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..