Proverbs 26
THREE words in the Hebrew, translated "fool", are used in the Book of Proverbs; the one r occurring eleven times in chapter 26 is kesil, meaning self-confident. Honor is as unsuited to such as snow is out of place in summer and as rain at harvest time (verse 1).
In the second verse the preferred reading is "As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come." The sparrow and the swallow are also mentioned together in Psalm 84;3. The sparrow is a common bird in Palestine, flitting about all the time, as is its habit in the western countries; and the swallow roves about like a homeless wanderer, according to its nature. So, as a bird is known by its habitual ways, where there is a curse, there must have been a cause. Man likes to think himself good, but he is self-deceived (Romans 1:1818For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18) and 3:23).
Verses 4 and 5 appear to be contradictory, but they are not. The purpose of the instruction in them is so to answer the self-confident that he may be helped, and that one may not become like him. God will give wisdom for this. In verse 9 "parable" is correctly "proverb."
Verse 10 appears difficult. It will be seen that words have been added (in italics) by the translators of three hundred years ago. The best translation is believed to. be: "A man roughly worketh every one: he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by," The Hebrew verb transslated "rewardeth" is generally written "hireth, (as for wages) elsewhere in the King James version. The meaning is that when employing people, a man will not be certain who will prove valuable and who of those he hires will not be; God is not referred to at all.
Verse 27 is another of God's rules regarding man: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" is the form in which it appears in Galatians 6:77Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7). There are many examples, both good and bad, of this in the Scriptures: for instance, Cain, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Caleb, David. It is well to remember that we each (whether saved or lost), are going to get back according to our deeds, according to the way we have spent our time. This is entirely apart from the salvation of the soul. That question once settled can never be brought up again, thank God! (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) and 10:28.)
Messages of God’s Love 9/18/1932