As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
The verse belongs to Solomon's writings in Proverbs 25-29, standing in the last fifteen chapters of Proverbs within the section beginning at chapter 25. That section was copied out of the many writings of Solomon by the scribes of Hezekiah, the men he appointed. He wrote three thousand proverbs, with the greater part of Proverbs written about the year one thousand and later. As a proverb, it is a brief saying that states a familiar truth, often by comparison.
The verse pictures the lazy person turning on his bed as a door moves back and forth on its hinges, using an everyday image to expose idleness. The point of the comparison is repeated movement without leaving place: the slothful person does not get up, accomplishes nothing, gains nothing, and makes no progress.
Applied to church life, the verse describes members who remain inactive, coming and going without feeling responsible for God's work or caring about the salvation of others. It therefore calls Christians not to separate religion from business or any other occupation, but to represent Christ wherever they serve and to work to win souls, since withholding wholehearted service deprives God of their influence, time, money, and effort and deprives others of the benefit of their service. In contrast to such fruitless repetition, bearing the cross means continuing to obey and grow in the light of truth, gaining strength and victories. The verse also illustrates people who come and go without receiving any lasting impression or changing their lives.
The verse belongs to Solomon's writings in Proverbs 25-29, standing in the last fifteen chapters of Proverbs within the section beginning at chapter 25. That section was copied out of the many writings of Solomon by the scribes of Hezekiah, the men he appointed. He wrote three thousand proverbs, with the greater part of Proverbs written about the year one thousand and later. As a proverb, it is a brief saying that states a familiar truth, often by comparison.
The verse pictures the lazy person turning on his bed as a door moves back and forth on its hinges, using an everyday image to expose idleness. The point of the comparison is repeated movement without leaving place: the slothful person does not get up, accomplishes nothing, gains nothing, and makes no progress.
Applied to church life, the verse describes members who remain inactive, coming and going without feeling responsible for God's work or caring about the salvation of others. It therefore calls Christians not to separate religion from business or any other occupation, but to represent Christ wherever they serve and to work to win souls, since withholding wholehearted service deprives God of their influence, time, money, and effort and deprives others of the benefit of their service. In contrast to such fruitless repetition, bearing the cross means continuing to obey and grow in the light of truth, gaining strength and victories. The verse also illustrates people who come and go without receiving any lasting impression or changing their lives.