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 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? 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? 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. 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

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. 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 (22:28) were boundary stones placed on each corner of a person’s property to show where it began and ended.

The concept of weighing the heart (21:2) originated in Egypt. Egyptians believed that when a person died, the gods placed that person’s heart on a set of… Read More »Weighing the heart

A false witnesses is someone who testifies dishonestly against another person (19:5).

Casting lots. Though quarrels were often settled by a judge’s decision, sometimes there was not enough evidence to reach a verdict. In such cases, the parties… Read More »Casting lots