Read Proverbs 26 and 27 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph divisions:
Pro 25:21-26:21 {p} Proverbs concerning uselessness
Pro 26:21-27:22 {p} Betrayal and loyalty: what is in the heart will reveal itself in due time
Pro 27:23-28:10 {p} …
Peo 27:10a Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; {n}
Pro 27:10b Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
Pro 27:22a Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, {n}
Pro 27:22b Yet his foolishness will not depart from him. {p}
It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. Pro 25:24
A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike; whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand. Pro 27:15-16
I could see that these two verses are repeating elements in a chiastic structure that encompasses most of today’s chapters, but although I have made progress on mapping it, I am not wise enough to complete it. So, let’s talk about a contentious woman. *smile.*
The Hebrew word is from the primary root, Strong’s H1777, diyn, dalet + yud + nun. It means, “to judge” in its positive aspect, for in biblical usage, a judge is one who defends the oppressed by restoring justice. The ancient pictographs are of the door + the closed hand + the seed, so to enter a fight for life (or for the next generation; for when a land discards justice, it is the next generation who suffers the consequences). But in its negative aspect, it means, to contend, to quarrel. I can’t help but think, that in this case the nun has the meaning of “nothing,” to enter into a fight over nothing. In ancient Persian, for example, the word for seed, 0, was “zerah,” and the name “Zoroaster” literally means, “Seed of Ishtar.” It is why our numeral 0 is named “zero.”
Contentious, according to Webster’s, means, “likely to cause contention, exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes; having an aggressive or fighting atittude.” And contention means, “the argument, or tension, that results from a contest, struggle, or rivalry.” Note that contention shares a root with contentment: “satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.” I think contention and contentment are spiritual opposites — the contented wife is satisfied, while the contentious wife always has complaints.
The contrast reminded me of the children of Israel coming out of Egypt. They arrived at the Promised Land, and sent out the twelve spies, ten of which discouraged them from entering the Land — really, from having trust in God or obeying Him — while two encouraged them to enter the Land. The Lord said to Moses after this that Israel had tempted (tested) Him ten times, and had not hearkened to His voice. According to Jewish tradition, the ten times the Lord is speaking of are Ex 14:11, Ex 15:24, Ex 16:3, Ex 16:20, Ex 16:27, Ex 17:2, Ex 32:4, Num 11:1, Num 11:4, and Numbers 14, the incident of the twelve spies. The common denominator to most of these incidents which tempted the Lord, in which Israel did not listen to the Lord’s voice, were Israel’s complaints. Complaints … they were not satisfied with their leaders, water, food, Land — even with their God, in the instance of the golden calf. They coveted, really, what they did not have. Covetousness means “always desiring more; not satisfied; avaricious.”
The Lord said of them that their contentions were a rejection of Him. We can see that: Moses was a hand- picked leader for them, deliverance from slavery, manna, sweet water, the Promised Land — all gifts from the Father’s hand. We can disdain the children of Israel for their complaints, but are we so different? When we have complaints about our husband, children, home, or life, aren’t we really contending with the Lord, the gift- giver?
And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Luk 12:15
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homo[s-x]uals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor 6:9-10
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 1 Tim 6:6-7
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Heb 13:5
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