Read Proverbs 19 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
10:1b-19:9 {p} Contrast between wise/ foolish, righteous/ wicked, rich/ poor
Proverbs 19:10-29 Chiastic Structure:
The structure highlights that the son who destroys his father, who is the ruin of his father, is a foolish son (A pair). But this chapter also begins to reveal to the father how to circumvent ending up with a foolish son.
Chasten your son, for there is hope; and do not set your heart on his destruction. Pro 19:18
To chasten is in Hebrew, Strong’s H3256, יסר yasar, a primitive verb meaning, “to chastise, instruct, discipline, admonish.” The ancient pictographs are yud + sin + resh.
yud י = closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
sin ס = thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
resh ר = head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
The parable the Hebrew Root Word is telling is of taking ahold (yud, as the hand closes upon something to grasp it) and turning (sin) the head (resh) to go in a different direction. The yud implies the active involvement from the one doing the correcting, as well as the concept of work as discipline for the one being corrected.
Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. Pro 19:20
We studied the Hebrew Root Word for counsel, Strong’s H6098, etsah, a few days ago in Psalm 33. It means to grasp that which is sure and firm. Instruction, incidentally, is the abstract concept that comes from the verb to chasten, above.
When you strike a scorner, the simple become prudent; and when one who has understanding is reproved, and he will discern knowledge. Pro 19:25
To reprove is in Hebrew, Strong’s H3198, יכח yakach, a primitive verb meaning, “to reprove, rebuke, correct.” The ancient pictographs are yud + kaph + chet.
yud י = closed hand, thus work, throw, worship
kaph כ ך = open palm, thus bend, open, allow, tame
chet ח = wall, thus outside, divide, half
The parable is of work (yud) which tames (kaph) one to its boundaries (chet, a fence marking a boundary line). This concept applies to the husbandman taming a horse to the bridle, a father reproving his son in his way, and even a judge or authority correcting a sinner in a non-capital offense.
Corporal punishment is reserved for fools (the scorning fool) who have already shown by ignoring previous instruction, that they are reluctant to turn from their foolishness. For children who are beginning to develop understanding – shown by attempting to comply with previous instruction – corporal punishment is unnecessary. Instead, an effective discipline is a reproof, that is, work, the proper completion of a laborious task, in order to correct a child from their error.
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