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?
Biblical Facts
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?
Rains from the north
Rains from the north. In Palestine, winds from the north usually bring good weather. When the north wind brings rain, as in 25:23, the rain can be… Read More »Rains from the north
Kisses the lips
The phrase kisses the lips in 24:26 probably has more to do with respect and friendly affection than with any idea of romance. The proverb teaches that speaking honestly… Read More »Kisses the lips
Mixed wine
Mixed wine. Since the process of distillation had not yet been invented, the wine of ancient Palestine had a low alcoholic content. Sometimes, people added various… Read More »Mixed wine
Landmarks
Landmarks (22:28) were boundary stones placed on each corner of a person’s property to show where it began and ended.