The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

- Proverbs 1:1

Solomon could have started this in many different ways. “The proverbs of King Solomon of Israel, son of David” or “The proverbs of Solomon, king of Israel, son of David”. Usually you’d put your most prestigious title, however, he chooses to put the ‘king of Israel’ at the end. His name is unadorned followed by ‘son of David’ and lastly ‘king of Israel’. It’s a bigger ‘claim to fame’ to be the son of David than king of Israel. He values his son-ship more than his kingship.

The ‘Davidic king’ also has importance. He was a picture of the Christ to come. It could be reasoned that Solomon valued this picture more. For us, it would be prioritizing our relationship to Christ above any Ph.D, JD, or MD degrees or even President of the USA. Solomon considered it higher than the highest position in the kingdom. His relationship to Christ is better than being king.

Drink water from your own cistern,
flowing water from your own well.

- Proverbs 5:15

Here, the ‘wife of your youth’ is compared to water. Jesus also compares himself to water (John 4, 7); he gives living water to people. I’m not quite sure where this thought is going or if it’s even accurate. Was just thinking how the man is always compared to Christ (Eph 5:25) and here the wife is pictured as water. Food for thought.

Keep your way far from her,
and do not go near the door of her house

- Pr. 5:8

There is this concept of near and far in this verse. A subtle contrasting of words that’s very easy to miss when just reading through. I appreciate more of the sentence structure and word usage in the Proverbs. Little things like this make it easier to memorize.

For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil,

-Proverbs 5:3

The ESV uses the word ‘forbidden’ instead of the NIV’s adulterous. This is interesting to me as a single man since forbidden woman means every woman. It’s not just married women or engaged women but it includes single women. There’s no such thing as ‘available’; they’re all forbidden until I get married. Then they’re all forbidden except one.

That you make keep discretion and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, her speech is smoother than oil,

- Proverbs 5:2-3

Lips can be used both to guard knowledge and to seduce. They can guard life or lead to death. It’s very similar to James 3:9-10. They can be used for good or bad. What are my lips being used for?