INTRODUCTION TO THE PROLOGUE (PROVERBS 1:1). The book commences with an introduction which explains its purpose in some depth. Its aim is to pass on ‘the sayings of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel' so as to give understanding and wisdom with regard to moral living (‘receiving instruction... [ Continue Reading ]
ADDRESSED TO ‘MY SON'. THOSE WHO SEEK TO WALK IN THE FEAR OF YHWH WILL LISTEN TO THE INSTRUCTION OF GODLY AUTHORITY (PROVERBS 1:8). Here in chapter 1 the appeal is a fairly short one, but the writer may well have had in mind that he had already given a detailed analysis of wisdom and understanding... [ Continue Reading ]
PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK (PROVERBS 1:8 TO PROVERBS 9:18). It was common throughout the 3rd to the 1st millenniums BC for collections of wisdom saying to have a prologue preparing for the ‘sayings' that would follow. Those sayings would then be introduced by a subheading. Proverbs thus follows the usual... [ Continue Reading ]
PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK (PROVERBS 1:8 TO PROVERBS 9:18). It was common throughout the 3rd to the 1st millenniums BC for collections of wisdom saying to have a prologue preparing for the ‘sayings' that would follow. Those sayings would then be introduced by a subheading. Proverbs thus follows the usual... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE 1. ADDRESSED TO ‘MY SON'. THOSE WHO SEEK TO WALK IN THE FEAR OF YHWH WILL LISTEN TO THE INSTRUCTION OF GODLY AUTHORITY, AND WILL AVOID THE ENTICEMENTS OF SINNERS MOTIVATED BY GREED. WISDOM IS THEN DEPICTED AS CRYING OUT TO BE HEARD, LONGING FOR RESPONSE, PROMISING INCULCATION OF HER OWN SP... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMPELLING NEED TO AVOID THE ENTICEMENTS OF SINNERS MOTIVATED BY GREED (PROVERBS 1:10). Solomon now vividly portrays the dangers of greed and violence, two things which often go together. The one who responds to God's wisdom will avoid such enticements. The ideas are presented in chiastic fashi... [ Continue Reading ]
WISDOM IS DEPICTED AS CRYING OUT IN LONGING THAT PEOPLE WILL RESPOND TO HER WORDS AND GAIN FROM WHAT SHE OFFERS (PROVERBS 1:20). Wisdom is now personified as a woman crying out to people to respond to her words. She is in direct contrast to the woman who cries out to young men seeking to lead them a... [ Continue Reading ]
WISDOM IS DEPICTED AS CRYING OUT TO BE HEARD, LONGING FOR RESPONSE, PROMISING INCULCATION OF HER OWN SPIRIT, AND WARNING OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF REFUSAL (PROVERBS 1:20). We have here the first of the wisdom passages, where Wisdom herself speaks, crying out to be heard and warning of the consequences... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THEY REFUSE TO RESPOND TO WISDOM'S VOICE AND FAIL TO CHOOSE THE FEAR OF YHWH THEN ONE DAY, WHEN THEY SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR REFUSAL AS THEY SURELY WILL, WISDOM WILL MOCK AT THEM, AND WHEN THEY CALL WILL NO LONGER HEAR THEM. IT WILL BE TOO LATE FOR REPENTANCE AND THEY WILL CONTINUE T... [ Continue Reading ]