Hebrew Wisdom Essay

Hebrew Wisdom Essay
Found in The Old Testament of the Holy Bible is a variety of teaching of Hebrew wisdom. I find
Proverbs and Ecclesiastes to lend much instruction to the subject of diligence and laziness. The
Hebrew teaching is quick to point out that diligence leads to wisdom and laziness is folly. Choices in
life and sinful behavior ends up in disastrous circumstances. In the essence of (The Essence of the
Old Testament) Hebrew wisdom literature teaches us how to make good decisions in life, but also
how to make godly decisions. This essay will explore how the Hebrew wisdom teaches the
repercussions of living wise and diligent verses living lazy and excluding God.
The Bible offers an abundance of teachings that enlighten us to the value of diligence verses the
pitfalls of laziness. All too often we see people who are either looking for an easy contribution or, a
way to better their current circumstances. The goal is to show and help the ones who have a sense of
desire to contribute to society and afford them the opportunity to prosper. Definition of diligence is
careful and continued hard work much like the Ant. Notice, none of them have defined leaders, all
of them live in colonies, have separation of labor, and collect and store up food for those long days.
They can also carry 10–50 times its weight. Laziness is described as a person who is a slothful or
indolent. (Proverbs 6:6 NSV) teaches us "Go to the ant, you lazy man! Observe its ways and become
wise".
Wisdom is imparted to us
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Ap English Proverbs
A proverb (Hebrew marshal) is a short poetic sentence conveying wisdom in a concise and
memorable form. (p.259) Solomon the writer of proverbs, was told by God" he could ask for
anything he wanted and God would give it to him. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead the people, so
they would know the difference between right and wrong."(1Kings 3:5–9 paraphrased) According to
Hindson and Yates "Hebrew wisdom literature taught people not only how to make good choice s in
life but how to make godly choices." (p.259) Proverbs shows many parallels and contrasts, usually
in a two sentence form. In this essay we will look at the teachings of Hebrew wisdom on diligence
and laziness, and how it corresponds with the contrast between wisdom and folly. "The fear of the
Lord ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her
maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. "Let all who are simple come in here!" she
says to those who lack judgment. "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your
simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding." Proverbs (9:13–18) "The woman
Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. She sits at the door of her house, on a
seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way.
"Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. "Stolen water is sweet;
food eaten in secret is delicious!" But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are
in the depths of the grave." Solomon depicts wisdom as a woman who has diligent, understanding,
one who is prepared and ready to share with all who are lacking in judgment.(1–12) Where the
woman of folly is loud, lazy, lacks understanding, likes to live in darkness and

Hebrew Teachings of Wisdom
Teachings of Hebrew Wisdom on Diligence and Laziness
By: John Cleveland
Throughout the Bible, we see the importance of being diligent in our walk with Christ as oppose to
falling asleep and becoming lazy. As followers of Christ, we know that by applying the knowledge
given to us from the Bible can have a profound impact on our lives. When we study God's Word, we
receive wisdom and we are then able to use this wisdom in our daily lives. However, if we choose to
not be diligent in our walk with Christ, then we could possibly backslide as a result of being lazy
and falling into deeper sin. In this essay we will look at what the Hebrew teachings say about
diligence as oppose to being lazy regarding our following of Christ. In ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
If we continue to look in the Book of Proverbs, we will find that Solomon also teaches us a lot about
the results that can be expected from being lazy in our walk with God. When we become lazy in our
lives, we open the doors for negative consequences to arise. According to Hindson and Yates, "the
contrast between wisdom and folly is often a contrast between righteousness and wickedness."
(2012, 263) What good is having knowledge only to never apply it in our daily lives? The ways of
laziness only lead to trouble and bad consequences. Being lazy is unproductive and this can lead us
away from the things that God has called us to do. Solomon states, "listen, my son, and be wise, and
set your heart on the right path: do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on
meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags." (Proverbs
23:19–21) If we choose the laziness lifestyle, then this can lead to poor choices that will have
negative impacts in our lives. Solomon teaches us the importance of being diligent and what all it
can lead to. Diligence leads to abundance and positive outcomes for our lives. It helps us to live
right and avoid things that will bring us down. He states, "work hard and become a leader; be lazy
and never succeed." (Proverbs12:24) If you ever want to make something of yourself, then you are
going to have to be diligent and work hard. Not

The Bible Is Full Of Wisdom And Folly
The Bible is full of wisdom and folly. This essay will evaluate the concepts of diligent people in
Hebrew wisdom being wise, while the lazy person is a fool. The major part of the essay will
concentrate in Proverbs, but we will review some scriptures from Ecclesiastes. Proverbs was written
by Solomon, and he wrote it out of concern for his children. Ecclesiastes is said to have been written
by Solomon, but this is not certain. Both books can be used by all for guidance, regardless of their
age. Proverbs in general concentrates on moral virtues, and the opposite, their vices. The main
theme of the book is the fear of the Lord, as it is seen fourteen times in Proverbs. Ecclesiastes main
theme is life without God is empty, pointlessness and without meaning. There are a lot of
contrasting chapters and verses comparing the differences between being wise and foolish, the
wicked and righteous and the lazy and hardworking. Both books mainly concentrate on the contrasts
between evil and good and foolishness and wisdom. So, let's look at some verses and relate the
concepts, describe and compare them to being diligent (wise) or laziness (foolish).
In Proverbs 15:19 it says "The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright
is a level highway" (ESV). This saying corroborates the points of Proverbs concerning the directives
that diligence is the way of the wise and the path with less resistance. But the path of laziness is
foolishness and filled with trouble,

Bible 105 Essay 3
Hebrew poetry is used to express various things in the Bible. Hebrew poetry is used to "express
emotion, facilitate worship, and to instruct in wisdom" (Hindson, 2012). God uses Hebrew poetry to
teach us how we can better live our lives. Within Hebrews the terms laziness, diligence, folly and
wisdom are utilized. God's plan for us to apply some of these terms and to give terminology to the
way we should be living against. The Essence of the Old Testament: A Survey is very clear about
laziness, "Lazy behavior results in poverty while diligence results in wealth" (Hindson, 2012).
Hindson (2012) describes laziness as being produced by talking and not working toward earning
wealth. This description is also described as having lazy people ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Folly compared to laziness seems to be more of a synonym. Laziness in itself is a folly. "He dies for
lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray" (Proverbs 5:23, ESV). People who
choose laziness are also committing a folly by failing to be diligent in their life. So, these terms are
more easily compared. If folly's definition is making poor decisions than wisdom is making good
decisions. "Hebrew wisdom tends to be practical and was meant to be applied to the many aspects of
everyday secular life" (Hindson, 2012). This can be applied when a person is utilizing diligence in
their lives. Good decisions, or wisdom, can help create a successful life. "Hebrew wisdom teaches
the reader not only how to live a good life, but also how to live a godly life" (Hindson, 2012). "The
beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight" (Proverbs 4:7, ESV).
God has many words of wisdom for us. He guides us through Jesus and the Bible. Utilizing the
Hebrew wisdom scriptures can help make decisions easier. If we use wisdom and not folly. If we use
diligence and not laziness then we are fulfilling God's plan for us. "Therefore, since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings
so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder
and perfecter of our faith,

Hebrew Teaching on Diligence and Laziness
When addressing the question "Describe the teachings of Hebrew wisdom on diligence and
laziness? How does this correspond with the contrast between wisdom and folly?" we should first
answer the question " What is Hebrew wisdom?" According to The Essence of the Old Testament: A
Survey, by Ed Hindson and Gary Yates, "Hebrew wisdom literature is a certain kind of poetic
literature that was used to instruct the young person in the ways of wisdom. Hebrew wisdom tends
to be practical and was meant to be applied to many aspects of everyday secular life." The goal of
this essay is to address the everyday issues of diligence and laziness, and the contrast between
wisdom and folly. Over the years I have often heard the phrase said, "Diligence is the key
excellence." With this in mind it is obvious to know that laziness produces the opposite of
excellence. Living in a fallen world makes us as humans vulnerable to our sinful tendencies to be
lazy. To find Hebrew wisdom on diligence and laziness, we should look in the five poetry books,
which are often referred to as the Hebrew poetry. The five poetry books include: Job, Psalms,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Proverbs 13:4 says, "The soul of the sluggard craves
and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied." In this verse Solomon is trying to
tell us that a lazy person wants but refuses to work, and there for does not get. A diligent person who
works hard is blessed with the results of his hard

Essay about Hebrew Wisdom on Diligence and Laziness
Critical Thinking Assignment
Part I
1) I chose the Islam worldview
i)The Question of Origin–– Islams believe that man came into being through a long process of
evolution. They believe the evolutionary process which produced man in its form today took
millions of years, and man evolved from lower forms of animal life. In their belief,it was only small
types of animals in the beginning, and in the course of time animals got larger and eventually one of
these animals developed into man. This animal is believed to have become extinct, but is believed to
have been represented by the monkey. The basis of argument is certain kind of monkeys have a
strong resemblance to man.
ii)The Question of Identity–Islamic identity is an upmost ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
They believe the good and evil are in Allah's responsibility, but if you accomplish good things in life
you attain heaven and if you do bad things you will attain hell; this also means that Allah is the
knower and creator of all things, and nothing exist outside of his will and decree according to the
Islam worlview.
Part II
i)The Question of Origin–The Islamic worldview, and the Biblical worldview has no comparison, or
similarity in the origin of man. Genesis 2:7, clearly states that God created man from the dust of the
earth, blew into the nostrils of man, and man became a living soul. Man was also created in God's
image, Genesis 1:27. This destroys the theory of evolution; man was not developed from an animal,
assumably some type monkey.
ii)The Question of Identity–According to the Biblical worldview, God gave man dominion over the
animals on earth in Genesis 1:26.We, not only were created in God's image which is a very
distinctive quality, but with the authority to rule. There are some similarities with the man in Islam
worldview, such as being distinguished in character and morals. Although; God views are different
from man's, there are standards, and character that Christians should live up to, just as the muslims

do in the Islamic faith. Christians should not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and be
willing to tell others of Jesus and even willing to

Hebrew Teaching on Diligence and Follies
Hebrew Teaching on Diligence and Follies The two words, wisdom, and folly are inseparable; they
cannot be away from each other. Folly is the act of having the knowledge of the benefits of making a
good choice, but rather choosing the wrong or foolish decision. Diligence is the act of being aware
of something. Therefore, one who often postpones activities and comes up with excuses is lazy
(Hindson & Yates, 2012). The Hebrew wisdom books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Songs of Songs,
and Psalms covers teachings on diligence, folly, wisdom, and laziness. Proverbs explains the
differences between wisdom and folly as well as diligence and laziness clearly. According to
Proverbs, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
A child taught the values of discipline, and respect at a tender age will carry on the teaching to
adulthood. The opposite will result to a negative outcome. However, this is not a promise; there is an
exception, those with Godly upbringing might not stand up to the values taught to them by their
parents in the end (Hindson & Yate, 2012). A diligent parent will adhere to the teaching of this verse,
contrast to this, sluggard parents will not adhere to these teachings. The diligent and wise one will
have his child upright while the lazy one will not give his child an upright upbringing. In addition,
Hindson & Yate, (2012) describes wealth, poverty, and ways of acquiring them according to the
Hebrew wisdom book of proverbs. "He becomes poor who deals with a slack hand: but the hand of
the diligent makes rich" (Proverbs. 10:4). The verse teaches that a diligent person will make riches
and become wealthy; however, he with a slack hand will never make any riches. Contrast to the
Hebrew wisdom teaching, there are other ways of acquiring wealth like corruption. In addition,
poverty may result from injustice and not from laziness and follies. The book of proverbs holds a
balanced view of riches and poverty. Some are rich due to corruption and greed while others are
poor due to misfortune. Nonetheless, the reality is that a diligent person will be wealthier than a

Hebrew Wisdom
Hebrew Wisdom on Diligence and Laziness
Bible 105–B27 LUO: Old Testament Survey
201320 Spring 2013
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
L33333333
Liberty University
February 24, 2013
Hebrew Wisdom on Diligence and Laziness There is a great deal of Hebrew wisdom in the Bible in
regards to the subjects of diligence and laziness. Throughout the book of Proverbs the words of lazy
and diligence can be found in many different forms. Sluggish, sluggard, and idle describe laziness.
The word diligence can also be considered as, thorough, attentive, and persistence. Each of these
words, found in the Bible, can reference diligence, and laziness within Hebrew Wisdom in many
cases.
The book of Proverbs is the Hebrew book of Wisdom. Its purpose is to provide ... Show more
A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies" (Proverbs 14:24–25). Being a
diligent man does not mean to hoard what the Lord has given you, but to share the knowledge and
wisdom of God with all he comes in contact with. "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest
you also be like him" (Proverbs 26:4). This is a warning to those who walk with the Lord in their
hearts. Do not answer a fool in a foolish manner; answer them with the wisdom that God has given
you. Share the wisdom of God so they might change their ways.
The Bible paints us the picture of being diligent as one of being thorough, persistent and works hard.
They keep the ways of the Lord in their heart. Those of folly lack the sense to know the difference in
what they are doing is not the ways of the Lord. As for those that are speaking of as lazy, they are
lost and doomed to a life of strife, hardship, and ultimately final judgment to the fiery depths. Only
the wisdom of a diligent man can help save those of folly and lazy, and guide them toward God.

Exegetical Essay 3: Hebrew Wisdom
Essay 3 – Hebrew Wisdom
Solomon loved the Lord, as did his father, King David and followed closely in his footsteps by
diligently keeping the precepts and statutes of God. In honor of Solomon's acts of obedience, praise
and worship, God saw fit to bless Solomon by granting him a request. I Kings 3:5 tells the story, "In
Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, ask what I shall give thee"
(KJV). A wide open door given through which Solomon could walk, a blank check to write, so to
speak. Solomon's selfless request related in verse 9 was this, "Give therefore thy servant an
understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to
judge this thy so great a people?" (KJV). ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Clifton says that, "A distinguishing mark of Proverbs is its use of types; it categorizes people"
(Clifton, 1994). Clifton adds, ""Proverbs indeed employs types, usually antithetically paired, to
describe behavior and its consequences – the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked, the
lazy and the diligent, the rich and the poor" (1994). Nestled in among the near 300 topics covered in
the book of Proverbs are two said pairings, diligence and laziness. Diligence in the Old Testament is
defined as "active, with care, with speed, speedily, earnestly, early, with haste, industrious, and
exacting" (Macmillian Dictionary of the Bible, n.d.). In stark contrast, a term used to indicate
laziness in the Old Testament, slothful, is defined as, "inactive, foolish, slack, sluggish, habitually
idle, unemployed, shrinking, and troublesome" (Macmillian Dictionary of the Bible, n.d). The
vastness of their differences are illustrated in Scriptures. The Bible says the one that is diligent seeks
and secures (Proverbs 11:27), is fully satisfied (Proverbs 3:4), and bring riches with their hands
(Proverbs 10:4). Solomon adamantly instructed that diligence leads to abundance, positions, power,
leadership, and life. Comparatively, slack hands usher in poverty and ruin (Proverbs 10:4), and
create insatiable cravings (Proverbs 13:3). Further, the lazy is disgusting to his employer (Proverbs
10:26), is shameful (Proverbs 19:15), and has no sense (Proverbs

Sdafsadf
Honglin Gong
Mr. Timothy Faber
BIBL 105 B05
24 September 2014
Essay 3
After finishing reading Bible, I am aware of the importance of diligence and the negative effect of
being lazy. As a Christian, I strongly recommend that people should follow what the Bible has told
us and listen to our God's commands. Because the knowledge that Bible gives us will have a good
and profound influence on our lives and help us out in many situations. During the process of
reading Bible, we may gain much wisdom that will be helpful in our daily life. Also, God will see us
that we are diligent in following his words and he will bless us in the future life. However, if we
choose laziness when we are walking with God, he could penalize us because of the ... Show more
"Work hard and become a leader; Bing lazy and never succeed." (Proverbs 12:24) Not trying or
giving yourself into laziness will never result in happiness or a joyful life. Even worse, it will only
bring you guilt and shame. Therefore, in our walk with God, being diligent is a motto which we
should remind ourselves everyday because it is what God wants us to do. Only then will we have a
chance to gain much more knowledge of wisdom from God and live in a happy and meaningful
lifestyle. That is what the Hebrew teachings of wisdom have told us!
There are numerous errors in spelling and grammar – I did not mark all of them – and the most
common is the writing in first person. This should be avoided in academic settings. It would be
helpful for you to seek the assistance of the Online Writing Center to continue to improve your
grammar skills.
Essay Grading Rubric | 90–100 | 80–89 | 70–79 | 60–69 | 0–59 | Work Habits | Work is superior in all
areas. Minimal expectations are exceeded in all areas regarding content analysis, synthesis,
evaluation of topics, timeliness, and writing style. | Work is good in most areas. Minor deficiencies
are demonstrated in some areas regarding content, analysis, and writing style. | Work is fair in most
areas. Need for improvement is exhibited in most areas regarding content, analysis, and writing
style. | Work is poor in most areas. Evidence of refusal or inability to meet minimum standards of
work is

Essay
Essay #3
Describe the teachings of Hebrew wisdom and diligence and laziness. How does this correspond
with the contrast between wisdom and folly? Include Scripture references and quotations as
appropriate.
Throughout the Bible, it speaks about wisdom and diligence. Along with wisdom and diligence,
laziness comes into play. Since we live in a fallen world, we can not have wisdom and diligence
without laziness. If we did not have laziness, then we would be living in a world that is more perfect
in reality. As Christians, we are blessed by having God's word, so that we can apply the knowledge
found in the Bible. On the other hand, non–believers have no such thing as the bible; thus, they try
to correct themselves. One place in the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
After seeing Solomon's illustration, it would seem that we all need to seek for a life of wisdom.
Even though this is a great desire to have, Solomon continues this comparison, which leads to an
unexpected conclusion. He goes on to conclude that wisdom surpasses foolishness in many ways.
He realized that both wise and foolish men will both die in the end, "Then I said to myself, 'The fate
of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?' I said to myself, 'This too is
meaningless.' For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come
when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die! So I hated life, because the
work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the
wind" (Ecclesiastes 2:15–17 NIV). Here, Solomon leaves it at the conclusion that whether an
individual chooses wisdom or foolishness, he will still die and be forgotten either way. In Psalms it
clarifies the purpose of life and why you should still choose wisdom, to a further and more
understandable extent, "No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them –
the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough...For all can see that the wise die, that the
foolish and the senseless also perish, their wealth to others" (Psalms 49:7–8, 10 NIV). It later goes
on to say, "But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself."

The Book Of Proverbs: The Teachings Of Hebrew Wisdom
There are several books in the Bible that teach different things and speak differently to each reader.
However, there are certain books that stand out in particular; for example, Proverbs. This book is
one of the greatest books in the Bible! Reason being, is it teaches and informs of Hebrew wisdom. It
explains the teaching of wisdom and how it relates to a persons everyday life. The book of Proverbs
really explains the fact that the key to wisdom and knowledge is fearing the Lord. Therefore, a
person needs to be reliant on the Lord and try to make every decision based on what the Lord wants
for the life that a person lives; afterall, if people chase after the world, do not know God and have a
relationship and they do not fear the Lord, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Wisdom...must be pursued throughout life. The book is a set of principles offering guidelines on
practical choices that, in all probability, will bring about...a successful life" (Branch, 2012, p. 8).
Furthermore, "a theme throughout the book is that a person's well–being directly relates to the
choices he or she makes" (Branch, 2012, p. 8). In this book, of the Bible, it proclaims the picture of
Christ is to be the wisdom if God. Furthermore, "Jesus is the ultimate expression of Gods wisdom"
(Liberty University, 2016). People want "to know how to live life effectively under the blessing of
God" (Liberty University, 2016). Otherwise, why in the world are they living their life? Folly on the
other hand, which means to be foolish, is a tool that is used in the Bible that applies to avoiding
failings in a person's life. Hindson and Yates describe it as a person making wrong decisions even if
the right decision is known by the person (Hindson & Yates, 2012). Hindson and Yates also state
that "indeed, the greatest folly would be for a man not to enjoy the few short years that God has
given him as a gift" (Hindson & Yates,

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