(Prov 22:1 NASB) A good name is to be more desired than great riches, Favor is better than silver and gold.
Prov 22:1: A good name means someone with good character and a good reputation. A good name is worth more than wealth.
Favor (grace) is worth more than silver or gold. This is likely referring to receiving favor (grace) from the Father.
(Prov 22:2 NASB) The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all.
Prov 22:2: Whether one is rich or poor, we all have a common origin and responsibility to Elohim.
(Prov 22:3 NASB) The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it.
Prov 22:3: The prudent steer clear of evil. But the naive and simple go toward evil and pay the penalty for doing so.
(Prov 22:4 NASB) The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.
Prov 22:4: Those who have humility and fear of the Father receive virtually everything (Psalm 34:9-10, 112:1-3, Isa. 33:5-6, Matt. 6:31-33, 1 Tim. 4:8, James 4:6,10).
(Prov 22:5 NASB) Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them.
Prov 22:5: Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse. John tells us that greed, coveting, and pride are the ways of the world, but they are perishing (1 John 2:16-17).
(Prov 22:6 NASB) Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Prov 22:6: This passage is one that is greatly misunderstood by contemporary Christianity because it has nothing to do with contemporary Christianity. The Hebrew word for “train” is chanack:
H2596. chanak, [335b]; denom. vb. from H2441; to train up, dedicate:– dedicated(4), train(1).
Children embrace Torah when they are dedicated and directed towards it. To firmly dedicate our children to Torah is a direct command to His people (Deut. 6:6-9, Psalm 78:3-7, Eph. 6:4).
(Prov 22:7 NASB) The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
Prov 22:7: Those that are in debt to others are slaves to those from which they borrow. It is merely a fact of life.
(Prov 22:8 NASB) He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish.
(Prov 22:9 NASB) He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor.
Prov 22:9: This is another common theme in Scripture: we are to help the poor among us.
(Prov 22:10 NASB) Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.
Prov 22:10: Those who cause contention are to be removed if a group is to exist in harmony (Prov. 26:20-22).
(Prov 22:11 NASB) He who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.
Prov 22:11: One whose heart is pure and can eloquently convey his message is one that is loved by those righteously in power.
(Prov 22:12 NASB) The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.
Prov 22:12: Truth comes from the Father.
(Prov 22:13 NASB) The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside; I shall be slain in the streets!”
Prov 22:13: The sluggard will use any excuse possible to not exert himself.
(Prov 22:14 NASB) The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it.
Prov 22:14: Those who are cursed of the Father can fall into the hands of the adultress (Ecc. 7:26).
(Prov 22:15 NASB) Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
Prov 22:15: Foolishness, mischief, and self-will are in the heart of a child. The rod of discipline will help him with that.
(Prov 22:16 NASB) He who oppresses the poor to make much for himself Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
Prov 22:16: It is forbidden in Torah to oppress the poor.
(Prov 22:17 NASB) Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge;
(Prov 22:18 NASB) For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips.
(Prov 22:19 NASB) So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you.
Prov 22:19: It is through wisdom and knowledge that we learn to trust in Elohim.
(Prov 22:20 NASB) Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,
(Prov 22:21 NASB) To make you know the certainty of the words of truth That you may correctly answer to him who sent you?
Prov 22:21: The Word of Elohim is the word of Truth by which we can answer to others.
(Prov 22:22 NASB) Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate;
(Prov 22:23 NASB) For the LORD will plead their case, And take the life of those who rob them.
Prov 22:23: Torah forbids robbing from the poor. Yahweh will plead their case (Psalm 140:12).
(Prov 22:24 NASB) Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man,
(Prov 22:25 NASB) Lest you learn his ways, And find a snare for yourself.
Prov 22:25: A hot tempered man is a dangerous man. His anger can often be contagious and a snare for others.
(Prov 22:26 NASB) Do not be among those who give pledges, Among those who become sureties for debts.
(Prov 22:27 NASB) If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take your bed from under you?
Prov 22:27: This is more warnings against giving sureties for the debts of those you do not know.
(Prov 22:28 NASB) Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set.
Prov 22:28: To move the ancient boundaries is to steal property (Deut. 19:14, 27:17).
(Prov 22:29 NASB) Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.
Prov 22:29: A man skilled in his work will have the honor of serving kings. These types of men are the ones who constructed the Ark of the Covenant and everything associated with it
Patrick McGuire
Copyright 2014 Patrick McGuire and Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly All rights reserved, no portion of this Lesson may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews. Beit Yeshua Torah Assembly Fort Smith, Arkansas