1
The Prologue
1Here are kingdom revelations, words to live by,
and words of wisdom given to empower you to reign in life, # 1:1 As stated in the introduction, the Hebrew word for “proverbs” means more than just a wise saying. It can also mean “to rule, to reign in power, to take dominion.”
written as proverbs by Israel’s King Solomon, # 1:1 The name Solomon means “peaceable.” There is a greater one than Solomon who gives peace to all of his followers. His name is Jesus. Solomon was the seed of David; we are the seed of Jesus Christ. Solomon had an encounter with God after asking for a discerning heart (1Kings 3:5–14). This pleased God, so he gave Solomon wisdom, riches, and power. God is ready to impart these same things today to those who ask him. See James 1:5–8. David’s son.
2Within these sayings will be found the revelation of wisdom # 1:2 There are six Hebrew words translated “wisdom” in the book of Proverbs. Some of them require an entire phrase in English to convey the meaning. The word used here is chokmah, and it is used in Proverbs forty-two times. Forty-two is the number of months Jesus ministered and the number of generations from Abraham to Christ listed in Matt. 1.
and the impartation of spiritual understanding.
Use them as keys to unlock the treasures of true knowledge.
3Those who cling to these words will receive discipline
to demonstrate wisdom # 1:3 The Hebrew word translated “wisdom” here also means “righteousness.” in every relationship
and to choose what is right and just and fair.
4These proverbs will give you great skill
to teach the immature and make them wise,
to give youth the understanding of their design and destiny.
5For the wise, these proverbs will make you even wiser,
and for those with discernment,
you will be able to acquire brilliant strategies for leadership.
6These kingdom revelations will break open your understanding
to unveil the deeper meaning of parables,
poetic riddles, and epigrams,
and to unravel the words and enigmas of the wise.
7We cross the threshold of true knowledge
when we live in obedient devotion to God. # 1:7 Many translations render this “the fear of the Lord.” This means much more than the English concept of fear. It also implies submission, awe, worship, and reverence. The Hebrew word used here is found fourteen times in Proverbs. The number fourteen represents spiritual perfection. The number fourteen is mentioned three times in the genealogy of Jesus (Matt. 1:1–17). It is also the number for Passover. You will pass from darkness to wisdom’s light by the “fear” of the Lord.
Stubborn know-it-alls # 1:7 Or “foolish ones.” There are three Hebrew words translated “fool” in Proverbs and another six that are related to a fool or foolish acts. A fool is described in Proverbs as one who hates true wisdom and correction, with no desire to acquire revelation knowledge. will never stop to do this,
for they scorn true wisdom and knowledge.
The Wisdom of a Father
8Pay close attention, my child, to your father’s wise words
and never forget your mother’s instructions. # 1:8 Many expositors see this verse as the words of David to Solomon, yet we all must give heed to this command. The words of our Father (God) and our mother (the church, the freewoman) will bring us wisdom. See Gal. 4:21–31.
9For their insight will bring you success,
adorning you with grace-filled thoughts
and giving you reins to guide your decisions. # 1:9 The Hebrew text here is literally translated “adornment for your head, chains for your neck.” The head is a metaphor for our thoughts, the neck a symbol for willing obedience that guides our decisions, in contrast to being stiff-necked or proud. See Phil. 2:5–7.
10When peer pressure compels you to go with the crowd
and sinners invite you to join in,
you must simply say, “No!”
11When the gang says—
“We’re going to steal and kill and get away with it.
12We’ll take down the rich and rob them.
We’ll swallow them up alive
and take what we want from whomever we want.
13Then we’ll take their treasures and fill our homes with loot.
14So come on and join us.
Take your chance with us.
We’ll divide up all we get;
we’ll each end up with big bags of cash!”—
15my son, refuse to go with them and stay far away from them.
16For crime is their way of life and bloodshed their specialty.
17To be aware of their snare is the best way of escape.
18They’ll resort to murder to steal their victim’s assets,
but eventually it will be their own lives that are ambushed.
19In their ungodly disrespect for God
they bring destruction on their own lives.
Wisdom’s Warning
20Wisdom’s praises are sung in the streets
and celebrated far and wide.
21Yet wisdom’s song is not always heard in the halls of higher learning.
But in the hustle and bustle of everyday life
its lyrics can always be heard above the din of the crowd. # 1:21 Literally translated, this verse reads “Wisdom sings out in the streets and speaks her voice in the squares, crying out at the head of noisy crowds and at the entrance of the city gates.” This is a parabolic statement of wisdom being heard everywhere and in every place.
You will hear wisdom’s warning as she preaches courageously
to those who stop to listen:
22“Foolish ones, how much longer will you cling to your deception? # 1:22 Or “Childish ones, how long will you love your childishness?”
How much longer will you mock wisdom,
you cynical scorners who fight the facts?
23Come back to your senses and be restored to reality.
Don’t even think about refusing my rebuke!
Don’t you know that I’m ready
to pour out my spirit of wisdom upon you
and bring to you the revelation of my words
that will make your heart wise?
24I’ve called to you over and over;
still you refuse to come to me.
I’ve pleaded with you again and again,
yet you’ve turned a deaf ear to my voice.
25Because you have laughed at my counsel
and have insisted on continuing in your stubbornness,
26I will laugh when your calamity comes
and will turn away from you at the time of your disaster.
Make a joke of my advice, will you?
Then I’ll make a joke out of you!
27When the storm clouds of terror gather over your head,
when dread and distress consume you
and your catastrophe comes like a hurricane,
28you will cry out to me, but I won’t answer.
Then it will be too late to expect my help.
When desperation drives you to search for me,
I will be nowhere to be found.
29Because you have turned up your nose at me
and closed your eyes to the facts
and refused to worship me in awe # 1:29 The Hebrew word used here can be translated “fear,” “dread,” “awe,” or “worship.” Nearly every translation uses the word fear or reverence while ignoring the other aspects of the Aramaic word dekhlatha. The New Testament is clear that there is no fear in love. See 1John 4:18. —
30because you scoffed at my wise counsel
and laughed at my correction—
31now you will eat the bitter fruit of your own ways.
You’ve made your own bed; now lie in it!
So how do you like that?
32Like an idiot you’ve turned away from me
and chosen destruction instead.
Your self-satisfied smugness # 1:32 Or “your abundant prosperity.” will kill you.
33But the one who always listens to me
will live undisturbed in a heavenly peace.
Free from fear, confident and courageous,
that one will rest unafraid and sheltered from the storms of life.”
FAQs
What is the main point of Proverbs 1? ›
The purpose of the book of Proverbs is to recognize wise instruction and apply knowledge wisely. Most importantly, this all begins with a reverent respect—"fear"—of the Lord and the rejection of foolish ways. Proverbs 1:8–19 is a warning against foolishness and the allure of sinful behavior.
What does proverbs1 7 mean? ›The "fear of the Lord" is the beginning: it should hold the chief position, the place of priority in our lives, and then we will obtain knowledge and put it into its proper place. However, just because knowledge should not overtake the Lord in priority, we are not to despise wise instruction.
Who wrote the book of Proverbs? ›Some of the book of Proverbs is attributed to “Solomon the son of David, the king of Israel” (see Proverbs 1:1; 10:1; 25:1; see also 1 Kings 4:32; Guide to the Scriptures, “Proverb—the book of Proverbs”; scriptures.lds.org).
What is Proverbs Chapter 1 saying? ›The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. a. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: The Book of Proverbs focuses on practical life wisdom more than theological ideas.
What does Proverbs 1 verse 1 mean? ›⇑ See verse text ⇑] This verse specifically identifies Solomon, David's son and legitimate heir to the throne, as the author of the book of Proverbs. This is important because of God's promise to David, found in 2 Samuel 7:11–16.
What does it mean Proverbs 1 7? ›There is more hope for a fool than for him. In sum, Proverbs 1:7 seeks to instill in us the indispensable virtues for becoming wise. We must tremble at the Lord's holiness, just as we are drawn to him in love. We must warmly accept instruction.
What does Proverbs 1 1 7 teach us about ourselves? ›That is to say, all right learning must proceed from a proper recognition of God and a right response to him. You can understand yourself and the world you live in and thus steer your life successfully only as you proceed in the knowledge and fear of the Lord.
What is the meaning of Proverbs 1 10? ›The parental command here is not to consent to sin, not to go willingly into it. It advises us to use our wisdom and act according to our knowledge, taught to us by our parents and found in the Scriptures.
What is the key message of Proverbs? ›The central message of the book is that true wisdom is based on our relationship to God: we cannot have true wisdom apart from a living relationship with the Lord.
What do Proverbs teach us? ›Proverbs teaches us how to gain wisdom from God's reproofs so that, in the power of the Spirit, we will obey. “To discern the sayings of understanding” (1:2). Discern is a crucial term.
What is the meaning behind Proverbs? ›
Prov·erbs ˈprä-ˌvərbz. plural in form but singular in construction. : a collection of moral sayings and counsels forming a book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture see Bible Table.
Who is the audience of Proverbs 1? ›Audience: As a book of Jewish wisdom literature originally composed in Hebrew, Proverbs was composed for the education of Jewish readers. However, it was not collected in its final form until later, at least the time of King Hezekiah (726—697 BC.)
Is Proverbs written by God? ›Scholars point to King Solomon as the author of Proverbs in the Bible. Solomon is Israel's wisest king. We find in I Kings 4:32 that Solomon wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. We know from a previous chapter in I Kings 3 that Solomon had prayed to God for wisdom.
Who was Proverbs addressed to? ›Commentator Bruce Waltke understands that Proverbs “is addressed to gullible youths (Prov 1:4) and wise children (Prov 1:5, 8) to enable them to attain wisdom and be safeguarded against the world-and-life views of the impious and unethical in any age.”[1] My former Hebrew professor Frederic Clarke Putnam takes it a ...
What does it mean to put the Lord first? ›They are gifts to use to serve God and His people (Philippians 2:14-17). Putting God first means serving Him with everything we have in whatever situation we're in. It means allowing His love for us to overflow into the lives of the people around us.
What does Proverbs 1 1 33 mean? ›For those things that we cannot control in our lives, wisdom offers us the voice of reason. She said in Proverbs 1:33 that her companions will “dwell safely” and that they will be “quiet from FEAR of evil.” Wisdom's voice of PRUDENCE allows us to avoid unnecessary “evil” by making SOUND DECISIONS.
What is the beginning of knowledge in Proverbs? ›If there is a key verse that unlocks the power and purpose of Proverbs, it is: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).
What does Proverbs 1 1 5 mean? ›This proverb highlights the basic virtue of the wise, which is the desire to learn. For a wise man to increase in learning, he must HEAR. For a wise man to hear, he must be in attendance. Therefore, the basic virtue of the wise is two-fold: Be in Attendance and Be Attentive.
What does eye single to my glory mean? ›The Lord tells us that we need to “have an eye single to the glory of God” to do His work. That means we need to be selfless and focus on the Lord's will, not our own.
What does it mean to honor the Lord with your first fruits? ›Giving our firstfruits means giving our best to God. It means sacrificing something that costs us a little. It means putting God first, even before ourselves, or our family. Making a first fruit offering opens us up to allow God to work in our life.
What is the meaning of Proverbs 1 8? ›
Proverbs 1:8, NASB: Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, And do not ignore your mother's teaching; Proverbs 1:8, NLT: My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don't neglect your mother's instruction.
What is the meaning of Proverbs 1 20? ›In other words, Solomon is suggesting that wisdom is accessible to anyone and everyone who actually wants it. And, because she "cries aloud" and "raises her voice" in a public place, even those who aren't specifically seeking her are going to encounter her, at least by accident. Wisdom does not hide itself.
What is the meaning of Proverbs 1 9? ›Solomon gives a clear picture that parents (more specifically the instructions of parents) are not to be despised. Instead, they should be seen as treasures. The wise instructions of a parent, like fine jewelry, are often obtained at great cost.
Why did Solomon write Proverbs 1? ›He wrote the book of Proverbs to share his wisdom and observations in short, pithy sayings for your profit. Solomon wrote to share his great wisdom and social experiments with his son and nation (Eccl 12:9-12).
What does Proverbs 1 and 2 mean? ›Proverbs 1:2, NASB: To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, Proverbs 1:2, NLT: Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise.
What does the Bible say about being wise in your own eyes? ›Proverbs warns, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:7).
What does Proverbs 1 10 to 14 mean? ›They want others in their wickedness. Bringing the innocent into their sinful activities and friendship helps justify their evil lives, and the devil uses them to corrupt and destroy God's children. The context describes a group of cutthroats luring an innocent young man into their gang (Pr 1:11-14).
What does Proverbs 1 verse 12 mean? ›Here in this verse, the tempting "sinner" is stating that the people being ambushed are going down to the pit anyway, so we might as well teach them a lesson. And yet, these were the same people described in verse 11 as "the innocent," showing how sin will twist anything in order to justify itself. Context Summary.
What is the meaning of Proverbs 1 14? ›What does Proverbs 1:14 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑] This verse ends with the typical promise of sin: "Throw in with us and we will all share in the plunder." Of course, in the real world, this isn't just unlikely, it's impossible. Sin never leads to all of the glorious outcomes it promises.
How do Proverbs help us in our daily life? ›Speakers can use proverbs to impart knowledge, offer advice, teach or reinforce morals, make an argument, relieve interpersonal tensions, aid in understanding, or to console or inspire others. Some popular English-language proverbs include: Practice makes perfect.
Why should I study Proverbs? ›
Seeking wisdom and not just advice requires more heart work, but it's worth it! That's because the wisdom found in Proverbs takes us outside of ourselves and our own lives to someone else—our covenant Lord.
What are the six functions of Proverbs? ›When proverbs are used in the speech, they have various functions. Some of the functions of proverbs in the Dawro Society are: advising, warning, criticizing, encouraging, informing, expressing feelings etc. To advise means to tell somebody what to do or not to do with enough reasons.
What are the 5 themes of Proverbs? ›The major themes of The Book of Proverbs are fear of God, wisdom, temperance, honesty, hard work, humility, using one's words carefully and judiciously, avoiding evil people, being generous, accepting rebukes from God and parents, disciplining children, honoring one's parents, and honoring one's spouse.
When was Proverbs 1 written? ›The earliest collection (25:1–29:27), titled “proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied,” came into being about 700 bc; the latest (1:1–9:18) dates from the 4th century bc.
Why does Proverbs refer to wisdom as a woman? ›Why the female personification? Perhaps in part because, in Hebrew, wisdom is a grammatically feminine noun. Grammar does not fully explain, however, Proverbs's interest in repeated and varied development of the female persona, which contrasts with the only incipient personification in Job.
Does Proverbs talk about Jesus? ›Jesus IS the wisdom described in Proverbs.
(Proverbs 8:12, 22-33) describes Jesus being there from the beginning, so does (Colossians 1:15-17). Jesus is the “Wisdom from God,” (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The Bible's origin is both human and divine—not just from God and not just from humans. The Bible's narratives, poems, histories, letters, prophecies, and other writings come from a profound collaboration between humanity and God.
Who wrote the most Proverbs in the Bible? ›The superscriptions divide the collections as follows: Proverbs 1–9: "Proverbs of Solomon, Son of David, King of Israel" Proverbs 10–22:16: "Proverbs of Solomon"
Why does Proverbs start with my son? ›Solomon takes up the voice of a father to his son. Proverbs may have been a curriculum for young boys at a school, so my son is used here in that affectionate way an older person refers to a younger one, whether they are related or not.
What is the book of Proverbs about in the Bible? ›The book of Proverbs shares short sayings of God's wisdom. They remind us to fear the Lord and offer practical instructions on how we can live well. Proverbs invites us to live with wisdom and in the fear of the Lord.
What is the main message of the book of Proverbs? ›
The central message of the book is that true wisdom is based on our relationship to God: we cannot have true wisdom apart from a living relationship with the Lord.
What are the themes expressed in Proverbs 1 and 2? ›The main themes are the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom, and the lack of wisdom leaves one in folly or the path of foolishness. The different paths people are on is an emphasis in the book.
What is the meaning of 1 verse? ›: a line of metrical writing. a(1) : metrical language. (2) : metrical writing distinguished from poetry especially by its lower level of intensity.
What is the lesson from Ephesians 1? ›Explain that in his epistle recorded in Ephesians 1–6, the Apostle Paul addressed the Saints who were in Ephesus and surrounding areas. His aim was to strengthen those who were already members of the Church and to help recent converts grow in their spiritual knowledge and remain faithful to their covenants.
Why is Proverbs so important? ›Speakers can use proverbs to impart knowledge, offer advice, teach or reinforce morals, make an argument, relieve interpersonal tensions, aid in understanding, or to console or inspire others.
What is Proverbs 1 and 2 about? ›Proverbs 1:2, NASB: To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, Proverbs 1:2, NLT: Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise.
What does Proverbs 1 1 7 mean? ›The idle person is warned of impoverishing himself, while the diligent man has a sturdy home. So it is foolish to continue in laziness. However, we know a lazy man may have a benefactor or inheritance; whereas a hardworking man may run into hard providences such as famine or thieves.
What does Proverbs mean by understanding? ›Understanding is a lens which brings the facts into crisp focus and produces principles. Those with wisdom know which principle to apply in a given context. Understanding without wisdom can appear contradictory (Proverbs 26:4-5).
What is God's number in the Bible? ›Twelve is lengthened to 144,000 (12 x 12 x 1,000) in Revelation 7:4; 14:1,3, and indicates the complete number of God's Israel: the whole Christian community.
What is God's one? ›Belief in one God (monotheism ) is central to the Jewish faith. Jews believe that God is the only being who should be worshipped. The Shema is a prayer from the Torah that is used in morning and evening services in synagogues to express belief in one God. Many Jews try to recite the Shema twice a day.
What is the 1st word in the Bible? ›
The translated word in the Hebrew Bible is Bereshith (בְּרֵאשִׁית): "In beginning". The definite article (the) is missing, but implied.
What does it mean putting God first in your life? ›They are gifts to use to serve God and His people (Philippians 2:14-17). Putting God first means serving Him with everything we have in whatever situation we're in. It means allowing His love for us to overflow into the lives of the people around us.
What does it mean to be the first fruit of God? ›First Fruits is a religious offering of the first agricultural produce of the harvest. In classical Greek, Roman, and Hebrew religions, the first fruits were given to priests as an offering to deity.