General Comments on Proverbs I would divide Proverbs up into three sections based upon subject, as follows: Ch. 1-9 Wisdom versus Stupidity Ch. 10-18 Various Contrasts Ch. 19-31 General Admonitions For this lesson I am going to focus on ch. 1-9. These chapters address the reader as a young man and the speaker as an older man acting as counselor, in a sort of father-son relationship (cf. 4:1). In the text we have two clear dichotomies: Wisdom and Stupidity. The two dichotomies are presented metaphorically as women, one of whom the young man must choose to befriend as a sister (cf. 7:4). He must choose to follow either a spiritual woman, or a carnal woman. This theme is clearly woven throughout these chapters, and there are numerous rhetorical connections made. The section then culminates in chapter 9 with a tightly structured summary of the young man's two options bracketing the concluding remarks of the older man. While the text is clearly targeting young men, the female reader is certainly not left out of the text. The female reader can easily identify with the metaphorical women presented in the text (ct. ch. 7 and 8). The female reader can reflect on what type of man she wants in a husband, or what type of husband she has (cf. 2:1, 3:1, 4:1). And furthermore, what types of sons does she want (cf. 1:8)? The female reader can compare the men and women in this narrative with the men and women in her life just as the male reader can. Comments on Proverbs 1 v1-9 A brief introduction describing the general nature of wisdom literature. Note the text is phrased as though it were an answer to the question "What is the purpose of Proverbs?" "To know...to perceive...to receive...to give...to understand." As the text develops it is plain the speaker is a father figure and he is addressing a son figure. So, to the son's question "What is the point of this?" the father replies the content of v. 1-6. This opening statement is paraphrased in the closing summary of 9:9-12. v1 The writings are attributed to Solomon, but who the real author is we simply do not know. There is plenty of discussion over authorship, none of it conclusive or particularly poignant as far as the text and its meaning is concerned. v10-33 Right off the bat the text jumps into the dichotomy that will be the subject of the next nine chapters, stupidity (v. 10- 19) versus wisdom (v. 20-33). v10-19 presents the first set of evils the son faces. These are the worldly things he will be enticed by. Note here the presentation is not metaphorically characterized as a woman. Rather, it is a straightforward presentation of ideas and ethics. v18 Interestingly contemporary psychological insight from an ancient author. The father here identifies all of the aforementioned behaviors as intrinsically self-destructive. Those who seek to promote themselves at the expense of others are destroying themselves. v20-33 Wisdom answers in reply to the foolish schemers of v. 11- 14, and informs them what their ultimate fate will be (v. 22-30). Especially note v. 31-32 parallels v. 18, and v. 33 contrasts v. 19. v20-21 This imagery of Wisdom shouting in the streets and at the gates and so on is intended to make it clear that wisdom is not something obscure or hard to find. It is not hidden away in some library of esoterica, ad it does not require years of diligent study. Wisdom is comprised of choosing good and maintaning a godly walk, the opposite of v. 8-13. So, being wise is determined by one's walk, not by one's talk. Like the old saying goes, "Stupid is as stupid does". Comments on Proverbs 2-3 These two chapters praise the virtues of seeking after Wisdom. They characterize the possession of wisdom as improving your relationship with man in a temporal setting (2:1-3:10) and God in an eternal setting (3:11-35). Chapter 2 focuses on the more internal spiritual rewards of wisdom (e.g., it will help you discern what is just, it will help keep you out of trouble, you will avoid sin, etc.), where 3:1-10 focuses more on the external physical rewards (e.g., long life, good repute, good health, full barns, etc.). The rest of chapter 3 then presents the possession or lack wisdom as a means of either being in the Lord's favor (v. 11-26) or being cursed by Him (v. 27-35). For those who possess wisdom, it is a means of communion with God as you consider His thoughts and walk in His ways and therefore are firmly established (cf. v. 23). However, the unwise person does evil and is cursed for it. Note 2:10-15 presents the evil man and 2:16-19 present the evil woman, thus it is gender inclusive in its accounting. On 3:27-31 note the father is counseling the son in a series of negatives, "Withhold not...say not...devise not...strive not...envy not...." These are the things the unwise person does, and for which they reap the rewards in 3:32-34. He is saying "Do not do these things which the unwise person does". Comments on Proverbs 4-5 Here we have a father to son talk. In chapter 4. verses 1-4 the father is teaching the son what his father taught him. This theme of parents teaching children is a repeated theme througout the Scriptures (cp. my comments in LDSS vol. 2 No. 17) and is here being re-emphasized. Verses 4-9 contain a quote of what the father's father said, which he is now delivering to his son. Verses 10-27 then give various admonitions in two complimentary blocks of v. 10-19 and v. 20-27. Chapter 5 continues the admonitions from the preceding chapter, but moves to the theme of negative examples mixed with warnings and covenent curses. Comments on Proverbs 6 This chapter appears to be a compilation of various sermons. Verses 1-5 tell the son to keep his word no matter what. Verses 6-11 encourage the son to be diligent and hard working. Verses 12-15 warns the son against secret combinations. Verses 16-19 identify seven habits of highly unsuccessful people. Verses 20- 35 warn the son against harlotry and adultery. v27-28 address the idea that one can commit sin in private and therefore escape the consequences. The father says this is no more possible than playing with hot coals and not getting burned. To the young, "getting caught" many times is what prevents them from doing things. Here, the father is saying "getting caught" isn't the issue at all. The issue is what is inside of you. If you let the fires of lust burn in your bosom and lead your feet to adultery, you are burning yourself. Thus, as in 1:18 the subject is one of self-destructive behavior. Comments on Proverbs 7-9 These three chapters form a block of text that treats the subjects introduced in chapter 1 with considerably more detail. Chapter 7 addresses the "Foolish Woman" and chapter 8 addresses the Wise Woman. Chapter 9 then forms the closing summary to chapters 1-8. Comments on Proverbs 7 v1-5 form an introduction to chapters 7-9. Note v. 4 tells the son to make Wisdom his sister so that she may keep him away from the "strange woman". v6-23 The father recounts an incident where he saw some hapless young man fall victim to the temptations of the harlot. v7-9 The young man is presented as wandering aimlessly, without any purpose. And he does so at night, and in the wrong section of town. Thus, the young man is putting himself in harm's way by not having some aim in life and by not watching his step. v14-15 is a rather odd piece of text as it seems to be mixing religion with adultery. The only sense I can make of it is the harlot is saying that her reward for offering sacrifices is that the young man was led to her. Thus, she seems to be trying to appeal to his half-baked sense of religion and say their imminent tryst is something good because they have been put together by providence. She may be appealing to the Canaanite practices of idolatry and fertility ritual where sex and religion were mixed. v20 The man of the house, presumably her husband but possibly her brother or father, is away on a long journey and so has taken a substantial amount of money with him. His date of return is set, and it is not for some time, so they have plenty of time to be alone together. v22-23 The young man falls victim to her and it results in his destruction. v24-27 The father closes the story with a summary and admonition for the son to not be like this other young man who has been dragged down to hell by the adulterous woman. Comments on Proverbs 8 In contrast to the adulterous woman of the preceding chapter, we have the Wise Woman speaking. Contrast what she says in this chapter with what the woman in ch. 7 is saying. Here, Wisdom is speaking about justice, and the Lord, and life, where the adulterous woman was saying seductive and carnal things. v15-17 Compare 1 Kings 3:3-14. v22-31 Wisdom is transcendent and eternal. She is not created by man, rather she created man. She is not dependant upon man., man is subject to her. v27 is obscure in the KJV, so here is the JPS: I was there when He set the heavens into place; When He fixed the horizon upon the deep; v32-36 The Woman Wisdom summarizes and closes her portion of text herself. Contrast this with ch. 7 where it is the father presenting the material and summarizing it. The wanton woman of ch. 7 does not confess her actions or talk about them. She hides them from view, where Wisdom has nothing to be ashamed of. Comments on Proverbs 9 The text of this chapter is highly structured. Here is my proposed arrangement using the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) translation of the Tanakh: A - Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn her seven pillars. She has prepared the feast, Mixed the wine, And also set the table. B - She has sent out her maids to announce On the heights of the town, "Let the simple enter here"; C - To those devoid of sense she says, "Come, eat my food And drink the wine that I have mixed; D - Give up simpleness and live, Walk in the way of understanding." E - To correct a scoffer, Or rebuke a wicked man for his blemish, Is to call down abuse on oneself. Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you; E - Reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Instruct a wise man, and he will grow wiser; Teach a righteous man, and he will gain in learning. F - The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will increase, And years be added to your life. F - If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; If you are a scoffer, you bear it alone. A - The stupid woman bustles about; She is simple and knows nothing. She sits in the doorway of her house, Or on a chair at the heights of the town, B - Calling to all the wayfarers Who go about their own affairs, "Let the simple enter here"; C - And to those devoid of sense she says, "Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten furtively is tasty." D - He does not know that the shades are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol. The A-B-C-D's are clearly connected by contrasting subjects and rhetoric, and summarize what has been said in preceding chapters about the two women. The E's present the two possible reactions the young man can have to the advice given him by his father, it is in effect a prediction of his behavior. If he rejects the contents of ch. 1- 9, then he is a scoffer like the first E, but if he accepts then he is wise like the second E describes. The F's then present the young man's final decision in choosing or rejecting the metaphorical woman of Wisdom. Note the first F frames it as "me", the woman speaking, and the second F frames it as "you", the young man. The first F is Wisdom explaining her virtue, and the second F is her outlining his options in making this very individual decision. v1-2 The Wise Woman has established her house on the seven pillars of heaven and properly furnished it. Meanwhile, the wanton woman sits around trying to tempt people in v. 13-14. v6 Compare 8:35. v10 Compare 1:7. v11 "for by me", the "me" is referring to "wisdom" in v. 10. v15 The wanton woman tries to distract and delay those who are walking in the straight and narrow path. v18 Compare 7:27. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. 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