Shabbat shalom!

A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
Proverbs 17:8 ESV

There is disagreement about what type of stone is intended. KJV and JPS say "precious stone", TLV says "charm", and ESV says "magic stone". The Hebrew is eben khen (stone grace). This is the only place where the KJV translates khen as "precious", which might be a deliberate mistranslation to discourage superstition. The TLV and ESV have it right.

The proverb isn't encouraging the use of magic charms, only that a bribe is like having a magic charm that influences other people agree with you.

Something to remember when we gather with family or friends this holiday season is found in Proverbs 10:23. “It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.” Hopefully this will help you to recognize someone who causes tension may be doing so for their own entertainment. Solomon tells us that it is their sport and they are foolish to do so.

Thought for Today: Shabbat November 23

A believer is a person who made a choice. Just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden – to obey Elohiym or to rebel against Him. We make that choice initially when we commit our lives to Moshiach, but we also make that choice day-by-day, moment-by-moment. A believer is a person who’s live has changed and that transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit. A believer is a person who accepted a challenge. The challenge is Yeshua’ call to deny self – our own selfish ambitions; our own selfish pleasures – and take up the cross.

Shabbat Fellowship Live on Zoom. Nov 23rd at 12:30 pm California time.

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Hb 10