of Lemuel’s Mother; Acrostic about the Woman of Valor”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Lemuel’s mother lectures her son about women, wine, and kingship. A woman of valor is praised in an alphabetic acrostic.

II. Photo
Lemuel’s mother speaks about alcohol: “Give strong drink to the hapless and wine to the embittered. Let them drink and forget their poverty, and put their troubles out of mind.” (vv. 6-7)

III. Select Verses
1: The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, with which his mother admonished him:
3-4: Do not give your strength to women, Your vigor, to those who destroy kings. Wine is not for kings, O Lemuel; Not for kings to drink, Nor any strong drink for princes.
6-7: Give strong drink to the hapless And wine to the embittered. Let them drink and forget their poverty, And put their troubles out of mind.
10-12: What a rare find is a capable wife! Her worth is far beyond that of rubies. Her husband puts his confidence in her, And lacks no good thing. She is good to him, never bad, All the days of her life.
18: She sees that her business thrives; Her lamp never goes out at night.
20: She gives generously to the poor; Her hands are stretched out to the needy.
30: Grace is deceptive, Beauty is illusory; It is for her fear of the LORD That a woman is to be praised.

IV. Outline

1-9. Speech of Lemuel’s mother
    1. Superscription
    2-9. Exhortation
10-31. Acrostic: the woman of valor

V. Comment
Proverbs 31 is made up of two units, a speech made by Lemuel’s mother and an acrostic poem about a woman of valor. In regards to the latter, Fox writes: “The book of Proverbs is devoted to cultivating wise men. Throughout it addresses men’s concerns (such as avoiding promiscuous women), and the wise people it describes are almost all men. Now it concludes by describing a wise woman, but this too is a man’s concern. The poem praises her capabilities in bringing income into the home, caring for her household, showing charity to the poor, speaking wisdom and kindness, and living in fear of God… Contrary to a common modern stereotype of ancient women, this one has considerable independence in interacting with outsiders and conducting her business, and she can even purchase real estate.” (890)

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Michael Fox, Proverbs 10-31 (Anchor Yale Bible 18B; New Haven: Yale, 2009).
Photo copied from http://img.webmd.boots.com/dtmcms/live/webmd_uk/consumer_assets/site_images/articles/health_tools/hangover_myths_slideshow/getty_rr_photo_of_bar_liquor.jpg

Proverbs 30 – “The Words of Agur; Assorted Sayings”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Agur praises the words of God and asks for an honest and simple life. A number of proverbs are presented, many of which describe a group of four related things.

II. Photo
A proverb about animals: “Four are among the tiniest on earth, Yet they are the wisest of the wise… The locusts have no king, Yet they all march forth in formation.” (vv. 24, 27)

III. Select Verses
1: The words of Agur son of Jakeh, [man of] Massa; The speech of the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
4: Who has ascended heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hand? Who has wrapped the waters in his garment? Who has established all the extremities of the earth? What is his name or his son’s name, if you know it?
5-6: Every word of God is pure, A shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He indict you and you be proved a liar.
8b-10: Give me neither poverty nor riches, But provide me with my daily bread, Lest, being sated, I renounce, saying, “Who is the LORD?” Or, being impoverished, I take to theft And profane the name of my God.
15b-16: Three things are insatiable; Four never say, “Enough!”: Sheol, a barren womb, Earth that cannot get enough water, And fire which never says, “Enough!”
18-20: Three things are beyond me; Four I cannot fathom: How an eagle makes its way over the sky; How a snake makes its way over a rock; How a ship makes its way through the high seas; How a man has his way with a maiden. Such is the way of an adulteress: She eats, wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wrong.”

IV. Outline

1-9. The words of Agur
    1. Superscription
    2-3. Declaration of humility
    4-6. Lesson
    7-9. Request for honesty and simplicity
10-33. Assorted sayings
    10. Slandering a slave
    11-15a. The needy person
    15b-16. Four insatiable things
    17. Contempt for parents
    18-20. Four wondrous things; A fifth
    21-23. Four unbearable things
    24-28. Four wise creatures
    29-31. Four creatures with great stride
    32. Arrogance
    33. Causing strife

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Michael Fox, Proverbs 10-31 (Anchor Yale Bible 18B; New Haven: Yale, 2009).
Photo copied from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/photogalleries/locust-swarm-theory-serotonin/images/primary/090130-04-swarm-theory-desert-locusts-461.jpg

Proverbs 29 – “Assorted Sayings”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
A number of individual proverbs are related.

II. Photo
A proverb about disciplining a slave: “A slave cannot be disciplined by words; Though he may comprehend, he does not respond.” (v. 19)

III. Select Verses
7: A righteous man is concerned with the cause of the wretched; A wicked man cannot understand such concern.
14: A king who judges the wretched honestly, His throne will be established forever.
15: Rod and reproof produce wisdom, But a lad out of control is a disgrace to his mother.
19: A slave cannot be disciplined by words; Though he may comprehend, he does not respond.
21: A slave pampered from youth Will come to a bad end.
23: A man’s pride will humiliate him, But a humble man will obtain honor.
24: He who shares with a thief is his own enemy; He hears the imprecation and does not tell.
26: Many seek audience with a ruler, But it is from the LORD that a man gets justice.
27: The unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

IV. Outline
1. Stubbornness
2. Righteous/wicked rulers
3. Wisdom
4. Righteous/wicked rulers
5. Flattery
6-7. The righteous/wicked
8. Scoffers
9. The fool
10. The blameless
11. The dullard
12. Rulership
13. Oppressing the poor
14. Righteous rulership
15. Reproof
16. The righteous/wicked
17. Discipline
18. Instruction
19. Discipline for a slave
20. Quick speech
21. A spoiled slave
22. Anger
23. Pride and humility
24. Helping a thief
25. Trusting in God
26. Rulership
27. The righteous/wicked

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Michael Fox, Proverbs 10-31 (Anchor Yale Bible 18B; New Haven: Yale, 2009).
Photo copied from http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/files/2009/07/whip.jpg

Proverbs 28 – “Assorted Sayings”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
A number of individual proverbs are related.

II. Photo
A proverb about confession: “He who covers up his faults will not succeed; He who confesses and gives them up will find mercy.” (v. 13)

III. Select Verses
6: Better is a poor man who lives blamelessly Than a rich man whose ways are crooked.
9: He who turns a deaf ear to instruction — His prayer is an abomination.
11: A rich man is clever in his own eyes, But a perceptive poor man can see through him.
13: He who covers up his faults will not succeed; He who confesses and gives them up will find mercy.
15: A roaring lion and a prowling bear Is a wicked man ruling a helpless people.
19: He who tills his land will have food in plenty, But he who pursues vanities will have poverty in plenty.
21: To be partial is not right; A man may do wrong for a piece of bread.
27: He who gives to the poor will not be in want, But he who shuts his eyes will be roundly cursed.

IV. Outline
1. The righteous/wicked
2. Rulership
3. The poor
4. The wicked
5. Understanding
6. The rich/poor and righteous/wicked
7. Instruction
8. Loaning with interest
9. Instruction
10. Misleading the righteous
11. The rich/poor
12. The righteous/wicked
13. Admitting ones errors
14. Fear; Stubbornness
15. A wicked ruler
16. Rulership
17. Bloodguilt
18. Upright and crooked paths
19. Work
20. Prosperity
21. Favoritism
22. Chasing wealth
23. Reproof
24. Stealing from one’s parents
25. Trusting in God
26. Wisdom
27. Charity
28. The righteous/wicked

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Michael Fox, Proverbs 10-31 (Anchor Yale Bible 18B; New Haven: Yale, 2009).
Photo copied from http://www.futurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/confess_1.jpg

Proverbs 27 – “Assorted Sayings”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
A number of individual proverbs are related.

II. Photo
A lesson about marriage: “An endless dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike.” (v. 15)

III. Select Verses
1: Do not boast of tomorrow, For you do not know what the day will bring.
2: Let the mouth of another praise you, not yours, The lips of a stranger, not your own.
5: Open reproof is better than concealed love.
7: A sated person disdains honey, But to a hungry man anything bitter seems sweet.
8: Like a sparrow wandering from its nest Is a man who wanders from his home.
15: An endless dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike.
17: As iron sharpens iron So a man sharpens the wit of his friend.
19: As face answers to face in water, So does one man’s heart to another.

IV. Outline
1. The future
2. Self praise
3. The fool
4. Jealousy
5. Reproof
6. Friends and enemies
7. Hunger
8. The peripatetic
9. Incense, oil; Friendship
10. Family and friendship
11. Wisdom
12. The simpleton
13. Standing surety
14. Blessing a friend
15-16. The contentious wife
17. Friendship
18. Work; Respecting a master
19. Projecting one’s feelings
20. Desire
21. Pride
22. The fool
23-27. The benefits of herding

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Michael Fox, Proverbs 10-31 (Anchor Yale Bible 18B; New Haven: Yale, 2009).
Photo copied from http://www.realty4atlanta.com/files/2008/07/water-drip1.jpg