Read Proverbs 18 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
10:1b-19:9 {p} …
Proverbs 18:1-24 Chiastic Structure:
The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but a broken spirit who can bear? Pro 18:14
The phrase for “broken spirit” in Hebrew appears only three times in the Hebrew Bible, all in Proverbs.
Broken, an adjective, is from Strong’s H5217, נכא naka, a primitive verb meaning, “to smite, to drive away.” The ancient pictographs are nun + kaph + aleph.
nun נ, ן = seed, thus continue, heir, son
kaph כ, ך = open palm, thus bend, open, allow, tame
aleph א = ox head, thus strength, power, leader
According to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, the seeds (nun) of certain herbs were placed in the palm (kaph) and rubbed with the thumb to a powder for use as a spice. So the parable being told by the Hebrew Root Word, is to crush (nun + kaph) with powerful force (aleph).
These are the other two instances:
A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken. Pro 15:13
A merry heart is a good medicine; but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Pro 17:22
The Scripture is Contrasting a broken spirit with a merry heart. Merry, an adjective, is from Strong’s H8055, שמח samach, a primitive verb meaning “to rejoice.” According to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, the shin was transposed from an original sin due to their similar sounds.
sin ס = thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
mem מ, ם = water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
chet ח = wall, thus outside, divide, half
When water (mem) lies on the fields outside (chet), it glistens in the sun, becoming bright. Thus the parable: to turn (sin, as one turns away from a thorn if it is encountered in the path) to a glistening (mem + chet) aspect, or countenance.
The last thing someone with a broken spirit feels like doing, is rejoicing. But this is why the Bible says:
Whoever offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God. Psa 50:23
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Heb 13:15
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Proverbs 15, The causes of a broken spirit – Christine Miller
God binds up the brokenhearted – Christine Miller
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