III.
(Prov. 30) Five Illustrations That Teach Important Life Lessons Wisdom is HOKHmah.
B.
() Four Amazing Things (that Agur could not understand.) We’ve already studied these four in Lesson 7.
1.
“Three things are too wonderful for me, four which I do not understand”
e.
Life Lesson: We watch TV without understanding all the technical features of it. How many of you understand analog to digital TV conversion? We should never require complete understanding before we will have faith. Now let’s consider . [Hebrew: “I have done no evil.” Keep in mind Folly’s offer of a meal here is a picture of offering lovemaking]) Verse 20 interjects the lack of accepting personal responsibility for sin as a bottom layer for four amazing things. The prostitute defined right and wrong by her own definition. What was right for her? (What gave her pleasure) What was wrong for her? (What didn’t give her pleasure). The young men who entered her house sought pleasure and omitted God, just as she did.
C.
() Hebrew: Four Unfair Things
1.
“Under three things the earth quakes, and under four, it cannot bear up:” () These are so unfair, it causes the earth to shake under us.
a.
“Under a slave when he becomes king,” () (The normal succession route is that a king’s son succeeds him. When this doesn’t happen, it means that the throne was overthrown and an interloper became king by killing all the princes. Such rule is often that of a tyrant [absolute rule that is cruel and unjust]. It’s not fair!
b.
“A fool when he is satisfied with food,” () (Why should one who is ethically deprived and helps no one but himself be contented? It’s not fair!)
c.
“An unloved woman when she gets a husband,” () (This may be one of several wives, who is miserable because her husband does not love her. It’s not fair!)
d.
“A maidservant when she supplants her mistress” () (This is perhaps because she was able to bear a child, whereas the wife was barren. It’s not fair!)
e.
Life Lesson: In the world system of Satan, there are situations that are not fair. However, God follows a fairness doctrine in dealing with sinners. It all revolves around receiving or rejecting His Son ().
D.
() Four Small but Wise Things
1.
“Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:” ()
a.
“The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer;” () [Ants are created with foresight and do not think only of immediate needs]
b.
“The shephanim (means “rock badger”) are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks.” () [this rock badger has wisdom to survive safely.] Badgers are carnivores who are savage fighters when cornered.
c.
“The locusts have no king, yet all of them go out in ranks;” () [this insect advances in swarms; alone it could not survive predators.]
d.
“The lizard you may grasp with the hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.” () [Lizards have innate (quality a person or an animal is born with) wisdom to manipulate their bodies through tiny openings].
e.
Life Lesson: Wisdom is evidenced by some of the smallest animals God created. However, although animals cannot have a personal relationship with their Creator, people can. We are also given divine wisdom in dealing with all the circumstances of our lives. What book of the Bible is all about divine wisdom to deal with the circumstances of our lives?
E.
() Hebrew: Four Things That Reign
1.
“There are three things which are stately in their march; even four which are stately when they walk” ().
a.
“The lion which is mighty among beasts, and does not retreat before any,” () A lion has no natural enemy where it lives and can bring down animals much bigger than it.
b.
() “The strutting rooster” This strutting rooster is girded for battle to protect the rest of the chickens from enemies on four or two feet.
c.
() “The Male goat also” (Male goats flaunted their arrogance.
d.
() “And a king when his army is with him.” Such a king could defend his kingdom from attack by enemy nations and could also use his forces proactively [acting rather than reacting to events].)
e.
Life Lesson: The writer presents animals and men who rule over others. These leaders may not be leaders with the hearts of servants, but if you or I have a leadership role as Christians, we need to be servant-leaders ((). All five of these sets of four are Climactic Parallelism (acting as a climax to a series of events).
IV.
() Epilogue (short chapter at the end of a literary work that wraps up the story) of Proverbs: The Ideal Wife
A.
A Perfect Acrostic of the Hebrew Language (Acrostic = word puzzle in which letters spell words for a message. How many of you like to work acrostic puzzles? It is one of my favorite puzzles. Perfect acrostics feature all 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in perfect alphabetical order. Psalms 111-112, 119 and Lamentations 1-5 [only 3 has 66 vss.] are also perfect acrostics of the Hebrew Language.
1.
Each verse begins with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet in alphabetical order. Verse 10 begins with Aleph; verse 11, Beth; verse 12, Gimel; verse 13, Daleth; verse 14, He, verse 15, Vav, verse 16, Zayin, verse 17, Heth, etc.
2.
The significance of a perfect acrostic is the significance of a neon sign. The Holy Spirit is calling our attention to urgent teaching we must learn. The alphabetical beginning of each verse is a memory aid. The word beginning with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet would remind a Jewish student of one of the verses (Aleph of verse 10 for ‘áshar [OSH-air] [“Blessed”] the first word of verse 10, etc.). In ‘áshar, here are the Hebrew letters: alef with vowel sound qames, shin with vowel sign patah, resh
B.
The Ideal Wife Is Described Italics show what English word(s) begin with each Hebrew letter. In addition, each character trait is presented as it fits wives in 2025. Only the first five letters of the Hebrew alphabet in Proverbs 31 feature the actual Hebrew word(s) that begin those verses to give you a sample of what the Jews memorized.
1.
a Alef () “An excellent wife (esheth-cháyil [eye-sheth-KHA-yeal]), who can find?” Esheth is translated “woman” or “wife” in the Old Testament.This is an ideal wife. Most wives of this period and of any period since fall a bit short of this ideal. However, it is not an unreachable ideal. This wife exists, even though she is a rare find.
a.
This is a template for godly wives to compare their own lives to. It is also a template for young men to use in selecting a wife.
b.
This wife was a noblewoman and her husband was a nobleman. He was a city leader who met at the gates of the city with other elders.
2.
() “Her worth is far above jewels (Hebrew rubies).” Ruby gems were not known in the biblical world until the 3rd century B.C. Therefore the rubies of the OT (Heb. peeninim) are more likely to have been pink pearls from the Red Sea. Pink pearls were almost priceless due to their rarity. Rubies (pink pearls) picture great value for this special wife. “Above rubies” pictures the greatest value a person can ever have.
a.
The description of this unique woman was that she was quite rare. She was so rare that she was an ideal wife (who’s status was reachable).
3.
b Beth () “The heart of her husband trusts (bátach [BAH-tahk]) in her, and he will have no lack of gain.” This trait is for a wife to be fully trusted by her husband because of her careful household management.
4.
g Gimel () “She (deals to) does him (gmálathihu [g-MA-la-thee-hoo]), good and not evil all the days of her life.” This trait is to be an asset, not a liability, to her husband. Her faithful support and encouragement of her husband lasts as long as she lives!
5.
d Daleth () “She looks (seeks) (dárshah [DAR-shah]), for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight.” This trait is to be an efficient homemaker who enjoys her work.
6.
h He () “She is (háythah) [HAH-y-thah]) like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar.” Merchant ships brought unusual and fascinating merchandise from other countries. This trait is shopping for nutritious food and other needs for her family. This is Emblematic Parallelism. “Like” is the key word. Now in the rest of these Hebrew letters, only the English translation of the Hebrew word(s) are given.
7.
v Waw () “She rises while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens.” This trait is rising early to prepare breakfast for her family. If she has servants, she delegates their assignments.
8.
z Zayin () “She (has examined) considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.” This trait is handling household money wisely.
9.
c Heth () “She (has girded) girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” This trait is a healthy attitude toward work. She has a great work ethic!
10.
e Teth(v{Proverbs}31:18v>) “She (tastes) senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night.” A “lamp going out” pictured calamity; “staying on at night,” meant financial security for her household. This trait is planning well for the future for her family.
11.
y Yod () “She stretches out her hands to the distaff (rod on which fiber is wound), and her hands grasp the spindle (spins thread and winds it on a spool).” What is this implement called? This trait is providing clothing for her family. She makes thread, then sews with it.
12.
k Kaph () “She extends her (palm) hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy.” She did not forget the poor and needy, but gave to help those who needed help. This may have included giving clothing items to the poor who had no changes of apparel and low quality in what they possessed. This trait is being a giver, not a taker. This is Synonymous Parallelism (two features, in this case, of godliness).
13.
l Lamed () “She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.” She spared no cost in protecting her family from bitterly cold weather. “Scarlet” pictured expensive wool outer garments. Scarlet is a bright red dye color, derived from the bodies of female scale insects of the genus Kermes and used for fabrics and yarn of the rich and royal. This trait is providing clothing for her family to deal with climate extremes.
14.
m Mem () “She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.” She even made bed coverings. Her own clothing evidenced her family’s riches. Only the wealthy could afford garments dyed purple. (Murex brandaris [a predatary sea snail) produces a yellow fluid that, when exposed to sunlight, becomes a purple dye. Hundreds of murex are needed to make a small amount of dye, thus it is a very expensive dye.) This trait is helping provide a fully furnished home for her family.
15.
n Nun () “Her husband is known [respected] in the [city] gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.” This noble woman enhanced her husband’s standing among the elders of this city. This trait is honoring and respecting her husband’s leadership of the home and any other leadership position he holds. He is the head of the family.
16.
s Samekh () Hebrew: “She makes linen garments and sells them, and sells belts to the merchants.” She not only sewed clothing for her family but was such a good seamstress that she made enough to sell. Linen garments were expensive. This trait is being a homemaker who also serves her community.
17.
i Ayin () Hebrew: “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she rejoices at the future.” This trait is facing the future with confidence and grace.
18.
p Pe () “She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” This trait is being a wise and loving counselor for her kids. She volunteers to teach children at her church.
19.
x Tsadhe (Sade) () “She (watches) looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” She was involved in management of household matters. This trait is using time wisely and managing domestic matters efficiently.
20.
q Qoph () r Resh () “Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: ‘Many (are the) daughters (who) have done nobly, but you excel them all.’” This trait is that her entire family lovingly affirms her service to them, and her husband praises her in public.
21.
S Sin/Shin () “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” Such a wife has godly character that others praise. She knows that physical traits are changeable over time, but godly traits are the same at any time. This is Antithetic Parallelism.
22.
t Taw () “Give (to) her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the [city] gates.” The Holy Spirit urges readers to recognize and reward the faithful diligence and kindness of such a woman. She should be honored publicly.
a.
Honoring a woman at the city gates was not normally done in Israel. However, this unusual woman called for unusual recognition. Such a wife is a rare jewel.
23.
Practical application: Young men and women can learn from this ideal wife figure that by fearing God, they can live wisely and righteously. Wives and husbands can learn the standard God sets for their marriage and family. The book of Proverbs ends with a positive role model who avoids all the ungodly things mentioned in the book and shows that it is possible to live a godly life. Godly women can attain this ideal.