12/1/22: I just found out that most of the commentaries on the Bible Study Tools website are no longer free. That's where most of the quotes that appear on the "Verse of the Day" and "Previous Verses" pages of my website are taken from, so from now on, many of the "Source:" links that I provide on those pages will not contain the quoted text.

I was disgusted to read about the organization's new "PLUS" membership, and the only thing I can say about it is that the Bible has this warning in 1 Timothy 6:10 for the owner of Bible Study Tools: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
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8/8/21: Something is wrong with my Christian forum. Everything seems to be working normally (i.e., the articles are there, and the links work), but for some reason, the forum's format has changed slightly, and I am currently unable to post anything new.

I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. Hopefully, the problem is only temporay and will be fixed soon.

SEPTEMBER 28-30

The Apostle Peter's Advice to Christian Wives

1 Peter 3:3: "Whose adorning [similar in meaning to ornaments or decorations, referring to a Christian wife's true beauty] let it not be [should not be] [judged by] that outward adorning of [or 'things that are done to improve her outward appearance, such as'] plaiting [braiding] the hair [which was commonly done by women in Bible times (especially lewd (vulgar) women, who exhibited sexually inappropriate behavior)], and of wearing of gold [jewelry, hair pins, etc.], or of putting on of [high-quality and expensive] apparel [clothing];"

1 Peter 3:4: "But let it [the Christian wife's true beauty] be [determined by] the hidden man [or, in this case, woman] of the heart [referring to a person's mind, soul, 'inner man' (or 'inner self' or 'inner being')--see note below*], in that which is not corruptible [subject to destruction or decay], even the ornament [decoration] of a meek [gentle] and quiet spirit [referring to the traits of a kind and gentle person (or, in this case, woman), who has a calm temper and contented mind, free from anger, envy, pride, etc.], which is in the sight of God of great price [value]."
Christian women should never neglect their outward appearance but should always be neat and clean and modestly dressed. However, in God's eyes, true beauty is more than skin deep, as he values what's in our hearts much more than how we look.

*This is what a GotQuestions.org article says about the meaning of the term inner man:

"… Human beings were created by God with a spirit, soul, and body … It has been said that we are not bodies with souls; we are souls that have bodies. The body--the 'outer man'--is our physical housing through which we experience the world. Our bodies function primarily through the five senses [i.e., vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste] and by meeting innate [inborn, natural] needs that drive us to eat, drink, and sleep …

"Our souls are the personality centers of our beings from which our mind, will, and emotions operate. With our souls we choose either to listen to and obey the lusts of our flesh or the desires of the Holy Spirit … The soul of a person is the courtroom where life decisions are made. It is the seat of the self-life and the fountain from which character traits such as self-confidence, self-pity, self-seeking, and self-affirmation originate.

"Our spirits contain the inner man about which the Scriptures speak. Our spirits are where the Spirit of God communes with us. Jesus said, 'God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth' … It is within our spirits that we are born again … The 'inner man' contains the conscience upon which the Holy Spirit can move and convict of sin …"

(Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/inner-man.html: "What is the inner man?")
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Adam Clarke has a slightly different opinion on the meaning of inner man. He wrote:

"… Every part of the Scripture treats man as a compound being: the body is the outward or visible man; the soul, the inward, hidden, or invisible man …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-peter/3-4.html, "Clarke's Commentary")

SEPTEMBER 26-27

The "Rapture"

In a letter to the church at Corinth (and to all born-again Christians), the apostle Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 15:50: "Now this I [Paul] say, brethren [fellow Christians], that [bodies composed (made up) of] flesh [the soft parts of the body (i.e., muscles, fat, glands, etc.) that cover the bones] and blood cannot inherit [be admitted as heirs to, be allowed to enter into] the kingdom of God [i.e., heaven]; neither doth [does] corruption [referring to our physical bodies, which die and decay] inherit incorruption [eternal life]."

1 Corinthians 15:51: "Behold [look, see, take notice], I [Paul] shew [show] you a mystery [something that has never been revealed before]; We [born-again Christians] shall not all sleep [in death, or die], but we shall all be changed [transformed, or given spiritual (immortal) bodies],"

1 Corinthians 15:52: "[This transformation will happen] In a moment [of time], in the twinkling of an eye [meaning quickly, suddenly, instantly; in less time than it takes to blink], at the last trump [of God, or at the last sound of his trumpet--see note below*]: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead [Christians] shall be raised [resurrected, brought back to life] incorruptible [free from corruption], and we [Christians who are still alive when that happens] shall be changed [shall receive new bodies]."

1 Corinthians 15:53: "For this corruptible [body of ours] must put on incorruption [must be changed to a spiritual body, to die no more], and this mortal [body (or physical body), which is corruptible and, thus, able to die and decay,] must put on immortality [must be changed to an immortal body that can live forever with God in that wonderful place called heaven]."
GotQuestions.org has written several articles about the rapture. Here are two of them that you might want to read:

-- "What is the rapture of the church?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/rapture-of-the-church.html)

-- "Will babies and young children be taken in the Rapture?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/rapture-children.html)

*This is what Adam Clarke says about the meaning of at the last trump in 1 Corinthians 15:52:

"At the last trump - This, as well as all the rest of the peculiar phraseology [choice of words] of this chapter, is merely Jewish, and we must go to the Jewish writers to know what is intended … Thus Rabbi Akiba [wrote]: 'How shall the holy blessed God raise the dead? We are taught that God has a trumpet a thousand ells long, according to the ell of God [see note below**]: this trumpet he [God] shall blow, so that the sound of it shall extend from one extremity [end] of the earth to the other. At the first blast the earth shall be shaken; at the second [blast], the dust shall be separated; at the third [blast], the bones [of the dead Christians] shall be gathered together; at the fourth [blast], the members [i.e., their body parats--arms, legs, etc.] shall wax [become] warm; at the fifth [blast], the heads shall be covered with skin; at the sixth [blast], the souls shall be rejoined to their bodies; at the seventh [blast], all [of the people] shall revive [regain life] and stand clothed' … This tradition shows us what we are to understand by the last trump of the apostle; it is the seventh of [Rabbi] Akiba, when the dead shall be all raised [up], and, being clothed upon with their eternal vehicles [i.e., their spiritual bodies], they shall be ready to appear [in heaven] before the judgment seat of God."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-corinthians/15-52.html, "Clarke's Commentary")
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**According to Wikipedia, one ell is equal to a cubit, or about 18 inches.

SEPTEMBER 23-25

Advice for Workaholics

Proverbs 23:4: "Labour not to be rich [don't work hard just so you can become rich]: cease from [trusting, or don't depend upon] thine [your] own wisdom [which, in this case, means you should stop thinking that having lots of money will make you happy]."

Proverbs 23:5: "Wilt thou set thine eyes [will you focus your eyes--and your heart] upon that which is not [going to last]? for riches certainly make themselves wings [and disappear]; they fly away as an eagle [does] toward heaven [see note below*]."
The above verses refer to priorities and motives for working hard. According to 1 Timothy 6:10, having money (to support your family, pay your bills, buy things you need, etc.) is okay, but loving money (having an overwhelming desire to become rich) is not good.

In addition to explaining the above verses, Salem Bible Church's commentaries list reasons (both good and bad) why people work hard. If you want to read one or both of these commentaries, here's are the links:

-- Proverbs 23:4-5: "Labor Not to be Rich"
    (https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-23-index/proverbs-23_4-5/)

-- Proverbs 23:5: "Temporal Riches"
    (https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-23-index/proverbs-23_5/)

*Regarding Proverbs 23:5, one Bible commentator wrote:

"[In the New Testament, the apostle] Paul warned against the desire to be rich; and here we have a warning in the Old Testament. The heart of Paul's warning (1 Timothy 6:9f) centered upon moral and spiritual damage to the seeker; and here [in Proverbs 23:5] the warning stresses the nature of riches. They have the startling ability to leave their possessor 'holding the bag.' Ask any man who has experienced great loss … by the death of a trusted partner, a stock market crash, an earthquake, a flood, a tornado, a hurricane, a drought [a dry spell, or lack of rain], a revolution, a robbery, embezzlement [stealing from one's employer], fraud [swindling], some changing fashion, or any one of a thousand other ways that riches can make themselves wings and fly away …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/proverbs/23-4.html, "Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible")

SEPTEMBER 19-22

This is How God Answered King Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

This happened the night after Solomon had offered a thousand burnt offerings to God in "the great high place" in Gibeon, where the Jewish tabernacle and brazen (bronze) altar were located.

1 Kings 3:5: "In Gibeon [a city near Jerusalem] the LORD appeared to [King] Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee [you]."

1 Kings 3:6: "And Solomon said, Thou hast [you have] shewed [shown] unto thy [your] servant [King] David[,] my father[,] great mercy [kindness], according as he walked before thee [you] in truth [honesty], and in righteousness [justice], and in uprightness of heart [good moral character] with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son [Solomon, referring to himself] to sit on his [King David's] throne, as it is this day."

1 Kings 3:7,8,9: "And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant [Solomon, referring to himself] king instead of David my father: and I am but [like] a little child [in knowledge and understanding, although I am a young man in age]: I know not [I do not know] how to go out or come in [meaning he was inexperienced in the administration of government]. And thy servant [Solomon] is in the midst [middle] of thy people which thou hast chosen [i.e., the nation of Israel], [who are] a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude [because there are so many of them]. Give therefore thy servant [Solomon] an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern [distinguish, tell the difference] between good and bad [and right and wrong, and truth and falsehood, and justice and injustice, etc.]: for who is able to judge this thy so great a [number of] people?"

1 Kings 3:10: "And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing [i.e., for wisdom]."

1 Kings 3:11,12: "And God said unto him [Solomon], Because thou hast asked this thing [for wisdom], and hast not asked for thyself [yourself] long life; neither hast [have] [you] asked [for] riches for thyself, nor hast [have] [you] asked [for] the life of thine [your] enemies [i.e., for their removal]; but [you] hast [have] asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment [to judge correctly]; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo [look, see], I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee [there was no one like you (in wisdom) who came before you], neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee [and no one like you (in wisdom) will come after you--except Jesus, of course (see note below*)]."

1 Kings 3:13,14: "And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked [for], both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any[one] among the kings like unto thee all thy days [or during your lifetime, or as long as you shall live]. And if thou wilt [you will] walk in my ways, to keep [obey] my statutes [laws] and my commandments, as thy father [King] David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days [i.e., give you a long life]."
*The only person who had more wisdom than King Solomon was Jesus, which is confirmed in Matthew 12:42 by Jesus' comment to the scribes and Pharisees that "The queen of the south [the Queen of Sheba] shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost [the most extreme, or far-away] parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater [person] than [King] Solomon is here [said Jesus, referring to himself]."
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"Who was the Queen of the South?" tells about the Queen of Sheba. If you want to read it,, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/Queen-of-the-South.html.

SEPTEMBER 16-18

In a letter to the Christians at Ephesus, the apostle Paul wrote:

Ephesians 4:25: "Wherefore [therefore,] putting away lying, speak every man [every person] truth with his [or her] neighbour [and everyone else he (or she) comes in contact with]: for [or 'the reason we should do this is because'] we [born-again Christians] are members one of another [i.e., we are all part of the 'body of Christ']."
Albert Barnes has an excellent commentary on the above verse. In it, he says:

"Wherefore putting away lying - It may seem strange that the apostle should seriously exhort [strongly urge or encourage] Christians to put away 'lying,' implying that they were in the habit of indulging in falsehood [or telling lies]. But we are to remember:

"(1) that lying is the universal vice [immoral or wicked personal characteristic] of the pagan world [referring to people who are not Christians, Jews, ,or Muslims]. Among the ancient pagans, as among the moderns, it was almost universally practiced. It has been remarked by a distinguished jurist [lawyer or judge] who had spent much time in India, that he would not believe a Hindu on his oath. The same testimony is borne by almost all the missionaries. of the character of pagans everywhere. No confidence can be placed in their statements; and, where there is the slightest temptation to falsehood, they practice it without remorse [regret or guilt].

"(2) the Ephesians had been recently converted [to Christianity, meaning they had recently been saved, or born again], and were, to a great extent, ignorant of the requirements of the gospel. A conscience has to be 'created' when pagans are converted, and it is long before they see the evils of many things which appear to us to be palpably [clearly] wrong.

"(3) the effects of former habits abide long [or last a long time], often, after a man is converted. He who has been in the habit of profane swearing [i.e., using profanity, or dirty words and ideas], finds it difficult to avoid it; and he who has been all his life practicing deception, will find himself tempted to practice it still. It was for reasons such as these, probably, that the apostle exhorted the Ephesians to put away 'lying,' and to speak the truth only. Nor is the exhortation now inappropriate to Christians, and there are many classes to whom it would now be proper - such as the following:

"(1) He who is in the habit of concealing [hiding] the defects of an article in trade [such as a product being sold by a business], or of commending [praising, recommending] it for more than its real value - 'let him put away lying.'

"(2) he, or she, who instructs a servant to say that they are not at home, when they are at home: or that they are sick, when they are not sick or that they are engaged [in some activity, or doing something], when they are not engaged [in that activity] - 'let them put away lying.'

"(3) he that is in the habit of giving a coloring to his narratives [or embellishing his stories, such as adding something to make them more interesting]; of conveying a false impression by the introduction or the suppression of circumstances that are important to the right understanding of an account - 'let him put away lying.'

"(4) he that is at no pains to ascertain [determine] the exact truth in regard to any facts that may affect his neighbor; that catches up flying rumors without investigating them, and that circulates [spreads] them as undoubted truth, though they may seriously affect the character and peace of another [person] - 'let him put away lying.'

"(5) he that is in the habit of making promises only to disregard them - 'let him put away lying.' The community is full of falsehoods of that kind, and they are not all confined to the people of the world. Nothing is more important in a community than simple 'truth' - and yet, it is to be feared that nothing is more habitually disregarded. No professing Christian can do any good who has not an unimpeachable [trustworthy] character for integrity [honesty] and truth - and yet who can lay his hand on his breast and say before God that he is in all cases a man that speaks the simple and unvarnished truth?

"For we are members one of another - We belong to one body - the church - which is the body of Christ … The idea is, that falsehood tends to loosen the bonds of brotherhood. In the 'human body' harmony [agreement] is observed. The eye never deceives [tricks, fools] the hand, nor [does] the hand [deceive] the foot, nor [does] the heart [deceive] the lungs. The whole [of the parts, or all parts] move harmoniously as if the one could put the utmost confidence in the other - and falsehood in the church is as ruinous [destructive] to its interests as it would be to the body if one member was perpetually [constantly] practicing a deception on another."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/ephesians-4.html, "Verse 25")

SEPTEMBER 15

Acts 17:11: "These [people, referring to the Jews in the synagogue at Berea,] were more noble [had a better quality of mind, disposition, and manner] than those [Jews] in Thessalonica, in that [because] they received the word [of God--in this case, the preaching of the gospel] with all readiness of mind [i.e., without prejudice, with a willingness to believe], and [because they] searched [examined] the scriptures [in this case, the Old Testament] daily, [to see] whether those things [that were being said by the apostle Paul and Silas] were so [or 'were true']."
We should follow the example of the Jews in Berea and study the Bible on a daily basis.

SEPTEMBER 12-14

Beware of False Teachers!

In a letter to Christians, the apostle Peter wrote:

2 Peter 2:1: "But [in Old Testament times,] there were false prophets also among the [Jewish] people, even as there shall be false teachers among you [born-again Christians], who [referring to the false teachers] privily [secretly] shall bring in [to the church] damnable heresies [destructive doctrines (religious beliefs) or opinions, mixed with truth], even denying the Lord [Jesus Christ] that bought them [with his blood--see note below*], and [the people who spread false doctrine will] bring upon themselves swift destruction [such as endless torment in hell and the lake of fire for unbelievers who have died--when they are sent there by God on judgment day, since this type of destruction will come suddenly and unexpectedly, with no opportunity to escape]."
False teachers (of everything--not just religion) are everywhere, so we should be very careful to avoid following or listening to them.

*The phrase even denying the Lord that bought them in 2 Peter 2:1 means that even though Jesus died on the cross to pay for their sins and purchase their salvation (see 1 Timothy 2:4-6 and 1 Peter 1:18-19), the false teachers will refuse to accept God's gift of eternal life (see Romans 6:23).

SEPTEMBER 10-11

Romans 3:23: "For all [people] have sinned, and [have] come short of [failed to attain, match, equal] the glory [perfection, excellence] of God;"
According to the Bible, we're all sinners, due not only to our sin nature (which was inherited from Adam and Eve) but also to the bad things that we think, say, and do on a daily basis.

Regarding today's verse, one Bible commentator wrote:

"This is [the apostle] Paul's statement of the fact of God's justice in making salvation [available] to all who complied with the terms [or met the requirements] upon which it was extended [offered]. All people are in fact sinners; and the same basis for saving one [person], or making salvation available, is the basis for extending it to all [people]."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/romans/3-23.html, "Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible")

SEPTEMBER 8-9

Asking for God's Help

King David needed protection from his enemies, so he turned to God and said:

Psalm 4:1: "Hear [respond to, answer] me when I call [upon you in prayer], O God of my righteousness [meaning either 'my righteous God' or that God was the foundation, source, and author of David's righteousness, or the good things that he did]: thou hast enlarged me [you have helped me] [in the past] when I was in distress [trouble]; [so please] have mercy upon me, and hear [and answer] my prayer [today, because I need your help again]."
We Christians should remember that when God has answered our prayers in the past (as he did for King David), it is likely that he will continue do so in the future.

SEPTEMBER 7

In the Old Testament, this was one of God's promises to the nation of Israel:

 Isaiah 41:13: "For I the LORD thy [your] God will hold [strengthen] thy right hand, saying unto thee [you], Fear not [don't be afraid]; I will help thee."
The above promise to the Jewish people also applies to born-again Christians. God will help us whenever we are sad or worried or need assistance to vanquish (defeat, conquer) our enemies, make wise decisions, find a good job, fight a disease, etc.

SEPTEMBER 6

In the beginning of a letter to Titus (a born-again Gentile, or non-Jewish, Christian, who was led to faith in Christ by Paul), the apostle Paul wrote:

Titus 1:2: "In hope [expectation] of [receiving] eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;"
In the above verse, Paul assured Titus (and us) that God can't lie. Consequently, we can be sure that all of God's promises, as recorded in the Bible, have been fulfilled (accomplished, realized) in the past or will be fulfilled in the future.
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Some of God's promises are listed in the article entitled "What are the promises of God?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/promises-of-God.html.

SEPTEMBER 5

1 Timothy 1:15: "This is a faithful [true] saying, and worthy of all acceptation [worthy to be believed by all people] that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I [the apostle Paul] am chief [or first, meaning one of the worst (of pardoned sinners, referring to those who have accepted God's gift of eternal life)--see note below*]."
*Prior to his conversion to Christianity (i.e., before he got saved and became a preacher of the gospel), Paul was a blasphemer (meaning he took the Lord's name in vain), and he also persecuted (harassed, threatened, etc.) and murdered Christians.

Regarding the above verse, one Bible commentator asked, "Was Paul really the worst sinner of all time (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:8)?" Then he answered his own question as follows:

"Obviously many people have lived longer in a more depraved [morally corrupt, wicked] condition than Paul did. He became a Christian relatively early in his adult life. Perhaps the apostle meant that he was the 'foremost' sinner in the sense that his sin of aggressively tearing down the work that God was building up was the worst kind of sin. It was much worse than simply ignoring God and going one"s own way …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-timothy/1-15.html, "Dr. Constable's Expository Notes")

Note: If you're a sinner who wants to be saved, you'll find instructions in most of the tracts in the "Printable Gospel Tracts" section of my website. Here's a direct link to that page: https://www.mansioninheaven.com/PrintableGospelTracts.html.

SEPTEMBER 1-4

Stay Away From Troublemakers

Although King Solomon was speaking to his son in the following verses, this is good advice for all people:

Proverbs 1:10: "My son, if sinners entice thee [or try to lure you into a life of crime, tempt you to join them in doing bad things, persuade you to become a member of a gang, etc.], consent thou not [don't say yes]."

Proverbs 1:11-12: "If they [the 'sinners'] say, Come with us, let us lay wait [lie in wait] for blood [or 'let us ambush, rob, and murder people'], let us lurk privily [hide, wait in secret] for the innocent [people--travelers, etc.] without cause [for no reason]: Let us swallow them up alive as [does] the grave; and [swallow them up] whole, as those that go down into the pit [with the words grave and pit probably referring to Sheol--the underworld, or abode (place of residence) of the dead] [in other words, they want to destroy the innocent people suddenly and leave no clues behind (so they won't get caught), as when people are 'swallowed up alive' by an earthquake]:"

Proverbs 1:13-14: "We [the 'sinners'] shall find all precious substance [valuables], we shall fill our houses with spoil [stolen goods, loot]: Cast in thy [your] lot among us [or 'join us']; let us all have one purse [or bag (in which to store money), meaning they would share the wealth equally]:"

Proverbs 1:15-16: "My son, walk not thou [do not walk] in the way with them [meaning don't associate with those bad people]; refrain [restrain, keep] thy foot from their path: For their feet run to [do] evil [things], and [they] make haste [hasten, hurry] to shed [pour out, spill] [other people's] blood [or to hurt or kill them]."

Proverbs 1:17: "Surely in vain [for no purpose, without success] the net is spread [out] in the sight of any bird." [This verse can have more than one meaning--see note below.*]

Proverbs 1:18-19: "And they [the 'sinners,' criminals, bad people] lay [in] wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives [meaning that someday they'll pay the price for their actions]. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain [referring to covetous people--those who are not satisfied with what they have and who try to get more, sometimes by violence]; which taketh [takes] away the life of the owners thereof [i.e., those who are 'greedy of gain']."
You have a much better chance of staying out of trouble if you keep away from bad people. If someone from "the wrong crowd" invites you to join their group, follow the advice of Nancy Reagan (during her anti-drug campaign while she was First Lady of the United States) and "just say no."

*According to various Bible commentators, Proverbs 1:17 can have more than one meaning, depending on whether it is connected to the verse just before or after it.

Regarding verse 17, Albert Barnes says :

"… [This proverb] has received a variety of interpretations. The true meaning seems to be as follows: 'For in vain, to no purpose, is the net spread out openly. Clear as the warning is, it is in vain. The birds still fly in. The great net of God's judgments is spread out, open to the eyes of all [people], and yet the doers of evil, willfully blind, still rush into it.' Others take the words as pointing to the failure of the plans of the evil-doers against the innocent [people] (the 'bird'): others, again, interpret the proverb of the young man who thinks that he at least shall not fall into the snares [traps] laid for him, and so goes blindly into them."

(Source: (https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/proverbs-1.html, "Verse 17")
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Pastor Delany of Salem Bible Church goes into much more detail with his explanation of verse 17. In his commentary on verses 13-19, under the heading "Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird," he says:

'1. There are two interpretations to this verse. It is hard to tell for sure which one the author intended.

'FIRST INTERPRETATION…

"a. Here Solomon compares the criminals to birds about to be trapped in a net… a snare.

"b. Birds have a bad reputation in the Bible. They are spoken of as foolish, silly creatures… stupid! (Ephraim is like a silly dove without heart)

"c. Here Solomon states that even a stupid bird seems to have more sense than these criminals!

"d. Criminals must KNOW that there are consequences to their sin… they must know that eventually they are going to get caught… yet they STILL not only commit crimes, they make HASTE to run to evil and shed blood!

"2. It would be vain to spread a net or a trap in the sight of a bird. If an animal knows he is going to be trapped, he will avoid the trap!

"a. As silly as birds might be--they have enough sense to avoid a trap when they see it.

"b. Not so with the criminals. They KNOW that their crime is a trap ready to catch them at any moment, yet they RUN to evil!

"SECOND INTERPRETATION…

"3. It also possible to understand vs.17 another way. Some see vs.17 as a comparison of a bird not to the criminals but to the son Solomon is warning.

"a. In this view, Solomon has just warned his son about the TRAP that the criminals have set for him. They have allured [lured] the young man into a life of crime… but a life of crime is a snare… a trap. They have used sport [having fun] and riches as bait to lure him into their trap.

"b. The point would be that Solomon's son has been warned about the trap that is being set for him.

"c. Even a silly bird wouldn't walk into a trap if he knew it was a trap… therefore, Solomon expects that his son will NOT follow these criminals and enter the trap they have set for him!

"d. In other words, Solomon is saying: Son, you have been warned! You know full well that their enticing words are nothing but a trap which will destroy you! Don't enter it!"

If you want to read Pastor Delany's commentaries on the other verses shown above, they can be found here:

-- "If Sinners Entice Thee"
    (http://www.salembible.org/proverbs-1-index/proverbs-1_10/)

-- "Greedy of Gain"
    (http://www.salembible.org/proverbs-1-index/proverbs-1_13-19/)