5<\/strong>. wisdom<\/em> ] R.V. subtilty<\/strong>. See Pro 1:4<\/span>, note.<\/p>\n Pro 8:6-9<\/em><\/span> .<\/strong> The plainness of her speech<\/em>.<\/p>\n Pro 8:5<\/span><\/p>\n Ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Are you a fool?<\/strong><\/p>\n The <\/em>word fool is derived from a Latin verb, signifying to be inflated with air; substantive, a wind-bag. So a fool is a witless, blundering creature, one whose conduct is not directed by ordinarily good sense or judgment. All who do not serve God are fools, according to the Bible way of looking at things. Many are Bible fools who are not fools according to the worlds idea.<\/p>\n body? Is not eternity greater than time? Thousands choose the tinsel before the real gold, as did the wicked cardinal, who said, I prefer a part in the honours of Paris to a part in the happiness of heaven.<\/p>\n Verse 5<\/span>. O ye simple<\/B><\/I>] pethaim<\/I>, ye that are deceived<\/I>, and with flattering words and fair speeches deluded and drawn<\/I> away<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> Ye fools<\/B><\/I>] kesilim<\/I>, ye stupid, stiffnecked, senseless people. That preaching<\/I> is never likely to do much good, that is not pointed<\/I>; specifying and describing vices, and charging them home on the consciences of transgressors. Where this is not done<\/I>, the congregation is unconcerned; no man supposes he has any thing to do in the business, especially if the preacher takes care to tell them, “These were the crimes of Jews, Romans, Greeks, of the people at Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, Laodicea, and of heathens in general; but I hope better things of you, who have been born in a Christian land, and baptized in the Christian faith.” Thus he arms their consciences<\/I> in double brass against the good effects of his own teaching.<\/P> <\/p>\n Ye simple; <\/B>who want knowledge and experience, and are easily deceived. <\/P> Ye fools; <\/B>wilful and obstinate sinners. <\/P> <\/p>\n 5. wisdom<\/B>literally,”subtilty” in a good sense, or, “prudence.” <\/P> fools<\/B>as Pr1:22<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n O ye simple, understand wisdom<\/strong>,…. The Gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery, particularly the doctrine of salvation by Christ; it is the highest wisdom to know Christ and him crucified: and they are “the simple” who are weak and easy to be imposed upon, who are here called unto; and generally speaking such are they to whom the mysteries of grace are made known, while they are hid from the wise and prudent;<\/p>\n and ye fools, be of an understanding heart<\/strong>; or “cause the heart to understand”; or “get an understanding heart” t; make use of all means to get spiritual wisdom and understanding; all men, let them be what they will in other respects, are fools as to a spiritual and experimental knowledge of divine things; and that man can only be said to have truly an understanding heart that knows his own folly, the plague of his heart, his need of Christ, the worth of him; and has an understanding given him to know him and his interest in him.<\/p>\n t “facite cor intelligere”, Baynus, Mercerus; “facite ut cor vestrum intelligat”, so some in Vatablus; “acquirite animum sapientem”, Gejerus.<\/p>\n (5) O ye simple.<\/strong>See above on Pro. 1:4<\/span> for an explanation of simple, as also of wisdom (ormah<\/em>) there translated subtilty.<\/p>\n Ye fools.<\/strong>(kheslm<\/em>), <\/em>see above on Pro. 1:22<\/span>.<\/p>\n THE EXCELLENT THINGS TO WHICH WISDOM INVITES, Pro 8:5-21<\/span>.<\/p>\n 5<\/strong>. <\/strong> O ye simple fools <\/strong> These terms in our version may be unnecessarily strong. The original would justify inexperienced, unsuspecting; <\/em> those without culture, untaught and rude, and therefore unprepared for the strategy of the enemy. <\/p>\n Wisdom <\/strong> , ( ‘<\/em> hormah,<\/em>) shrewdness, sagacity, subtlety. <\/em> The word is used in a good or bad sense of course in the good here. <\/p>\n Of an understanding heart <\/strong> Literally, understand the heart; <\/em> compare Pro 15:32<\/span>; Pro 17:16<\/span>, in the Hebrew. Heart <\/em> is to be taken tropically for discretion, prudence, self-government, power to control the appetites. The whole verse is an exhortation to mental and moral culture. “Learn shrewdness, ye simple; and fools, be wise in heart.” Conant.<\/p>\n 2). Wisdom Calls On The Naive And On Fools To Pay Heed To Her Words Because Her Instruction Is Both True And Valuable ( Pro 8:5-13<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ).<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Wisdom’s words come especially to the naive and to ‘fools’ (compare Pro 1:22<\/span>), that is to those who are still grappling with life without having any agenda, often at a loose end (compare Pro 7:7<\/span>), and at the behest of any voice that speaks to them, and those who, while believing vaguely in God, live their lives apart from His will and direction (compare Psa 14:1<\/span>). Her aim is to rescue them from their naivety and folly. And she does so because what she has to say is truth, and is excellent and precious.<\/p>\n Once again the subsection is presented chiastically:<\/p>\n A <\/strong> O you naive ones, understand shrewdness, and, you fools, be of an understanding heart (Pro 8:5<\/span>).<\/p>\n B <\/strong> Hear, for I will speak excellent things (princely things), and the opening of my lips will be right (straight, equitable) things (Pro 8:6<\/span>)<\/p>\n C <\/strong> For my mouth will utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips, all the words of my mouth are in righteousness (Pro 8:7-8<\/span> a).<\/p>\n C <\/strong> There is nothing crooked or perverse in them, they are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge (Pro 8:8-9<\/span>).<\/p>\n B <\/strong> Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it (Pro 8:10-11<\/span>).<\/p>\n A <\/strong> I wisdom have made shrewdness my dwelling, and find out knowledge and discretion (Pro 8:12<\/span>).<\/p>\n Note how in A the call is to understand shrewdness and be of an understanding heart, and in the parallel wisdom has made shrewdness her dwelling, and finds out knowledge and discretion. In B men are called on to ‘hear’ princely things and equitable things, and in the parallel to ‘receive instruction, knowledge and wisdom’ which are more precious than gold, silver and rubies, and are beyond compare. Centrally in C wisdom emphasises that her words are truth and in righteousness, because wickedness is an abomination to her lips, and in the parallel there is nothing that is crooked or perverse in them, for they are plain to those who understand, and right to those who find knowledge.<\/p>\n Pro 8:5-7<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “O you naive ones, understand shrewdness,<\/p>\n And, you fools, be of an understanding heart,<\/p>\n Hear, for I will speak excellent things (princely things),<\/p>\n And the opening of my lips will be right (straight, equitable) things,<\/p>\n For my mouth will utter truth,<\/p>\n And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.”<\/p>\n Note that here, where we might have expected the word ‘wisdom’, we have the word shrewdness, although we then learn in Pro 8:12<\/span> that wisdom has made shrewdness her dwelling. So while Wisdom may be personified, she is defined by a number of words such as ‘understanding’ (with which she is regularly combined – Pro 2:2<\/span>; Pro 3:13<\/span>; Pro 3:19<\/span>; Pro 4:5<\/span>; Pro 4:7<\/span>; Pro 5:1<\/span>; Pro 7:4<\/span>; Pro 8:1<\/span>; Pro 8:14<\/span>; Pro 9:10<\/span>), ‘knowledge’, ‘disciplinary instruction’, ‘discretion’, ‘shrewdness’ and the like. She is a clearly not an individual but a composite concept (compare especially Pro 1:2-4<\/span>; Pro 2:2-3<\/span>; Pro 2:10-11<\/span>; Pro 3:19-20<\/span>; Pro 5:1-2<\/span>), and regularly thought of in terms of Solomon’s ‘wisdom’, ‘words’, ‘commandments’, ‘torah (instruction)’ and ‘disciplinary instruction’ (Pro 1:7-8<\/span>; Pro 2:1-2<\/span>; Pro 3:1<\/span>; Pro 5:1<\/span>; Pro 6:20<\/span>; Pro 6:25<\/span>; Pro 7:1-4<\/span>). Note how in Pro 8:1-4<\/span> ‘wisdom and understanding’ are seen as one and spoken of as ‘she’ (compare Pro 2:2-4<\/span> where wisdom, understanding and discernment are spoken of as ‘her’).<\/p>\n So the naive are called on to understand shrewdness, and the fools (those who live carelessly) are called on to be of an understanding heart. They are to pay heed to the excellent and princely things, the right and equitable things, which ‘wisdom and understanding’ (Pro 8:1<\/span>) speaks. For the main concern of true wisdom and understanding is ‘truth’. Indeed false words and wickedness are an abomination to her. When put in apposition to ‘truth (what is reliable)’, ‘wickedness’ is ‘falsity, (what is unreliable)’.<\/p>\n Pro 8:8-9<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness,<\/p>\n There is nothing crooked or perverse in them,<\/p>\n They are all plain to him who understands,<\/p>\n And right to those who find knowledge.”<\/p>\n For all her spoken words are ‘in righteousness’, they are true, honest and upright, and there is nothing crooked (twisted) and perverse in them. For her there is no ‘lying or deceitful tongue’ (Pro 6:17<\/span>). All her words are plain to those who understand, and they are right (straight, open, honest), to those who find true knowledge (the fear of YHWH and the knowledge of God – Pro 2:5<\/span>). In the words of Jesus, ‘if any man wills to do His will, he will know of My teaching, whether it comes from God’ (Joh 7:17<\/span>).<\/p>\n Thus we have here the assurance that what is true will be known to those whose hearts are truly open to God. It is only when sin distorts men’s thinking that they are unable to come to truth. Thus people today have much knowledge, but because their hearts are closed to God and are sinful, they do not come to truth. Each sees things from his own perspective. Men who will devote countless hours and huge amounts of money to discern an invisible and elusive particle in nature, have no time to consider the many things that point to an invisible, and to them elusive, God. But to those who are open to understand, and who find knowledge, because it is given to them by God (Pro 2:6<\/span>), all is plain.<\/p>\n Pro 8:10-11<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “Receive my instruction, and not silver,<\/p>\n And knowledge rather than choice gold,<\/p>\n For wisdom is better than rubies,<\/p>\n And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.”<\/p>\n In Pro 8:6<\/span> wisdom called on men to ‘hear’ excellent things, princely things’ and ‘equitable things’. Here they are assured that Solomon’s instruction, knowledge and wisdom are more valuable than silver and fine gold, and better than ‘rubies’ (possibly red coral). Indeed nothing else can be compared with them for value. God’s word is the most precious thing that this world contains.<\/p>\n Note on Pro 8:11<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> . <\/strong>.<\/p>\n There are no conclusive grounds for excluding Pro 8:11<\/span> from the narrative as an interpolation, even though this is often suggested. It is found in all manuscripts and versions, and Hebrew poetry has a habit of not falling into line with the structures that moderns expect of it. The use of wisdom in the third person, paralleling instruction and knowledge, was to be expected if Wisdom was to speak of wisdom. She is underlining her own worth in terms of her attributes. This also explains the unusual ‘I, Wisdom’ in Pro 8:12<\/span>. She has to indicate who the personal pronoun refers to precisely because of the variation in Pro 8:11<\/span>. The fact that something similar was said in Pro 3:15<\/span> is not a valid argument. Solomon often repeats good ideas. Thus there are no good grounds for excising this verse.<\/p>\n End of note.<\/p>\n Pro 8:12<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “I wisdom have made shrewdness my dwelling,<\/p>\n And find out knowledge and discretion,<\/p>\n Wisdom ends the subsection, which is all in her words, with a reminder of what she is. Shrewdness is her dwellingplace. The two are inseparably connected. That was why the naive could be called on to ‘understand shrewdness’ rather than wisdom (Pro 8:5<\/span>). ‘Knowledge and discretion’ are what she seeks out. Knowledge is the knowledge of God and His ways, and is a revelation from God (Pro 2:5-6<\/span>); discretion is the ability to discern and devise wisely. Discretion parallels knowledge in Pro 1:4<\/span>; understanding in Pro 2:11<\/span>; and is a companion of wisdom in Pro 3:21<\/span>. In other words wisdom, shrewdness, knowledge and discretion are all an essential part of one another. Note how they all appear together in Pro 1:4-5<\/span>.<\/p>\n O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Here we have both the glories of Christ, and the wretchedness of man strikingly represented. Jesus, well knowing how deaf and senseless our poor fallen nature is, and that unconscious of our own misery, and therefore unwilling to be prevailed upon to listen to what is proposed for our good, first declares to us our simplicity, and then the infinite importance of the things which he is going to declare to us, Excellent things they may well be called, for what can be equally excellent as the glories of his person, the riches of his grace, his suitableness to poor sinners, and the everlasting riches the possession of him must impart? And excellent things these are also in the view of the Father’s appointment of them for poor sinners, and the Father’s will and delight that they should be received by poor sinners, and made use of for his glory and the sinner’s joy. Reader! are not these things excellent things; and right things, and coming from the lip of truth? And further, allow me to ask whether there be an apprehension of them as such in your soul? Hath the loud cry of Jesus reached your ear? Hath the voice of understanding been heard in the chambers of your heart? Do you from day today with the eye of faith behold Jesus standing in the top of high places; that is by way of ordinances in the gates of his word, in the ministry of his paths, and both at the entering in, and going out of his providences, in all that is going on in the world? Surely it is in all these, and by all these, Jesus cries and calls upon the sons of men. Neither is there a faculty of the mind, in the hearing ear, the seeing eye, and the understanding heart, but what hath daily appeals made to each and to all, to listen to the heavenly preacher, and to be made wise unto salvation through the faith that is in Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n Pro 8:5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.<\/p>\n Ver. 5. O ye simple.<\/strong> ] If ye be not set in sin, resolved of your way, as good as ye mean to be; if yet there be any place left for persuasion. See Trapp on “<\/em> Pro 1:4 “<\/em> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And ye fools.<\/strong> ] Ye that have already made your conclusion, and are wiser in your own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.<\/p>\n simple. See note on Pro 1:4. <\/p>\n wisdom. Hebrew. ‘armah. Not the same word as in Pro 8:1 = shrewdness. See note on Pro 1:2. <\/p>\n fools. Hebrew. k sil. See note on Pro 1:7. <\/p>\n Pro 1:22, Pro 9:4, Psa 19:7, Psa 94:8, Isa 42:13, Isa 55:1-3, Act 26:18, 1Co 1:28, 1Co 6:9-11, Rev 3:17, Rev 3:18 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Job 5:2 – the foolish Job 28:28 – unto man Job 33:33 – I Job 36:10 – commandeth Psa 5:5 – The Psa 14:2 – any Psa 75:4 – I said Pro 1:4 – subtlety Pro 2:6 – out Pro 4:5 – Get wisdom Pro 7:7 – the simple Pro 17:16 – a price Mar 7:14 – and understand Luk 11:40 – fools Rom 1:14 – to the unwise Rom 16:18 – the simple 1Co 1:30 – wisdom Col 1:28 – in all Tit 3:3 – foolish<\/p>\n O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 5. wisdom ] R.V. subtilty. See Pro 1:4, note. Pro 8:6-9 . The plainness of her speech. Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Pro 8:5 Ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Are you a fool? The word … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 8:5”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16618"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16618\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>He is a fool who buys the wealth of the world with the riches of heaven. Does not the soul far outvalue the<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>He is a fool who supposes he can freely indulge in sin, and still keep it under his control. Men say they will go so far in the direction of this or that sin, and then stop short. As well might a man allow his train of loaded waggons to run down a steep declivity, until half the descent was made, before he applied the brakes. Dr. Johnson says, The diminutive chains of habit are generally too small to be felt till they are too strong to be broken.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>He is a fool who, having once received injury, recklessly exposes himself to it a second time. In other words, He is a <\/strong>fool who learns nothing from his own folly. The wise man is a wary man; and having received injury in any direction once, he keeps clear of that coast ever after. Experience, one has said, is one of the most eloquent of preachers; but she never has a large congregation.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>He is a fool who waits till to-morrow before he becomes religious. What has any one to do with to-morrow? Does he know that he will ever see it? Men may trifle with their religious opportunities until they are lost beyond recall. Until you enter fully and lovingly into the service of God you are <\/strong>living like fools, because unnecessarily imperilling your highest and most urgent interests–because you are living at enmity with Him in whose favour is everlasting life, and in whose displeasure is everlasting death. (A. F. Forrest.<\/em>)<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"