Thinking God’s Way, Lesson 14

Thinking God’s Way is a series of Bible studies that help believers meditate on theWord of God for the purpose of Christian growth. Each lesson features a verseof Scripture in English and the original language (whether Hebrew or Greek). Italso provides basic background information, followed by basic word definitionsand other key insights. Each lesson concludes with some questions formeditation and for applying the truth to life.

Initial Thoughts

Sometimes we get our priorities out of order. Though we think we’redoing the right thing, but we end up undermining what’s most important. Thisproverb helps you get your priorities straight and focus on that which mattersmost.

Key Verse: Proverbs 15:17

In English (NKJV)

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is,

  than a fatted calf with hatred.

In Hebrew

ט֤וֹב אֲרֻחַ֣ת יָ֭רָק וְאַהֲבָה־שָׁ֑ם

   מִשּׁ֥וֹר אָ֝ב֗וּסוְשִׂנְאָה־בֽוֹ׃

English and Hebrew Together

Better (ט֤וֹב) is a dinner of herbs (אֲרֻחַ֣ת יָ֭רָק) where love is (וְאַהֲבָה־שָׁ֑ם),

   than a fatted calf (מִשּׁ֥וֹר אָ֝ב֗וּס) with hatred (וְשִׂנְאָה).

Background Information

This statement appears in the Old Testament book of Proverbs, whichprovides an extensive collection of insights for a wide variety of situations.They teach you how to live in a skillful, successful, and satisfying way.

Most importantly, they teach you how to make choices in light ofwhat you know about God, for “the fear of the Lord is the beginning ofknowledge” (Prov 1:7). Since God is who he says he is, does what he says hedoes, and rules over every aspect of our lives, we should give him the respecthe deserves by making choices that reflect this awareness.

Keywords and their Meanings

Mounce’sComplete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006)together with an interlinear Bible, like The NKJV Greek English InterlinearNew Testament (Thomas Nelson, 1994) is an excellent way to get accuratedefinitions for your Bible study based upon Greek and Hebrew meanings.

• (טוֹב): “good, best; goodness,prosperity; this can refer to quality as well as to moral goodness.”

• (אֲרֻחָה): “allowance, provision;portion.” The idea here is a small portion, a small meal, a small helping, arationed amount of food.

• (יָרָק): “vegetables, vegetablegreens.”

• (אַהֲבָה): “love; friendship,familial love, romantic love, or covenant loyalty.”

• (אבס): “fattened, well fed,i.e., pertaining to animals well fed for slaughter and feasting.”[1] This described an animal which hasbeen “fattened up” for eating.

• (שׁוֹר): “ bull, ox,” sometimesa young male cow.

• (שִׂנְאָה): strong feelings of “hatred ormalice.” “A very strong dislike, with accompanying feelings of hostility andactions of opposition … a strong contrast to feelings of love.”[2]

Other Key Insights

This statement is written in a format called Hebrew parallelism. Inthis case, it features two lines (a “couplet”) written as contrastingparallelism, which means that the second line (or “B line”) presents an ideathat’s opposite from the first (the “A Line”).

The parallelism format helps you memorize Scripture and think aboutit in a thought-provoking way. When you think about a proverb, don’t just askquestions about the individual words and lines, but also ask questions abouthow the lines relate to each other.

This particular proverb requires you to know a little bit aboutsome common Jewish cultural practices during the time of King Solomon’s reign.

Questions for Meditation and Reflection

What does the word better say about the situation that this proverbportrays?

It tells us that what the A-line line describes is a much betterand far more desirable situation than what the B-line describes.

What kind of food does the A-line describe? What are someequivalent foods or meals today?

This refers to basic garden vegetables and herbs, the kind that arecommon and easy to grow and therefore are affordable to buy at the market (atleast in those days). Furthermore, it refers to small, meager, fixed portions.

What kind of food does the B-line describe? What are someequivalent foods or meals today?

This refers to farm animals – like cows and oxen – which are keptin the barn and out of the pasture so that their meat stays tender. The farmer carefullyfeeds these animals the best possible diet so that he can butcher the animal fora special occasion and offer his guests large portions of high-grade meat. Thiskind of food was expensive to buy, and it was expensive and labor intensive toraise as well. (See the example of Abraham and Sarah in Gen 18:6-8.)

What are some other categories, besides food, that you could pluginto this proverb? For each category, what would you put in the A-line and whatwould you put in the B-line?

Clothing, housing, entertainment, gifts, vehicles, housing, etc.

Why is love associated with the food that’s in the A-line?

This proverb does not teach that simple, affordable food automaticallyproduces love. It is possible, for instance, for people to hate each other eventhough they buy modest groceries. This proverbs associates love with modestfood to speak about them as a package deal to teach an important lesson. Itwants you to Compare package A with Package B. Though we know that Package A isbetter, we often make choices that gives us Package B instead.

Why is hatred associated with the food that’s in the B-line?

This proverb does not teach that sumptuous, expensive food automaticallyproduces hatred. It is possible, for instance, for people to love each otherand enjoy premium foods at the same time. This proverb associates hatred with premiumfood to speak about them as a package deal to teach an important lesson. Itwants you to Compare package A with Package B. Though we know that Package A isbetter, we often make choices that gives us Package B instead.

How does this proverb teach us to order our priorities in life? What is more important and what is less important?

This proverb teaches us to value close, loving relationships over the nicer things of life. Unfortunately, we often value the nicer things of life so strongly that we sacrifice what’s most important – vibrant, healthy relationships with people we love. (Prov 17:1 teaches a similar truth. How is it similar to Prov 15:17, and how is it different?)

A Personal Translation

Before you consider how to apply this truth to your life byallowing it to change your mindset and approach to life, write out a personaltranslation. Use what you have learned to write this verse in your own words.

Questions for Personal Application

• Why do we struggle to even think this way? (Consider some spiritual, personal, and cultural reasons. Also think about your past and your background.)

• Evenif we agree that this is true, why do we struggle to live this way?

• Whatare some things (whether food or something else) that are very important to youand become high priorities if you aren’t careful?

• Howdoes your effort to get or have these things affect or threaten your closerelationships?

• Whatare some adjustments or changes you can make to apply this priority structureto your life?

• Whatdoes this verse teach you about God – his character and his ways?

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[1] James Swanson,Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (OldTestament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

[2]Ibid.