Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Well, our tour through the Bible looking at verses containing words the NIV 84 has translated as 'heart/ hearts' has brought us to the book of Proverbs, which is going to be rather disjointed, I think. Proverbs itself is rather disjointed, being a collection of wise sayings, and generally speaking (there are a few exceptions), one verse really does not relate to the one before or the one after. So I decided to just kind of see if/where any natural selahs hit...but, in the interest of not spending another 5 months in one book I am going to try to squeeze in as much as I can. I found, if I counted my scribbles correctly, about 68 verses to look at, so even going 8 ish verses a week...it's going to take a minute.
But we don't have a deadline, so...it's all good, right?
Of course, we start off with one of the exceptions; Proverbs 1: 20 - 33 are written as if Wisdom were personified and calling to mankind. We have one verse in that passage to consider:
If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. -- Prov. 1:23; 'Heart' is Strong's 7307, ruah - wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being. We have encountered this word a few times; if my count is right, this is the 4th time the NIV has translated 'ruah' as 'heart'.
This is a different concept that the typical words...that focus on mind, will, heart, understanding, etc. This carries an emotion with it; a passion. I can see that 'heart' is a reasonable translation, given the context and the way we use 'heart' today. In the previous verse, Wisdom has chided the oblivious population, saying, in effect, 'how long are you going to hang on to your ignorance?' It's a call to repentance, to give up what the base nature wants and to seek a better way. All it takes is that decision, 'I'm done with this nonsense'...and Wisdom will be there to teach us.
Read the whole passage; it's a good challenge.
Proverbs 2 - 7 is a father instructing his son in the ways of wisdom; just keep that context in mind as we look at the following verses....
We have a long if/ then exhortation in chapter 2; I'll include a bit for context but I can't type out the whole thing, lol...
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding.... Prov. 2: 1-2.
There is more if- then in between, but the next verse w/ 'heart' emphasizes 'then'....
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair -- every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Prov. 2: 9 -10; both instances of 'heart' are our friend H 3820, Leb. inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
Apply the heart to seeking wisdom, and wisdom will enter the heart. Just stop and think for a moment what impact that would have on one's life...to have wisdom resident in the heart. But what struck me is that wisdom is something to seek, and it comes into the heart from outside. It's not something I come up with...it's external.
Moving on to Proverbs 3:
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. -- Prov. 3: 1-6; all occurrences of 'heart' are H 3820 again.
The last two verses are very familiar...but I'm looking at the passage here as a whole; we are to keep the father's commands in our hearts, along with love and faithfulness, and to put the trust of the entire heart on God. As in, it all depends on him. Not one whit on me or my abilities or the actions of anyone around me. Everything depends on him....
I have three more verses in Proverbs 4 that I'll look at today...
When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live." -- Prov. 4:3-4; 'heart' is, once again, H3820.
I think it's worth noting that, so long as Solomon followed God whole-heartedly, everything he put his hands to flourished...but , as we saw when we were in 1 Kings, when he let his heart stray, things started going downhill pretty fast.
Did he forget his father's instruction? Or get too familiar with it, so that it lost tits perceived value?
My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. -- Prov. 4:20-23. 'Heart' in verse 21 is the other of the two most frequently seen Hebrew words, Strong's H3824, lebab -inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding. Verse 23 is, again, H3820.
The heart is the wellspring of life.
What happens to a polluted well? What comes from a polluted well? No wonder the importance of keeping wisdom and sound teaching in the heart.
We'll finish up these chapters on Wisdom next week.
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