Proverbs: Chapter 10

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.Scholarly background:This is the first chapter with the typical "Proverbs" flow: a series of many seemingly unconnected adages. Chapters 1-9 are different -- prefatory material laying the foundation for the pearls of wisdom that follow.The connections between proverbs may be catchwords, similar sounds, related topics, parallel thoughts, etc. These would have been useful mnemonically.10:1-22:16 are explicitly attributed to Solomon. These 375 Proverbs add up to the name of Solomon (Shlomo) in Hebrew (sh = 300, l = 30, m = 40, w = 5) -- hardly a coincidence.Proverbs are general observations, usually capturing only one facet of a matter. "It is simply the nature of a proverb to come up short of total reality, and to be in conflict with other sayings" (Roland E. Murphy, Word Biblical Commentary 22: Proverbs).This chapter is strongly marked by antithetic parallelism.Some salient points:How our kids are going affects us deeply, whether through joy or grief (v.1).Proverbs seldom provide the entire truth on any one topic. V.3 is a good example; sometimes the righteous do go hungry.Discipline and hard work go together. Slackness is a cause of poverty (vs. 4-5).Notice the paired opposites throughout the chapter: lazy... diligent, prudent... disgraceful... righteous... wicked, etc.Walking in integrity means we need not fear being caught out (v.9 -- see 28:1).There are plenty of verses in the O.T. teaching forgiveness, love, mercy, grace... as in v.12.When we don't seek, receive, or act on counsel, we affect others negatively (v.15)V.16 is strikingly similar to Rom 6:23 (though in reverse order).Challenge: May I be a person of integrity today. Integrity lies at the heart of discipline.Tomorrow: Proverbs 11