Posted by Jeff Short on January 28, 2018 · Leave a Comment
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
– Proverbs 21:5
The word for
thoughts means device, or plans. The plans of the
diligent, or determined, are in view. It is contrasted with
hasty in the second line, which means hurried. The word for
plenteousness means gain, or profit. The word for
want means lack, or poverty. Proverbs commends diligence and observes diligence being generally rewarded with gain (Proverbs 10:4; 13:4; 22:29; 27:23-27). From the different proverbs about diligence, we see the diligent make wise plans and work hard to execute those plans and generally make a gain.
By contrast, poverty is the gain of sluggards (Proverbs 10:4). This proverb does not mention the sluggard, but rather the hasty. Proverbs condemns haste as folly (Proverbs 14:29). Haste here contrasted with the plans of diligence suggests a haste to be rich, or the hatching of schemes for shortcuts to wealth. Wisdom condemns these schemes as having an evil eye (Proverbs 28:22). This proverb then contributes to the catalog of ways to poverty. Poverty can be reached through stingy greed (Proverbs 11:24), by talk without action (Proverbs 14:23), by gain through oppression (Proverbs 22:16), and here by haste (Proverbs 21:5).
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Posted by Jeff Short on January 5, 2018 · Leave a Comment
An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
– Proverbs 20:21
The word for
inheritance means just that, and the word for
hastily means in a hurry. Many infer some unscrupulous method of gain, and Proverbs does speak to that (Proverbs 13:11; 28:8). The emphasis in this proverb seems to be on the haste, “Easy come; easy go.” What is gained quickly can be lost quickly, and often is (Proverbs 28:20, 22). What is gained quickly is gained without also gaining wisdom. Wisdom does not come quickly. Though wisdom is accessible to the simple (Proverbs 9:4, 16), it’s not just lying about but rather is stored up for those who seek it (Proverbs 2:1-7). To acquire wisdom you must watch daily at wisdom’s gates (Proverbs 8:34), receive instruction and correction (Proverbs 3:11; 9:9; 10:8; 13:10; 17:10), and understand its value enough to be willing to pay a high price for it (Proverbs 17:16; 23:23). You also have to turn from your wisdom in order to acquire true wisdom (Proverbs 3:7; 26:12). To exhaust yourself to gain wealth is to be wise in your own eyes (Proverbs 23:4). So this inheritance is not
blessed because it is gained by vanity in a hurry.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 1, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
– Proverbs 19:22
The word for
desire means longing, or object of desire. The word for
kindness means mercy, or loving kindness. Since it is contrasted with lying here, it refers to faithful, or loyal, kindness. The true worth of a man is measured in his loyalty and faithfulness, not his wealth. This makes a
poor man better than a
liar, though he is rich (Proverbs 19:1). Proverbs doesn’t exalt poverty of itself. There’s nothing inherently virtuous or meritorious in poverty. Poverty with wisdom is often contrasted with having wealth with folly or wickedness, and poverty is then better (Proverbs 8:11; 15:16-17; 16:8; 17:1; et al).
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Posted by Jeff Short on November 3, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbor.
– Proverbs 19:4
The word for
maketh means to add.
Wealth adds many
friends, or continues to add them. The word for
friends is a common and general word that can cover a range of associations. The same word is translated
neighbor in the second phrase. The contrast indicates the poor lose friends as the rich add them (Proverbs 14:20). This proverb is a wisdom observation and complements Proverbs 18:24.
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Posted by Jeff Short on October 31, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Introduction
Chapter 19 continues the proverbs of Solomon. The chapter touches on friendships, wealth, laziness, the home, and more.
Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
– Proverbs 19:1
We expect the poor to be contrasted with the rich, and Proverbs 28:6 does that in a similar proverb. So the fool in the second phrase is understood to be a wealthy fool. The word for integrity means completeness, or innocence in the sense of being blameless. It is sometimes translated as upright. Walking uprightly means having wisdom and walking in wisdom (Proverbs 2:6-7; 13:6; 20:7). The word for perverse means distorted, or crooked. It is sometimes translated as froward. Cleverness is implicit in the twisting of words by the obstinate fool. Being poor and possessing wisdom is possible and better than being such a rich fool.
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Posted by Jeff Short on October 28, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
– Proverbs 18:23
The next several proverbs speak of the poor, rich, and friendships. The word for
intreaties means supplication, so it is a humble request. The word for
roughly means harshly. The proverb contrasts the rich and poor and how they interact in society. Wisdom observes the limitations of the poor, which humble him to mercy pleas. Wisdom also observes the conveniences the rich have to harden them to such pleas.
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Posted by Jeff Short on October 14, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
– Proverbs 18:11
This proverb is linked to the previous one with similar images, though wealth is contrasted with the name of the Lord as safety. Wealth has benefits and offers protections of a sort on earth, but those are limited. Wealth in itself is neither good nor bad, right nor wrong. Trusting in riches is to be ultimately confounded (Proverbs 11:4).
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Posted by Jeff Short on September 2, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Introduction
Chapter 17 continues the “Proverbs of Solomon.” The proverbs in this chapter are general with no grouping. They touch on a variety of topics, such as fools, speech, friendships, etc.
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices with strife.
– Proverbs 17:1
The overall statement of this proverb is being poor but having peace is better than being prosperous but having contentions. A dry morsel is a crust of bread without anything on it or to dip it in. It is a poor meal (Proverbs 15:17). The word for quietness means peace and security. A house full refers to abundance and sacrifices, by the parallelism, refers to a feast. The word for strife means controversy or dispute. Opportunities abound in life for strife, but wisdom avoids and appeases it, while folly starts it or enflames it (Proverbs 15:17; 17:14; 18:6; 20:3; 26:17, 21).
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Posted by Jeff Short on August 9, 2017 · Leave a Comment
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
– Proverbs 16:16
Verse 16 starts a new group of proverbs themed around general wisdom. This group goes through verse 30 and touches on general wisdom topics, e.g., wealth, speech, work, etc. The word for
better means good in its root form and is used here comparatively. The second phrase of this proverb is likewise comparative in choosing to
get understanding over
silver. Comparison is common in the Proverbs and it means the things compared are not antithetical. So here, wisdom and wealth are compared, but not shown to be opposites. The proverb states it’s
better, or more important, to seek and acquire
wisdom than
gold and
silver.
Proverbs mentions many things better than wealth: righteousness or justice (Proverbs 15:27; 16:8); family love (Proverbs 15:17; 17:1); and honesty and integrity (Proverbs 19:1, 22). Proverbs emphatically teaches wisdom is better than wealth (Proverbs 3:15-18; 8:10-11, 19). Choose wisdom above all, whether wealth comes or not (Proverbs 4:7).
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Proverbs 21:5
Posted by Jeff Short on January 28, 2018 · Leave a Comment
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
The word for thoughts means device, or plans. The plans of the diligent, or determined, are in view. It is contrasted with hasty in the second line, which means hurried. The word for plenteousness means gain, or profit. The word for want means lack, or poverty. Proverbs commends diligence and observes diligence being generally rewarded with gain (Proverbs 10:4; 13:4; 22:29; 27:23-27). From the different proverbs about diligence, we see the diligent make wise plans and work hard to execute those plans and generally make a gain.– Proverbs 21:5
By contrast, poverty is the gain of sluggards (Proverbs 10:4). This proverb does not mention the sluggard, but rather the hasty. Proverbs condemns haste as folly (Proverbs 14:29). Haste here contrasted with the plans of diligence suggests a haste to be rich, or the hatching of schemes for shortcuts to wealth. Wisdom condemns these schemes as having an evil eye (Proverbs 28:22). This proverb then contributes to the catalog of ways to poverty. Poverty can be reached through stingy greed (Proverbs 11:24), by talk without action (Proverbs 14:23), by gain through oppression (Proverbs 22:16), and here by haste (Proverbs 21:5).
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