Proverbs 9:1-6

The Appeal Of Woman Wisdom To The Naive (Proverbs 9:1).

After making full and generous preparations Wisdom calls on the naive to respond to and partake of her feast. ‘The naive' might be better translated as ‘the seduceable', those still open to wisdom, but also open to scorning and to folly. They are those whose views have not yet been determined. Their aims are not yet fully formed. They have not yet fixed on the basis for their way of living, and may therefore easily stray into waywardness (Proverbs 1:32). They may on the one hand be seduced and become scorners or fools, or they may on the other hand heed wisdom and become wise. They are the opposite of ‘the shrewd' who have thought things through (Proverbs 14:15) and are crowned with knowledge (Proverbs 14:18), which as we know from Proverbs 2:6 is ‘the knowledge of God' or from Proverbs 9:10 is the knowledge of the Holy One. Thus the naive are in danger of ‘acquiring folly' (Proverbs 14:18). This appeal is therefore directed to them. The appeal is constructed chiastically:

A Preparation of the great feast (Proverbs 9:1 a).

B Appeal to the naive and those lacking in understanding (Proverbs 9:3).

A Partaking of the great feast (Proverbs 9:5).