By R. Larry Overstreet
The verb pahthah occurs some 27 times in the OT and usually has the negative idea of "enticement" (Ex. 22:15) or "deception" (Deut. 11:16). Goldberg observes that, "The basic verb idea is 'be open, spacious, wide,' and might relate to the immature or simple one who is open to all kinds of enticement, not having developed a discriminating judgment as to what is right or wrong" (TWOT, 1980, p. 742). In 1 Kings 22:20, 21, 22, the verb is translated "persuade"(AV), and in Proverbs 25:15 it is rendered "persuaded" (AV, NASB, NIV). The references in 1 Kings 22 fit with Goldberg's assessment. Such is not the case with Proverbs 25:15, "By forbearance a ruler may be persuaded, And a soft tongue breaks the bone." Clifford correctly observes: "The verb for 'to persuade' is negative ('to deceive, seduce') in its other four occurrences in Proverbs, but it has a positive meaning here and in Hos. 2:16 and Judg. 14:15" (Clifford, 1999, p. 225). Garrett explains the parallelism in this verse: "The bones are the most rigid parts inside of a person, and fracturing the bones here refers to breaking down the deepest, most hardened resistance to an idea a person may possess" (Garrett, 1993, p. 207). Zuck concisely sets forth that this persuasiveness which overcomes resistance in a ruler is through a person's words: "Words should be spoken with restraint (10:19; 11:12; 13:3; 15:28; 16:23; 17:27; 21:23; 29:20), and should be fitting or appropriate to the occasion (10:32; 15:1, 23; 16:24; 25:11, 15)" (Zuck, 1995, p. 108). The principle of persuasion of Proverbs 25:15, therefore, is: words must be appropriate to the occasion.
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The final verb to examine is shasa which is used nine times in the OT, with five "describing the cloven hoof of quadrupeds" (Austel, 1980, p. 944). Three of the other four uses refer to the tearing apart of an animal. The pertinent use of the term related to this study occurs in 1 Samuel 24:7 where "David persuaded (shasa) his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul." The significance of the verb in this verse is presented by Gordon: "the Hebrew has 'cleft . . . with words', which is both more colourful and worthy of better treatment in the versions, ancient and modern. The addition of 'with words' (not 'with these words', as RSV) suggests that we have a figurative usage comparable with the English 'tear in pieces', 'excoriate', etc. NEB 'reproved . . . severely' is dull but adequate. For the expression we might compare Hosea 6:5 ('I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth') and perhaps also the use of dichotomein ('cut in two') in Matthew 25:41 and Luke 12:46" (Gordon, 1986, p. 180). The verb's emphasis is on David's emotional fervor as he uses words to persuade his men not to kill Saul when the opportunity for such action was at hand. The principle for persuasion here is: be outwardly fervent in your persuasion endeavor.