Proverbs chapter 10

vs 1

Now we're getting into some seriously proverbial stuff. But first, why repeat that they are the proverbs of Solomon? Is it possible that it's another Solomon who's not David's son, king of Israel? Well, if you know about the 'who wrote Ecclesiastes' debate, then you know that it could well be "Solomon", although the author of Eccl never actually uses the name. I don't see any reason it can't just be Solomon again - and the difference is between his little treatise before, and his pithy proverbs now.

So number one. I realise I may not have much to say about these proverbs, or what I say might well be repetitive. But hey, the Bible is repetitive sometimes, what am I afraid of?

So this proverb shows how poetic proverbs can be. It switches in father and mother - but it means both parents both times. The fact is that if you're a fool, you'll upset your parents. We might say, 'Big deal', but in that culture it is a big deal. This proverb also shows, I guess, that wisdom and lack of it has an impact outside yourself, on your family or those around you.

vs 2

There really is nothing you can gain wrongly that will last for eternity. And righteousness does eventually deliver us from death - it's Jesus' righteousness, but hey. However, is that really the point here? Those things are true, but remember proverbs aren't always so theologically primed, and they don't all have universal application. This one might. It might be a 'messianic proverb'. But it could just as likely be saying that all you'll get in an ill-gotten way won't be of abiding value - think of a love you get by tricking someone, for example. And righteousness will generally make you respectable. It's probably a 90/10 split or something - that most of the time people respect someone living righteously.

vs 3

Now there's an interesting proverb. Of course, we know lots of hungry righteous people, and lots of bloated wicked people. That's where the foil of Ecclesiastes comes in. But right now, know that there are also a lot of righteous people who are blessed, and a great number of wicked people who get caught. It's hard to see sometimes, because everyone is wicked to some degree, and we can't just lock people up as they're born. But really, a lot of bad people do get caught.

vs 4

Very rarely do lazy people get rich. Somewhat rarely to lazy rich people stay rich.

vs 5

Not sure why summer is important - I have no idea when you're meant to gather crops. I assume summer is a good time. There are of course problems if you don't gather your harvest. The other idea that is here is that children are in fact workers for their parents. They work the family business, which was pretty much farming. Farming isn't for everyone, I guess, but when you're living off what you harvest, then not helping is pretty bad.

vs 6

I must say there have been many occasions where I've wanted to clock someone in the mouth for their wickedness, or even their foolishness. And you know that even the secular world still pours blessings on the head of the rightoeus - Mother Theresa, for example.

vs 7

The TNIV here has a curious little footnote that tells you to look at Genesis 48:20. The idea, I think, is that it's showing you what it means by names being used in blessings. "May you be as awesome as Don Carson in your preaching." This means that the name of the righteous gets kept around. That of the wicked might get kept around as, "He's as evil as Hitler", but it might just as well rot away. "May you be as forgotten as what's his name."

vs 8

Not sure of how these two play off each other. On their own, both make sense. Someone who takes commands is wise - sometimes things just need to be done. It might just be that the fool talks so much, rather than doing what he's told, that bad things happen. You don't argue with someone when they order you to 'duck', for example.

vs 9

I mean, who cares if people know you are walking in integrity? What are they going to say? You don't have to fear being 'found out' when you're doing the right thing.

vs 10

Does that seem repetitive to you? I wonder if anyone has said that this could be a scribal repetition. In any case, we already know that chattering fools come to ruin. What about winking people? I don't know what winking means in Hebrew culture, especially to do it maliciously.