Proverbs Chapter 1

This is some notes from when I studied Proverbs earlier
Proverbs Chapter 1

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To perceive the words of understanding,
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
4 To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
5 A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not forsake the law of your mother;
9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us lie in wait to shed blood;
Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 Let us swallow them alive like the grave,
And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
13 We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,
We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 Cast in your lot among us,
Let us all have one purse”—
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them,
Keep your foot from their path;
16 For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely, in vain the net is spread
In the sight of any bird;
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood,
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Wisdom calls aloud outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “ How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30 They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
And will be secure, without fear of evil.”


Verse 1 foreshadows Christ, the true and greater Solomon, the son of David and the eternal king of Israel. Who would come and speak to His followers in parables.

Solomon's name means peaceable and his reign in Israel was a reign of peace, but one of his offspring would be the true prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6-7) who will have a reign that will never end.

It is notable that although Solomon was a king, he did not thing it below himself to write to many unworthy recipients(the simple, and the young man). We should follow his example in that, when we acquire insight, we should pass it on to others so that the body of Christ might be edified(Ephesians 4:29).

Verse 2-4 clearly states the purpose of writing and the audience to whom it is written. Solomon was not limited in his choice of topics to write about. He was a man of great wealth(1st Kings 10:14-23), he could have written about how to gain wealth. Instead he chose to write about wisdom.

Verses 5 and 6: are evidence that it is good to study with others. The christian walk is not one that we should walk along on our way to the celestial city. (Hebrews 10:24-25, 2nd Timothy 2:22).

The fear of the LORD. Men do not fear what they perceive to be unreal. So before we can fear the LORD we must believe that He is real, and that He has power to influence our wellbeing.

Following the fear of the LORD, the next place we are advised to turn is our parents. All the examples I can think of in scripture for following the instruction of our parents is for our benefit verse 9, Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1-2.

Verses 10-19 seem very out of place in the organization of chapter 1. He begins chapter 1 by stating the purpose of his book. Then he describes where to find wisdom in verses 5-9 in verses 20-33 he speaks about the benefits of wisdom. But interrupting chapter 1 in verses 10-19 he warns about following evildoers. One possible explanation for this, is that before we can enjoy the benefits of wisdom, we must turn away from foolishness.

Verse 14 he warns against sharing possessions with evildoers. In the early church the believers shared possessions (Acts 2:45). Jesus in the sermon on the mount said that "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21).

Verses 20-21 describe the call of wisdom. It is important to note where wisdom is calling from. Wisdom is not confined to schools, nor to church buildings, but is openly calling. It is possible to obtain wisdom at our everyday jobs, whatever they are.

Considering verse 22 it is truly a miracle that the simple should ever become prudent, or that fools should ever become wise. Because of their contentment in their ways, unless the Lord change them, they should never change.

Verses 24-33 shows that the invitation of wisdom is not without end. (Genesis 6:3) There is coming a day when the foolish shall be destroyed as they were in the flood of Noah.

Verse 31 If the foolish eat the fruit of their own way, would it be wrong to say that the righteous will also eat of the fruit which they produce? (Galatians 5:22-23)

Verse 33 shows that there are some who hear wisdom's call, and again it is astonishing that this happens. There is not a man to whom wisdom has not called, but to them that have ears to hear, let them hear.

A Call for the Endurance of the Saints

Genesis 1

"In the beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth. "