September 14th
Proverbs, 21
1:
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water:
he turneth it whithersoever he will. 2:
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth
the hearts. 3:
To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than
sacrifice. 4:
An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is
sin. 5:
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every
one that is hasty only to want. 6:
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and
fro of them that seek death. 7:
The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to
do judgment. 8:
The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work
is right. 9:
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a
brawling woman in a wide house. 10:
The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour
in his eyes. 11:
When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the
wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. 12:
The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God
overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. 13:
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry
himself, but shall not be heard. 14:
A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong
wrath. 15:
It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the
workers of iniquity. 16:
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain
in the congregation of the dead. 17:
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and
oil shall not be rich. 18:
The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor
for the upright. 19:
It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and
an angry woman. 20:
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
but a foolish man spendeth it up. 21:
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life,
righteousness, and honour. 22:
A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the
strength of the confidence thereof. 23:
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from
troubles. 24:
Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
25:
The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to
labour. 26:
He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and
spareth not. 27:
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he
bringeth it with a wicked mind? 28:
A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh
constantly. 29:
A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth
his way. 30:
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
31:
The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the
LORD.
Proverbs, 22
1:
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving
favour rather than silver and gold. 2:
The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
3:
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple
pass on, and are punished. 4:
By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and
life. 5:
Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep
his soul shall be far from them. 6:
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will
not depart from it. 7:
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the
lender. 8:
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger
shall fail. 9:
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his
bread to the poor. 10:
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and
reproach shall cease. 11:
He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king
shall be his friend. 12:
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the
words of the transgressor. 13:
The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in
the streets. 14:
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the
LORD shall fall therein. 15:
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of
correction shall drive it far from him. 16:
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that
giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. 17:
Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine
heart unto my knowledge. 18:
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall
withal be fitted in thy lips. 19:
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this
day, even to thee. 20:
Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and
knowledge, 21:
That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that
thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
22:
Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted
in the gate: 23:
For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that
spoiled them. 24:
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou
shalt not go: 25:
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. 26:
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are
sureties for debts. 27:
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from
under thee? 28:
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. 29:
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before
kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Today we are reading
Proverbs 21 & 22. Proverbs 21 begins with a little verse all by
itself which says that the kings mind is in the hand of the LORD
(Jehovah) in the same way that the little irrigation channels of the
garden are in the hands of the gardener. And the water is turned from
one channel to another just by the lightest turning of the gardeners
foot. In this way the Lord controls the kings conscious mind. The
LORD controls where the irrigation and therefore where the growth
will take place. Then we have a section of proverbs dealing with
personal character and it continues on into ch 22v16.
Every
way of a man is right in his own eyes:
but
the LORD pondereth the hearts.
To
do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD
than
sacrifice.
An
high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked,
is
sin.
The
thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
but
of every one that is hasty only to want.
The
getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is
a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
The
robbery of the wicked shall destroy them;
because
they refuse to do judgment.
The
way of man is froward and strange:
but
as for the pure, his work is right.
It
is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,
than
with a brawling woman in a wide house.
The
soul of the wicked desireth evil:
his
neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.
When
the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise:
and
when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
The
righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked:
but
God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
Whoso
stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
he
also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
A
gift in secret pacifieth anger:
and
a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
It
is joy to the just to do judgment:
but
destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
The
man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
shall
remain in the congregation of the dead.
He
that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
he
that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
The
wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
and
the transgressor for the upright.
It
is better to dwell in the wilderness,
than
with a contentious and an angry woman.
There
is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
but
a foolish man spendeth it up.
He
that followeth after righteousness
and
mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
A
wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
and
casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
Whoso
keepeth his mouth
and
his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Proud
and haughty scorner is his name,
who
dealeth in proud wrath.
The
desire of the slothful killeth him;
for
his hands refuse to labour.
He
coveteth greedily all the day long:
but
the righteous giveth and spareth not.
The
sacrifice of the wicked is abomination:
how
much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
A
false witness shall perish:
but
the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
A
wicked man hardeneth his face:
but
as for the upright, he directeth his way.
There
is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel
against
the LORD.
The
horse is prepared against the day of battle:
but
safety is of the LORD.
A
good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
and
loving favour rather than silver and gold.
The
rich and poor meet together:
the
LORD is the maker of them all.
A
prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself:
but
the simple pass on, and are punished.
By
humility and the fear of the LORD
are
riches, and honour, and life.
Thorns
and snares are in the way of the froward:
he
that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Train
up a child in the way he should go:
and
when he is old, he will not depart from it.
The
rich ruleth over the poor,
and
the borrower is servant to the lender.
He
that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity:
and
the rod of his anger shall fail.
He
that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed;
for
he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Cast
out the scorner,
and
contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
He
that loveth pureness of heart,
for
the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
The
eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge,
and
he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
The
slothful man saith,
There
is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
The
mouth of strange women is a deep pit:
he
that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
Foolishness
is bound in the heart of a child;
but
the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
He
that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches,
and
he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
From verse 17 the wise
call out to bring the listeners to wisdom. These wise men are the
advisors and religious leaders of Israel. They say…
Bow
down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and
apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
For
it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee;
they
shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
That
thy trust may be in the LORD,
I
have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
Have
not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
That
I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth;
that
thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
In this last section the
wise men give practical instruction FOR Solomon. They say…
Rob
not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in
the gate:
For
the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that
spoiled them.
Make
no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt
not go:
Lest
thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Be
not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties
for debts.
If
thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under
thee?
Remove
not the ancient landmark,
which
thy fathers have set.
Seest
thou a man diligent in his business?
he
shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
The first instruction was
to kindness to those who are unfortunate, because their cause will be
upheld by the LORD and he will spoil those that oppress them. The
Lord is a righteous judge among men and he has special mercy to those
who are unable to defend themselves. The next thing is do not be a
friend to an angry man nor must he learn his ways, because it will be
a man trap to his life. And thirdly they say do not agree or be party
to those who take the last things from the destitute. Then he says do
not remove the ancient landmark. Which your fathers set. These
landmarks are part of Israel’s history and they marked the
boundaries between one field and another, between one inheritance and
another. The field that a man has from the Lord is all he has and
it’s an eternal inheritance. Anyone who even touches the landmark,
let alone moves it is to be executed. Lastly, they say only bring men
into your court, who are industrious, hard working in business. These
men are to be respected and honoured with the king’s presence
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