Proverbs 8 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Proverbs 8

The Blessings of Wisdom

8:1   Does not wisdom call?
    Does not understanding raise her voice?
2   On the heights beside the way,
    at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3   beside the gates in front of the town,
    at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4   “To you, O men, I call,
    and my cry is to the children of man.
5   O simple ones, learn prudence;
    O fools, learn sense.
6   Hear, for I will speak noble things,
    and from my lips will come what is right,
7   for my mouth will utter truth;
    wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8   All the words of my mouth are righteous;
    there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9   They are all straight to him who understands,
    and right to those who find knowledge.
10   Take my instruction instead of silver,
    and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11   for wisdom is better than jewels,
    and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12   “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
    and I find knowledge and discretion.
13   The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
  Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
    and perverted speech I hate.
14   I have counsel and sound wisdom;
    I have insight; I have strength.
15   By me kings reign,
    and rulers decree what is just;
16   by me princes rule,
    and nobles, all who govern justly.¹
17   I love those who love me,
    and those who seek me diligently find me.
18   Riches and honor are with me,
    enduring wealth and righteousness.
19   My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
    and my yield than choice silver.
20   I walk in the way of righteousness,
    in the paths of justice,
21   granting an inheritance to those who love me,
    and filling their treasuries.
22   “The LORD possessed² me at the beginning of his work,³
    the first of his acts of old.
23   Ages ago I was set up,
    at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24   When there were no depths I was brought forth,
    when there were no springs abounding with water.
25   Before the mountains had been shaped,
    before the hills, I was brought forth,
26   before he had made the earth with its fields,
    or the first of the dust of the world.
27   When he established the heavens, I was there;
    when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28   when he made firm the skies above,
    when he established⁴ the fountains of the deep,
29   when he assigned to the sea its limit,
    so that the waters might not transgress his command,
  when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30     then I was beside him, like a master workman,
  and I was daily his⁵ delight,
    rejoicing before him always,
31   rejoicing in his inhabited world
    and delighting in the children of man.
32   “And now, O sons, listen to me:
    blessed are those who keep my ways.
33   Hear instruction and be wise,
    and do not neglect it.
34   Blessed is the one who listens to me,
    watching daily at my gates,
    waiting beside my doors.
35   For whoever finds me finds life
    and obtains favor from the LORD,
36   but he who fails to find me injures himself;
    all who hate me love death.”

Footnotes

[1] 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
[2] 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created
[3] 8:22 Hebrew way
[4] 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
[5] 8:30 Or daily filled with

Commentary

v1-5: Wisdom is personified as a female; yet the Christian sees the picture of Christ.

Her call, as in 1.20-22. So different from the flattering tongue of the seductress (6.24; 7.5, 13, 21), whose words emphasise the physical, being driven by selfishness; true wisdom is spiritual.

There is a universal call (v4) to all mankind. The call is to be changed; the simple and foolish can gain understanding; only wisdom from God can change men.

v6-9: The transparent perfection of wisdom, "No man ever spoke like this man" (John 7.46). Wisdom is excellent and right, true and righteous. No lie or half-truth, no deception or exaggeration, no perversity; wisdom hates sin (Ps 45.7).

Words reveal the inner character, for example, consider Christ's words in Luke's gospel;

wise words to the devil (Luke 4.4, 8, 12);
gracious words (Luke 4.22);
with authority and power (Luke 4.32);
power over demons / unclean spirits (Luke 4.35-36);
power over sickness (Luke 4.39);
power to forgive sins (Luke 5.20);
power over death (Luke 7.14-15);
appropriate words to Simon the Pharisee (real devotion flows from real forgiveness) (Luke 7.40-47);
power over nature (Luke 8.24);
power to teach (Luke 15);
words which get to the heart of the matter (Luke 18.22);
dealing with trick questions (Luke 20);
words before Pilate (Luke 23.1-4).

Christ's words are "right" and "faultless", plain to those who understand (John 7.17; 1 Cor 2.13-16). Our part is to maintain a desire for the truth of Christ. The fact that we believe such words is a testimony to the work of God's Spirit in us.

v10-11: See 3.14-15; esteem her highly, above silver and choice gold, better than rubies, far above anything (Song 3.1-4; 5.9-16).

v12-16: The power and relevance of wisdom.

v12: Wisdom from God brings many benefits. God is generous to His own. As the simple and foolish gain wisdom (v5), they also receive much more besides.

v13: True faith, the fear of the Lord; this leads us to reject and forsake sin in all its forms, see v7. Actions and words alike are brought under submission to God's ways.

v14: Wisdom brings blessing into our lives; we can make right judgments for ourselves, and guide others also.

v15-16: Wisdom is essential for all those in authority. If leaders are wise and spiritual, then those for whom they are responsible are encouraged to live godly.

v17-21: Reward for seeking wisdom.

v17: God honours those who honour Him; we receive in kind from Him. As we set our hearts upon Him, so He meets with us; we are never disappointed, Jer 29.13.

v18: Enduring wealth is found in Him, and we receive this.

v19: Better then gold and silver, as in v11. The fruit of wisdom is the blessing into our lives.

v20-21: Wisdom leads us into righteousness and wisdom, and we receive even more (1 Kings 3.12-15).

v22-31: Wisdom is what God is like. Job 28 addresses the subject of wisdom, emphasising that it is only found in God.

Wisdom preceded creation, it was "the first of His works." The spiritual is more important than the physical.

Everything that God made was good, and mankind was very good (Gen 1); there is a similar distinction here, as wisdom rejoiced in creation, but delighted in mankind. God's character is reflected in all He made.

v32-36: The godly, having responded to the call of wisdom (v1-5), are characterised by certain attitudes.

v32: Listen and obey; true faith does what God says.

v33: Heed God's instructions; do not despise the good things of God.

v34: Watching, like a beggar at the gate, for blessing;

Waiting, like a servant at the doorway, for a command.

We anticipate that we will hear from God and receive from Him.

v35: Seek wisdom with zeal and urgency.

v36: To neglect or reject God's way is a serious error.