Purple cloth
Purple cloth was associated with royalty because the purple dye was very difficult to produce in large quantities. Most of the purple dye came from a… Read More »Purple cloth
K.G.J
Mare among Pharaoh’s chariots
The man in this love story compared his beloved to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots (1:9). Only the best and most handsome of mares would have been… Read More »Mare among Pharaoh’s chariots
The peaceful shadows of old age
The peaceful shadows of old age. The righteous will enjoy a long and peaceful old age, like the shadows of evening (8:13). There is no such… Read More »The peaceful shadows of old age
“Eat, drink, and be merry”?
“Eat, drink, and be merry”? Ecclesiastes advises those who serve God to enjoy his gifts of food, drink, comfort, married life, and honest work (9:7–9; compare 2:24–26; 3:13;… Read More »“Eat, drink, and be merry”?
Working too hard?
Working too hard? It is equally wrong to be lazy or to be a “workaholic.” People sometimes work too hard because they want all the nice… Read More »Working too hard?
Vanity, vanities, and vain
The words vanity, vanities, and vain occur nearly 40 times in Ecclesiastes. Their literal meaning is “vapor” or “breath,” so they are used to describe things that can… Read More »Vanity, vanities, and vain
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes encourages God’s people to trust him in a fallen and often confusing world, in which sin and heartache touch every corner of the globe. We… Read More »Ecclesiastes
Rock badgers
Rock badgers are small cliff-dwelling animals closely resembling guinea pigs. They live and forage for food in large groups and are good at hiding. They are… Read More »Rock badgers
Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs
Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs. Although most of the Proverbs were collected or written by King Solomon, who reigned from 971–931 b.c., the book of Proverbs did not exist in its present form… Read More »Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs
Gluttony
Gluttony refers to excessive eating. The Bible condemns gluttony as well as drunkenness. Proverbs teaches that eating and drinking in excess can lead to poverty (23:19–21).
What is a crucible?
What is a crucible? In the ancient world, a crucible (27:21) was a bowl-shaped instrument used to hold metals such as gold and silver for the… Read More »What is a crucible?
Glazing over the truth?
Glazing over the truth? As in modern times, clay pottery was often glazed to improve its appearance. But glaze could also be used to hide poor… Read More »Glazing over the truth?