Discovery BoxProverbs 30:19
Context30:19 the way 1 of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship in the sea,
and the way of a man with a woman. 2
Proverbs 9:15
Context9:15 calling out 3 to those who are passing by her 4 in the way, 5
who go straight 6 on their way.
Proverbs 4:19
Context4:19 The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; 7
they do not know what causes them to stumble. 8
Proverbs 8:2
Context8:2 At the top 9 of the elevated places along the way,
at the intersection 10 of the paths she takes her stand;
Proverbs 10:29
Context10:29 The way of the Lord 11 is like 12 a stronghold for the upright, 13
but it is destruction 14 to evildoers. 15
Proverbs 11:20
Context11:20 The Lord abhors 16 those who are perverse in heart, 17
but those who are blameless in their ways 18 are his delight. 19
Proverbs 12:15
Context12:15 The way of a fool 20 is right 21 in his own opinion, 22
but the one who listens to advice is wise. 23
Proverbs 13:6
Context13:6 Righteousness 24 guards the one who lives with integrity, 25
but wickedness 26 overthrows the sinner.
Proverbs 14:12
Context14:12 There is a way that seems right to a person, 27
but its end is the way that leads to death. 28
Proverbs 15:9
Context15:9 The Lord abhors 29 the way of the wicked,
but he loves those 30 who pursue 31 righteousness.
Proverbs 15:19
Context15:19 The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, 32
but the path of the upright is like 33 a highway. 34
Proverbs 16:25
Context16:25 There is a way that seems right to a person, 35
but its end is the way that leads to death. 36
Proverbs 21:2
Context21:2 All of a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, 37
but the Lord evaluates 38 the motives. 39
Proverbs 21:8
Context21:8 The way of the guilty person 40 is devious, 41
but as for the pure, 42 his way is upright.
Proverbs 29:27
Context29:27 An unjust person is an abomination to the righteous,
and the one who lives an upright life is an abomination to the wicked. 43
Proverbs 30:20
Context30:20 This is the way 44 of an adulterous 45 woman:
she eats and wipes her mouth 46
and says, “I have not done wrong.” 47
[30:19] 1 sn It is difficult to know for certain what these four things had in common for the sage. They are all linked by the word “way” (meaning “a course of action”) and by a sense of mystery in each area. Suggestions for the connections between the four include: (1) all four things are hidden from continued observation, for they are in majestic form and then gone; (2) they all have a mysterious means of propulsion or motivation; (3) they all describe the movement of one thing within the sphere or domain of another; or (4) the first three serve as illustrations of the fourth and greatest wonder, which concerns human relationships and is slightly different than the first three.
[30:19] 2 tn This last item in the series is the most difficult to understand. The MT reads וְדֶּרֶךְ גֶּבֶר בְּעַלְמָה (vÿderekh gever bÿ’almah, “and the way of a man with a maid,” so KJV, NASB). The last term does not in and of itself mean “virgin” but rather describes a young woman who is sexually ready for marriage. What is probably in view here is the wonder of human sexuality, for the preposition בְּ (bet) in this sequence indicates that the “way of the man” is “with” the woman. This mystery might begin with the manner of obtaining the love of the young woman, but focuses on the most intimate part of human relationships. And all of this was amazing to the sage. All of it is part of God’s creative plan and therefore can be enjoyed and appreciated without fully comprehending it.
[9:15] 3 tn The infinitive construct “calling out” functions epexegetically in the sentence, explaining how the previous action was accomplished.
[9:15] 4 tn The term “her” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
[9:15] 5 tn The noun is a genitive of location after the construct participle. Its parallel word is also an adverbial accusative of location.
[9:15] 6 tn The participle modifies the participle in the first colon. To describe the passers-by in this context as those “who go straight” means that they are quiet and unwary.
[4:19] 5 sn The simile describes ignorance or spiritual blindness, sinfulness, calamity, despair.
[4:19] 6 tn Heb “in what they stumble.”
[8:2] 7 tn Heb “head.” The word רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head”) refers to the highest area or most important place in the elevated area. The contrast with chapter 7 is striking. There the wayward woman lurked at the corners in the street at night; here wisdom is at the highest point in the open places in view of all.
[8:2] 8 tn Heb “at the house of the paths.” The “house” is not literal here, but refers to where the paths meet (cf. ASV, NIV), that is, the “crossroads” (so NAB, NRSV, NLT).
[10:29] 9 sn The “way of the
[10:29] 10 tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[10:29] 11 tn Heb “for the one with integrity” (לַתֹּם, latom).
[10:29] 12 tn Or “ruin” (so NIV).
[10:29] 13 tn Heb “those who practice iniquity.”
[11:20] 11 tn Heb “an abomination of the
[11:20] 12 sn The word עִקְּשֵׁי (“crooked; twisted; perverted”) describes the wicked as having “twisted minds.” Their mentality is turned toward evil things.
[11:20] 13 tn Heb “those who are blameless of way.” The noun דֶּרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) is a genitive of specification: “blameless in their way.”
[11:20] 14 sn The noun means “goodwill, favor, acceptance, will”; it is related to the verb רָצַה (ratsah) which means “to be pleased with; to accept favorably.” These words are used frequently in scripture to describe what pleases the
[12:15] 13 sn The way of a fool describes a headlong course of actions (“way” is an idiom for conduct) that is not abandoned even when wise advice is offered.
[12:15] 14 sn The fool believes that his own plans and ideas are perfect or “right” (יָשָׁר, yashar); he is satisfied with his own opinion.
[12:15] 15 tn Heb “in his own eyes.”
[12:15] 16 tn Or “a wise person listens to advice” (cf. NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
[13:6] 15 sn Righteousness refers to that which conforms to law and order. One who behaves with integrity will be safe from consequences of sin.
[13:6] 16 tn Heb “blameless of way.” The term דָּרֶךְ (darekh) is a genitive of specification: “blameless in respect to his way.” This means living above reproach in their course of life. Cf. NASB “whose way is blameless”; NAB “who walks honestly.”
[13:6] 17 sn Righteousness and wickedness are personified in this proverb to make the point of security and insecurity for the two courses of life.
[14:12] 17 tn Heb “which is straight before a man.”
[14:12] 18 tn Heb “the ways of death” (so KJV, ASV). This construct phrase features a genitive of destiny: “ways that lead to [or, end in] death.” Here death means ruin (e.g., Prov 7:27; 16:25). The LXX adds “Hades,” but the verse seems to be concerned with events of this life.
[15:9] 19 tn Heb “an abomination of the
[15:9] 20 tn Heb “the one who” (so NRSV).
[15:9] 21 sn God hates the way of the wicked, that is, their lifestyle and things they do. God loves those who pursue righteousness, the Piel verb signifying a persistent pursuit. W. G. Plaut says, “He who loves God will be moved to an active, persistent, and even dangerous search for justice” (Proverbs, 170).
[15:19] 21 tn Heb “like an overgrowth”; NRSV “overgrown with thorns”; cf. CEV “like walking in a thorn patch.” The point of the simile is that the path of life taken by the lazy person has many obstacles that are painful – it is like trying to break through a hedge of thorns. The LXX has “strewn with thorns.”
[15:19] 22 tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied for the sake of clarity.
[15:19] 23 sn The contrast to the “thorny way” is the highway, the Hebrew word signifying a well built-up road (סָלַל, salal, “to heap up”). The upright have no reason to swerve, duck, or detour, but may expect “clear sailing.” Other passages pair these two concepts, e.g., Prov 6:10; 10:26; 28:19.
[16:25] 23 tn Heb “There is a way that is right before a man [to the face of a man].”
[16:25] 24 tn Heb “the ways of death” (so KJV, ASV). This construct phrase features a genitive of destiny: “ways that lead to [or, end in] death.”This proverb is identical to 14:12.
[21:2] 25 tn Heb “in his own eyes.” The term “eyes” is a metonymy for estimation, opinion, evaluation.
[21:2] 26 tn Heb “weighs” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “examines”; NCV, TEV “judges.”
[21:2] 27 tn Heb “the hearts.” The term לֵב (lev, “heart”) is used as a metonymy of association for thoughts and motives (BDB 660-61 s.v. 6-7). Even though people think they know themselves, the
[21:8] 27 tn The first line of the proverb is difficult. Since וָזָר (vazar) occurs only here it has been given much attention. The translation of “guilty” is drawn from an Arabic cognate meaning “to bear a burden” and so “to be sin laden” or “guilty” (cf. NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT). G. R. Driver prefers to read the line as “a man crooked of ways is false [zar]” (“Problems in the Hebrew Text of Proverbs,” Bib 32 [1951]: 185). C. H. Toy adopts the meaning of “proud” (Proverbs [ICC], 400). Whatever the reading, “guilty” or “proud” or “false,” the idea is that such people are devious. Bad people are underhanded; good people are aboveboard (C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 400). Another way to analyze the line is to read it with the definition “strange, stranger”: “The way of a man and a stranger is perverse.” But this is unclear, and would form no satisfactory contrast to 8b. Another suggestion is “the way of (usual) man is changeable and strange, but the pure fellow leads a straight and even course” (J. H. Greenstone, Proverbs, 244); cf. NLT “the innocent travel a straight road.”
[21:8] 28 tn The form הֲפַכְפַּךְ (hafakhfakh) is an adjective with an intensified meaning due to the duplication of the second and third radicals; it means “very devious; crooked” (from the verb “to overturn”).
[21:8] 29 tn If this translation stands, then the construction is formed with an independent nominative absolute, resumed by the suffixed noun as the formal subject. It draws attention to the “pure” or “innocent” person in contrast to the previously mentioned wicked.
[29:27] 29 tn Heb “who is upright in the way” (so NASB; KJV and ASV are similar). Here “in the way” refers to the course of a person’s life, hence “who lives an upright life.” Cf. NAB “he who walks uprightly.”
[30:20] 31 sn Equally amazing is the insensitivity of the adulterous woman to the sin. The use of the word “way” clearly connects this and the preceding material. Its presence here also supports the interpretation of the final clause in v. 19 as referring to sexual intimacy. While that is a wonder of God’s creation, so is the way that human nature has distorted it and ruined it.
[30:20] 32 sn The word clearly indicates that the woman is married and unchaste; but the text describes her as amoral as much as immoral – she sees nothing wrong with what she does.
[30:20] 33 sn The acts of “eating” and “wiping her mouth” are euphemistic; they employ an implied comparison between the physical act of eating and wiping one’s mouth afterward on the one hand with sexual activity on the other hand (e.g., Prov 9:17).
[30:20] 34 sn This is the amazing part of the observation. It is one thing to sin, for everyone sins, but to dismiss the act of adultery so easily, as if it were no more significant than a meal, is incredibly brazen.
