KJV ORIGINAL
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Physical bruises from wounds can cleanse away evil, and beatings can purify the inner heart.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse suggests that sometimes painful experiences or discipline can help remove evil and purify our hearts.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of King Solomon, who is traditionally credited with writing many of the Proverbs, ancient Israelite society valued wisdom and discipline as essential for a righteous life. This verse uses the imagery of wounds and stripes to illustrate how physical pain can lead to moral cleansing, drawing from a cultural context where corporal punishment was a standard form of correction. Such metaphors were common in wisdom literature to teach ethical lessons.
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