Give Your Back To The Fools For His Wisdom

*Executions of the court are *formed for *the proud and *blows for the *back of fools.

*[Executions] Literally, the enforcement of justice. This noun acts as the period of the Hebrew verb stem in its Nifal (causative) and qatal (perfect) construct. This means that it is a predetermined act upon a rendered judgment of the court. The context, again, is based on the system of justice that is called the State in Solomon’s jurisdiction and dominion. Though this is a proverbial application for every generation, it is best understood in the context of Solomon’s culture and the Mosaic Covenant. It should not be confused with “condemnation” according to the ESV translation because it is not the final and eternal judgment. This proverb is for earthly government and the rule of law in the principle of the flesh (Eye for an eye; a tooth for tooth; life for life; etc.). Therefore, it is the enforcement of the penalty that is to be rendered according to the written code of the law for particular offenses. Solomon wants the kings/sons of Israel to know that their reign requires that they be prepared to make their judgments according to the predetermined law.

*[are formed] literally, to shape or fashion. In unison with the noun, enforcement, Solomon desires that the sons of the covenantal king would enforce the law “as it has been written.” They are not to make new judgments but are to keep what has already been established. They are not to fear to put to death those lawbreakers through the decision of the court. It is best understood “executions of the court” because Solomon acts as a judge who guides a trial by jury. Solomon, though a king, is not the sole judge, jury, and executioner. Solomon, acting as king, is only the referee in these matters of State. He is there to make sure all parties involved are restrained to their individual roles as plaintiff or defendant, jury or attorney. Again, the Hebrew verb is causative and reflexive with the noun as though it were a completed act. However, the court is a process, but the process must make its decision according to the guidelines of the law. Therefore as the process plays itself out, the execution or enforcement is predetermined. The court doesn’t have the liberty to make up the rules as it carries out its process. It is a strict and narrow process that is predetermined (or prepared - as some translations render it) by the written and objective law of God according to its own culture. But as a proverb, applicable in every culture.

*[the proud] literally, in the verbal form, to put on airs or to boast in self. But it is an adjective of the construct. Therefore it is better rendered “the proud,” describing the cause of the execution of the court. The execution of the decision of the court is reflexive to the cause and subject of the court. The subject then is both passive of the decision and active of the cause of the court, as the Nifal stem (the predetermined/fixed process) is reflexive to the subject. There is a direct article that singles out the accused. The whole process is caused by the subject of this direct article. The cause is the pride of the accused. It was pride that ushered them into this courtroom and its decision. The proud are promised execution, while the ignorant are promised beatings upon their foolish back. Some are lawbreakers willfully, while some are violators ignorantly (Lk.12:47-48). But “the” proud are executed and cut off from the grace of the land and its life in the commonwealth of God. The proud are those who know to do good and have it within their ability to do good and stubbornly refuse to do it (James 4:17). These alone are prepared for the execution of the court. These alone demonstrate the severity of the law (Rom.9:21-23). This “spiritual” court then is like [a mirror] to the final condemnation in the predestination of the Lamb of God (Jn.1:29;1Pet.1:19;Rev.5:6;7:17;13:8). It’s a shadow of the crucifixion of Christ and the putting to death of sin for the glory of Heaven’s kingdom. But its also to slow down the process and growth of pride in the fallen nature of the human soul. Because the foreigners of Israel’s kingdom were separated from this image of Solomon’s courtroom, they were also alienated from the life of God (Eph.2:11-13;4:17-20;Col.1:21-23). The manner of which this process of execution played out gave the subjects of Solomon’s kingdom (the Israel of God) a window into God’s plan of salvation. Behold this proverb then, like you would a crime scene drama. That was the “spiritual” benefit of this kingdom for those who came to witness the executions of the court when it operated within the boundaries of the law. It was a means to educate the kingdom of its own laws and consequences with first-hand knowledge by written precept and visual practice.

*[blows] literally, strikes or punches. It may even be referring to the lashes of the whip. But most likely, it is referring to the rod (Prov.26:3). The severity of these punishments was based on the level of conscience that was in the heart of these fools (2Cor.11:24). The more scars upon the back would determine the accountability that the proud would have accumulated to their conscience of the law’s consequences (Pr.26:11). You could call it a “rap sheet” written upon the back like a criminal record (Pr.17:10;27:22). These scars were evidence of how many times they were informed of the law and the nature of violating it (Rom.2:2,4-5,15-16).

*[the back of fools] This is literally a singular construct of many. It’s permissible to translate this, “for the backs of fools,” but it is better understood as one back that represents many fools. The purpose of the court is to demonstrate the consequence of the offense before the witnesses and the other parties involved in the business of the court. But it is this singular back that functions as the representative of the many witnesses, which are made up of wise and foolish, humble and proud observers. The court is open to the public in the hope that the wise will understand and fear the consequence of the court, which is prepared not for the wise to serve foolishness but for the foolish to serve the wise. It was the purpose of the court to act as a perpetual reminder to be wise and not act foolishly. The wise are given the wisdom to serve wisdom and take dominion over sin. While the very court was created and instituted because of foolishness, it was for wisdom that it was created. The wise witnesses would imitate what was to be found as good and holy of its nobility in executing the proud and punishing the foolish. And while evil was expected to be exposed in the court, it was also expected that its witnesses would not imitate what was evil but good. It is always a very dramatic scene in this court, but it was also always expected to stir up the fear of the Lord, love, and good works among the wise.