Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 1:4
To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
4. subtilty to the simple ] Both words are here used in a good sense, or perhaps we might say, in their proper or neutral sense. The Hebrew word for simple is literally open (Heb.), sc. to influence, whether good or bad. The primary meaning of the English word simple, whether it be without fold (Trench) or one-fold (Skeat) is entirely different; but the idea conveyed by it adequately represents the meaning of the Hebrew. For, as Trench points out, to be without fold (or to be one-fold) is to be “just what we may imagine Nathanael to have been, and what our Lord attributes as the highest honour to him, the ‘Israelite without guile.’ ” But then since, as he truly adds, “in a world like ours such a man will make himself a prey, will prove no match for the fraud and falsehood he will everywhere encounter,” he needs the safeguard of subtilty, or prudence (R.V. marg.) to preserve him (see Pro 1:22, below). Such subtilty may be the craft of the serpent (Gen 3:1, where the Heb. word is the same); but it may be the wisdom of the serpent without its guile (see Mat 10:16, and comp. Pro 8:5; Pro 15:5; Pro 19:25).
The simple, though specially to be found among the young of the parallel clause of the verse, embrace others also.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
This verse points out the two classes for which the book will be useful:
(1) the simple, literally the open, the open-hearted, the minds ready to receive impressions for good or evil Pro 1:22; and
(2) the young, who need both knowledge and discipline.
To these the teacher offers the subtilty, which may turn to evil Exo 21:14 and become as the wisdom of the serpent Gen 3:1, but which also takes its place, as that wisdom does, among the highest moral gifts Mat 10:16; the knowledge of good and evil; and the discretion, or discernment, which sets a man on his guard, and keeps him from being duped by false advisers. The Septuagint renderings, panourgia for subtilty, aisthesis for knowledge, ennoia for discretion, are interesting as showing the endeavor to find exact parallels for the Hebrew in the terminology of Greek ethics.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 1:4
To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Subtilty for the simple
The word is sometimes taken in an ill sense, for a crafty wit to deceive others. Sometimes in a good sense, for understanding to prevent dangers that crafty men might bring upon us. So it is taken here. Compare simple with the Latin fatuus, a fool. Simple comes from a verb which signifies to allure or seduce one that wants understanding of Gods truths and will, and so is easily allured to any error or wickedness by good words, as giving credit everything, because not able to examine things for want of judgment. He falls into danger for lack of knowledge. The word also signifies one who wants foresight to prevent danger.
1. The Scripture contains a store of heavenly knowledge sufficient to inform simple persons. Note the store of heavenly mysteries in the Scripture; the clearness of them; the variousness of them.
2. Subtilty for preventing of dangers is best learned out of the Scriptures.
3. We are naturally simple, and easily led into error.
4. The way to keep us from errors is the right understanding of Scripture.
5. Most danger of going astray is in the time of youth.
6. Bare knowledge is not enough, but discretion must be laboured for also. Knowledge is imperfect, and will need further augmentation by deliberation. And knowing men do things rashly oftentimes, being disturbed with passion. (Francis Taylor.)
Good subtilty
This term suggests the very point of Solomons advice. The young man who comes from a quiet home, where he has been under wise guidance, is really simple, unsophisticated, unused to the ways of the world, unfit to meet its temptations, and needing much good counsel and warning from those who are experienced in the worlds ways. Simple here is not silly, but guileless, unsuspecting, easily drawn aside, over-trustful. It is familiarly said that experience is a dear school, but fools will learn in no other. Solomon urges on the young man that if he would be willing to learn, he might be saved from many bitter and even degrading experiences. There is an evil sense attaching to the word subtilty, from its association with the serpent that tempted Eve; but the better meaning of the word comes to view through Solomons connecting it with other good and suggestive terms. He thinks that the young man, at the very outset of life, needs wisdom, which we may take in the general sense of culture; an instruction, that is, discipline, training, and understanding, or the power of weighing, distinguishing, discriminating: and wisdom, in the further sense of thoughtfulness, the habit of looking things well round before we decide on our action. Impulsiveness is a constant weakness in young people. They act before they think. And Justice, or the first principles of righteousness, by which all proposed conduct should be appraised, and judgment, or the self-estimating which is virtually the same as a cultured and active conscience, and equity, or the various adjustment of principles to the different relationships of men, and the various circumstances in which they may be placed; and discretion, or that kind of reticence which keeps the young man from being duped by false advisers.
1. Expect subtilty in those who would tempt you astray. Here the word takes its bad form, as crafty, designing, making good appearance in order to deceive; keeping back part of the truth: and so leaving a designedly false impression. See temptation of Eve. There is a good suspiciousness, which is a safeguard.
2. Show subtilty in not readily yielding to the tempters. Here the word is used in a good sense. Be on your guard. Do not give your love to the first person who seeks it. Beware of the plausible man, and the flatterers. Be forewarned and so you will be forearmed. Keep your own counsel. See underneath, and do not be caught by mere outside glitter. (Robert Tuck, B. A.)
The simple man
Plato wrote on the door of his academy, Let no man unskilled in geometry come hither. Solomon writes the very reverse on the door of his school, Let the simple man come hither. (G. Lawson, D. D.)
Discretion
There are many more shining qualities in the mind of man, but there is none more useful than discretion; it is this, indeed, which gives a value to all the rest, which sets them at work in their proper times and places, and turns them to the advantage of the person who is possessed of them. Without it, learning is pedantry, and wit impertinence; virtue itself looks like weakness; the best parts only qualify a man to be more sprightly in his errors, and active to his own prejudice. (W. Addison.)
Discretion
A father that had three sons was desirous to try their discretion, which he did by giving to each of them an apple that had some part of it rotten. The first eats up his apple, rotten and all; the second throws all his away, because some part of it was rotten; but the third picks out the rotten, and eats that which was good, so that he appeared the wisest: thus, some in these days, for want of discretion, swallow down all that is presented, rotten and sound altogether; others throw away all truth, because everything delivered unto them is not truth, but surely they are the wisest and most discreet, that know how to try the spirits whether they be of God or not–how to choose the good and refuse the evil. (J. Spencer.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 4. To give subtilty to the simple] The word simple, from simplex, compounded of sine, without, and plica, a fold, properly signifies plain and honest, one that has no by-ends in view, who is what he appears to be; and is opposed to complex, from complico, to fold together, to make one rope or cord out of many strands; but because honesty and plaindealing are so rare in the world, and none but the truly religious man will practice them, farther than the fear of the law obliges him, hence simple has sunk into a state of progressive deterioration. At first, it signified, as above, without fold, unmixed, uncompounded: this was its radical meaning. Then, as applied to men, it signified innocent, harmless, without disguise; but, as such persons were rather an unfashionable sort of people, it sunk in its meaning to homely, homespun, mean, ordinary. And, as worldly men, who were seeking their portion in this life, and had little to do with religion, supposed that wisdom, wit, and understanding, were given to men that they might make the best of them in reference to the things of this life, the word sunk still lower in its meaning, and signified silly, foolish; and there, to the dishonour of our language and morals, it stands! I have taken those acceptations which I have marked in Italics out of the first dictionary that came to hand – Martin’s; but if I had gone to Johnson, I might have added to SILLY, not wise, not cunning. Simplicity, that meant at first, as MARTIN defines it, openness, plaindealing, downright honesty, is now degraded to weakness, silliness, foolishness. And these terms will continue thus degraded, till downright honesty and plaindealing get again into vogue. There are two Hebrew words generally supposed to come from the same root, which in our common version are rendered the simple, pethaim, and or pethayim; the former comes from patha, to be rash, hasty; the latter, from pathah, to draw aside, seduce, entice. It is the first of these words which is used here, and may be applied to youth; the inconsiderate, the unwary, who, for want of knowledge and experience, act precipitately. Hence the Vulgate renders it parvulis, little ones, young children, or little children, as my old MS.; or very babes, as Coverdale. The Septuagint renders it , those that are without evil; and the versions in general understand it of those who are young, giddy, and inexperienced.
To the young man] naar is frequently used to signify such as are in the state of adolescence, grown up boys, very well translated in my old MS. yunge fulwaxen; what we would now call the grown up lads. These, as being giddy and inexperienced, stand in especial need of lessons of wisdom and discretion. The Hebrew for discretion, mezimmah, is taken both in a good and bad sense, as zam, its root, signifies to devise or imagine; for the device may be either mischief, or the contrivance of some good purpose.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Subtilty; or rather,
prudence, as this word is used, Pro 3:21; 5:2; 8:5,12, which elsewhere is taken in an evil sense for craft or subtilty.
The simple; such as want wisdom, and are easily deceived by others, and therefore most need this blessing.
The young man, which wants both experience and self-government.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. simpleone easily led togood or evil; so the parallel.
young manoneinexperienced.
subtiltyor prudence(Pro 3:21; Pro 5:21).
discretionliterally,”device,” both qualities, either good or bad, according totheir use. Here good, as they imply wariness by which to escape eviland find good.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
To give subtlety to the simple,…. Men of mean abilities, weak capacities, shallow understandings, incautious, credulous, and easily imposed upon: these, by attending to what is herein contained, may arrive to a serpentine subtlety; though they are simple and harmless as doves, may become as wise as serpents; may attain to an exquisite knowledge of divine things and know even more than the wise and sage philosophers among the Gentiles, or any of the Rabbins and masters of Israel; or any of the princes of this world, whose wisdom comes to nought; and become very cautious and circumspect how they are drawn aside by the old serpent the devil, or by such who lie in wait to deceive; and perform their duty both to God and man;
to the young man knowledge and discretion; or “thought” i; who wants both: this book will teach him the knowledge of things moral, civil, and religious: to think and act aright; how to behave and conduct himself wisely and discreetly before men; and be a means of forming his mind betimes for piety and religion; and of furnishing him with rules for his deportment in future life, in all the periods of it; and in whatsoever state and condition he may come into. A “young man [may] cleanse his way”, Ps 119:9, reform his manners, behave with purity and uprightness, by taking “heed” to the things herein contained.
i “cogitationem”, Pagninus, Mercerus; “bonam cogitationem”, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) Subtilty (Ormah).Used in a bad sense (Exo. 21:14) for guile. For the meaning here, comp. Mat. 10:16 : Be ye wise as serpents; comp. also the reproof of Luk. 16:8, that the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light; and St. Pauls advice to redeem the time (Eph. 5:16), i.e., seize opportunities for good.
Simple.Literally, those who are open to good impressions and influences, but who also can be easily led astray. (Comp. Pro. 8:5; Pro. 14:15.)
Young man.The Hebrew term is used of any age from birth to about the twentieth year.
Discretion.Or rather, thoughtfulness; a word also used in a bad sense in Pro. 12:2, and there translated wicked devices.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Having thus stated the object in general terms, the teacher proceeds to a more specific setting forth of what it is, or of what he anticipates in respect to certain classes. First, as to the young and untaught, those who are as yet untrained to thought and study; and secondly, as to those of greater maturity and reflection. To the , pethaim, simple (open) ones, novices, unskilled and inexperienced, he hopes to be able to give , ‘hormah, subtilty, expertness, shrewdness, to train them to mental activity and acumen; to the young man, , na’har, youth, standing in parallelism with pethaim, and meaning persons of the same class, he will impart knowledge and discretion. Several of the terms in this verse are sometimes used in a good, and sometimes in a bad sense. They are supposed to be used in a good sense here. Perhaps pethaim may be employed here in a middle sense, unthinking, unsophisticated, undisciplined. Such novices, or freshmen, he proposes to teach how to reflect properly, to drill and train them to the art of right thinking and right acting.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Ver. 4. To give subtilty. ] Serpentine subtilty, Gen 3:1 sacred sagacity, a sharp wit, a deep reach, a Spirit that “searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God,” 1Co 2:10 and transformeth a man “into the same image from glory to glory.” 2Co 3:18 Equidem scio multos esse qui hoc non credant, et non paucos qui ea rideant, nosque insanire arbitrentur, saith Peter Martyr, a sed istos rogatos velim, &c.: that is, I know well there be many that will not believe it, and not a few that will deride it, and think we are mad in ascribing so much to the Scriptures. But oh that they would be entreated to make trial awhile, and to take to the reading of the Bible! Male mihi sit (ita enim in tanta causa iurare ausim) nisi tandem capiantur: sentient denique quantum divina hac ab humanis distent, &c. Let me never be believed, if they perceive not a plain and palpable difference between these and all human writings whatsoever. And to the same purpose Erasmus, b expertus sum in meipso, saith he, I can speak it by experience, that there is little good to be gotten by reading the Bible cursorily and carelessly; but do it duly and dillgently, with attention and affection, and you shall find such an efficacy as is to be found in no other book that can be named.
To the simple.
To the young man.
a Pet. Mart. in Rom. Ep. dedicat.
b Erasm., Praefat. in Lucam.
c Chytraeus.
d Arist., Ethic., lib. i.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
subtilty = prudence. Same root as Gen 3:1. Compare Mat 10:16. 1Sa 23:22. Not the same word as Gen 27:35.
simple = artless, guileless, unsuspecting. Compare verses: Pro 1:22, Pro 1:32, Pro 1:7; Pro 8:5; Pro 9:4, Pro 9:16; Pro 14:15, Pro 14:18; Pro 19:25; Pro 21:11; Pro 22:3; Pro 27:12.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
subtlety: Pro 1:22, Pro 1:23, Pro 8:5, Pro 9:4-6, Psa 19:7, Psa 119:130, Isa 35:8
to the: Pro 7:7-24, Pro 8:17, Pro 8:32, Psa 34:11, Psa 119:9, Ecc 11:9, Ecc 11:10, Ecc 12:1, 2Ti 2:22, Tit 2:6
discretion: or, advisement
Reciprocal: Jer 3:4 – the guide
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:4 To give subtilty to the {e} simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
(e) To such as have no discretion to rule themselves.