Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 21 is a collection of thirty-one individual sayings. While the chapter does not seem to have an overarching theme, topics such as God’s control of man, a contentious wife, wisdom/folly, and proper speech occur more than once.

II. Photo
Verse 19 gives a warning to young men, “It is better to live in the desert Than with a contentious, vexatious wife.”

III. Important Verses
v. 9: Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better Than a contentious wife in a spacious house.
v. 17: He who loves pleasure comes to want; He who loves wine and oil does not grow rich.
v. 19: It is better to live in the desert Than with a contentious, vexatious wife.
v. 23: He who guards his mouth and tongue Guards himself from trouble.
v. 25: The craving of a lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to work.
v. 31: The horse is readied for the day of battle, But victory comes from the LORD.

IV. Outline
1. God’s control of kings
2. God’s understanding of man
3. Charity
4. Haughtiness
5. Diligence/undue haste
6. Unjust gains
7. The wicked
8. The righteous may suffer
9. A contentious wife
10. The wicked
11. The fool/wise one
12. The righteous one helps the wicked
13. Ignoring the needy
14. Private gifts (bribes?)
15. Justice
16. Straying from the proper path
17. Hedonism
18. The wicked and righteous
19. A contentious wife
20. The wise/foolish and wealth
21. The reward of the righteous
22. The power of the wise man
23. Guarding one’s mouth
24. The haughty
25-26. Laziness; The righteous
27. An offering of a wicked man
28. Witnesses
29. The wicked/upright
30. God’s omnipotence
31. God’s control of events

V. Comment
Like the chapters that precede it, Proverbs 21 seems to lack an overarching theme. The thirty-one sayings (thirty if one combines vv. 25-26) are, for the most part, not grouped into thematic units. Some verses are juxtaposed because of catchwords: vv. 1-2 use the words lev and kol, vv. 1-3, 30-31 have God’s name, vv. 11-12 use the word sekhel, vv. 25-26 use the word ta’avah, and vv. 28-29 have the word ish. It is interesting that the first three verses and the last two verses of the chapter contain God’s name, forming an inclusion of sorts. It is also interesting to note that antithetical parallelism makes a comeback in our chapter (it began to dwindle after chapter 15); roughly 1/3 of the chapter’s verses employ it (e.g. vv. 5, 15, 29, etc.)

Two verses in ch. 21 speak about the contentious wife (‘eshet midyonim/medonim): v. 9 (which is repeated in 25:24) says, “Dwelling in the corner of a roof is better Than a contentious wife in a spacious house,” and v. 19 says, “It is better to live in the desert Than with a contentious, vexatious wife.” Murphy makes an insightful point (p. 159), “One wonders why the sexual roles are never reversed; such sayings are just as applicable to an autocratic and ‘quarrelsome’ male.” Nevertheless, it is the female who is singled out as the cause of strife. For example, 27:15 says, “An endless dripping on a rainy day And a contentious wife are alike” (also see 19:13). The analogy is intensified in Ben Sira 25:16: “I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.”

V. 23 discusses speech: “He who guards his mouth and tongue Guards himself from trouble.” Murphy points out (p. 258) that speech is “a very frequent topic in and for itself; perhaps about 20 percent of chaps. 10–29 deal with it. The frequency points to its importance in the eyes of the sages: when to speak and when to keep silent.” The message that loose speech is harmful comes up often. Prov. 10:19 says, “Where there is much talking, there is no lack of transgressing, But he who curbs his tongue shows sense,” and 13:13 says, “He who guards his tongue preserves his life; He who opens wide his lips, it is his ruin.” Also see Prov. 18:7 and 18:21.

We have noted in many places that “no proverb says it all,” i.e. each and every saying can be qualified. Murphy writes (p. 163), “One of the most stubborn objections against the sages is the belief that they had figured out reality and God in a neat formula. God rewards the wise/good and punishes the fools/wicked.” Our v. 31 serves a possible response, “No wisdom, no prudence, and no counsel Can prevail against the LORD.” In other words, for all that Wisdom is worth (and it is worth a lot! cf. 3:15, 8:11, 20:15, etc.), God works in mysterious and unpredictable ways. Two verses in our chapter affirm this concept: v. 8 says, “The way of a man may be tortuous and strange, Though his actions are blameless and proper,” and v. 31 says, “The horse is readied for the day of battle, But victory comes from the LORD.” All of these verses might be summarized by 3:5 which says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.” Apparently, wisdom has its limits.

VI. Works Used

See “Commentaries” page.

Photo taken from http://badgeneration.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/desertman.jpg

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 20 is a collection of thirty assorted wisdom sayings. While the chapter does not seem to have an overarching theme, the topics of false weights, the king, laziness, and speech occur more than once.

II. Photo
Verse 19 warns about sharing secrets, “He who gives away secrets is a base fellow; Do not take up with a talkative man.”
III. Important Verses
v. 1: Wine is a scoffer, strong drink a roisterer; He who is muddled by them will not grow wise.
v. 4: In winter the lazy man does not plow; At harvesttime he seeks, and finds nothing.
v. 10: False weights and false measures, Both are an abomination to the LORD.
v. 12: The ear that hears, the eye that sees — The LORD made them both.
v. 13: Do not love sleep lest you be impoverished; Keep your eyes open and you will have plenty of food.
v. 14: “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, But having moved off, he congratulates himself.
v. 15: Gold is plentiful, jewels abundant, But wise speech is a precious object.
v. 17: Bread gained by fraud may be tasty to a man, But later his mouth will be filled with gravel.
v. 19: He who gives away secrets is a base fellow; Do not take up with a garrulous man.
v. 24: A man’s steps are decided by the LORD; What does a man know about his own way?
v. 27: The lifebreath of man is the lamp of the LORD Revealing all his inmost parts.

IV. Outline
1. Hard drink
2. The king’s wrath
3. Rising above strife
4. Laziness
5. The wise man
6. The faithful man
7. The righteous
8-9. The king (God?) and judgment
10. False weights
11. A young man’s actions
12. God created sight/hearing
13. Laziness/sleep
14. A buyer
15. The value of righteous speech
16. Going surety
17. Unjust gain
18. Seeking council
19. Giving away secrets
20. Abjuring one’s parents
21. Quick wealth
22. Trust in God
23. False weights
24. God decides man’s outcome
25. A hasty vow
26. The king
27. God inside man
28. The king
29. The glory of the young/old
30. Wounds

V. Comment
Like the chapters that precede it, Proverbs 20 does not seem to have an overarching theme. In terms of parallelism, mot of the sayings employ either synonymous or synthetic parallelism (antithetic parallelism continues to decline). In terms of structure, some of the sayings are juxtaposed because of their catchwords: v. 1 uses the word letz which was present in the last two verses of the previous chapter, vv. 5-6 use the word ish, vv. 10-12 use the word gam, vv. 12-13 have the word ‘ayin, vv. 16, 17, 19 have the word ‘arev (but note the different meanings), vv. 22-24 have God’s name, and vv. 24-25 have the word ‘adam.

It should be noted that many ancient and modern commentators (e.g. Kil’s Da’at Mikra) attempt to find structure and thematic sections in the book. However, Murphy writes (p. 154), “The recognition of a context within a chapter on the basis of catch words, and the relationship of one saying to another, and so forth, makes the reading of the book more exciting. At the same time, one must beware of creating false unities within a chapter. It is a delicate operation to read the mind of the collector. Moreover, how much is gained?” In other words, each proverb should stand alone; even if a saying is juxtaposed to another because of a catchword or similar message, the meaning of that verse should not be altered based on its particular placement in a chapter.

V. 1 speaks about the dangers of hard drink, “Wine is a scoffer, strong drink a roisterer; He who is muddled by them will not grow wise.” While this is a statement, Prov. 23:31-33 gives a stern warning: “Do not ogle that red wine As it lends its color to the cup, As it flows on smoothly;  In the end, it bites like a snake; It spits like a basilisk. Your eyes will see strange sights; Your heart will speak distorted things.” Prov. 21:17 speaks about the effect wine has on one’s income: “He who loves pleasure comes to want; He who loves wine and oil does not grow rich.” This is similar to the saying about sleep in our chapter (v. 13), “Do not love sleep lest you be impoverished; Keep your eyes open and you will have plenty of food.” However, it is important to note that not all sayings about wine are negative: Woman Wisdom actually serves wine at her banquet (9:5-6), “[She says,] ‘Come, eat my food And drink the wine that I have mixed; Give up simpleness and live, Walk in the way of understanding.’”

V. 10 speaks about honesty, “False weights and false measures, Both are an abomination (to’avat) to the LORD.” Prov. 11:1 has an identical message: “False scales are an abomination (to’avat) to the LORD ; An honest weight (‘even sheleimah) pleases Him.” While the book of Proverbs never directly quotes the Pentateuch, these verses seems to reflect – in both meaning and vocabulary – Deut. 25:13-16: “You shall not have in your pouch alternate weights, larger and smaller. You shall not have in your house alternate measures, a larger and a smaller. You must have completely honest weights (‘even sheleimah) and completely honest measures, if you are to endure long on the soil that the LORD your God is giving you. For everyone who does those things, everyone who deals dishonestly, is abhorrent (to’avat) to the LORD your God.” For a similar message, see Lev. 19:35: “You shall not falsify measures of length, weight, or capacity.” For other proverbs similar to ours see 16:11 and 20:23.

While we have seen many of the sayings which appraise the value of Wisdom (e.g. 2:4, 3:14-15, 8:10, 8:18, etc.), v. 15 speaks about the particular value of wise speech: “Gold is plentiful, jewels abundant, But wise speech is a precious object.” A similar verse is 10:20, “The tongue of a righteous man is choice silver, But the mind of the wicked is of little worth.” Also see 25:11-12, “Like golden apples in silver showpieces Is a phrase well turned. Like a ring of gold, a golden ornament, Is a wise man’s reproof in a receptive ear.”

V. 17 speaks about unjust gain, “Bread gained by fraud may be tasty to a man, But later his mouth will be filled with gravel.” This message seems to be similar to the message of 9:16-18 where Woman Folly tries to tempt an unknowing fool, “[She says,] ‘Let the simple enter here’; And to those devoid of sense she says, ‘Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten furtively is tasty.’ He does not know that the shades are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”

V. 24 speaks about God’s control of man, “A man’s steps are decided by the LORD; What does a man know about his own way?” With this in mind Prov. 16:3 says, “Entrust your affairs to the LORD, And your plans will succeed.” This is similar to the message of Ps. 127:1-2, “A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain on it; unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman keeps vigil in vain. In vain do you rise early and stay up late, you who toil for the bread you eat; He provides as much for His loved ones while they sleep.” Also see Jer. 10:23: “I know, O LORD, that man’s road is not his to choose, That man, as he walks, cannot direct his own steps. Also see Prov. 16:4 and 16:25.

V. 27 gives an interesting metaphor, “The lifebreath of man is the lamp of the LORD Revealing all his inmost parts.” It is reminiscent of Gen. 2:7, “the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” This type of thinking seems to have caused Elihu to say to Job, “But truly it is the spirit in men, The breath of Shaddai, that gives them understanding. It is not the aged who are wise, The elders, who understand how to judge” (Job 32:8-9).

VI. Works Used

See “Commentaries” page.

Photo taken from http://jimdowling.typepad.com/simple/images/2007/12/17/whisper.jpg

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 19 is a collection of twenty-nine assorted wisdom sayings. While the chapter has no overarching theme, topics such as wisdom, wives, false witnesses, and poverty come up more than once.

II. Photo
Verse 17 encourages charity giving, “He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to the LORD; He will repay him his due.”

III. Important Verses
v. 4: Wealth makes many friends, But a poor man loses his last friend.
v. 6: Many court the favor of a great man, And all are the friends of a dispenser of gifts.
v. 11: A man shows intelligence by his forebearance; It is his glory when he overlooks an offense.
v. 13: A stupid son is a calamity to his father; The nagging of a wife is like the endless dripping of water.
v. 14: Property and riches are bequeathed by fathers, But an efficient wife comes from the LORD.
v. 15: Laziness induces sleep, And a negligent person will go hungry.
v. 17: He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to the LORD; He will repay him his due.
v. 18: Discipline your son while there is still hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
v. 21: Many designs are in a man’s mind, But it is the LORD’s plan that is accomplished.

IV. Outline
1. Evil speech
2-3. Folly
4. The rich/poor
5. False witnesses
6. The gift giver
7. The poor
8. Wisdom
9. False witnesses
10. Status
11. Forgiveness
12. The king’s wrath/favor
13. A disappointing child/wife
14. A good wife
15. Laziness
16. Following a command
17. Charity
18. Punishing a child
19. A hot temper
20. Accept criticism
21. God is in control
22. Greed; Honesty
23. Fear of God
24. Laziness
25. Beating/rebuke
26. A disappointing son
27. Accept criticism
28. Wicked witnesses
29. The wicked one’s reward

V. Comment
Like the chapters that precede it, Proverbs 19 does not seem to have any overarching theme. While some verses use antithetical parallelism (e.g vv. 4, 12, 14, 21), the majority of sayings employ synthetic or synonymous parallelism. In terms of structure, some of the verses are linked by catchwords (e.g. letz and shefat in vv. 28-29).

V. 4 makes a realistic observation about wealth and poverty: “Wealth makes many friends, But a poor man loses his last friend.” It is interesting that vv. 6-7 echoes this saying, “Many court the favor of a great man, And all are the friends of a dispenser of gifts. All the brothers of a poor man despise him; How much more is he shunned by his friends…” The topic is discussed in Ben Sira too; see 13:21, “A rich man beginning to fall is held up of his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust also away by his friends,” and 13:23, “When a rich man speaketh, every man holdeth his tongue, and, look, what poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? And if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.” Thus, according to both Proverbs and Ben Sira, the rich seem to be on an upward spiral while the poor are trapped in a downward spiral.

V. 11 speaks about “letting things go”: “A man shows intelligence by his forebearance; It is his glory when he overlooks an offense.” Prov. 17:9 has a similar message, “He who seeks love overlooks faults, But he who harps on a matter alienates his friend.” This “wisdom teaching” is actually found as a command in Lev. 19:18, albeit with different vocabulary: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the LORD.”

V. 13 speaks about disappointing family members: “A stupid son is a calamity to his father; The nagging of a wife (midyenei ishah) is like the endless dripping of water.” Other proverbs also deal with the disappointing son. For example, 10:1 says, “A wise son brings joy to his father; A dull son is his mother’s sorrow,” and 17:25 says, “A stupid son is vexation for his father And a heartache for the woman who bore him.”  Some verses speak about a bickering wife as well. For example, 21:29 emphatically states, “It is better to live in the desert Than with a contentious, vexatious wife (‘eshet medanim).” Yet, our v. 14 also speaks about the decent wife, “Property and riches are bequeathed by fathers, But an efficient wife comes from the LORD.” While finding a good wife might seem as if it were left to chance, this verse says it is in the hands of God.

V. 15 speaks about laziness: “Laziness induces sleep, And a negligent person will go hungry.” A verse with a similar meaning is 20:13, “Do not love sleep lest you be impoverished; Keep your eyes open and you will have plenty of food.” Indeed, 21:25 warns how laziness can lead to death, “”The craving of a lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to work.”

V. 17 speaks about how one who gives charity will be paid back by God: “He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to the LORD; He will repay him his due.” Why is this so? One’s treatment of the poor seems to be related to one’s treatment of God. For example, 14:31 says, “He who withholds what is due to the poor affronts his Maker; He who shows pity for the needy honors Him.” Indeed, it seems as if God plans for the rich to meet the poor: “Rich man and poor man meet; The LORD made them both” (22:2).

v. 18 speaks about physically hitting one’s son: “Discipline your son while there is still hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.” This is not an uncommon theme in the book of Proverbs. For example, 13:24 says, “He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him early.” Prov. 23:13-14 says, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; If you beat him with a rod he will not die. Beat him with a rod And you will save him from the grave” Also see Ben Sira 30:1, “He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end.”

V. 21 speaks about God’s control of man’s future: “Many designs are in a man’s mind, But it is the LORD’s plan that is accomplished.” Many other sayings share the same message. For example, 16:3 says, “Entrust your affairs to the LORD, And your plans will succeed,” and Prov. 20:24 says, “A man’s steps are decided by the LORD; What does a man know about his own way?” Prov. 16:9 corroborates the notion that “all is up to God”: “A man may plot out his course, But it is the LORD who directs his steps.”

VI. Works Used

See “Commentaries” page.

Photo taken fromhttp://www.nelsoncoleman.com/uploads/images/Charity%20hands.jpg

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 18 is a collection of twenty-four assorted wisdom sayings. While topics such as wisdom/folly and pride/humility come up more than once, the chapter does not seem to have an overarching theme.

II. Photo

Verse 22 speaks about the happiness of finding a wife, “He who finds a wife has found happiness And has won the favor of the LORD.”

III. Important Verses
v. 7: The fool’s speech is his ruin; His words are a trap for him.
v. 10: The name of the LORD is a tower of strength To which the righteous man runs and is safe.
v. 12: Before ruin a man’s heart is proud; Humility goes before honor.
v. 13: To answer a man before hearing him out Is foolish and disgraceful.
v. 14: A man’s spirit can sustain him through illness; But low spirits — who can bear them?
v. 17: The first to plead his case seems right Till the other party examines him.
v. 18: The lot puts an end to strife And separates those locked in dispute.
v. 22: He who finds a wife has found happiness And has won the favor of the LORD.

IV. Outline
1. Isolation
2. The foolish
3. The wicked
4. Wise words
5. Judging
6-7. A fool’s speech
8. An instigator’s speech
9. Laziness
10. The righteous
11. Wealth
12. Pride
13. Empathy
14. Depression
15. The wise seek knowledge
16. Giving gifts (possibly a bribe)
17. Judicial first impressions
18. Settling disputes with by lottery
19. Familial strife
20-21. words
22. Finding a wife
23. The wealthy/poor and speech
24. Friends

V. Comment
Like the two chapters that precede it, Proverbs 18 does not seem to have any overarching themes or unified sections. However, the topic of speaking/listening comes up in quite a number of verses (e.g. vv. 4, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 21, 23), and a few of the sayings are linked by catchwords (e.g. the words ‘oz and nisgav in vv. 10-11). The comment will now focus on the sayings of chapter 18 and their parallels in the rest of Tanach.

V. 10 says, “The name of the LORD is a tower of strength (migdal ‘oz) To which the righteous man runs and is safe.” The concept of trusting in God is not foreign to Scripture: the speaker of Ps. 61:4 says, “For You have been my refuge, a tower of strength (migdal ‘oz) against the enemy,” and the speaker of Ps. 20:8 declares, “They [call] on chariots, they [call] on horses, but we call on the name of the LORD our God.” Finally, Prov. 29:25 describes how trust in God can allay one’s fears: “A man’s fears become a trap for him, But he who trusts in the LORD shall be safeguarded.”

V. 12 speaks about the “pride before a fall”: “Before ruin a man’s heart is proud; Humility goes before honor.” This is a popular idea in Proverbs. For instance, Prov. 16:18 says, “Pride goes before ruin, Arrogance, before failure,” and 11:2 says, “When arrogance appears, disgrace follows, But wisdom is with those who are unassuming.” Like our verse, Prov. 29:23 speaks of both pride and humility: “A man’s pride will humiliate him, But a humble man will obtain honor.”

V. 13 speaks about the opposite of listening empatheticaly, “To answer a man before hearing him out Is foolish and disgraceful.” While there aren’t many parallels in Proverbs, Ben Sira 11:8 says, “Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.”

V. 14 speaks about the crippling effect of depression: “A man’s spirit can sustain him through illness; But low spirits (ruach nekh’eah) — who can bear them?” Prov. 17:22 also speaks of depression, “A joyful heart makes for good health; Despondency (ruach nekh’eah) dries up the bones.” Also see Prov. 15:13, “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face; A sad heart makes a despondent mood (ruach nekh’eah).”

V. 17 speaks about the importance of hearing both sides of the story: “The first to plead his case seems right Till the other party examines him.” It is possible that this proverb was directed at judges, and if that is the case, then it follows the message of Deut. 1:16, “I charged your magistrates at that time as follows, ‘Hear out your fellow men, and decide justly between any man and a fellow Israelite or a stranger.’” A few other proverbs seem to be directed at judges, especially 17:15, “To acquit the guilty and convict the innocent — Both are an abomination to the LORD,” and 17:26, “To punish the innocent is surely not right, Or to flog the great for their uprightness.”

V. 18 is interesting: “The lot puts an end to strife And separates those locked in dispute.” While the extent to which lots were used in ancient Israel remains unclear (were they used to settle court cases?), the concept appears again in 16:33, but it is God – not chance – who decides the outcome: “Lots are cast into the lap; The decision depends on the LORD.” Other places in which lots were used are Lev. 16:8, “and [the high priest] shall place lots upon the two goats, one marked for the LORD and the other marked for Azazel,” and Num. 26:55, “The land, moreover, is to be apportioned by lot; and the allotment shall be made according to the listings of their ancestral tribes.” Also, Haman used lots in his plot against the Jews in the book of Esther.

VI. Works Used

See “Commentaries” page.

Photo taken from http://www.wpja.org/contests/2004_2/15/images/01.jpg

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 17 is a collection of twenty-eight individual wisdom sayings. While various verses might speak of similar topics, the sayings do not seem to have a single theme.

II. Photo
One saying speaks about inter-generational pride, “Grandchildren are the crown of their elders, And the glory of children is their parents.” (v. 6)

III. Important Verses
v. 1: Better a dry crust with peace Than a house full of feasting with strife.
v. 5: He who mocks the poor affronts his Maker; He who rejoices over another’s misfortune will not go unpunished.
v. 6: Grandchildren are the crown of their elders, And the glory of children is their parents.
v. 9: He who seeks love overlooks faults, But he who harps on a matter alienates his friend.
v. 10: A rebuke works on an intelligent man More than one hundred blows on a fool.
v. 12: Sooner meet a bereaved she-bear [robbed of her cubs] Than a fool with his nonsense.
v. 14: To start a quarrel is to open a sluice; Before a dispute flares up, drop it.
v. 17: A friend is devoted at all times; A brother is born to share adversity.
v. 22: A joyful heart makes for good health; Despondency dries up the bones.
vv. 27-28: A knowledgeable man is sparing with his words; A man of understanding is reticent. Even a fool, if he keeps silent, is deemed wise; Intelligent, if he seals his lips.

IV. Outline
1. Peace
2. A wise servant
3. Omniscience
4. Listening to evil speech
5. Rejoicing over others’ misfortune
6. Grandparents, parents, children
7. Speech
8. Bribes
9. Avoiding strife
10. Rebuke
11. An evil man
12. Avoid the fool
13. An evil man
14. Avoiding strife
15. Judging
16. The fool and his wealth
17. Friends and brothers
18. Going surety
19. The outcome of sin
20. An evil man
21. A foolish child
22. Emotions
23. Bribes
24. The wise/foolish
25. A foolish son
26. Judging
27-28. Keeping quiet

V. Comment
Proverbs 17 is an assorted collection of wisdom sayings. The sayings do not seem to have an order; they aren’t juxtaposed on account of catchwords or a shared message (but see vv. 27-28). While many of the sayings employ synonymous parallelism (e.g. vv. 4, 20, 21, 27-28), the use of antithetical parallelism continues to diminish (but see vv. 7, 9, 22). Seeing that there isn’t much to speak of in terms of structure, the rest of the comment will focus on the subjects found in this chapter and their use in the rest of the book.

V. 5 says, “He who mocks the poor affronts his Maker; He who rejoices over another’s misfortune will not go unpunished.” The idea that one’s treatment of the poor is related to one’s treatment of God is found elsewhere as well. For example, 14:31 says, “He who withholds what is due to the poor affronts his Maker; He who shows pity for the needy honors Him.” Indeed, it seems as if God plans for the rich to meet the poor: “Rich man and poor man meet; The LORD made them both” (22:2). God will pay back anyone who helps the poor: “He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to the LORD; He will repay him his due” (19:17).

One of the light motifs in the chapter is family, especially children. V. 6 says, “Grandchildren are the crown of their elders, And the glory of children is their parents.” Murphy writes (p. 129), “The relationship between three generations is described (“sons” occurs three times) in an ideal fashion: grandparents to grandchildren, and children to fathers. The grandparents are honored in that they have lived a long life and are able to behold their descendants who are a prolongation of themselves, their immortality, as it were. The children find a reflection of themselves in their worthy fathers; the honor of a son lies in the honor of his father.” Other verses in the chapter speak about children, but in a less positive tone. V. 21 says, “One begets a dullard to one’s own grief; The father of a villain has no joy,” and v. 25 says, “A stupid son is vexation for his father And a heartache for the woman who bore him.”

V. 9 speaks about holding a grudge, “He who seeks love overlooks faults, But he who harps on a matter alienates his friend.” The person who “lets things go” is praised in 19:11, “A man shows intelligence by his forebearance; It is his glory when he overlooks an offense.” This “wisdom teaching” is actually found as a command in Lev. 19:18, albeit with different vocabulary: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the LORD.”

V. 14 has a related message, namely to avoid strife: “To start a quarrel (madon) is to open a sluice; Before a dispute flares up, drop it.” This message is repeated often in Proverbs, albeit in variegated ways. For example, 26:21 gives a metaphor, “Charcoal for embers and wood for a fire And a contentious man (‘ish medonim) for kindling strife.” Prov. 15:8 is more forthright, “A hot-tempered man provokes a quarrel (madon); A patient man calms strife.” Some verses speak about a bickering wife. For example, 21:29 emphatically states, “It is better to live in the desert Than with a contentious, vexatious wife (‘eshet medanim).” How can one avoid strife? Vv. 27-28 offer a possible answer, “A knowledgeable man is sparing with his words; A man of understanding is reticent. Even a fool, if he keeps silent, is deemed wise; Intelligent, if he seals his lips.” Indeed, there is a recommendation in the book of Job along these lines, “If you would only keep quiet It would be considered wisdom on your part” (Job 13:5).

Two of the chapter’s sayings use excessive figures of speech to make a point about the foolish. The first is v. 10, “A rebuke works on an intelligent man More than one hundred blows on a fool.” Given that the maximum number of lashes for a crime was 40 (cf. Deut 25:3), it seems that the number “100” is an exaggeration. The verse’s message seems to be like that of 13:18, “Poverty and humiliation are for him who spurns discipline; But he who takes reproof to heart gets honor,” i.e. “be wise and accept reproof.”

V. 12 is the second verse to employ an excessive analogy, “Sooner meet a bereaved she-bear Than a fool with his nonsense.” While we have seen warnings to stay away from fools (e.g. 14:7, “Keep your distance from a dullard, For you will not learn wise speech”), our verse is quite extreme in its analogy. The analogy of a bereaved bear is used elsewhere in Tanach. For example, Hushai tells Abshalom in 2 Sam 17:8 that “… your father and his men are courageous fighters, and they are as desperate as a bear in the wild robbed of her whelps…” Also, God describes himself as a fierce bear in Hos. 13:8, “Like a bear robbed of her young I attack them And rip open the casing of their hearts; I will devour them there like a lion, The beasts of the field shall mangle them.” The analogy of a bear (albeit not a bereaved one) is taken up again in Prov. 28:15, “A roaring lion and a prowling bear Is a wicked man ruling a helpless people.”

V. 22 speaks of a psychomatic phenomenon, “A joyful heart makes for good health; Despondency dries up the bones.” This is seen elsewhere in Proverbs, especially 14:30: “A calm disposition gives bodily health; Passion is rot to the bones.”

Works Used

(see “Commentaries” page)

Murphy, Proverbs (Word Biblical Commentary)

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Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 16 is a collection thirty-three individual sayings. While the chapter does not seem to have a unifying theme, topics such as the king, haughtiness, God’s relation to man, and speech play an important role.

II. Photo
Verse 31 speaks about the virtue of old age, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; It is attained by the way of righteousness.”

III. Important Verses
v. 3: Entrust your affairs to the LORD, And your plans will succeed.
v. 4: The LORD made everything for a purpose, Even the wicked for an evil day.
v. 8: Better a little with righteousness Than a large income with injustice.
v. 9: A man may plot out his course, But it is the LORD who directs his steps.
v. 10: There is magic on the lips of the king; He cannot err in judgment.
v. 18: Pride goes before ruin, Arrogance, before failure.
v. 19: Better to be humble and among the lowly Than to share spoils with the proud.
v. 24: Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet to the palate and a cure for the body.
v. 25: A road may seem right to a man, But in the end it is a road to death.
v. 31: Gray hair is a crown of glory; It is attained by the way of righteousness.
v. 32: Better to be forbearing than mighty, To have self-control than to conquer a city.

IV. Outline
1-2. Plans
3. Trust in God
4. Everything has a purpose
5. Haughtiness
6. Atonement; Fear of God
7. Enemies
8. Righteousness
9. Plans
10. A king’s judgment
11. Honest weights
12-13. Kings and righteousness
14. The king’s wrath
15. The king’s favor
16. The value of wisdom
17. The proper path
18-19. Arrogance/humility
20. Wisdom; Trust in God
21-24. Wisdom; Wise words
25. Plans
26. Hunger
27-29. The ways of the wicked
31. Old age
32. Self control
33. Plans

V. Comment
Proverbs 16 is a collection of thirty-three individual sayings. Murphy writes (p. 125), “Chap. 16 marks a turn in the book. Chaps. 10–15 were long considered… to be a separate collection. The difference in chap. 16 is not only in style, e.g., less antithetical sayings, but also in theological content. It is not that the book previously lacked significant theology, but rather that the sovereign action of the Lord was not emphasized as much as here. And the very beginning is impressive: eight of the first nine verses [contain the name of God].” Thus, the form of its parallelism and its focus on God’s name seem to indicate that ch. 16 is a new section of the book. In addition to the synthetic parallelism (which was first seen in ch. 15), synonymous parallelism begins to play an important role (see vv. 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, and 32).

In terms of structure, the name of God appears in 9 of the first 11 verses (vv. 8, 10 are the exceptions). The chapter also ends with the a reference to God, forming an inclusio of sorts. Vv. 10-15 focus on the melekh “king” (v. 11 is the exception, but it is juxtaposed to v. 10 because of the catchword mishpat “judgment”). There are other catchwords: vv. 27-29 begin with the word ish “man,” and v. 23 is a look-alike of v. 21. V. 22, which separates the two “look-alikes,” is linked to v. 23 because of the word sekhel “understanding.”

Many of the chapter’s sayings speak about God’s control of man’s future. V. 3 says, “Entrust your affairs to the LORD, And your plans will succeed.” Prov. 20:24 says, “A man’s steps are decided by the LORD; What does a man know about his own way?” This is similar to the message of Ps. 127:1-2, “A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain on it; unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman keeps vigil in vain. In vain do you rise early and stay up late, you who toil for the bread you eat; He provides as much for His loved ones while they sleep.” V. 9 of our chapter corroborates the notion that “all is up to God”: “A man may plot out his course, But it is the LORD who directs his steps.” Also see Jer. 10:23: “I know, O LORD, that man’s road is not his to choose, That man, as he walks, cannot direct his own steps.” Vv. 4 and 25 of our chapter continue the same theme.

In v. 8 we find the familiar “better X than Y” formula: “Better a little with righteousness Than a large income with injustice.” This verse is similar in meaning and form to 15:16-17: “Better a little with fear of the LORD Than great wealth with confusion. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love Than a fattened ox where there is hate.” Two other verses in our chapter employ the “better than” formula: v. 19 says, “Better to be humble and among the lowly Than to share spoils with the proud,” and v. 32 says “Better to be forbearing than mighty, To have self-control than to conquer a city.”

The next section (vv. 10-15) deals with the king. V. 10 says, “There is magic on the lips of the king; He cannot err in judgment.” While the term qesem “oracle/magic” usually has a negative connotation (cf. Deut 18:10), here it seems to be positive. It is interesting to note that the king section is juxtaposed to the God section because other verses indicate a connection between the two. For instance, the two are put together in 24:21: “Fear the LORD, my son, and the king, And do not mix with dissenters.” Also, the term to’avat “abomination” is used for both (cf. 16:12 and 15:9). Joab even compares David to an “angel of God” in 2 Sam. 14:20. But, once again, “no proverb says it all”: the wicked/foolish kings will be dealt with in the coming chapters (e.g. 31:4-5).

The prominent theme of haughtiness is taken up in v. 18: “Pride goes before ruin, Arrogance, before failure.” Similar verses are 11:2, “When arrogance appears, disgrace follows, But wisdom is with those who are unassuming,” and 18:12, “Before ruin a man’s heart is proud; Humility goes before honor.” There is a related theme in prophetic literature, namely to tear down all “high things”: “For the LORD of Hosts has ready a day Against all that is proud and arrogant, Against all that is lofty — so that it is brought low: Against all the cedars of Lebanon, Tall and stately, And all the oaks of Bashan; Against all the high mountains And all the lofty hills; Against every soaring tower And every mighty wall; Against all the ships of Tarshish And all the gallant barks. Then man’s haughtiness shall be humbled And the pride of man brought low. None but the LORD shall be Exalted in that day” (Isa. 2:12-17).

V. 31 speaks about the virtue of old age: “Gray hair (sevah) is a crown of glory; It is attained by the way of righteousness.” This is similar to 20:29, “The glory of youths is their strength; The majesty of old men is their gray hair (sevah).” Indeed, there is a command in the book of Leviticus to respect the elderly: “You shall rise before the gray haired (sevah) and show deference to the old; you shall fear your God: I am the LORD” (Lev. 19:32).

VI. Works Used

(See “Commentaries” page)

Murphy, Proverbs (Word Biblical Commentary)

Waltke, The Book of Proverbs (NICOT)

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Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 15 is a collection of thirty-three individual sayings. While there is no unifying theme to the chapter, certain verses focus on topics such as speech, accepting rebuke, prayer, and taking things into perspective.

II. Photo
Verse 17 speaks about the importance of love: “Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox where there is hate.”

III. Important Verses
v. 1: A gentle response allays wrath; A harsh word provokes anger.
v. 3: The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, Observing the bad and the good.
v. 8: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright pleases Him.
v. 15: All the days of a poor man are wretched, But contentment is a feast without end.
v. 16: Better a little with fear of the LORD Than great wealth with confusion.
v. 17: Better a meal of vegetables where there is love Than a fattened ox where there is hate.
v. 18: A hot-tempered man provokes a quarrel; A patient man calms strife.
v. 22: Plans are foiled for want of counsel, But they succeed through many advisers.
v. 23: A ready response is a joy to a man, And how good is a word rightly timed!
v. 25: The LORD will tear down the house of the proud, But He will establish the homestead of the widow.
v. 27: He who pursues ill-gotten gain makes trouble for his household; He who spurns gifts will live long.
v. 28: The heart of the righteous man rehearses his answer, But the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.

IV. Outline
1-2. Speech
3. Omniscience
4. Speech
5. Accepting rebuke
6. Reward of the righteous/wicked
7. The wise/foolish
8. Prayer
9. Righteousness/wickedness
10. Accepting rebuke
11. Omniscience
12. Accepting rebuke
13. Emotions
14. The wise/foolish
15. Wealth and happiness
16. Fear of the Lord
17. Love
18. A hot temper
19. Laziness
20. The two sons
21. The wise/foolish
22. Counsel
23. A witty remark
24. The wise
25. Divine anger/sympathy
26. Evil thoughts
27. Greed
28. Speech: deliberation
29. Prayer
30. Good news
31-32. Accepting discipline
33. Fear of the Lord; Humility

V. Comment
Proverbs 15 is a collection of thirty-three sayings. While the chapter continues to use antithetical parallelism (like the previous five), that type of parallelism begins to dwindle. For example, antithetical parallelism is absent in vv. 3, 10-11, 12, 23-24, 30-31, and 33. In terms of the chapter’s structure, there are certain catchwords that unite juxtaposed verses: body organs in vv. 2-4, tov “good” in vv. 2-3, “abomination to the Lord” in vv. 8-9 (and 26), and shema’ “hear” in vv. 29-32. Also, the word lev “heart” plays a prominent role, appearing in vv. 7, 11, 13 (2x), 14, 15, 21, 28, 30, and 32.

Verbal communication is a recurring topic in the chapter, appearing in vv. 1, 2, 4, 7, 23, 26, and 28. V. 1 says, “A gentle response allays wrath; A harsh word provokes anger.” The notion that unfriendly responses only cause more problems is prevalent in the book of Proverbs. For example, two verses speak about how one can appease the harsh rulings of a king: 25:15 says, “Through forbearance a ruler may be won over; A gentle tongue can break bones,” and 16:14 says “The king’s wrath is a messenger of death, But a wise man can appease it.”

Another verse that deals with verbal communication is v. 23: “A ready response is a joy to a man, And how good is a word rightly timed!” Murphy points out that “one of the ideals of the sage was to have the right word at the right time, as this verse indicates.” For example, see 10:11: “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But lawlessness covers the mouth of the wicked.” Our chapter also points out that one should deliberate before speaking: “The heart of the righteous man rehearses his answer, But the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things” (v. 28). Also see v. 18: “A hot-tempered man provokes a quarrel; A patient man calms strife.”

Chapter 15 begins a new trend in the book’s “core” (ch. 10-29): it has sayings which use God’s proper name. One of them is v. 3, “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, Observing the bad and the good.” The theme of omniscience is taken up again in v. 11: “Sheol and Abaddon lie exposed to the LORD, How much more the minds of men!” Prov. 24:12 turns this message into a warning, “If you say, ‘We knew nothing of it,’ Surely He who fathoms hearts will discern the truth, He who watches over your life will know it, And He will pay each man as he deserves.” In regards to the “eyes” of God, see a similar usage in Prov. 22:12 and 24:18.

Another verse that incorporates God’s name is v. 8: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright pleases Him.” This messsage, that the sacrificer/suppliant is more important than the sacrifice/prayer, is also seen in v. 29: “The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.” It is a common theme in the prophets, e.g. Isa. 1:11-17: “‘What need have I of all your sacrifices?’ Says the LORD. ‘I am sated with burnt offerings of rams, And suet of fatlings, And blood of bulls; And I have no delight In lambs and he-goats. And when you lift up your hands, I will turn My eyes away from you; Though you pray at length, I will not listen. Your hands are stained with crime… Wash yourselves clean; Put your evil doings Away from My sight. Cease to do evil; Learn to do good. Devote yourselves to justice; Aid the wronged. Uphold the rights of the orphan; Defend the cause of the widow.”

V. 15 is an example of the book’s no-nonsense approach to poverty: “All the days of a poor man are wretched, But contentment is a feast without end.” The book of Proverbs is honest: the rich have it much better than the poor. For example, 22:7 says, “The rich rule the poor, And the borrower is a slave to the lender,” 10:15 says, “The wealth of a rich man is his fortress; The poverty of the poor is his ruin,” and 14:20 says, “A pauper is despised even by his peers, But a rich man has many friends.” But, as shall be seen, our chapter also says that things should be taken into perspective.

Vv. 16-17 incorporate the “better… than…” formula: “Better a little with fear of the LORD Than great wealth with confusion. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love Than a fattened ox where there is hate.” Murphy writes, “The “better” saying is a common literary form in wisdom literature… [it] is made [in] order to express a paradox, to overturn what would normally be considered a plus, e.g., riches, into a minus.” Other examples are 16:8, 16, 19; 17:1; 28:6. It is also interesting that vv. 16-17 show a strong affinity to The Instruction of Amenemope (ca. 1200 BCE, see Context of Scripture 1.47 section 9 lines 5-8): “Better is poverty in the hand of the god, Than wealth in the storehouse; Better is bread with a happy heart Than wealth with vexation.” The Instruction of Amenemope’s relation to the book of Proverbs will be further dealt with in ch. 22.

Vv. 16-17 seem to put affluence into a broader perspective. While many verses promise wealth to the righteous, no proverb says it all. For example, our v. 6 says, “In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, But in the harvest of the wicked there is trouble.” However, v. 16 makes a caveat: not all righteous people will be wealthy, “Better a little with fear of the LORD Than great wealth with confusion.” Indeed, wisdom passages such as Eccl. 5:9-11 express an adverse view of wealth: “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? A worker’s sleep is sweet, whether he has much or little to eat; but the rich man’s abundance doesn’t let him sleep.” For a verse similar to v. 17 see 17:1, “Better a dry crust with peace Than a house full of feasting with strife.”

V. 22 speaks about seeking advice, “Plans are foiled for want of counsel, But they succeed through many advisers.” Also see 13:10, “Arrogance yields nothing but strife; Wisdom belongs to those who seek advice.” Yet, again Murphy points out that no proverb says it all: even plans can go wrong. For example, see 14:12, “A road may seem right to a man, But in the end it is a road to death.” Also see 19:21.

V. 25 speaks about divine punishment and mercy: “The LORD will tear down the house of the proud, But He will establish the homestead (gevul) of the widow.” The word gevul seems to refer to property (cf. 23:10). Murphy writes, “the widow was particularly vulnerable in Israelite society, since she had none but herself to mount a defense against encroachments and oppression, as the prophets frequently indicate, e.g., Isa 1:23; Jer 7:6.” Also see Deut. 24:20-21 which allots produce to the widow, “When you beat down the fruit of your olive trees, do not go over them again; that shall go to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not pick it over again; that shall go to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.”

V.  27 says, “He who pursues ill-gotten gain (botzea’ betza’) makes trouble for his household; He who spurns gifts (mattanot) will live long.” The antithetical parallelism indicates that the word mattanot “gifts” has a negative connotation, i.e. they are a bribe. Waltke points out that the word mattanah, which usually means “gift,” is synomous with shochad “bribe” in wisdom literature. For example, 18:16 speaks about gaining favor with a ruler by means of “gifts”: “A man’s gift (mattan) eases his way And gives him access to the great.” Similarly, 21:14 says, “A gift (mattan) in secret subdues anger, A bribe (shachad) in private, fierce rage.” Note how mattan is parallel to shachad in this last verse. Waltke also notes that the term botzea’ betza’,  which was used in the first half of the verse, is also used to describe the murderous thieves of ch. 1 (cf. 1:19).

VII. Works Used

(See Commentaries page)

Murphy, Proverbs (Word Biblical Commentary)

Waltke, The Book of Proverbs I (New International Commentary on the Old Testament)

Photo taken from http://www.llu.edu/llu/sph/news/news-healthypeople2007.html

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 14 contains thirty-five sayings, most of which contrast a particular concept with its opposite (e.g. patience with impatience). Many of the proverbs contrast the wise with the foolish, and others deal with various topics such as witnesses, emotions, fear of the Lord, charity, and a king.

II. Photo
Verse 10 speaks about how certain feelings, both sorrowful and joyous, cannot be communicated to others: “The heart alone knows its bitterness, And no outsider can share in its joy.”

III. Important Verses
v. 4: If there are no oxen the crib is clean, But a rich harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
v. 10: The heart alone knows its bitterness, And no outsider can share in its joy.
v. 12: A road may seem right to a man, But in the end it is a road to death.
v. 13: The heart may ache even in laughter, And joy may end in grief.
v. 20: A pauper is despised even by his peers, But a rich man has many friends.
v. 23: From all toil there is some gain, But idle chatter is pure loss.
v. 29: Patience results in much understanding; Impatience gets folly as its portion.
v. 31: He who withholds what is due to the poor affronts his Maker; He who shows pity for the needy honors Him.

IV. Outline
1. Wise women
2. Fear of the Lord
3. Speech
4. Perspective
5. Witnesses
6. Getting wisdom
7. Stay away from the fool
8. The wise/foolish
9. The wise/foolish
10. Emotions
11. The future
12. The righteous/wicked
13. Emotions
14. Reward
15-18. The wise/foolish
19. Divine justice
20. Wealth
21. Hatred
22. The righteous/wicked
23-24. The reward for hard work
25. Witnesses
26-27. Fear of the Lord
28. A ruler and his people
29. Patience
30. Jealousy
31. Giving to the poor
32. The wicked/righteous
33. The wise/foolish
34. National righteousness
35. Pleasing a king

V. Comment
Proverbs 14 is a collection of thirty-five sayings, most of which employ antithetical parallelism. While there is no single theme that unifies the chapter, twelve of the thirty-five sayings deal with wisdom and folly. Other topics are witnesses, emotions, charity, and the king. In terms of structure, catchwords serve to unite individual verses: see the word da’at in vv. 6-7, lev in vv. 10, 13-14, ‘acharita in vv. 12-13, re’ehu in vv. 20-21, and “fear of the Lord” in vv. 26-27.

V. 10 speaks about human emotion: “The heart alone knows its bitterness, And no outsider can share in its joy.” Murphy writes (p. 104), “This psychological observation recognizes that ultimately there are certain feelings, both joyous and sorrowful, that cannot be communicated, no matter how much sympathy and understanding may be present. It does not deny that one can identify to some extent with another’s sorrows and joys, but it does imply that such sensitivity has its limits.” It is interesting that God seems to know human emotion better than humans themselves; Prov. 15:11 says, “Sheol and Abaddon lie exposed to the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!”  The complexity of emotions are taken up again in v. 13: “The heart may ache even in laughter, And joy may end in grief.”

V. 12, which is repeated in 16:25, speaks about the uncertainty of the future: “A road may seem right to a man, But in the end it is a road to death.” Taking into account that “no proverb says it all,” it seems that this verse qualifies many of the proverbs that came before it: while Wisdom is generally a path to life, there are no guarantees. A similar qualification is Prov. 3:11-12 which deals with the problem of why the righteous suffer: “Do not reject the discipline of the LORD, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke. For whom the LORD loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.”

V. 20 contrasts the social situations of the rich and poor: “A pauper is despised even by his peers, But a rich man has many friends.” This viewpoint is frequently mentioned in Wisdom literature. For example, Prov. 19:14 says, “Wealth makes many friends, But a poor man loses his last friend.” Similarly, Prov. 19:6 says, “Many court the favor of a great man, And all are the friends of a dispenser of gifts.” The topic is discussed in Ben Sira too; see 13:21, “A rich man beginning to fall is held up of his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust also away by his friends,” and 13:23, “When a rich man speaketh, every man holdeth his tongue, and, look, what poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? And if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.” Thus, according to both Proverbs and Ben Sira, the rich seem to be on an upward spiral while the poor are trapped in a downward spiral.

Vv. 26-27 both speak of the “fear of the Lord” (as does v. 2): “Fear of the LORD is a stronghold, A refuge for a man’s children. Fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.” As noted in ch. 1, “fear of the Lord” seems to be the purpose of the book: the introduction at 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

V. 31 speaks about charity, “He who withholds what is due to the poor affronts his Maker; He who shows pity for the needy honors Him.” A related verse is 22:2, “Rich man and poor man meet; The LORD made them both.” Thus, according to 22:2, God seems to have created the rich with the poor in mind, and vice versa. God also takes care of the poor himself: “Who is like the LORD our God, who, enthroned on high, sees what is below, in heaven and on earth? He raises the poor from the dust, lifts up the needy from the refuse heapto set them with the great, with the great men of His people.” (Ps. 113:5-8)

VI. Works Used

(see commentaries page)

Word Biblical Commentary Proverbs (Murphy)

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Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 13 is a collection of twenty-five wisdom sayings, most of which contrast two opposites with each other (e.g. the wise and the foolish). While there is an emphasis on teaching/instruction, the chapter does not seem to have a single theme.

II. Photo
One saying gives monetary advice, “Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away, But he who gathers little by little increases it.” (v. 11)

III. Important Verses
v. 3: He who guards his tongue preserves his life; He who opens wide his lips, it is his ruin.
v. 7: One man pretends to be rich and has nothing; Another professes to be poor and has much wealth.
v. 11:  Wealth may dwindle to less than nothing, But he who gathers little by little increases it.
v. 20: He who keeps company with the wise becomes wise, But he who consorts with dullards comes to grief.
v. 24: He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him early.

IV. Outline
1. Discipline
2-3. Speech
4. Reward for hard work
5. The righteous/wicked
6. Righteousness
7. “Don’t judge a book by its cover”
8. Wealth
9. The righteous/wicked
10. Arrogance
11. Growing wealth
12. Fulfilled expectations
13. Decorum
14. The wise one’s teachings
15. Good sense
16. The wise/fool
17. Messengers
18. Accepting criticism
19. Desires
20. Good/bad company
21. The righteous/wicked
22. Inheritance
23. Wealth
24. Corporeal punishment
25. Reward/punishment for righteous/wicked

V. Comment
Proverbs 13 is a collection of sayings which, for the most part, employ antithetical parallelism. In terms of structure, there are certain catchwords that unite certain verses, e.g. nefesh in vv. 2-4, and tov/zaddiq/chote’ in vv. 21-22. While verses such as 7 and 11 are not juxtaposed, they are in close proximity to each other and employ the same vocabulary (hon/rav).

The chapter has a number of verses that focus on instruction and discipline. For example, vv. 1 and 24 are both about a father training his son. V. 24 says, “He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him early.” This verse reflects a standard view found in the Book of Proverbs, namely that corporeal punishment is to be encouraged. For instance, Prov. 23:13-14 says, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; If you beat him with a rod he will not die. Beat him with a rod And you will save him from the grave” (also see 19:18). V. 24 also reflects the notion that a father’s punishment is a sign of love, cf. 3:11-12: “Do not reject the discipline of the LORD, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke. For whom the LORD loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.” Also see Ben Sira 30:1, “He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end.”

In addition to accepting the discipline of a father, one is to accept the teachings of the wise. V. 20 says, “He who keeps company with the wise becomes wise, But he who consorts with dullards comes to grief,” and v. 14 says, “The instruction of a wise man is a fountain of life, Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.” It is interesting that v. 14 is identical to 14:27 except that “the instruction of a wise man” is replaced by “fear of the Lord”: “Fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, Enabling one to avoid deadly snares.” The term maqor chayim “fountain of life” is a common Wisdom phrase (see 10:11, 16:22).

Besides for instruction/discipline, the chapter deals with various and disparate topics. For example, v. 3 says, “He who guards his tongue preserves his life; He who opens wide his lips, it is his ruin.” Murphy writes, “[Proverbs presents the sage as] the person who exercises self-control, especially as regards speech.” For example, 10:19 says: “Where there is much talking, there is no lack of transgressing, But he who curbs his tongue shows sense.” Also see Eccl. 10:12-14: “A wise man’s talk brings him favor, but a fool’s lips are his undoing. His talk begins as silliness and ends as disastrous madness. Yet the fool talks and talks! A man cannot know what will happen; who can tell him what the future holds?”

V. 7 is an ancient way of saying “don’t judge a book by its cover”: “One man pretends to be rich and has nothing; Another professes to be poor and has much wealth.” It is similar in structure to v. 11:24: “One man gives generously and ends with more; Another stints on doing the right thing and incurs a loss.”

V. 11 is translated by JPS as, “Wealth may dwindle to less than nothing (mehevel yim’at), But he who gathers little by little increases it.” Yet, others (like Murphy) translate the first half as “Wealth gathered in haste counts for little.” According to this translation the verse seems to be saying: “don’t rush to become wealthy, it won’t work.” A similar message can be seen in 28:20: “A dependable man will receive many blessings, But one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.”

In v. 17 we again encounter the messenger: “Harm befalls a wicked messenger; A faithful courier brings healing.” Murphy writes, “In the absence of other means of communication, the role of the messenger was very important… Here the emphasis is upon the wicked character of the messenger who can distort the message, or even work deliberately against the will of the one who is trying to communicate with another.” See the comment to ch. 10 for a further discussion of messengers.

VI. Works Used

(see commentaries page)

Word Biblical Commentary Proverbs (Murphy)

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Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 12 is a collection of 28 individual sayings. While there doesn’t seem to be a uniting theme, many speak about proper/improper behavior and speech, or about the ways of the righteous/wicked.

II. Photo
V. 10 contrasts how the righteous and the wicked treat their animals: “A righteous man knows the needs of his beast, But the ‘compassion’ of the wicked is cruelty.”

III. Important Verses
v. 4: A capable wife is a crown for her husband, But an incompetent one is like rot in his bones.
v. 10: A righteous man knows the needs of his beast, But the compassion of the wicked is cruelty.
v. 15: The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But the wise man accepts advice.
v. 16: A fool’s vexation is known at once, But a clever man conceals his humiliation.
v. 18: There is blunt talk like sword-thrusts, But the speech of the wise is healing.
v. 23: A clever man conceals what he knows, But the mind of a dullard cries out folly.
v. 24: The hand of the diligent wields authority; The negligent are held in subjection.
v. 25: If there is anxiety in a man’s mind let him quash it, And turn it into joy with a good word.

IV. Outline
1. Accepting criticism
2-3. Divine judgment
4. A capable wife
5-7. The righteous/wicked
8. Wisdom
9. Be happy with what you have
10. Proper treatment of animals
11. Reward for hard work
12-13. The righteous/wicked
14. Good people
15. Accepting criticism
16. Humiliation
17. Witnesses
18-19. Proper speech
20. Plotting
21. The righteous/wicked
22. Lying
23. Remaining silent
24. Reward for hard work
25. Anxiety
26. Giving advice
27. Reward for hard work
28. Righteousness gives life

V. Comment
Proverbs 12 is a collection of sayings, and most of them employ antithetical parallelism. While there is no uniting theme, there is a strong emphasis on the ways of the righteous/wicked (vv. 3, 5-7, 10, 12-13, 17, 20-21, 26, 28). There is also an emphasis on proper/improper behavior, with special attention to speech in vv. 13-23.

Chapter 12 is the third chapter in the “core” of the book, i.e. it falls within chapters 10-29 which consist of short one-line wisdom sayings. Before dealing with its individual verses, one might ask, how did a chapter like ours, which contains so many disparate sayings, come about? Scholars point to the nature of “Wisdom Literature” for answers. Collins writes (pp. 488-489), “There is a well-attested genre of Wisdom instruction, especially in Egypt, that dates back to the third millennium BCE. Examples include the teachings of Amenemhet and Ptahhotep (third millenium), those of Amenemope and Ani (second millennium), and numerous others (Translations of these texts can be found in ANET, 412-24; and in M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature 1:58-80; 2:135-63.) These instructions were copied in the scribal schools, and new instructions were composed, down to Hellenistic times. They typically deal with relations with other people, both superiors and inferiors, friends and enemies. They often caution about relations with women. They are by no means opportunistic. On the contrary, they seek to inculcate moral virtues, in the belief that these ultimately lead to success.”

While the Bible never mentions Israelite schools, it seems that they existed as early as the time of Ben Sira (early second century BCE): “Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning” (Sir. 51:23).  While many proverbs must have originated from the people themselves, Collins writes (p. 490), “If we may extrapolate from the case of Ben Sira, we might suppose that sages in Jerusalem offered instruction, whether on a tutorial basis or in a more formal school. The book of Proverbs would have provided material for such instruction. This kind of education was evidently distinct from that offered by the Levites, who taught from the Torah (according to 2 Chron 17:7-9). There are no explicit references to the Torah in the books of Proverbs, Qoheleth, and Job. Ben Sira, early in the second century BCE, appears to have been the first Jewish Wisdom teacher to include the Torah in his curriculum.”   Thus, according to scholars like Collins, it is possible that chapters like ours were created and used in Israelite Wisdom schools, much like their Egyptian counterparts. It is therefore fitting that king Solomon, traditionally considered the patron of Israelite Wisdom, is associated with Egyptian Wisdom in 1 Kings 5:10: “Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the Kedemites and than all the wisdom of the Egyptians.” King Solomon, who married an Egyptian woman (1 Kings 3:1), might have formed Wisdom schools patterned in the Egyptian style. See Collins pp. 487-488.

Like the previous chapters, Proverbs 12 has certain verses juxtaposed because of content, catchwords, or both. For example, vv. 2-3 speak of the success of the wicked/righteous, and both verses use the word resha’ “wicked.” Other examples of catchwords are ‘ewil “fool” in vv. 15-16, lashon “tongue” in vv. 18-19, and ra’ “evil” in vv. 20-21. Vv. 13-23 seem to focus on the topic of speech. Like other sections of Proverbs, they also mention body parts: lips (vv. 13, 19, 22), mouth (v. 14), hands (v. 14), eyes (v. 15), tongue (vv. 8-9), and heart (v. 20). Some subtopics of speech are honest testimony (v. 17), soft and “healing” words (v. 18), and remaining silent (v. 23).

Another important theme in the chapter is the reward for hard work. V. 11 says, “He who tills his land shall have food in plenty, But he who pursues vanities is devoid of sense.” V. 27 says, “A negligent man never has game to roast; A diligent man has precious wealth.” V. 24 asserts that hard work is the difference between what we might today call “social classes”: “The hand of the diligent wields authority; The negligent are held in subjection (mas).” The same word for subjection, mas, is found in 1 Kings 5:28 where it indicates forced labor: “He sent them to the Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 a month: they would spend one month in the Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor (hamas).”

VI. Works Used
Word Biblical Commentary Proverbs (Murphy)
Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Collins), ch. 24
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