Us Bible teachers like to remind people against taking individual verses out of their linguistic, literary, chapter, letter/book contexts and cultural context.
Even we forget the apply that to certain books of the Bible, like Psalms (each is connected in order of appearance to tell a larger story), Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs.
Here is a three-verse connection in the a chapter that makes the point of the chapter, context that makes the larger book’scontext point quite well.
Questions
1: have you ever noticed that in several books of the Bible (and the Bible itself, there are patterns?
2: how does this chapter fit a pattern telling a larger story?
3. Compare with the overarching structure of Chapters 1, 15 and 31. Particularly, note the center verse of the book, 15:6 and the verses above and below.
“The refining pot [is] for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord-Yehōvah [Messiah Pre-Incarnate] tries the hearts. A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; [and] a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue.
Whoso mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: [and] he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.”
Proverbs 17:3-5 NMV
https://bible.com/bible/2135/pro.17.3-5.NMV
(I’m practicing my teaching skills on you. Have fun!)
https://bible.com/bible/2135/pro.17.3-5.NMV
