Proverbs 10 Footnotes

10:3 This is a typical proverbial statement affirming the doctrine of retribution. The point of the proverb seems to go beyond food and provision for one’s physical needs, to also include satisfaction and fulfillment in life. The books of Job and Ecclesiastes present the other side of this proverb (that sometimes the wicked flourish and the righteous suffer), revealing that life is more complex than this single proverb might suggest. God’s purposes are sometimes best fulfilled through means other than physical abundance. Even in the presence of such difficulties God’s people regularly testify to peace, fulfillment, and satisfaction that God gives them even in trying experiences.

10:18 Proverbs often refers to people as “fool[s].” The basis for this has to do with how these people think and live. They behave foolishly rather than wisely, and their behavior shows disregard for the Lord’s order. Proverbs identifies a person as a fool without reflecting contempt for that individual. The context of Jesus’s warning in Mt 5:22 about calling another person a fool makes it clear that he is warning us about viewing others with contempt. All people, even those who behave foolishly and badly, are people made in the image of God, and they have value and worth. The way we view others and treat them should reflect their innate worth.

10:30 This proverb probably reflects the teaching of Leviticus and Deuteronomy that says the righteous will flourish in the promised land while the wicked will be taken away into exile.