Good morning! We start the proverbs of Solomon in earnest today with chapters 10-11. These pithy sayings are 1-2 verses at most, and they encompass all manner of subjects, none of them in great detail. We read about childhood, righteousness, industriousness, love, wisdom, wealth, falsehood, and restraint in chapter 10, followed by justice in industry, pride, integrity, civic leadership, gossip, advice, loan guarantees, generosity, and merchant practices in Proverbs 11. The award for “most local color” goes to 11:22, which reads, “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without good sense.” The point behind these proverbs is to crystalize an opinion on a given matter, with a brevity that makes it memorable. I question, however, if these proverbs are universally applicable. Some of them seem to be true in every circumstance, but others reveal the privilege and class of their writer. I’ll be interested to know what you think of these short quips. Happy reading!
Please join discussion of this passage at the Daily Bible Facebook group, or comment below. The passage for tomorrow is Proverbs 12-14. Thanks for reading!
Pastor Oby Ballinger 