Reading for February 8th

Read Proverbs 20.1-30. In verse 15: Gold and costly stones must refer to jewelry. The most beuatiful adornment of a face is not jewelry but wise lips, that is wise words that show the beauty within. Comments or Questions..

Reading for February 7th

Read Proverbs 19.1-29. In verse 2: Desire (the internal) and movement (the external) without sufficient reflection go nowhere. In verse 13: Another saying on the household (from the male point of view). The two great causes of domestic unhappiness are foolish children and an angry wife or spouse. Wisdom can help one avoid such unhappiness. In verse 14: As if to balance the preceding verse on the angry wife, this saying asserts the greatest cause of domestic happiness is a suitable wife. Comments or Questions..

Reading for February 6th

Read Proverbs18.1-24. In verse 1: The probable meaning is that those who do not listen to others cannot grow wise, for wisdom comes through interaction with others- a process of instruction and correction. In verse 4: The deep waters of the mind are revealed by one's words (20.5). The water become a stream nourishing others. In verse 17: The first speaker in a lawsuit seems entirely right. Then the opponent cross-examines. The law court expericence teaches a vaulable lesson: there are two sides to every question. In verse 19: Ally is a family member, literally, "brother" or "member of the family." An offended family member can be ore unyeidling than a fortress. In verse 21: Love has the sense of "choose" a sin Deut 4.37; 10.15; Isa 41.8. One chooses either life or death by the words one speaks. On must eat the fruits (consequences) on one's acts. For similar vocabulary, see 30.15-20. Comments or Questions..

Reading for February 5th

Read Proverbs 17.1-28. In verse 2: Wisdom surrounts natural boundaries and limits. Slaves of the time could enter a great household and their conduct, if prudent and trustworthy, would win everyone's respect. A perversely foolish child could lose out to such wise servants. In verse 8: A neutral observation on money. A bribe can seem like a magic stone since it opens doors hiterto closed. In verse 9: A paradox: One finds friendship if one loses or hides (forgives) an affront, and loses (alienates) a friend if one finds or makes public (dwells on) disputes. Friendship has a price-bearing with the faults of the other. In verse 13: Paradoxically, evil stays in the house of anyone who tries to inflict it on others. In verse 19: Whoever loves an offense in the sense of dwelling on it is equivalently asking for a quarrel in the same way that any one who builds an overly high threshold is asking for injury. Comments or Questions..

Reading for February 4th

Read Proverbs 16.16-33. In verse 16: Tradition of declares wisdom more precious than gold and silver (3.14; Job 28). Gold and silver can buy many things, but wisdom invites God to give the priceless gifts of long life, wealth, and honor. In verse 20: The saying declares that success and happiness depend both on God and on our own efforts. It does not explore theological issues arising from such an assertion. In verses 27-30: Sayings on three types of wicked people and their speech and demeanor. The first three verses begin with the Hebrew word "ish," tranlated "man" or "individual." The second line of each saying states the particular damage a villian's words inflict on others. The final saying (v. 30) sketches the facial mannererisms common to all malefactors; compare 6.12-15. In verse 33: A lot, similar to dice in giving varying results when thrown was given a designation "yes" or "no" and cast for it answer. See 1 Sam 10.16-26; Num 26.55; Josh 14.2. The answer was believed to be from God. Comments or Questions..

Reading for February 3rd

Read Proverbs 16.1-15. In verse 1: The heart (mind) is the organ of planning and the tongue is the organ of speaking and execution. It is not fully in the power of a human being to put plans into effect or control their course. Comments or Questions..

Reading for February 2nd

Read Proverbs 15.16-33. In verse 26: Abomination, orginally a ritual term for an unaccepatble offering is here used metaphorically. Pure in this usage means acceptable to God. In verse 33: As one must first be low (humility) in order to be raised up (honor), so fear of the Lord comes before wisdom. Comments or Questions..

Reading for February 1st

Read Proverbs 15.1-15. In verse 1: In responding to angry pepple, one might be tempted to use harsh and violent language. The verse states the paradox that when one responds to angry people, soft is strong and harsh is weak. In verse 14: Heart (mind) and mouth are often contrasted as the organ of strong reflection (mind) and the organ of expression (mouth). Here, the wise use their minds to seek even more knowledge, whereas fools use their mouths only to feed on more folly. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 31st

Read Proverbs 14.16-35. In verse 28: The glory of a king is not absolute but depends, surprisingly, on the people he rules. A witty crtique of royal power. In verse 30: Passion can also be rendered "jealousy." Inner calmness has a benefical effect on health. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 30th

Read Proverbs 14.1-15. In verse 5: How to assess a witness in court is a common concern (6.19; 12.17; 19.28). The best criterion is the character of the witness: How does the person ordinarily act? In verse 13: As observed in v. 10, external behavior does not always mirror internal thought and feeling. People are too complex to be known completely from their actions. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 29th

Read Proverbs 1-25. In verse 6: Righteousness and sin are personified as forces affecting those who commit themselves to them. Fundemental options determine one's course. In verse 24: The paradox is that one hates one's children by being temder with them and loves them by being strict, especially at an early age when children can redily change. What is criticized is indulging one's chidlren. The paradoxical langauge cannot be invoked to justify harsh treatment of children or corporal punishment. Proverbs often states the need of parental discipline: 19.18; 21.13-14; Sir 7.23; 30.1-13. Comments or questions..

Reading for January 28th

Read proverbs 12.1-28. In verse 1: Genuine wisdom is gained through conversation with the wise (discipline) and through being criticized (rebuked). To reject this educational process is to settle for an animal level of consciousness, the Hebrew word for stupid in the second line connotes brutish. In verse 14: Normally, one's mouth is sated from the fruit of the earth, but in this saying one is sated from the words of one's mouth. Words in proverbs are the prime instance of human activity. One will enjoy the benefits of one's conduct. Comments or Questions...

Reading for January 27th

Read Proverbs 11.16-31. In verse 22: A humorous statement that wisdom is more important than beauty in evaluating a woman. Ear and nose rings were common adornments of women. The comparison to a pig seems to have been made on the basis of sound as well as humorous incongruity, for the consonant "z" predominants in the first line: "nezem zahab be'ap hazir," literally, "a ring of god in the snout of a pig." In verse 27: The persistent quest for what is good is ultimately a quest that ends in gaining divine favor, perhaps human favor as well in other words, to seek happiness, seek excellance. To seek evil ("ra'a"), on the other hand, means only that trouble ("ra'a") will seek one out. The same Hebrew word can mean "evil" and "trouble." Comments or Questions...

Reading for January 26th

Read Proverbs 11.1-15. In verse 4: The day of wrath is any life-threatening disaster as in Job 21.30 and Ezek 7.19. In such mortal danger riches are of no use; value attaches on to that which assures ultimate protection-righteousness. In verse 9: The difference between impeity and righteousness is so great that what is expressed by the godless harms others, where as what is not expressed (knowledge here is what is stored in the heart) by the righteous benefits them. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 25th

Read Proverbs 10.16-32. In verse 19: Ordinarily, abundance is good, as in vv. 4, 21, and 27, and scarcity is bad, as in vv. 15 and 21. But where words are concerned the situation is reversed. Words should be few and well chosen (see 17.27). In verse 26: A lazy person is a common type in proverbs (mentioned fourteen times in the book) and is often the object of scorn or humor. The lazy are as sure to pain an employer as vinegar and smoke as sure to pain taste buds and eyes, by an almost chemical necessity. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 24th

THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON In 10.1-22.16: Nearly all of chs. 10-15 are authetic proverbs, that is the second line (B) restates the first line (A) in an opposite way. The section contrasts the wicked and the righteous person (treated as types) and emphasizes the consequences of human acts. Chapters 16-22, on the other hand, contain far fewer antitheses and many more exceptions to the rule. A key metaphor throughout all these chapters is founding or maintaining a house, which continues the same image as in chs. 1-9. The chapters contain over fifty references to father, mother, son, house, wife or servant. Read Proverbs 10.1-15 In verses 1-3: The first three sayings represent the three sides of wisdom, the sapiential (wisdom as right knowledge, v. 1, wise) the ethical (wisdom as right action, v. 2 righteousness), and religious (wisdom as right reverence or worship, v. 3, the Lord). In the opening saying, child, father, and mother refer to the instructions of chs. 1-9 (see 1.8) and show the continuity between the instructions and the sayings. In verse 6: Proverbs often plays on two senses of the verb "to cover"; "cover" in the sense of "conceal" and in the sense of "fill" ( see vv. 11 and 12). Line B can also translated in a sense opposite to NRSV, "violence covers the mouth of the wicked." In verse 9: Proverbs frequently uses the metaphors of walking and path forconduct (also current English). "To walk" is "to conduct oneself, to live": "way" is "conduct"; "straight" and "crooked" (perverted) are "good" and "evil." Integrity is literally "straight, whole." In verse 15: Though proverbs praises dilengence and ridicules laziness, it does not prdinarily praise the wealthy and criticize the poor, but rather makes nuetral observations on the situation of rich and poor, as here. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 23rd

Read Proverbs 9.1-18. In 9.1-18: The banquets of the women, plus some aphorisms. Women Wisdom completes her palace and issues an invitation to the dedicatory banquet (1-6). In vv. 13-18, Woman Folly issues a counter-invitation. Verses 7-12 are individual sayings, which echo some verses in ch. 1 (compare 1.7, "The fear of the Lord is be beginning of knowledge." and 1.22, "how long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?) and also points ahead to chs. 10-22, where the same two types, the wise and the righteous, are vividly contrasted. In verse 6: Lay aside immaturity, and live: To partake of the banquet creates a bond between Wisdom and her guests, requiring guests to leave behind immaturity and ignorance and become wise. The imperative verb live here implies enjoyment of such gifts from Wisdom as a family, riches, and reputation. In verse 11: For by me your days will be multipled: Originally, this verse probably immediately followed v. 6, for by me has not antecedent in the immediately preceding verses. In verses 16-17: Folly's invitation begins with the same words as wisdom (see v. 16 and v. 4), but in v. 17 diverges radically. In verse 17: In the phrase stolen water, water has the erotic meaning it has in 5.15-16, "Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well," that is, sexual relations. Stolen implies clandestine and adulterous sex. In secret evokes the further meeting of ch. 7. In verse 18: The dead inhabit the underworld. As in 2.16-18; 5.3-5; 7.24-27, the woman promises life but kills instead. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 22nd

Read Proverbs 8.1-36. In 8.1-36: Woman Wisdom and her blessings for her loyal disciples. The speech at personified Wisdom promising blessings balance her first speech (1.20-33) threatening those who left her. She appears in the busiest part of the city (vv. 1-3) and addresses the entire populace there, but singles out the simple (vv. 4-5). She establishes her credibility (vv. 6-11), promises her hearers skill in goverening along with riches and honor (vv. 12-21), explains her high status by her closeness to God at creation (vv. 22-23), and asks her followers to wait at her door as disciples (vv. 32-36). Unlike the seductive women in ch. 7 who speaks to a single youth in the dark of night, Wisdom addresses everyone in broad daylight, speaks trustworthy words and grants life rather than death. In verses 22-31: the verses are a cosmogony or creation account, which was used in ancient literature to explain and vailidate important aspects of reality. The first hall of the cosmogony (vv. 22-26) emphasizes the birth of Woman Wisdom before all else, thus underlining her unique priority. The second half (vv. 27-31) stresses her presence with God, I was there (v. 27)and i was beside him (v. 30). In verses 30-31: I was daily his delight ... delighting in the human race: The repetition of the words delight and rejoicing establishes a correspondence between Wisdom's delighting inthe Lord and her delighting in the human race. She bestows on the human race the wisdom and goodness that God put into creation. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 21st

Read Proverbs 7.1-27. In 7.1-27: An example of seduction by words. The tenth and final instruction is also the fourth of the four warnings against the seductive woman (2.16-19, 5.1-23;6.20-35). The preface (vv. 1-5) urges the disciple to become a lover of Wisdom rather than a foolish victim of the lying woman whose typical wiles are narrated. The woman is active and aware, speaking and acting decisively, whereas the youth is passive and naive, led in silence like a lamb to slaughter. The images are darkness and night, animals of sacrifice or the hunt, and death. In verse 4: You are my sister: A designation for the beloved used in love poetry (Song 4.9; 10.12; 5.1, 2). Other love terms are let us take our fill of love (v. 18; see Song 5.1) and the theme of finding and seeking (v. 10-15; see Song 3.1-4). In verse 14: Today I have paid my vows: An ambiivalent statement, which the youth takes as an invitation to a feast of meat offered in fulfillment of a vow, but which the woman intends its the sacrifice of the youth. Comparison with Jephthah's vow (Judg 11.30-31) is illuminating, for Jephthah also sacrifices an unsuspecting victim. In verse 20: He took a bag of money with him: the wife knows from the amount of money her husband took that he will be gone long eoungh for her to dally with the youth. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 20th

Read Proverbs 6.20-35. In 6.20-35: The dangers of adultery. The teaching 's parents, once memorized, becomes a lamp the exposes the danger of an adultress (v. 23). Unlike a liaison with a prostitute, whose hire is only a matter of money, an affair with a married woman can destroy one's life, bringing upon one shame, physical beatings, and an enraged husband. The instruction focuses more on the practical consequences of adulttery rather than on its theoretical immorality. In verse 30: Theives are not despised: A comparison is drawn betwen getting caught for satisfying one's appetite for food (a euphemism for the sexual appetite) and getting caught for adulttery. In the first case, a monetary payment makes things right. In the second, money cannot repair the loss of one's position inthe community or protect one from the vengence of a deceived husband. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 19th

Read Proverbs 6.1-19. In 6.1-19: Four short peces. The section is often judged to be an addition on the grounds that its topics and style are very different from the surrounding instructions. It is possible, however, that the editors wanted to insert related but miscellanous material at this point. Thematically, that section is concerned not with external obstacles to acquiring wisdom, such as violent and seductive women, but with internal obstacles, such as poor judgment (vv. 1-5) and laziness(vv. 6-11). It also sketches an evil character (vv. 12-15), which is wholly unacceptable to the Lord (vv. 16-19). In verses 1-5: Pledge: proverbs is entirely negative on the legal customs of a third party guaranteeing a loan (11.15; 17.18; 22.26), probbaly because it endangers the guarantor. In verses 6-11: Lazybones: proverbs look with disdain, and often humerously on the lazy person (for example, 10.4; 12.24; 24.30-34), preferring instead the energetic and responsible person. In verses 12-15: A scoundrel and a villian: A Proverbs type, who is here decribed as corrupt externally (mouth or speech, eyes, feet, fingers ) and internally (perverted mind). An evil destiny hangs over such a type. In verses 16-19: Proverbs often declares certain behavior "an abomination to the Lord" (see 11.1). Six and seven are an instance of ascending parallelism of numbers, like "three" and "four" in 30.18-19, 21-23. The organ such as the eye stands for the entire activity of seeing, an example of metonymy. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 18th

Read Proverbs 5.1-23. In 5.1-23: Choose the right woman! The teacher exhorts a youth to avoid adulterous liasons (the "wrong" woman, vv. 3-4) and to enjoy the company of his wife (the "right" woman, vv. 15-19). The poem has four sections (vv. 1-6, 7-14, 15-19, and 20-23), each of which begins with "my child" (implict in v. 15). Adulterous consorting with the wrong woman leads to loss of health (v. 9), dissipation of family wealth (v. 10), ruined reputation (vv. 9,14), and bitter regret (vv. 11-13). The context of Provverbs suggests a metaphorical level of meaning: Seductive and lying words lead one away from one's primary commitment to the tradition of wisdom. In verse 16: Should your springs be scattered abroad? A disputed phrase. Most probably, water is a metaphor for sexual pleasure, as exclusively with his wife in the context of the household. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 17th

Read Proverbs 4.10-27. In verses 10-19: The two ways. The process of gaining wisdom is essentially the same in all instruction. One begins be memorizing the teaching and putting it into practice, then one receives wisdom as a gift. The passage develops the doctrine of the two ways, in which the moral life is dramatized as two competing paths, the way of wisdom and the path of the wicked. Each has its inherent destiny, represented here by the symbols of light and darkness (vv. 18-19). The two ways are not static, one must struggle to stay on the right path. It is possible to leave one path and walk on the other. In verses 20-27: Heed my words. This lecture emphasizes the vigo and sincerity for the pursit of wisdom The poem offers a psychological picture of discipleship. One perceives the teacher's examples and words through listening and seeing (vv. 20-27) and stores the perceptions in the heart (by memorizing them) where they are pondered (v. 23). One then puts into practice what one "knows," that which is in one'sheart or mind. Practicing wisdom means always speaking the truth (v. 24) and acting justly (vv. 25-27). Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 16th

Read Proverbs 4.1-9. In 4.1-9: The teacher's life as an example of wisdom. The teacher draws a parallel between his teaching his sons now and his father's teaching him as a youth. The authority of the teacher comes from obedience he showed to his father. The teacher now is a model of the blessings that come with reverence and obedience. In verses 4-9: Get wisdom: In vv. 4-6, the disciple is to take in the teacher's words and get wisdom. In vv. 6, 8-9 wisdom herself becomes active, guarding and honoring the disicple. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 15th

Read Proverbs 3.13-35. In verses 13-20: Wisdom's benefits and pestige, Some scholars believe the poem consists of vv. 13-26 rather than 13-20. This poem praises wisdom by listing her benefits to the human race and explains her power by describing her role in creation. Since the world is made by wisdom, all those who follow wisdom will live well in the world. In verse 18: Tree of Life: The tree of life occurs in the Hebrew scriptures only in Proverbs and Gen 2-3. In both books the tree is asscoiated with wisdom. Its fruits gives life and prosperity. It is also found in Rev 2.7 and 22.2, 14, 19, where it has been influenced by the picture of the health giving tree in Ezek 47.12. In verses 21-35: Kindness tothe nieghbor brings blessing to oneself. Treating others wellbrings life to oneself. The belssings are portrayed as as accruing to one's very body- eyes (sight), Throat (soul: the throat is the source of life breath), neck and foot. To put wisdom into practice brings her gifts, life (v. 22a), honor (adorment, v. 22 b), and protection from crime and violence (vv. 23-25). Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 14th

Read Proverbs 3.1-12. In 3.1-12: trust in God makes one prosperous. The lecture consists of six four-line exhortations of a father (or teacher) to a son (or disciple), in each of which a reward is promised. The teacher invites the disciple to memorize the teaching (vv.1-2) and to be loyal (vv. 3-4), which leads to trust in God, the great teacher (v. 5). Such trust means not relying on oneself (v. 7), honoring God with due worship, and allowing God to become one's teacher and father (vv. 11-12). Considerable trust is necessary, for God reproves when educating disciples, there may be suffering. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 13th

Read Proverbs 2.1-22. In 2.1-22: Seek wisdom and the Lord will keep you safe. The form is an acrostic poem of twenty-two lines (the number of consonants in the Hebrew alphabet). The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet ("aleph") dominates the first half (vv. 1-11; "aleph"is the initial letter in vv. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 9). The middle letter of the Hebrew aplphabet ("lamed") dominates the second half (vv. 12-22: "lamed" is the initial letter on 12, 16, and 20). The main point of the poem is that if you seek wisdom with all your strength, the Lord will give you, and wisdom will safegaurd you from wicked men and seductive womenwitht he result that you can walk on the blessed path. Wisdom willbe given to anyone who earnestly seeks it. However, one cannot directly take it; it must be given as a gift. In verses 16-19: The loose women ... the adultress. Loose is literally "foreign." The figure of the dangerous and seductive woman appears again in 5.1-6; 6.20-35; 7.1-27; 9.13-18. Elsewhere in the Bible, a "foreign woman" can be a woman outside the community who is forbidden as a marriage partner, a prostitude or a woman otherwise dangerous to a man. Proverbs' focus is not on her sexuality but also on her seductive and deceitful speech. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 12th

Read Proverbs 1.20-33. In 1.20-33: The consequences of not heeding wisdom. Woman Wisdom warns the simple (who seem to hhave previously rejected her teachings) that she will not be there whent he inevitable disaster comes upon vv. 22-32). She nonetheless gives them a last chance to accept her (v. 33). Verses 24-27 and 28-31 are parallel sections. Each gives a reason (because, vv. 25, 29) and announces a disaster; the first section employs the grammatical second person, and the second section employs the grammatical third person. In verses 20-21: The entrance of the city gates is the entrance to the upper city, which was the place of business and goverment. In verses 22-23a: The best solution to the textual confusion is to drop v. 22b-c as a later insertion and to translate How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? Its parallel verse is best rendered (differently from NRSV) "Will you turn away from my reproof?" The translation "turn away" is preferable to NRSV give heed to and is based on the meaning of the same root in v. 32a (waywardness) and on Hebrew idom. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 11th

Read Proverbs 1.8-19. In 1.8-19: Parental advice on leaving home. The opening scene of a youth leaving parents and home to establish his own household sets the scene for the entire book. Every reader must establish a household in the sense of learning to live well as an adult, accepting traditional wisdom and discerning where true life is to be found. In verses 10=14: A group of sinners invites the youth not simply to commit a violent crime but to share in their violent life (Come with us ... Throw your lot among us). In verses 16-17: Verse 16: is a gloss from Isa 59.7 to explain the enigmatic v. 17, which is a parable about sinners not seeing the divine retribution that works invisibly. The evil they plan for others will come upon them instead (vv. 18-19). Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 10th

Read Proverbs 1.1-7. In 1.1-9.18: Speeches and Instructions. In 1.1-7: Introduction and purpose of the book. In verse 1: Egyptian and biblical wisdom books, contrary to the customary anonymity of ancient litature, give the name of the author, who was normally a king or prominent coutrier advising his son or disciple. Solomon, famed for his wisdom, is named as the author, or, as we misght say, patron of the entire book. In verses 2-7: There are fourteen (two times seven) different nouns for wisdom or wise sayings in order to show totality. Verses 2-3 are concerned with learning., v. 4 with teaching, v. 5 with the teacher or sage, v. 6 with understanding wisdom writings and v. 7 (in climatic position) with fear of the Lord. In verse 4: The simple are naive or uninstructed people, either because of their youth or, sometimes, because of their carelessness. In the latter case the term has a negative connotation. In verse 7: The verse is the climax of the introduction, for the Lord is the source of blessings for the wise. The phrase wisdom and instructions reprises the same phrase in v. 2a. Fear of the Lord is the traditional (and not fully satisfacttory) translation of "yir'at YHWH," literally "revering the Lord." The phrase means giving to one's God what is due, knowing and accepting one's place in the universe. It primarily designates neith an emotion (fear) nor general reverence, but rather a conviction that one should honor and serve a particular god. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 9th

Read James 5.12-20. In verses 12-18: More on speech. In verse 12: This simplification of oaths resembles Jesus' curtailment of them (Mt 5.34-37; 1 Cor 1.19-20). In verses 13-14: While some speech is controlled other speech is urged at all times, such as prayer and praise. Prayer for the sick entails anointing by elders. In verses 15-16: The author may understand illness here as caused by sinfulness, because he encourages confession of sins and mutual prayer for healing. In verses 16-18: Elijah illustrates the claim about the effective prayer of the righteous. His first prayer stopped the rain (1 Kings 17.1), whereas his second prayer started it again (1 Kings 18.1). In verees 19-20: saving others. In a world of social and geographical immobility, wandering suggested deviance. But good shepherding of the lost yields great rewards for both the lost sheep and the shepherd. Comments or Questions..