Category: A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 11
What does Proverbs Chapter 11 mean? Solomon continues his wise sayings in this chapter by contrasting the conduct and character of the upright and the wicked. Those labelled “righteous” or “blameless” here are those who follow godly wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Those who ignore God, and selfishly follow their own whims,…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 10
What does Proverbs Chapter 10 mean? Prior chapters in the book of Proverbs established the importance of wisdom and its basic definition: humble, submissive reverence and obedience to God (Proverbs 1:7). Chapter 10 begins a long series of individual statements, each of these is a “proverb” in and of itself.…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 9
What does Proverbs Chapter 9 mean? Chapter 9 further highlights the distinction between godly wisdom and worldly foolishness. This returns to prior depictions of wisdom as a woman calling to be heard (Proverbs 8:1–4), and a seductive, sinful woman seeking gullible people as her prey (Proverbs 7:7–27). The chapter can…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 8
What does Proverbs Chapter 8 mean? Earlier in the book of Proverbs, wisdom was personified as a woman calling out in public to be heard (Proverbs 1:20–21). Solomon once again uses this metaphor, depicting wisdom as she cries out from near and far for men to heed her call and…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 7
What does Proverbs Chapter 7 mean? As in his previous lessons, Solomon begins Proverbs 7 with a plea to his “son,” which may also be a reference to students. His request is that they pay close attention to his instruction and value his counsel highly. He commends valuing wisdom the way a…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 6
What does Proverbs Chapter 6 mean? Solomon continues to impart wise sayings to his “son,” which might also mean his student or students. The first of the wise lessons in this chapter relates to wisely caring for one’s existing wealth. Solomon especially urges his son to avoid financial entanglements by…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 5
What does Proverbs Chapter 5 mean? Advice in Proverbs often comes in the form of warnings. Those are especially aimed at what happens when a person gives in to sin in general: listing the risks associated with ignoring godly wisdom. This section of Proverbs focuses narrowly on the sin of…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch,
Survey of Proverbs Book Type: The fourth book of Wisdom; the twentieth book of the Old Testament; the twentieth book of the Bible. Author: Proverbs is generally associated with its primary author, Solomon. However, he is only specifically listed as the author of Proverbs 1—22:16. Proverbs 22:17—24:34 were likely only compiled by Solomon, rather than…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 4
What does Proverbs Chapter 4 mean? The call to listen to wisdom is repeated often in the book of Proverbs, especially in the early chapters. Here, Solomon continues to urge this perspective. He speaks to his “sons,” which might suggest he is speaking to a wider group such as students.…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 3
What does Proverbs Chapter 3 mean? This chapter begins with another encouragement for the reader to embrace the wisdom being imparted. Solomon’s reference to “my son” most likely means his actual child or children. However, it was common for teachers in that era to refer to their students using father-son…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter 2
What does Proverbs Chapter 2 mean? The Greek philosopher Plato identified four virtues, later called the cardinal virtues, which he theorized were present to some degree in every person. Those virtues, as defined in Plato’s terminology, are courage, integrity, wisdom, and justice. Here, within the second chapter of the Book of Proverbs, we see…
-
A Verse by Verse Study in the Book of Proverbs, (ESV) with Irv Risch, Chapter1
What does Proverbs Chapter 1 mean? To fully understand Proverbs, it is important to define four key terms used throughout the book. These words are often used interchangeably in English, but in the book of Proverbs they tend to have individual meanings. The four terms are “learning,” “knowledge,” “wisdom,” and…
Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded 