Proverbs 23:23

  • The Severity of Knowing (4)

    Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Proverbs 23:23  NASB   Wisdom – A little etymological investigation shows us why “wisdom” is a subset of Truth:   The main synonyms are bîn, bînâ, and tĕbûnâ. The verb bîn is used more widely to mean “consider,” “discern” “perceive,” but the nouns are close synonyms to ḥokmâ and are used especially in Prov and…

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    Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Proverbs 23:23  NASB Do not sell – The verb is mākar.  Kaiser comments: “One passage uses the verb figuratively, ‘buying the truth and selling it not’ (Prov 23:23). Perhaps the Israelite king, Ahab, illustrates that passage, since ‘he sold himself to work wickedness’ under the…

  • The Severity of Knowing (2)

    Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Proverbs 23:23  NASB Buy/ get – The implication might be there, but the verb isn’t.  You see, the “get” in this translation has been added.  The Hebrew text just reads, “Buy truth, and do not sell it, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.”  In other words, wisdom, instruction,…

  • The Severity of Knowing (1)

    Get truth, and do not sell it, wisdom, reproof, and discernment.  Proverbs 23:23 Robert Alter   Get truth – Perhaps you’re more familiar with a different translation: “Buy truth, and do not sell it.”  The verb is qānâ, “to get, acquire, create,” but since the complementary is “sell,” translators adopt the idea of “buy,”  particularly when a commercial translation is…

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    “Buy the truth and sell it not” Proverbs 23:23 Sell – Solomon knew something about investing.  We can only imagine the wealth, power and fame that he possessed.  Will anyone remember Bill Gates or Donald Trump in 3000 years? Doubtful.  But Solomon’s investment strategy had nothing to do with the tangible.  He didn’t create a…