Where do you place your exclamation points?
TODAY'S PROVERB: Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Proverbs 4:5
I love the title of this pericope: A Father's Lesson: Get Wisdom!
What stands out to me in the title and today's passage are the exclamation marks. Two exclamation points in one verse!
I thought it might be interesting to take a bit of a detour from this wonderful topic of a father's teaching their children and talk about punctuation. **Yawn** Well, hopefully not.
There is no punctuation in the original Hebrew of the TANAKH (Old Testament). The punctuation is used at the scholar/translator discretion based on the later version, called the Masoretic text.
During the Middle Ages the Hebrew scribes developed a system of accents to make the text easier for vocalization and chanting--like a musical notation. Interestingly enough, these accents serves as a kind of punctuation.
In the ancient Greek for the New Testament, there was some punctuation, but all the letters were capitalized.
The scholars, scribes, and translators based their punctuation on these early texts.
Still, as we can see by the various versions of the Bible, punctuation was a matter of choice by the teams who translated. And, while I am a bit biased, I love the choices by the TLV's team.
The use of exclamation points express excitement or other strong emotions. It's intended as additional emphasis of importance.
Here, in today's proverb, we have the emphasis of "Get wisdom! Get understanding!" The context appears to be a father teaching a child or young adult.
As a writer, I can see the scene of a father and son standing before an open scroll of the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible).
Perhaps they are reading yet another example of their ancestors' poor choices. There are plenty to choose from, but let's say it's the account of the Children of Israel worshiping the golden calf.
The young man asks why their relatives could be so foolish after ADONAI performed so many miracles on their behalf. Perchance the father reminds the child that fools say in their heart there is no GOD--there were those who unfortunately didn't have enough faith. That wisdom begins with faith in ADONAI.
At this point, the father turns to his son and places his hands on the boy's shoulders. He squeezes them firmly as he says, "Get wisdom! Get understanding!" He then points to the scroll and his heart and says, "Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth."
The exclamation points mark the passion of a father who hopes and prays that his son will build on the foundation of his forefathers. To not make the same mistakes they did. To live wisdom and faith's journey. To make a difference in His kingdom and with His people.
What is your passion? Where do you place your exclamation marks?
May our passion be marked and shown, my friends.
Proverbs 4:5, #tlvbible #tlvproverbs
[WATCH MONDAY through FRIDAY LIVE at 8:30EST, Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with the book of Proverbs. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]
I love the title of this pericope: A Father's Lesson: Get Wisdom!
What stands out to me in the title and today's passage are the exclamation marks. Two exclamation points in one verse!
I thought it might be interesting to take a bit of a detour from this wonderful topic of a father's teaching their children and talk about punctuation. **Yawn** Well, hopefully not.
There is no punctuation in the original Hebrew of the TANAKH (Old Testament). The punctuation is used at the scholar/translator discretion based on the later version, called the Masoretic text.
During the Middle Ages the Hebrew scribes developed a system of accents to make the text easier for vocalization and chanting--like a musical notation. Interestingly enough, these accents serves as a kind of punctuation.
In the ancient Greek for the New Testament, there was some punctuation, but all the letters were capitalized.
The scholars, scribes, and translators based their punctuation on these early texts.
Still, as we can see by the various versions of the Bible, punctuation was a matter of choice by the teams who translated. And, while I am a bit biased, I love the choices by the TLV's team.
The use of exclamation points express excitement or other strong emotions. It's intended as additional emphasis of importance.
Here, in today's proverb, we have the emphasis of "Get wisdom! Get understanding!" The context appears to be a father teaching a child or young adult.
As a writer, I can see the scene of a father and son standing before an open scroll of the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible).
Perhaps they are reading yet another example of their ancestors' poor choices. There are plenty to choose from, but let's say it's the account of the Children of Israel worshiping the golden calf.
The young man asks why their relatives could be so foolish after ADONAI performed so many miracles on their behalf. Perchance the father reminds the child that fools say in their heart there is no GOD--there were those who unfortunately didn't have enough faith. That wisdom begins with faith in ADONAI.
At this point, the father turns to his son and places his hands on the boy's shoulders. He squeezes them firmly as he says, "Get wisdom! Get understanding!" He then points to the scroll and his heart and says, "Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth."
The exclamation points mark the passion of a father who hopes and prays that his son will build on the foundation of his forefathers. To not make the same mistakes they did. To live wisdom and faith's journey. To make a difference in His kingdom and with His people.
What is your passion? Where do you place your exclamation marks?
May our passion be marked and shown, my friends.
Proverbs 4:5, #tlvbible #tlvproverbs
[WATCH MONDAY through FRIDAY LIVE at 8:30EST, Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with the book of Proverbs. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]
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