Proverbs 22:1-10

CHAPTER 22
TEXT Proverbs 22:1-10

1.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,

And loving favor rather than silver and gold,

2.

The rich and poor meet together:

Jehovah is the maker of them all,

3.

A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself;

But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

4.

The reward of humility and the fear of Jeohavh

Is riches, and honor, and life.

5.

Thorns and stars are in the way of the perverse:

He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.

6.

Train up a child in the way he should go,

And even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7.

The rich ruleth over the poor;

And the borrower is servant to the lender.

8.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity;

And the rod of his wrath shall fail.

9.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed;

For he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out;

Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.

STUDY QUESTIONS OVER 22:1-10

1.

Restate Proverbs 22:1 in your own words.

2.

What is the purpose of the statement in Proverbs 22:2?

3.

What does evil mean in Proverbs 22:3?

4.

What Bible characters were rewarded in keeping with Proverbs 22:4 :

5.

What do thorns and snares stand for in Proverbs 22:5?

6.

What does another proverb say about a child left to help himself to grow up his own way instead of training him (Proverbs 22:6)?

7.

If a child does not turn out right, should we question God's promise in Proverbs 22:26 or the parent's rearing?

8.

Is Proverbs 22:7 stating the way it is or the way it should be?

9.

What is the game no one can win (Proverbs 22:8)?

10.

Why does Proverbs 22:9 speak of one's eye being bountiful?

11.

In Solomon's day, cast him out of what (Proverbs 22:10)?

PARAPHRASE OF 22:1-10

1.

If you must choose, take a good name rather than great riches; for to be held in loving esteem is better than silver and gold.

2.

The rich and the poor are alike before the Lord who made them all.

3.

A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

4.

True humility and respect for the Lord lead a man to riches, honor and long life.

5.

The rebel walks a thorny, treacherous road; the man who values his soul will stay away.

6.

Teach a child to choose the right path, and when he is older he will remain upon it.

7.

Just as the rich rules the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.

8.

The unjust tyrant will reap disaster and his reign of terror shall end.

9.

Happy is the generous man, the one who feeds the poor.

10.

Throw out the mocker, and you will be rid of tension, fighting and quarrels.

COMMENTS ON 22:1-10

Proverbs 22:1. Ecclesiastes 7:1 is similar, saying a good name is better than precious oil. Those who get rich through dishonest means choose riches rather than a good reputation. If it comes down to a choice, always choose a good name (loving favor) to great riches (Silver and gold). Great possessions with no friends can be so cold and empty! There are many suicides among the rich too. An average living with many friends and the favor of God proves to be the happiest, most satisfying way to live.

Proverbs 22:2. Proverbs 29:13 speaks similarly concerning the two classes. Does God make them rich and poor, or is He the maker of them regardless of whether they are rich or poor? Probably the latter. In society they both help each other. Pulpit Commentary aptly remarks: The labor of the poor makes the wealth of the rich; the wealth of the rich enables him to employ and aid the poor...The rich should not despise the poor (Proverbs 14:31; Proverbs 17:5) Job 31:15); the poor should not envy the rich (Proverbs 3:31).

Proverbs 22:3. This very saying is repeated in Proverbs 27:12. An old saying: Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. A discerning person can often foresee danger ahead, and his wisdom causes him to avoid it; but the simple, undiscerning person comes along, never realizing what is just ahead, and suffers the consequences. In the original, prudent man is singular while the simple is plural. Hitzig observes as a result: Many simple ones are found for one prudent. And when something new (some fad) comes along that had dangerous involvements connected with it, many take up with it anyway, and you wonder if Hitzig isn-'t correct in his observation! A Cornish proverb: He who will not be ruled by the rudder must be ruled by the rock.

Proverbs 22:4. humility and the fear of Jehovah are here equated, for those who truly fear Jehovah are humble, submissive, and obedient to Him. The reward of such is threefold: riches, honor and long life. Here is the way that one can have both possessions and good reputation with life thrown in as a bonus. Abraham is a good example of all three. God rewards those who thus fear Him and do His will from humble hearts.

Proverbs 22:5. What a contrast with Proverbs 22:4! While the righteous reap riches, honor and life (Proverbs 22:4), Thorns and snares await the perverse. Proverbs 15:19 combines both groups: The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns; But the path of the upright is made a highway. The wicked are perverse (perverted from what God has intended them to be). The godly are those who keep their souls; they shall avoid the thorns and snares that come upon the ungodly. Another reason (a sensible one) for being godly rather than ungodly.

Proverbs 22:6. A commandment with a promise. The commandment: train up a child in the way he should go; the promise: even when he is old he will not depart from it. Such training requires many things: knowledge, wisdom, time, patience, determination and love. There are many failures in child-rearing because of lacking one or several of the above requirements. Child-training is something that is easy to neglect or try shortcuts with, but what a shame when the future of one's entire posterity is at stake! What is really more important? Ephesians 6:4 commands this type of training. Timothy had been taught the Scriptures from a child (2 Timothy 3:15); as a result the great faith that had dwelt in his mother and grandmother was in him also (2 Timothy 1:5). No wonder that as a young man he was well reported of by his home congregation (Lystra) and by other Christians in the area (Acts 16:1-2). Other passages on child rearing: Proverbs 1:8; Proverbs 13:1; Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 23:13-14; Proverbs 29:15; Proverbs 29:17.

Proverbs 22:7. This is the way it is in life: the rich who have made financial successes are the ones who rule in governmental circles; they have power, influence and reputation that necessarily puts them at the helm. It is likely in this verse that the second statement is explanatory of the first; that is, the borrower (the poor) is servant to the lender (the rich). The borrower is limited in the amount he can borrow by the wishes of the lender; he must pay the interest-rate asked by the lender, or there will be no borrowing; he must pay it back in the time-limit set by the lender; and if he doesn-'t pay it back, the lender will do all he can to collect the equivalent (or more) from the borrower.

Proverbs 22:8. It is a divine principle (law) that whatever a person sows in life, that he will reap in consequences (Galatians 6:7). If one sows good seeds, he will reap good (Galatians 6:8; Proverbs 11:18); if he sows bad seeds, he will reap trouble (Galatians 6:8; Job 4:8; Hosea 10:13). The acts of sin may be pleasurable (Hebrews 11:25), but the consequences are not (Proverbs 5:8-13). Oftentimes one finds that the rod of wrath he planned for another falls upon himself instead.

Proverbs 22:9. One with a bountiful eye is one who sees needs, who sees what he can do to alleviate the persons involved, and who generously gives of what he has. God's promise to such a liberal giver: he shall be blessed. Similar promises: Proverbs 11:25; Luke 6:38; Luke 14:12-14; Proverbs 19:17; 2 Corinthians 9:6.

Proverbs 22:10. Sometimes a circle of people is better off with one less person if that person be a scoffer, for one such person can keep a whole group in a continual state of contention, strife and ignominy (reproach). How terrible to be that warped a person!

TEST QUESTIONS OVER 22:1-10

1.

One should choose a good ...... over riches (Proverbs 22:1)?

2.

What are we to learn from Proverbs 22:2?

3.

What point was made that in the Hebrew prudent man is singular while simple is plural (Proverbs 22:3)?

4.

What is the three-fold reward of humbly fearing God (Proverbs 22:4)?

5.

What two things are promised in Proverbs 22:5 to the perverse?

6.

What is the command in Proverbs 22:6? What is the promise?

7.

How do the rich rule over the poor (Proverbs 22:7)?

8.

Comment upon the harvest of sin (Proverbs 22:8).

9.

Enlarge upon the person with a bountiful eye (Proverbs 22:9).

10.

When is a group of people better off with one less person in it (Proverbs 22:10)?