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Texts -- Proverbs 20:3-30 (NET)

Context
20:3 It is an honor for a person to cease from strife , but every fool quarrels . 20:4 The sluggard will not plow during the planting season , so at harvest time he looks for the crop but has nothing . 20:5 Counsel in a person’s heart is like deep water , but an understanding person draws it out. 20:6 Many people profess their loyalty , but a faithful person – who can find ? 20:7 The righteous person behaves in integrity ; blessed are his children after him. 20:8 A king sitting on the throne to judge separates out all evil with his eyes . 20:9 Who can say , “I have kept my heart clean ; I am pure from my sin ”? 20:10 Diverse weights and diverse measures – the Lord abhors both of them. 20:11 Even a young man is known by his actions , whether his activity is pure and whether it is right . 20:12 The ear that hears and the eye that sees – the Lord has made them both . 20:13 Do not love sleep , lest you become impoverished ; open your eyes so that you might be satisfied with food . 20:14 “It’s worthless ! It’s worthless !” says the buyer , but when he goes on his way , he boasts . 20:15 There is gold , and an abundance of rubies , but words of knowledge are like a precious jewel . 20:16 Take a man’s garment when he has given security for a stranger , and when he gives surety for strangers , hold him in pledge . 20:17 Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person , but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel . 20:18 Plans are established by counsel , so make war with guidance . 20:19 The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets ; therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth . 20:20 The one who curses his father and his mother , his lamp will be extinguished in the blackest darkness . 20:21 An inheritance gained easily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end . 20:22 Do not say , “I will pay back evil !” Wait for the Lord , so that he may vindicate you. 20:23 The Lord abhors differing weights , and dishonest scales are wicked . 20:24 The steps of a person are ordained by the Lord – so how can anyone understand his own way ? 20:25 It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy !” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed . 20:26 A wise king separates out the wicked ; he turns the threshing wheel over them. 20:27 The human spirit is like the lamp of the Lord , searching all his innermost parts . 20:28 Loyal love and truth preserve a king , and his throne is upheld by loyal love . 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength , and the splendor of old men is gray hair . 20:30 Beatings and wounds cleanse away evil , and floggings cleanse the innermost being .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Dishonesty

    [nave] DISHONESTY. Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:13, 35, 36; Deut. 25:13, 15, 16; Job 24:2-11; Psa. 37:21; Psa. 50:18; Psa. 62:10; Prov. 3:27, 28; Prov. 11:1; Prov. 20:10, 14, 17, 23; Isa. 32:7; Jer. 7:8-10; Jer. 9:4-6, 8; Jer. 22:13; Ezek....

  • Wisdom

    [isbe] WISDOM - wiz'-dum: 1. Linguistic 2. History 3. Religious Basis 4. Ideals 5. Teaching of Christ 6. Remainder of the New Testament (1) James (2) Paul 7. Hypostasis LITERATURE 1. Linguistic: In the Revised Version (British and ...
    [nave] WISDOM Of Joseph, Gen. 41:16, 25-39; Acts 7:10. Of Moses, Acts 7:22. Of Bezaleel, Ex. 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1. Of Aholiab, Ex. 31:6; 35:34, 35; 36:1; of other skilled artisans, Ex. 36:2; of women, Ex. 35:26. Of Hiram, 1 K...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Belly

    [ebd] the seat of the carnal affections (Titus 1:12; Phil. 3:19; Rom. 16:18). The word is used symbolically for the heart (Prov. 18:8; 20:27; 22:18, marg.). The "belly of hell" signifies the grave or underworld (Jonah 2:2).
    [nave] BELLY, used figuratively for the seat of the affections, Job 15:2, 35; 20:20; Psa. 44:25; Prov. 18:20; 20:27, 30; Hab. 3:16; John 7:38; Tit. 1:12.

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Surety

    [ebd] one who becomes responsible for another. Christ is the surety of the better covenant (Heb. 7:22). In him we have the assurance that all its provisions will be fully and faithfully carried out. Solomon warns against incautiou...
    [isbe] SURETY - shoor'-ti: This word is used in three different connections or groups: (1) As a derivative of the word "sure" it means "of a certainty" or "surely."--In Gen 15:13 the infinitive absolute of the verb is used to give ...
    [nave] SURETY, Gen. 44:32; Ex. 22:26, 27; Deut. 24:10-13; Job 24:3; Prov. 6:1-5; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26, 27; 27:13; Ezek. 18:7, 12; 33:15; Amos 2:8.

  • Prudence

    [nave] PRUDENCE. Job 34:3, 4; Psa. 39:1; Psa. 112:5; Prov. 6:1, 2; Prov. 8:12; Prov. 11:13, 15, 29; Prov. 12:8, 23; Prov. 13:16; Prov. 14:8, 15, 16, 18; Prov. 15:5, 22; Prov. 16:20, 21; Prov. 17:2, 18; Prov. 18:15, 16; Prov. 19:2;...

  • Children

    [nave] CHILDREN In answer to prayer: To Abraham, Gen. 15:2-5, with Gen. 21:1, 2; Isaac, Gen. 25:21; Leah, Gen. 30:17-22; Rachel, Gen. 30:22-24; Haah, 1 Sam. 1:9-20; Zacharias, Luke 1:13. Treatment of, at birth, Ezek. 16:4-6; Luke ...

  • PROVERBS, BOOK OF

    [smith] The title of this book in Hebrew is taken from its first word, mashal , which originally meant "a comparison." It is sometimes translated parable, sometimes proverb as here. The superscriptions which are affixed to several po...

  • Honesty

    [nave] HONESTY. Lev. 19:35, 36; Deut. 16:20; Deut. 25:13-16; Job 27:6; Psa. 7:3, 4; Psa. 15:5; Psa. 24:4; Prov. 4:25; Prov. 11:1; Prov. 12:22; Prov. 16:11; Prov. 20:10 v. 23.; Isa. 33:15, 16; Ezek. 45:10; Mark 10:19; Luke 3:12, 13...

  • Gravel

    [isbe] GRAVEL - grav'-el (chatsats, from root chatsats, "to divide." Kindred roots have the meaning of "to cut," "to hew," "to sharpen," hence chets, "arrow" (2 Ki 13:17; Ps 64:7 and often); compare Arabic chacca, "to fall to the l...
    [nave] GRAVEL. Figurative Prov. 20:17.

  • Poor

    [isbe] POOR - poor ('ebhyon, dal, `ani, rush; ptochos): I. In the Old Testament. The poor have great prominence in the Bible; it is said, indeed, that there should be no poor among the Hebrews because Yahweh should so greatly bless...
    [nave] POOR Atonement money of, uniform with that of the rich, Ex. 30:15. Inexpensive offerings of the poor, Lev. 5:7; 12:8; 14:21, 22. See: Beneficence; Giving; Liberality; Orphans; Poverty; Widow. Also See: Rich; Riches. Uncl...

  • Integrity

    [isbe] INTEGRITY - in-teg'-ri-ti (tom, tummah): The translation of tom, "simplicity," "soundness," "completeness," rendered also "upright," "perfection." Its original sense appears in the phrase letom (1 Ki 22:34; 2 Ch 18:33), "A c...
    [nave] INTEGRITY. Gen. 18:19; Ex. 18:21; Deut. 16:19, 20; Job 10:7; Job 13:15, 18; Job 16:17; Job 27:4-6; Job 29:14; Job 31:1-40; Psa. 7:3-5, 8; Psa. 15:1-5; Psa. 17:3; Psa. 18:20 2 Sam. 22:21. Psa. 24:3-5; Psa. 26:1-3; Psa. 69:4;...

  • Lamp

    [smith] That part of the golden candlestick belonging to the tabernacle which bore the light; also of each of the ten candlesticks placed by Solomon in the temple before the holy of holies. (Exodus 25:37; 1 Kings 7:49; 2 Chron...
    [nave] LAMP Miraculously appeared at Abraham's sacrifice, Gen. 15:17. For the tabernacle, Ex. 25:31-40; 37:17-22. Kept burning at night in the tabernacle and cared for by priests, Ex. 27:20, 21; Lev. 24:2-4. Figurative Job 18:6...

  • Laziness

    [nave] LAZINESS Prov. 6:6, 9-11 Prov. 24:33. Prov. 10:4, 5, 26; Prov. 12:9, 24, 27; Prov. 13:4; Prov. 14:23; Prov. 15:19; Prov. 18:9; Prov. 19:15, 24; Prov. 20:4, 13; Prov. 21:25, 26; Prov. 23:21; Prov. 24:30, 31, 33, 34; Prov. 26:...

  • Measure

    [nave] MEASURE The following modern equivalents of ancient measurements are based upon the latest researches, and are probably as nearly correct as is possible at this time: Dry 1. Bushel, about a peck, Matt. 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luk...

  • Wheel

    [isbe] WHEEL - hwel: (1) 'ophan, is the usual word (Ex 14:25, etc.). In Prov 20:26; Isa 28:27 the rollers of a threshing wagon are meant (see AGRICULTURE). (2) galgal, "rolling thing," generally in the sense of "wheel" (Isa 5:28, e...
    [nave] WHEEL Potter's, Jer. 18:3. Figurative Prov. 20:26; Eccl. 12:6. Symbolical: Ezek. 1:15-21; 3:13; 10:9-19; 11:22.

  • Depravity of Mankind

    [nave] DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND Gen. 6:5-8, 11-13; Gen. 8:21; Deut. 32:10; Job 4:17-19; Job 9:2, 3, 20, 29-31; Job 11:12; Job 14:4; Job 15:14-16; Job 25:4-6; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 14:1-3 Psa. 53:1-3. Psa. 51:5; Psa. 58:1-5; Psa. 94:11; Psa. 1...

  • Abomination

    [nave] ABOMINATION Things that are, to God: Idolatry, Deut. 7:25; 27:15; 32:16; unjust weights and measures, Deut. 25:13-16; Prov. 11:1; 20:10, 23; uncleaess, Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Deut. 24:4; incest, Lev. 18:6-18; lying with a woman ...

  • LOAN

    [ebd] The Mosaic law required that when an Israelite needed to borrow, what he asked was to be freely lent to him, and no interest was to be charged, although interest might be taken of a foreigner (Ex. 22:25; Deut. 23:19, 20; Lev...
    [smith] The law strictly forbade any interest to be taken for a loan to any poor person, and at first, as it seems, even in the case of a foreigner; but this prohibition was afterward limited to Hebrews only, from whom, of whatever r...
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Hymns

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  • Ya Allahku, di Cah'yaMu [KJ.25]
  • [Pro 20:11] We Are But Little Children Weak
  • [Pro 20:21] I Bind My Heart This Tide

Questions

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 2:4 Having related the creation of the universe as we know it, God next inspired Moses to explain for his readers what became of it.129Sin entered it and devastated it."The destiny of the human creation is to live in God's wo...
  • 21:12-14 The Torah upheld capital punishment for murder (v. 12), which God commanded of Noah (Gen. 9:6) and people in the Near East practiced from then on. It did not permit capital punishment in the case of manslaughter (unp...
  • The blessings and curses (ch. 26) were in a sense God's vows to His people. This chapter deals with His people's vows to Him. Another connection between these chapters is that in times of divine discipline (26:14-33) people t...
  • Saul again confessed that he had sinned, as he had done when he had sacrificed at Gilgal (v. 21; cf. 15:24, 30) and when David had spared his life in the cave (24:17). Nevertheless he seems to have failed again to follow thro...
  • Proverbs claims to be a compendium of the wise sayings of several different individuals.4Solomon originated some of them (10:1-22:16 and chs. 25-29 definitely, and probably chs. 1-9 as well).5Unnamed wise men (sages) wrote ot...
  • The Book of Proverbs contains no history. It is purely didactic. It is a book of explicit instruction. Like the other Old Testament wisdom books, Job and Ecclesiastes, it does not contain references to Israel's laws, rituals,...
  • I. Discourses on wisdom chs. 1-9A. Introduction to the book 1:1-71. The title of the book 1:12. The purpose of the book 1:2-63. The thesis of the book 1:7B. Instruction for young people 1:8-7:271. Warning against consorting w...
  • Verse one introduces both the book as a whole and chapters 1-9 in particular. The Book of Proverbs is a collection of at least five separate groups of proverbs. There are those that Solomon spoke and or wrote (possibly chs. 1...
  • Chapters 1-9, as we have seen, contain discourses that Solomon evidently wrote urging his sons to choose the way of wisdom for their lives.92At 10:1 we begin the part of the book that sets forth what the wise way is in a vari...
  • There is a shift in emphasis in Solomon's anthology here. Pleasing God (cf. Col. 1:10; 1 John 3:22) becomes a greater factor in the proverbs that follow whereas those in chapters 10-15 had living successfully more in view. Ne...
  • As was true in the chapter 10-15 section, this one (16:1-22:16) also becomes more difficult to outline as it ends because there are fewer groupings of proverbs.19:7 The first part of this verse is hyperbole (overstatement to ...
  • A third major section of the Book of Proverbs begins with 22:17. This is clear from several indicators. The proverbs lengthen out again from the typical one verse couplet that characterizes 10:1-26:16 (cf. chs. 1-9). The phra...
  • 22:22-23 Note the chiastic structure in these four lines that unifies the thought of the passage: violence, litigation, litigation, violence. God will avenge the poor on those who oppress them.22:24-25 The writer gave a reaso...
  • The first sentence in 24:23 indicates that what follows was not part of the collection of 30 sayings that preceded. Other wise men (lit. sages) evidently provided these proverbs.24:23-25 This saying advocates justice and stra...
  • We return now to the proverbs of Solomon (cf. 1:1-22:16). Chapters 25-26 contain proverbs that are mainly comparisons. The key words in these chapters are "like . . . so."Chapter 27 is a mixture of comparative and antithetica...
  • 25:1 A group of scholars who served during King Hezekiah's reign (715-686 B.C.) added more of Solomon's 3,000 proverbs (1 Kings 4:32) to the former collection (1:1-22:16). These men lived about 250 years after Solomon. Solomo...
  • Many of the analogies in this pericope deal with virtues and vices that are characteristic of the wise and the foolish.27:7 The point of this proverb seems to be that the quantity of a person's material possessions affects hi...
  • Chapters 30 and 31 form a distinct section in Proverbs because neither Solomon (1:1-22:16; chs. 25-29) nor the unnamed sages (22:17-24:34) wrote them. Two other wise men whose names the text records did. Some expositors specu...
  • The quality of wisdom that Proverbs presents is much more than the ability to apply knowledge to various situations in life effectively. It also involves submission to the way of God that is the order of life God has revealed...
  • 10:17 Jeremiah called those living during the siege of Jerusalem to pack their bags. He often warned his hearers of the coming invasion by speaking as if the enemy was attacking. Consequently it is very difficult, if not impo...
  • "The opening verses of Nahum form a prologue dominated by the revelation of God's eternal power and divine nature in creation (cf. Rom 1:20). As in Romans 1:18-32, this revelation is characterized preeminently by God's justic...
  • 5:38 Retaliation was common in the ancient Near East. Frequently it led to vendettas in which escalating vengeance continued for generations. Israel's "law of retaliation"(Lat. lex talionis) limited retaliation to no more tha...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. 2. The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whose provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. 3. It is an honour for a m...
  • The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.'--Proverbs 20:4.LIKE all the sayings of this book, this is simply a piece of plain, practical common sense, intended to in...
  • Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.'--Proverbs 20:17.BREAD of deceit' is a somewhat ambiguous phrase, which may mean either of two things, and perhaps means both. It may ei...
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