At three things the earth trembles, at four it can't bear up:

at a servant when he becomes king 

and fools when they are full of food;

at a detested woman when she gets married

and a female servant when she replaces her mistress.  

Proverbs 30:21-23 CEB

Yesterday a friend reaponded with these thoughts on this part of the words of Agur, son of Jakeh:

"Got me thinking of all the characters of the bible that fit into these 4 categories:

1. Jesus, David, Joseph, Moses

2. King Saul, Solomon, Pharo, Hamen, Judas, Noah

3. Mary, Ruth, Tamar, The women Jesus speaks to by the well 

4. Hagar

What a cryptic way to draw all those threads together... so Jewish! Love it."

It's difficult to put ourselves in the shoes of a reader or hearer of these proverbs 3000 years ago, consider what they knew of God, his covenants, his action in their world, what the culture and language they were embedded in, their life and experience. 

It's fascinating when we see the hidden layers in God's revelation to us, and what can seem obscure can have deeper meaning, pointing us somewhere deeper too.

#wisdom

#somethingtochewon 

#itsaheartthing 

#thnaksAng

#layers