Chapter 16
Each of the first seven verses has the word "Lord" in it. They show man's actions or thoughts, and then what the Lord has to do with them. As this verse:
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit. [Pro 16:2 ESV]
Others explain how God works in our lives. As this verse:
7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. [Pro 16:7 ESV]
(5/16/20, once a month reading) This verse:
6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil. [Pro 16:6 ESV]
Interesting to relate this to the annual Day of Atonement in the OT, and the changed heart of the NT. Atonement is always there, no matter what covenant.
The next verses are not like what has gone before. They are not contrasts, or comparisons. Each verse is a complete thought. They are more like "and" statements than "or" statements. For instance:
15 In the light of a king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain. [Pro 16:15 ESV]
These are different than the proverbs found in 10-15. But as before, there is an occasional exception to the pattern which breaks things up to keep the readers attention.
Another time: (Prov. 16:1-4 all go together, contrasting the discernment of man toward himself with God's perfect discernment. We can be "certain" of ourselves, and still wrong before God.)
The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. [Pro 16:4 ESV]
Now isn't this a comforting FB post!?
2021 - Isn't t his one interesting:
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things; he who purses his lips brings evil to pass. [Pro 16:30 ESV]
30 With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief. [Pro 16:30 NLT]
30 Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity; whoever purses their lips is bent on evil. [Pro 16:30 NIV]
30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass. [Pro 16:30 KJV]
Looks like the translators had quite a tough time with this one. Hard to be sure any of them got it right...What they all have in common is that the look on a man's face can tell you a lot about what's going on in his mind. There's a lot written about how the FBI - or the police in general - can tell if you're lying. Perhaps the really good ones can tell if you're up to no good, even if you haven't done it yet. This verse does seem to lend credibility to that whole line of thinking.
2021 - I checked back, and the previous chapter was full of contrasts, using the conjunctive "but". This chapter makes far more use of what I would call intensifiers, using the conjunctive "and". There are some contrasts, but they use "than".