Amsal 3:33
Konteks3:33 The Lord’s curse 1 is on the household 2 of the wicked, 3
but he blesses 4 the home 5 of the righteous. 6
Amsal 5:21
Konteks5:21 For the ways of a person 7 are in front of the Lord’s eyes,
and the Lord 8 weighs 9 all that person’s 10 paths.
Amsal 10:29
Konteks10:29 The way of the Lord 11 is like 12 a stronghold for the upright, 13
but it is destruction 14 to evildoers. 15
Amsal 12:22
Konteks12:22 The Lord 16 abhors a person who lies, 17
but those who deal truthfully 18 are his delight. 19
Amsal 14:26
Konteks14:26 In the fear of the Lord one has 20 strong confidence, 21
and it will be a refuge 22 for his children.
Amsal 15:11
Konteks15:11 Death and Destruction 23 are before the Lord –
how much more 24 the hearts of humans! 25
Amsal 16:2
Konteks16:2 All a person’s ways 26 seem right 27 in his own opinion, 28
but the Lord evaluates 29 the motives. 30
Amsal 16:6
Konteks16:6 Through loyal love and truth 31 iniquity is appeased; 32
through fearing the Lord 33 one avoids 34 evil. 35
Amsal 17:3
Konteks17:3 The crucible 36 is for refining 37 silver and the furnace 38 is for gold,
likewise 39 the Lord tests 40 hearts.
Amsal 19:16
Konteks19:16 The one who obeys commandments guards 41 his life;
the one who despises his ways 42 will die. 43
Amsal 20:22
Konteks20:22 Do not say, 44 “I will pay back 45 evil!”
Wait 46 for the Lord, so that he may vindicate you. 47
Amsal 21:2
Konteks21:2 All of a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, 48
but the Lord evaluates 49 the motives. 50
Amsal 22:14
Konteks22:14 The mouth 51 of an adulteress is like 52 a deep pit; 53
the one against whom the Lord is angry 54 will fall into it. 55
Amsal 23:17
Konteks23:17 Do not let your heart envy 56 sinners,
but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord 57 all the time.
Amsal 28:25
Konteks28:25 The greedy person 58 stirs up dissension, 59
but the one who trusts 60 in the Lord will prosper. 61
Amsal 29:13
Konteks29:13 The poor person and the oppressor 62 have this in common: 63
the Lord gives light 64 to the eyes of them both.
Amsal 29:25
Konteks29:25 The fear of people 65 becomes 66 a snare, 67
but whoever trusts in the Lord will be set on high. 68
Amsal 30:7
Konteks30:7 Two things 69 I ask from you; 70
do not refuse me before I die:
[3:33] 1 tn Heb “the curse of the
[3:33] 2 tn Heb “house.” The term בֵּית (bet, “house”) functions as a synecdoche of container (= house) for the persons contained (= household). See, e.g., Exod 1:21; Deut 6:22; Josh 22:15 (BDB 109 s.v. 5.a).
[3:33] 3 sn The term “wicked” is singular; the term “righteous” in the second half of the verse is plural. In scripture such changes often hint at God’s reluctance to curse, but eagerness to bless (e.g., Gen 12:3).
[3:33] 4 sn The term “bless” (בָּרַךְ, barakh) is the antithesis of “curse.” A blessing is a gift, enrichment, or endowment. The blessing of God empowers one with the ability to succeed, and brings vitality and prosperity in the material realm, but especially in one’s spiritual relationship with God.
[3:33] 5 tn Heb “habitation.” The noun נָוֶה (naveh, “habitation; abode”), which is the poetic parallel to בֵּית (bet, “house”), usually refers to the abode of a shepherd in the country: “habitation” in the country (BDB 627 s.v. נָוֶה). It functions as a synecdoche of container (= habitation) for the contents (= people in the habitation and all they possess).
[3:33] 6 tn The Hebrew is structured chiastically (AB:BA): “The curse of the
[5:21] 8 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[5:21] 9 tn BDB 814 s.v. פָּלַס 2 suggests that the participle מְפַּלֵּס (mÿpalles) means “to make level [or, straight].” As one’s ways are in front of the eyes of the
[5:21] 10 tn Heb “all his”; the referent (the person mentioned in the first half of the verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[10:29] 11 sn The “way of the
[10:29] 12 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] 13 tn Heb “for the one with integrity” (לַתֹּם, latom).
[10:29] 14 tn Or “ruin” (so NIV).
[10:29] 15 tn Heb “those who practice iniquity.”
[12:22] 16 tn Heb “an abomination of the
[12:22] 17 tn Heb “lips of lying.” The genitive שָׁקֶר (shaqer, “lying”) functions as an attributive genitive: “lying lips.” The term “lips” functions as a synecdoche of part (= lips) for the whole (= person): “a liar.”
[12:22] 18 tn Heb “but doers of truthfulness.” The term “truthfulness” is an objective genitive, meaning: “those who practice truth” or “those who act in good faith.” Their words and works are reliable.
[12:22] 19 sn The contrast between “delight/pleasure” and “abomination” is emphatic. What pleases the
[14:26] 20 tn Heb “In the fear of the
[14:26] 21 tn Heb “confidence of strength.” This construct phrase features an attributive genitive: “strong confidence” (so most English versions; NIV “a secure fortress”).
[14:26] 22 sn The fear of the
[15:11] 23 tn Heb “Sheol and Abaddon” (שְׁאוֹל וַאֲבַדּוֹן (shÿ’ol va’adon); so ASV, NASB, NRSV; cf. KJV “Hell and destruction”; NAB “the nether world and the abyss.” These terms represent the remote underworld and all the mighty powers that reside there (e.g., Prov 27:20; Job 26:6; Ps 139:8; Amos 9:2; Rev 9:11). The
[15:11] 24 tn The construction אַף כִּי (’af ki, “how much more!”) introduces an argument from the lesser to the greater: If all this is open before the
[15:11] 25 tn Heb “the hearts of the sons of man,” although here “sons of man” simply means “men” or “human beings.”
[16:2] 26 tn Heb “ways of a man.”
[16:2] 27 sn The Hebrew term translated “right” (z~E) means “innocent” (NIV) or “pure” (NAB, NRSV, NLT). It is used in the Bible for pure oils or undiluted liquids; here it means unmixed actions. Therefore on the one hand people rather naively conclude that their actions are fine.
[16:2] 28 tn Heb “in his eyes.”
[16:2] 29 tn The figure (a hypocatastasis) of “weighing” signifies “evaluation” (e.g., Exod 5:8; 1 Sam 2:3; 16:7; Prov 21:2; 24:12). There may be an allusion to the Egyptian belief of weighing the heart after death to determine righteousness. But in Hebrew thought it is an ongoing evaluation as well, not merely an evaluation after death.
[16:2] 30 tn Heb “spirits” (so KJV, ASV). This is a metonymy for the motives, the intentions of the heart (e.g., 21:2 and 24:2).
[16:2] sn Humans deceive themselves rather easily and so appear righteous in their own eyes; but the proverb says that God evaluates motives and so he alone can determine if the person’s ways are innocent.
[16:6] 31 sn These two words are often found together to form a nominal hendiadys: “faithful loyal love.” The couplet often characterize the
[16:6] 32 tn Heb “is atoned”; KJV “is purged”; NAB “is expiated.” The verb is from I כָּפַר (kafar, “to atone; to expiate; to pacify; to appease”; HALOT 493-94 s.v. I כפר). This root should not be confused with the identically spelled Homonym II כָּפַר (kafar, “to cover over”; HALOT 494 s.v. II *כפר). Atonement in the OT expiated sins, it did not merely cover them over (cf. NLT). C. H. Toy explains the meaning by saying it affirms that the divine anger against sin is turned away and man’s relation to God is as though he had not sinned (Proverbs [ICC], 322). Genuine repentance, demonstrated by loyalty and truthfulness, appeases the anger of God against one’s sin.
[16:6] 33 tn Heb “fear of the
[16:6] 34 tn Heb “turns away from”; NASB “keeps away from.”
[16:6] 35 sn The Hebrew word translated “evil” (רַע, ra’) can in some contexts mean “calamity” or “disaster,” but here it seems more likely to mean “evil” in the sense of sin. Faithfulness to the
[17:3] 36 sn The noun מַצְרֵף (matsref) means “a place or instrument for refining” (cf. ASV, NASB “the refining pot”). The related verb, which means “to melt, refine, smelt,” is used in scripture literally for refining and figuratively for the
[17:3] 37 tn The term “refining” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the parallelism; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[17:3] 38 sn The term כּוּר (cur) describes a “furnace” or “smelting pot.” It can be used figuratively for the beneficial side of affliction (Isa 48:10).
[17:3] 39 tn Heb “and.” Most English versions treat this as an adversative (“but”).
[17:3] 40 sn The participle בֹּחֵן (bokhen, “tests”) in this emblematic parallelism takes on the connotations of the crucible and the furnace. When the
[19:16] 41 tn The verb שָׁמַר (shamar) is repeated twice in this line but with two different senses, creating a polysemantic wordplay: “he who obeys/keeps (ֹֹשׁמֵר, shomer) the commandment safeguards/keeps (שֹׁמֵר, shomer) his life.”
[19:16] 42 sn The expression his ways could refer either (1) to the conduct of the individual himself, or (2) to the commandments as the
[19:16] 43 tc The Kethib is יָוְמֻת (yavmut), “will be put to death,” while the Qere reads יָמוּת (yamut, “will die”). The Qere is the preferred reading and is followed by most English versions.
[20:22] 44 tn The verse is directly instructive; it begins with the negated jussive in the first colon, and follows with the imperative in the second. It warns that the righteous should not take vengeance on the wicked, for only God can do that.
[20:22] 45 tn The form is the Piel cohortative of resolve – “I am determined to pay back.” The verb שָׁלֵם (shalem) means “to be complete; to be sound.” In this stem, however, it can mean “to make complete; to make good; to requite; to recompense” (KJV, ASV). The idea is “getting even” by paying back someone for the evil done.
[20:22] 46 sn To “wait” (קַוֵּה, qavveh) on the
[20:22] 47 tn After the imperative, the jussive is subordinated in a purpose or result clause: “wait for the
[21:2] 48 tn Heb “in his own eyes.” The term “eyes” is a metonymy for estimation, opinion, evaluation.
[21:2] 49 tn Heb “weighs” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “examines”; NCV, TEV “judges.”
[21:2] 50 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
[22:14] 51 sn The word “mouth” is a metonymy of cause; it refers to the seductive speech of the strange woman (e.g., 2:16-22; and chs. 5, 7).
[22:14] 52 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.
[22:14] 53 sn The point of the metaphor is that what the adulteress says is like a deep pit. The pit is like the hunter’s snare; it is a trap that is difficult to escape. So to succumb to the adulteress – or to any other folly this represents – is to get oneself into a difficulty that has no easy escape.
[22:14] 54 tn Heb “the one who is cursed by the
[22:14] 55 tn Heb “will fall there.” The “falling” could refer to the curse itself or to the result of the curse.
[22:14] sn The proverb is saying that the
[23:17] 56 tn The verb in this line is אַל־יְקַנֵּא (’al-yÿqanne’), the Piel jussive negated. The verb means “to be jealous, to be zealous”; it describes passionate intensity for something. In English, if the object is illegitimate, it is called “envy”; if it is correct, it is called “zeal.” Here the warning is not to envy the sinners. The second colon could use the verb in the positive sense to mean “but rather let your passion burn for the fear of the
[23:17] 57 tn Heb “the fear of the
[28:25] 58 tn Heb “wide of soul.” This is an idiom meaning “a greedy person.” The term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, traditionally, “soul”) has here its more basic meaning of appetites (a person is a soul, a bundle of appetites; BDB 660 s.v. 5.a). It would mean “wide of appetite” (רְהַב־נֶפֶשׁ), thus “greedy.”
[28:25] 59 sn Greed “stirs up” the strife. This individual’s attitude and actions stir up dissension because people do not long tolerate him.
[28:25] 60 tn The construction uses the participle בּוֹטֵחַ (boteakh) followed by עַל־יְהוָה (’al-yÿhvah), which gives the sense of “relying confidently on the
[28:25] 61 tn The verb דָּשֵׁן (dashen) means “to be fat,” and in the Piel/Pual stems “to make fat/to be made fat” (cf. KJV, ASV). The idea of being “fat” was symbolic of health and prosperity – the one who trusts in the
[29:13] 62 tn Heb “a man of oppressions”; KJV “the deceitful man.” The noun תֹּךְ (tokh) means “injury; oppression” (BDB 1067 s.v.). Such men were usually the rich and powerful. The Greek and the Latin versions have “the debtor and creditor.”
[29:13] 63 tn The verb פָּגַשׁ (pagash) means “to meet; to encounter.” In the Niphal it means “to meet each other; to meet together” (cf. KJV, ASV). The focus in this passage is on what they share in common.
[29:13] 64 sn The expression gives light to the eyes means “gives them sight” (cf. NIV). The expression means that by giving them sight the
[29:25] 65 tn Heb “the fear of man.” This uses an objective genitive to describe a situation where fearing what people might do or think controls one’s life. There is no indication in the immediate context that this should be limited only to males, so the translation uses the more generic “people” here.
[29:25] 66 tn Heb “gives [or yields, or produces]”; NIV “will prove to be.”
[29:25] 67 sn “Snare” is an implied comparison; fearing people is like being in a trap – there is no freedom of movement or sense of security.
[29:25] 68 sn The image of being set on high comes from the military experience of finding a defensible position, a place of safety and security, such as a high wall or a mountain. Trusting in the
[30:7] 69 sn Wisdom literature often groups things in twos and fours, or in other numerical arrangements (e.g., Amos 1:3–2:6; Job 5:19; Prov 6:16-19).
[30:7] 70 tn Assuming that the contents of vv. 7-9 are a prayer, several English versions have supplied a vocative phrase: “O
