Curious as to the cross reference of the above verse - Proverbs 15:16, 17; 16:8, meandering through cross references.
Pro 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
- Psa 37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
- Pro 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
- Pro 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
Pro 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
- Pro 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
- Pro 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
Pro 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
- Psa 37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
- Pro 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
- Pro 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
It's hard to be solo, Scripture bears this out:
Ecc 4:9-12 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Found this verse perplexing:
Ecc 4:15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. (KJV)
Ecc 4:15 I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who doth stand in his place; (YLT)
I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king’s place. (ESV)
What does second child mean? Perused commentaries, one related this to Solomon's son Rehoboam. Others commented on how change from an old monarch to another can be troublesome.
I wondered if it meant 'second child' in the sense of Christ Jesus - none of the commentaries took that tack.
I've meditated on this, and our pastor has touched on the topic, more than once.
Ecc 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Ecc 5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
Keeping one's thoughts and words in check. Aptly applied before the next verse:
Ecc 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Which takes me back to a post I had on vows.
Do we really reflect as God would have us to?
Ecc 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
Do those who attend funerals, memorials, etc. really think "that could be me?" Do you?
Ecc 7:7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
The center column notes adds:
mad = a fool
gift = bribe
destroyeth = corrupts
Isn't that the truth? Those who take gifts pervert judgment.
And why this comparison between a living dog versus a dead lion?
Ecc 9:4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
For — rather, “Nevertheless.” English Version rightly reads as the Margin, Hebrew, “that is joined,” instead of the text, “who is to be chosen?”
hope — not of mere temporal good (Job_14:7); but of yet repenting and being saved.
dog — metaphor for the vilest persons (1Sa_24:14).
lion — the noblest of animals (Pro_30:30).
better — as to hope of salvation; the noblest who die unconverted have no hope; the vilest, so long as they have life, have hope.
Ecc 10:1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
What is folly?
H5531 - From H5528; silliness.
- H5528 - For H3688; to be silly.
- H3688 - A primitive root; properly to be fat, that is, (figuratively) silly.
I can remember using the word 'silly' with my children versus calling them stupid. I thought it meant being goofy or horsing around.
When I went and looked at the definition for the word silly, I decided that wasn't the proper word to use!
Definition: having or showing a lack of common sense or judgment; absurd and foolish.
Obviously not a compliment!
As my posts on Keeping the Kastle:
Ecc 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
It's a work in progress, but thank you LORD! He has gotten me through to almost (gasp, choke, wheeze) FINALLY being done!
So no daydreaming!
Ecc 11:4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
And the final verse which jumped out at me?
Ecc 12:3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
Which phrase do you think caught my attention?
keepers of the house - which is probably not talking about a housewife or a woman who keeps the home. :-)
keepers of the house — namely, the hands and arms which protected the body, as guards do a palace (Gen_49:24; Job_4:19; 2Co_5:1), are now palsied.
So whether we're 'keeping house' in the physical sense of making a home, are we being as diligent, if not more so, about 'keeping' our spiritual house from decaying or rotting? How or what are we using to 'build up' or 'maintain' the inward man?
I'm falling really short in this area, not taking the God given time to really spend time with Him as I ought, opting instead to escape and play, versus being diligently about my Father's business. I'd appreciate prayer for me (and all of His children) to be about His business with fervency, warning those who need it, speaking His words in due season.
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