Proverbs: Living Life God’s Way

By Daren B. Melson

Proverbs: Living Life God’s Way is a verse-by-verse commentary on the Biblical book of Proverbs. The reader’s understanding of these pithy statements of distilled wisdom will expand, helping them navigate the situations of life and teaching the principles of living life in a way that pleases God. Proverbs: Living Life God’s Way seeks to assist the reader in interpreting the Book of Proverbs as it was originally written and intended to be understood, leading to greater spiritual maturity in an ever-increasing faith. In addition to a verse-by verse commentary, this book also discusses important secondary issues related to understanding Proverbs as well as essays covering the major topics of Proverbs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664258365

Daren B. Melson

Daren B. Melson has a Master of Divinity Degree from Columbia International University. He has taught Bible and Theology to Junior High School, High School, and College students, both inside and outside of the United States. By day Daren works as a computer forensics expert in the financial industry. He lives in York, South Carolina with his wife and two sons.

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Copyright © 2022 Daren B. Melson.

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Scripture quotations are taken from The New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-5835-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-5837-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-5836-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022903171

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/09/2022

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introductory Matters

• Introduction and Purpose for this Book

• Authorship of the Book of Proverbs

• Different Types of Proverbs

• Context within the Book of Proverbs

• Proper Life Application and Scope of the Proverbs

• Outline of the Book of Proverbs

Commentary

• Chapter 1

• Chapter 2

• Chapter 3

• Chapter 4

• Chapter 5

• Chapter 6

• Chapter 7

• Chapter 8

• Chapter 9

• Chapter 10

• Chapter 11

• Chapter 12

• Chapter 13

• Chapter 14

• Chapter 15

• Chapter 16

• Chapter 17

• Chapter 18

• Chapter 19

• Chapter 20

• Chapter 21

• Chapter 22

• Chapter 23

• Chapter 24

• Chapter 25

• Chapter 26

• Chapter 27

• Chapter 28

• Chapter 29

• Chapter 30

• Chapter 31

Essays

• Essay on the Heart

• Essay on the Use of Your Words and Your Mouth

• Essay on Wives and a Good Marriage

• Essay on the Nature of the Wicked

• Essay on the Nature of the Fool

• Essay on What Godly Leadership Looks Like

Bibliography

End Notes

This book is dedicated solely to the glory of God.

Sola Dei Gloria

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A very special thanks to my wife and best friend Cynthia for her support and help in proofreading this manuscript and her input on many matters related to this book. I would also like to acknowledge the patience and support of my two sons Phillip and Charles as I worked on this book.

INTRODUCTION AND

PURPOSE FOR THIS BOOK

As I have progressed through my Christian life, I have always had a fascination for the book of Proverbs. I have constantly been captivated by the wise, pithy statements of distilled wisdom that help a person navigate the situations of life and teach the principles of living life God’s way.

Because of this interest and fascination, I have read as many commentaries as I could get my hands on to help me understand the material in Proverbs. However, some problems and inadequacies became glaringly clear to me as I accumulated and read through those materials.

I found that most of the materials I had collected were, in my opinion, deficient in one way or other. Most commentaries on Proverbs comment on the content of the first 9 chapters, since they are prosaic, and then separate the remainder of Proverbs into thematic discussions, much like the essays at the end of this work. While there is nothing necessarily wrong with this type of approach, there are many proverbs that do not fall into neat categories. Furthermore, some of the proverbs must be stretched to fit into such categories. A categorical commentary has its uses but its defects as well.

Some commentaries concern themselves more with the scholarly issues associated with the text and textual criticism, and present only a surface level understanding of the proverbs. These works concern themselves primarily with who said what about the text, and which Hebrew words have Ugaritic roots, but do little to assist the reader in understanding the meaning and purpose of the text, resulting in a godlier life. While such textual criticism pursuits are necessary and important, they lend little insight into the understanding the meanings of the proverbs within the book.

Other commentaries, I found, were nothing more than musings on the content of the book – as provided to the author in an English translation, and commented upon in a modern setting – with no real attempt at understanding the culture of Israel at the time of Solomon’s writing or the nuances of meanings that occur when translating from one language to another. I found that such commentaries gave the speaker a platform from which to teach but, in return, do many injustices to the material and provide little to the reader to enhance their understanding of the originally intended meaning of the proverbs.

A few of the materials I found in my studies were little more than glorified study guides. As such, they were very scant in their content (if they had any at all), and what content they did have was weak. These resources could hardly be called commentaries and brought about no new insights in studying Proverbs.

As I looked upon the materials that were available to me I discerned that there was a need and place for a book like this; a book that seeks to assist the reader in interpreting the Book of Proverbs as it was originally written and intended to be understood. I felt lead by God to take on this project, which has been over fifteen years in the making. I sought to write this book with the desire that the reader may be blessed with a clearer understanding of the practical wisdom found in Proverbs, leading them to greater spiritual maturity. The purpose of this book is to increase faith in the reader and to help non-scholars to understand the practical meaning of the individual proverbs and the book as a whole. This book is not meant to be a scholarly discussion, however, in places where scholarly input helps understand the verse, it is mentioned – see the comments on Proverbs 6:11 for an example.

In translating the Hebrew to English, I sought to add the nuances of Hebrew words so as to give the reader a better understanding of the myriad possibilities of how that verse may be plainly understood. I give a range of meaning for some translated words so the reader may gain insight into the original intended meaning of each verse. The English verses, as given in this book, are taken from the New American Standard Bible. By incorporating the Hebrew words and their ranges of meaning, I have hopefully given the reader a greater insight on the text and its teachings as well as possible nuances in understanding the intent.

The reader would do well to remember that the Hebrew culture was an oral culture. The best way to get people to remember whatever they are told, without writing it down (most people were illiterate anyway), was to repeat the statement or idea. Therefore, throughout the book of Proverbs, many ideas and concepts are repeated to drive home the point to the reader. I attempt to bring out the differences in each verse without necessarily repeating the main idea; although I do cross reference the current proverb with other proverbs so the reader can get the bigger picture represented throughout the book – see also the essays at the end of this book.

Proverbs entails the wisdom of the ages and therefore is not the domain of any one person (Proverbs 1:2-6). I am by no means a master of the Proverbs or their contents; I welcome the wisdom, insight, and correction of others in regards to this material. I do not consider myself to be a wise man nor do I consider this work to be superior to the work of others. I merely hope, by God’s leading, that this work might contribute to the mental, spiritual, and emotional lives of those who read it or use it as a reference. I also pray that this book helps to fill in the gap of other great works on the Proverbs.

AUTHORSHIP OF THE

BOOK OF PROVERBS

The authorship of the book of Proverbs is somewhat problematic. From the text itself, we read in 25:1 that the section of Solomon’s proverbs in chapters 25-29 were brought forth by Hezekiah’s men. King Hezekiah lived from 740 BC to 687 BC with his kingship starting in 716 BC at the approximate age of thirty-four¹. King Solomon ruled from 970 BC to 930 BC which means that there was a time gap of greater than 200 years between the writing of the first twenty-two chapters and the completion of the book. Therefore, Solomon did not author the contents of the final version of the book, nor did he compile the final version of Proverbs.

Also, from the text itself, we read that 22:17-24:34 contain the words of the wise, while chapter 30 contains the words of Agur, and chapter 31 contains the words of king Lemuel which his mother taught him. In other words, there are words of wisdom from at least three additional sources besides Solomon within the book of Proverbs. This makes perfect sense within the overall purpose of the book as there is tremendous wisdom in having many sources of information and counsel (Proverbs 11:14, 15:22, 24:6).

Solomon is credited with writing over 3,000 proverbs, of which, the book of Proverbs only contains approximately 800². Solomon is said to have pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs (Ecclesiastes 12:9) some of which he may not have necessarily written. This leads some to argue that Solomon should be given sole credit for the contents of the entire book, dating Proverbs to the 900s BC.

This argument, however, falls upon its face when the underlying Hebrew style is compared. Logically, it follows that if Solomon wrote the other sections (22:17-24:34, Ch. 30 and Ch. 31) of the book, even if quoting other authors, that he would have at least worded them in his own words. There is a marked difference between the Hebrew and the parallelism of the sections attributed to Solomon and the sections attributed to the other authors. The style of these sections indicate that Solomon is not the author, as they have no similarity to the style of Solomon’s writings: either in prose (chapters 1-9), or in parallelism (chapters 10-22a).

Since the sections of the book attributed to others have nothing that can be connected with a time or person in history, the date when the book was written in its final form cannot be determined. As such, the individual(s) who edited the final version cannot be determined either. Therefore, I would argue that the book of Proverbs, should be looked at, in its final, Scriptural version, as a collection of similar writings that were edited into their final form, by a scribe or scribes, sometime during or after the reign of King Hezekiah and before the translation of the Septuagint (which was written somewhere between 284-247 BC). Therefore, the date for the final collection of the book of Proverbs should be somewhere between 700 and 300 BC.

To attribute the final version of the book of Proverbs, as we have it in Scripture now, to an unknown scribe or scribes is not an assault on the canonicity or inerrancy of the book. There is a distinct flow to the book and it has a clear purpose to teach wisdom, which has its origin in a right relationship with God (Proverbs 1:7). Wisdom lays a foundation with the teachings of chapters 1-9, then the remainder of the book builds upon that foundation, with the real world teachings of Solomon’s proverbs, combined with the teachings of other wise people. The book, in its final form, is exactly as the Holy Spirit desired to have it, completed to teach the reader wisdom and knowledge for earthly conduct, grounded in a relationship with Him, growing evermore into greater spiritual maturity.

DIFFERENT TYPES

OF PROVERBS

To understand the meaning of individual proverbs, the reader must be familiar with Hebrew parallelism and how it affects the translation and interpretation of proverbs. The proverbs of Solomon are written in high parallelistic style and this helps the reader understand better the intended meaning.

Parallelism is so named because parallel ideas are expressed within the text of the proverb (parallelism is not restricted simply to the Proverbs, as it is seen in many forms throughout the text of the Old Testament). There are three forms of parallelism noted in Solomon’s proverbs: (1) Antithetical Parallelism, (2) Synonymous Parallelism, and (3) Synthetic Parallelism.

Antithetical

Within antithetical parallelism, stanza A is the opposite or dissimilar to stanza B. Many times in antithetical parallelism ideas are expressed through a chiastic structure – a chiasm represents the Greek letter CHI, which is displayed as a capital X. Therefore, the proverbs often take on a structure in which the first idea of the first stanza is compared with the last idea of the second stanza and the second idea of the first stanza is compared with the first idea of the second stanza – hence, the shape of the letter CHI. This helps the reader better interpret the original idea as intended.

As an example of antithetical parallelism, consider Proverbs 1:7: the reverent fear of the Lord (1st stanza, 1st idea) stands in parallelistic contrast to how fools despise wisdom and instruction (2nd stanza, 2nd idea), while the beginning of knowledge (1st stanza, 2nd idea) stands in parallelistic contrast with fools (2nd stanza, 1st idea). Seeing the chiastic structure of the proverb helps understand the intention of Solomon – displaying that the wise choice is to reverently fear the Lord while foolish people despise wisdom and instruction (the exact opposite reaction to what is proper). Believers (those who have begun their journey of wisdom as displayed in reverent fear of the Lord) are contrasted with fools who refuse to believe. This gives the reader great insight into the nature of fools, and, that if they run across someone who hates being instructed or becoming wiser, they are in the presence of a fool. This insight also gives the reader the understanding that, if someone is disrespectful to the Lord or His ways, they are a fool because they fall into the category of those who do not believe. Each antithetical proverb can produce a greater understanding of Solomon’s intent when the structure is better understood. Yet, the reader must also understand that not all antithetical proverbs are chiastic in structure.

Synonymous

Synonymous parallelism is where stanza A and stanza B have similar ideas, or are basically the same, but are expressed in slightly different ways. For example consider Proverbs 10:10 – He who winks the eye brings pain, And a babbling fool will be thrust away. A person who uses covert gestures brings about pain and trouble. In a similar way, the incessant speaking of a foolish person brings about pain and trouble, and will be ‘thrust away’, or driven out, by those who don’t want to hear it.

Synthetic

The second most common form of parallelism used by Solomon in Proverbs is Synthetic. Synthetic parallelism is where stanza B completes, or builds upon, the idea of stanza A, thereby synthesizing the two ideas into one complete whole.

Proverbs 10:22 is an example of synthetic parallelism: It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He does not add pain to it. Here, stanza B builds upon, and adds to, the meaning of stanza A, giving the reader insight into how the Lord does not give us riches and then add pain and suffering onto it, as if it were some device to humble us. The gifts of the Lord come with no strings attached and we are meant to enjoy them.

Understanding the form of parallelism used in the proverbs of Solomon can assist the reader into gaining better insight into the meaning he intended. The parallelism itself can lead to an even better understanding of the original intent of Solomon when viewed properly and analyzed as such. By looking at the ideas which are held in parallel to each other, the reader can gain greater insight.

Within this work, when interpreting the proverbs of Solomon (chapters 10-22A and 25-29), I have classified the type of parallelism used in each proverb to assist the reader in his understanding. The following codes are used (prefixed) in parentheses before the verse of each of the proverbs of Solomon – see the comments at Proverbs 10:1:

• (anti) = Antithetical

• (sim) = Synonymous

• (synth) = Synthetic

CONTEXT WITHIN THE

BOOK OF PROVERBS

One of the greatest challenges for students of Hermeneutics is a proper understanding of scope as it applies to the Proverbs. Obviously, within the book, there are prosaic sections, within which scope is easily determined and understood. The first nine chapters, the words of the wise (chapters 22b-24), the words of Agur (chapter 30), and the words of King Lemuel (chapter 31) are somewhat prosaic and therefore scope is thematically determined.

When translating from ancient Hebrew to English, word choice is greatly assisted by scope, giving meaning to the understanding of the author’s intent. However, when translating and interpreting sections of Solomon’s individual proverbs, scope becomes problematic. It is difficult to determine if a verse is in context with its predecessors or successors, making translation and interpretation more difficult.

Determining scope then becomes an afterthought; the interpreter must look to the general theme of the proverb to determine if its predecessors or successors fall within the same theme as the current verse. Scope thus becomes somewhat subjective in Solomon’s proverbs.

I have attempted in this work to indicate sections that fall into thematic categories. However, it is impossible to assign themes and arrange create an outline for the majority of Solomon’s proverbs. This explains why there are no outline points within the collections of Solomon’s proverbs in this work – to do so would degenerate into a single outline point for each proverb, sprinkled with occasional sections of thematic scope. There is no discernible outline in such sections and thus none is artificially contrived.

PROPER LIFE APPLICATION

AND SCOPE OF THE PROVERBS

One of the most egregious problems, when attempting to understand and apply the proverbs to life, is to give them too much gravity; turning the rules of proverbs into laws of the universe. The teachings on wisdom and the individual proverbs within the book are meant to be looked upon as general rules of life, not laws describing how life must, or will, work.

A law must be true at all times, regardless of the circumstances; and there can be no exception to a law. A rule is generally true at all times, however, there are exceptions to every rule; and there are circumstances when the rule does not apply.

The individual proverbs must be interpreted and applied within the context of the whole book and, indeed, the teaching of the whole Bible. They are not divine promises for the here and now but true observations that time will bear out.³

To elevate the proverbs to the level of laws does them injustice. This is where many people go astray into the ‘prosperity gospel’ or similar teachings. If the proverbs were to be taken to the level of laws, then every Christian would be financially rich, always healthy, and would live long lives. We all know from life experience that this is simply not the case – good people die young, there are many financially poor Christians, and so forth. Elevating the teachings of proverbs to must be’s and laws that govern reality is a trap that, all who seek to take Proverbs seriously, must avoid.

While it is true that the teachings of wisdom and the individual proverbs should be seen as rules rather than laws, there is also a situational awareness on the part of the reader that is needed to apply their wisdom aptly. This is not situationalism, nor selective application of the truth of Scripture, but rather an understanding, that acknowledges its place in time and space, so as to apply the teachings of wisdom correctly.

"Furthermore, some proverbs are true, but true only in certain situations. The proverbs embody wisdom, only a wise person knows the situation in which a particular proverb applies.… The truly wise person will be so sensitive to human nature that he will know when to apply the one and not the other (for example: Proverbs 26:3-4)⁴".

To properly apply the wisdom and teachings of Proverbs to daily life, the reader must be aware of the pitfalls of overly elevating such teachings to the point of making them laws of the universe. The wise person will maintain a proper perspective on the interpretation and application of Proverbs in daily life, guided by keeping them within their proper realm of authority.

OUTLINE OF THE BOOK

OF PROVERBS

Outline of the Biblical Book of Proverbs:

I. Authorship (1:1)

II. Purpose (1:2-1:6)

III. Theme (1:7)

IV. Building the Foundation: Instructing a Young Man in Wisdom (1:8-9:18)

A. The Blessings of Listening to your Parents (1:8-9)

B. Parental Advice against Joining a Gang (1:10-19)

C. Wisdom Calls out to You, So Listen! (1:20-33)

D. Seek Wisdom and Its Benefits (2:1-22)

1. If you will seek wisdom with your whole being… (2:1-4)

2. You will find that all wisdom flows from God (2:5-8)

3. Wisdom will teach you what is right and just (2:9-12)

4. Wisdom will protect you from those who seek to do evil (2:12-15)

5. Wisdom will protect you from an adulteress (2:16-19)

6. Wisdom will keep you on the right path and will preserve you (2:20-22)

E. More Benefits of Seeking Wisdom (3:1-22)

1. If you are wise you will be blessed by God and man (3:1-4)

2. Conduct your relationship with God aptly (3:5-12)

3. Seek Lady Wisdom (3:13-20)

4. Seeking wisdom brings many blessings (3:21-26)

5. Ways wisdom does not think or behave (3:27-35)

F. Wisdom through the Generations (4:1-27)

1. Wisdom as Passed from Generation to Generation (4:1-9)

2. Seek the Righteous Path; Avoid the Path of Evil (4:10-19)

3. How to Walk the Righteous Path (4:20-27)

G. Wisdom Through Seeking Marital Fidelity (5:1-23)

1. The Ways of an Adulteress (5:1-6)

2. The Destruction Wrought by Adultery (5:7-14)

3. An Admonition to Marital Fidelity (5:15-20)

4. God Sees What Man Cannot (5:21-23)

H. Wisdom Will Deliver You from Trouble (6:1-5)

I. The Benefits of Hard Work (6:6-11)

J. Wisdom Will Deliver You from Evil Men (6:12-15)

K. Seven Things God Hates (6:16-19)

L. Wisdom Will Deliver You from the Adulteress (6:20-7:27)

1. Wisdom Guides You, Protects You, Instructs You, and Gives Light to Your Path (6:20-23)

2. Wisdom Protects You from the Destruction of Adultery (6:24-35)

3. Seeking Wisdom Protects You from Adultery (7:1-5)

4. An Example of the Folly of Adultery (7:6-23)

5. Remember: Adultery Brings Death (7:24-27)

M. Lady Wisdom is the Woman You Want to Seek (8:1-9:12)

1. Lady Wisdom Calls Out to Everyone; Rewarding those who Listen (8:1-21)

2. Wisdom Was a Part of God at Creation (8:22-31)

3. Lady Wisdom Rewards those who Listen (8:32-36)

4. Lady Wisdom Calls Learners to Her School (9:1-6)

5. A Sample of Lady Wisdom’s Teachings: (9:7-12)

N. The Woman of Folly - Stay Away (9:13-18)

V. The Proverbs of Solomon (10:1-22:16)

VI. Words of the Wise (22:17-24:34)

A. The Blessings of Listening to the Words of the Wise (22:17-21)

B. Behave in a Socially Just Way (Justice, Self-control, Propriety, and Hard Work) (22:22-29)

C. Govern Your Desires (23:1-8)

D. More on Behaving in a Socially Just Way (Wisdom, Justice, and Disciplining Children) (23:9-14)

E. Remain Wise (23:15-19)

F. Warning against Overindulgence (23:20-21)

G. Familial Wisdom (23:22-26)

H. Warning against Adultery (23:27-28)

I. Warning against Alcohol Abuse (23:29-35)

J. Wisdom over Evil (24:1-9)

K. Help Save Others (24:10-12)

L. Wisdom is Good (24:13-14)

M. The Righteous Will Stand (24:15-16)

N. Take No Pleasure in Your Enemy’s Fall (24:17-18)

O. The Fate of Evil Men (24:19-20)

P. Insurrection (24:21-22)

Q. Wise Judgment (24:23-25)

R. Propriety (24:26-29)

S. Warning against Laziness (24:30-34)

VI. More Proverbs of Solomon (25:1-29:27)

VII. The Words of Agur (30:1-33)

A. Introduction (30:1-3)

B. God’s Realm (30:4-6)

C. True Contentment (30:7-9)

D. Propriety (30:10)

E. A Generation of Evil (30:11-14)

F. Four Things Never Satisfied (30:15-16)

G. Disrespecting Parents (30:17)

H. Four Mysteries (30:18-19)

I. The Oblivious Adulteress (30:20)

J. Four Unbearable Things (30:21-23)

K. Four Exceedingly Wise Creatures (30:24-28)

L. Four Exceedingly Stately Marchers (30:29-31)

M. Foolish Talk Brings Forth Strife (30:32-33)

VIII. The Words of King Lemuel (31:1-9)

A. Introduction (31:1-2)

B. Avoid Lust (31:3)

C. Remain Sober (31:4-7)

D. Maintain Justice (31:8-9)

IX. The Virtuous Woman (31:10-31)

See the essay on ‘Context within Proverbs’ in this book for further information regarding the outline as it applies to the sections of Solomon’s proverbs (10:1-22:16 and 25:1-2:27).

CHAPTER 1

COMMENTARY

CHAPTER 1

I. Authorship (1:1)

1. The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

Proverbs begins by attributing the material in the book to King Solomon of Israel (1 Kings 4:32, Ecclesiastes 12:9-10). The majority of the book was indeed written by Solomon; but, by its own internal witness, parts of the book were written by other wise men. Please see the essays on Authorship of the Book of Proverbs and Different Types of Proverbs for a discussion of what proverbs are and the types of proverbs found within the book.

II. Purpose (1:2-1:6)

2. To know wisdom and instruction,

To discern the sayings of understanding,

3. To receive instruction in wise behavior,

Righteousness, justice and equity;

4. To give prudence to the naive,

To the youth knowledge and discretion,

5. A wise man will hear and increase in learning,

And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

6. To understand a proverb and a figure,

The words of the wise and their riddles.

The purpose of Proverbs is multi-faceted as demonstrated in verses 2 through 6.

The first purpose is to know wisdom and instruction. To know brings with it the idea of deep, intimate, experiential knowledge of the skills and intellect needed to gain wisdom and live wisely. In addition, the word translated as instruction (musar) carries with it the idea of learning through discipline and chastening; i.e., learning through experience. The book of Proverbs seeks to mold a person’s mind and spirit through the experiences of life.

Proverbs also benefits the readers by teaching discernment through gaining a clear understanding of wisdom and wise sayings. Reading Proverbs and digesting its truths makes the reader wiser by extension.

The reader takes instruction (musar), through discipline and chastening, which brings about the prudence to act wisely, thereby behaving in a way that pleases God. By reading and understanding Proverbs the reader gains a knowledge of righteousness itself as well as what is just in the situations of life. An additional benefit to the reader is a gain in judgment as it regards justice and equity; i.e., being able to discern what is fair and peaceable in life.

Proverbs gives prudence and craftiness to those who are pethi. The Hebrew word pethi literally means ‘to be wide-open and spacious’; it can be translated as ‘foolish’, ‘simple’, or ‘open-minded’. In this case, Solomon describes a person who is so ‘open-minded’ that they are naïve and simple in the ways of the world (Proverbs 8:5).

To the young people of the world, who are not yet experienced in the school of life, Proverbs gives them the knowledge, discretion, and purpose by which they can lead a life that pleases God.

Another purpose of the book of Proverbs is to increase already existing wisdom. When a wise, prudent, or shrewd man listens to, and obeys, the teachings of Proverbs, he increases the quality and quantity of his understanding of God’s ways (Proverbs 9:9). Likewise, a discerning man of understanding acquires wise counsel and guidance in God’s ways by reading Proverbs.

The verbal form of the same word for understanding used in verse 5 is used in verse 6 to refer to the discernment, skill and knowledge required to comprehend the Proverbs and live accordingly. The discernment and understanding, gained from the book of Proverbs, also applies to knowing parables, riddles, perplexing sayings, and satirical stories written by wise men.

III. Theme (1:7)

7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Verse seven contains the theme of the entire book of Proverbs: without a fundamental foundation of faith in God, and the reverence that flows from a personal relationship with Him, a person cannot be wise. Those who have no desire to have a relationship with God will despise both wisdom and instruction (see verse 2 above).

Reverence and awe for the Lord is both the beginning of wisdom and the chief, most important aspect of wisdom – entering into a personal relationship with God begins the path to wisdom and your ongoing relationship with the Lord grows your understanding of how to live life in a way that pleases God (Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10, Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Foolish people despise and scorn the skills and faculties necessary to gain wisdom and live wisely. They likewise scorn and despise the discipline via chastening required to grow in wisdom and understanding. The fool is unwilling to enter into a relationship with God and submit to the discipline necessary to live in a way that pleases Him (1 Corinthians 1:30).

It is interesting that the theme for the book of Proverbs is itself expressed in an antithetical proverb; especially, given that chapters 1:8-9:18 – which contain the foundational basis of a life that pleases God – consists of a large section of prose with very few proverbs sprinkled in.

IV. Building the Foundation: Instructing a Young Man in Wisdom (1:8-9:18)

The first nine chapters of Proverbs serve to build a foundation upon which everything else in the book is constructed. If you cannot understand the material contained in the first nine chapters, which is aimed at an audience of young men [think teens and tweens], you will not have the foundation and experiential knowledge of wisdom needed to understand the proverbs that make up the remainder of the book. The lessons in chapters one through nine lay the foundation upon which a life of wisdom is built.

Solomon most likely had his own sons in mind as he wrote Proverbs, since the book serves to instruct a young man on how to conduct himself wisely and live a life that God approves of.

A. The Blessings of Listening to your Parents (1:8-9)

8. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction

And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;

9. Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head

And ornaments about your neck.

Solomon begins by saying ‘listen obediently to the instruction (musar – see above), that comes through the discipline and chastening that your father teaches you, in and through the experiences of life’. ‘Likewise, do not forsake the teachings and instruction from God’s law (torah) that your mother shares with you’ (Proverbs 4:1, 6:20).

A godly set of parents gives a child an enormous blessing, especially parents who share the experiences of life with their children and who use those experiences to shape their children’s hearts and minds through godly instruction and example. Likewise, there is a tremendous sadness and loss for a person whose parent(s) are absent for whatever reason: death, desertion, divorce, abusiveness, etc. The great news comes when one realizes that the lessons taught in Proverbs are the very lessons that a godly parent would instill; therefore, the instruction through the events of life, and the teachings of God’s Word, can stand as a replacement for the lost lessons from a missing (godly) parent. Even an orphan has hope if he learns the lessons of Proverbs.

The ‘garland’ or ‘wreath’…referenced in Proverbs and Isaiah refer to the headdress of a maiden or woman.⁵ Eastern women sometimes have a cord of gold around their head at the forehead, on which are strung precious stones of various sorts… Neck chains were made of gold or other metal, or else consisted of strings of pearls, corals, or precious stones. They were sometimes made of gold pieces shaped like a half-moon… These necklaces hung low down upon the breast and were worn by both men and women. This was the custom among the Egyptians as well as the Hebrews; Joseph had a gold chain put around his neck by Pharaoh (Genesis 41:42)⁶ as a sign of authority due to his wisdom.

The instructions from your father, and the teachings about God’s ways from your mother, will serve you well. Their teachings bestow grace and favor and the blessings of beauty; attractiveness like that of a beautiful young lady. Wisdom also has the benefit of bestowing authority and gravitas to a person who lives a life that pleases God (Proverbs 4:9).

B. Parental Advice against Joining a Gang (1:10-19)

10. My son, if sinners entice you,

Do not consent.

11. If they say, "Come with us,

Let us lie in wait for blood,

Let us ambush the innocent without cause;

12. Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,

Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;

13. We will find all kinds of precious wealth,

We will fill our houses with spoil;

14. Throw in your lot with us,

We shall all have one purse,"

Solomon’s first instruction to the young man: resist violent people, or professional criminals, who want you to join their gang. The Hebrew word pathah (entice) derives from a verb meaning ‘to be simple’; indicating a deceitful enticement or seduction through prevailing upon the hearer; i.e., a repeated process of inviting the hearer to join. The path these criminals walk, and their actions of violence, are sinful and contrary to God’s path. Do not accept, or yield to, their enticing arguments. Instead, stay far away from violent gangs.

If the violent gang members say come with us, you must resist (Romans 1:32, Ephesians 5:11-12). Being at the scene of a crime (even if you do or say nothing) makes you potentially as guilty as the one who commits the crime. Therefore, don’t even go with them; resist!

They waylay any unfortunate passer-by who falls into their ambush (Proverbs 12:6). This is not a military action (ambush); this is clearly the commission of a violent crime (see verse 12). Their innocent prey is guilty of nothing that deserves the death they encounter; their victims are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Furthermore, the violent criminals plan to swallow up the innocent people who fall into their ambush while they are still alive. Sheol is the underworld, the place of the dead; where people go when they die. Therefore, the plan is to kill whomever they ambush. The word whole (tamim) derives from a verb meaning ‘to be complete’; i.e., their plan is to kill their victims completely and not just beat them up [like the victim in the parable of the Good Samaritan – Luke 10:30]. The pit euphemistically refers to death, while the Hebrew word literally means a pit, cistern, or a well.

The allure of easy money combines with the allure of violence and power to trap anyone who would join a gang. Note in verse 13 how the gang members boast about discovering money they didn’t have to work for. All kinds of precious, rare, and costly items will be theirs for the taking; amassing a fortune and making a living off the wealth of others, completely filling their homes. The trap of ‘immediate wealth’ is very alluring – especially to those who do not have any means.

The final allure of the gang comes in belonging; having a group of people to be a part of. When they gain easy money through murder they will ‘share the wealth’ with the rest of the gang (or so they say). All their money will go into one single pot from which everyone will be paid. It takes a truly naïve person to believe this.

The enticements of verses 10 through 14, appeal to a young man; power through violent strength, easy money, and belonging to a group of peers who ‘respect him’. Yet, despite the allure of these enticements, Solomon warns that a young man must stay away from them and instead walk the path that pleases God.

15. My son, do not walk in the way with them.

Keep your feet from their path,

16. For their feet run to evil

And they hasten to shed blood.

17. Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net

In the sight of any bird;

18. But they lie in wait for their own blood;

They ambush their own lives.

19. So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence;

It takes away the life of its possessors.

Solomon begs the young man to not walk on the path with the gang members by entering into the way of life the criminals have chosen. ‘Refuse their enticements and keep your feet from their paths’ (Psalm 1:1). Instead, take the path that leads to the life God approves of (Psalm 119:101).

The Hebrew word translated as evil in verse 16 is the word ra which can be translated as ‘evil’, ‘distress’, ‘calamity’, ‘misery’, ‘injury’, ‘harm’, ‘ruin’, or’ trouble’. Ra is a good word to describe the entire range of maliciousness that evil encompasses. Solomon says that the gang members run to do evil (ra) and cause injury (Isaiah 59:7). They are seeking the ‘entire range’ of malevolence towards their victims. These criminals act quickly to pour out the blood of innocent people (see verses 11-12).

Solomon tells his son in verse 17 that even the tiny brain of a bird is smart enough to avoid a snare when it can see the trap. The bird will avoid any snare it can see, regardless of the bait. It is a vain, useless, waste of time for the hunter. Yet, these gang members are so blinded by their lusts for money and power that they cannot see the trap their lifestyle sets for them. In their eagerness for violence and ill-gotten gain they are oblivious to all signs of their own danger and plunge mindlessly to their destruction…⁷. These gang members are not even as smart as the birds of the field; true ‘bird brains’!

The actions and lifestyles of the gang members serves only to destroy their own souls. The ambushes they set for innocent passers-by function only to destroy their own lives. The exact same phrase found in verse 11 – lie in wait – is used in verse 18; showing via parallelism of ideas, that what the gang members intended for their victims has been turned on them. The ambush they intend for their victims winds up ambushing them.

The first lesson – staying away from violent gang members and professional criminals – concludes by stating anyone and everyone who earns money via violence will suffer the fate of verse 18. The soul of anyone increases money by way of violence will be taken away (Proverbs 15:27). The morale: walk the path that pleases God and leads to life to avoid the