Proverbs 8

1 Thou shalt proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to thee.

2 For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.

3 For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, ,

4 You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.

5 O ye simple, understand subtlety, and ye that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.

6 Hearken to me; for I will speak solemn ; and will produce right from my lips.

7 For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.

8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.

9 They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.

10 Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.

11 For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.

12 I wisdom have dwelt counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.

13 The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.

14 Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.

15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.

17 I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find .

18 Wealth and glory belong to me; yea, abundant possessions and righteousness.

19 better to have my fruit than gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.

20 I walk in ways of righteousness, and conversant with the paths of judgment;

21 that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember to recount the things of old.

22 The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.

23 He established me before time in the beginning, before he made the earth:

24 even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:

25 before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.

26 The Lord made countries and uninhabited , and the highest inhabited parts of the world.

27 When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:

28 and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:

29 decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:

30 I was by him, suiting , I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.

31 For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced among the children of men.

32 Now then, son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall hearken to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;

33

34 watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.

35 For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and is prepared favour from the Lord.

36 But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.

Proverbs 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

Christ, as Wisdom, calls to the sons of men. (1-11) The nature and riches of Wisdom. (12-21) Christ one with the Father, in the creation of the world, and rejoicing in his work for the salvation of man. (22-31) Exhortations to hear Christ's word. (32-36)

Verses 1-11 The will of God is made known by the works of creation, and by the consciences of men, but more clearly by Moses and the prophets. The chief difficulty is to get men to attend to instruction. Yet attention to the words of Christ, will guide the most ignorant into saving knowledge of the truth. Where there is an understanding heart, and willingness to receive the truth in love, wisdom is valued above silver and gold.

Verses 12-21 Wisdom, here is Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it is Christ in the word, and Christ in the heart; not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ revealed in us. All prudence and skill are from the Lord. Through the redemption of Christ's precious blood, the riches of his grace abound in all wisdom and prudence. Man found out many inventions for ruin; God found one for our recovery. He hates pride and arrogance, evil ways and froward conversation; these render men unwilling to hear his humbling, awakening, holy instructions. True religion gives men the best counsel in all difficult cases, and helps to make their way plain. His wisdom makes all truly happy who receive it in the love of Christ Jesus. Seek him early, seek him earnestly, seek him before any thing else. Christ never said, Seek in vain. Those who love Christ, are such as have seen his loveliness, and have had his love shed abroad in their hearts; therefore they are happy. They shall be happy in this world, or in that which is beyond compare better. Wealth gotten by vanity will soon be diminished, but that which is well got, will wear well; and that which is well spent upon works of piety and charity, will be lasting. If they have not riches and honour in this world, they shall have that which is infinitely better. They shall be happy in the grace of God. Christ, by his Spirit, guides believers into all truth, and so leads them in the way of righteousness; and they walk after the Spirit. Also, they shall be happy in the glory of God hereafter. In Wisdom's promises, believers have goods laid up, not for days and years, but for eternity; her fruit therefore is better than gold.

Verses 22-31 The Son of God declares himself to have been engaged in the creation of the world. How able, how fit is the Son of God to be the Saviour of the world, who was the Creator of it! The Son of God was ordained, before the world, to that great work. Does he delight in saving wretched sinners, and shall not we delight in his salvation?

Verses 32-36 Surely we should hearken to Christ's voice with the readiness of children. Let us all be wise, and not refuse such mercy. Blessed are those who hear the Saviour's voice, and wait on him with daily reading, meditation, and prayer. The children of the world find time for vain amusements, without neglecting what they deem the one thing needful. Does it not show contempt of Wisdom's instructions, when people professing godliness, seek excuses for neglecting the means of grace? Christ is Wisdom, and he is Life to all believers; nor can we obtain God's favour, unless we find Christ, and are found in him. Those who offend Christ deceive themselves; sin is a wrong to the soul. Sinners die because they will die, which justifies God when he judges.

Footnotes

• [a]. For the use of ??at?? and pa??????? in this book, see Appendix in which the following appears: Proverbs 8.5 — It is frequently the case in Proverbs that ??at?? is used in a bad sense, and pa??????? in a good one. For ??at?? see chap 1. 4,22; 8.5; 14.15; 21.11. For pa???????, 12. 16; 13.1, 16; 14.8,15,18; 15.5; 21.11; 22.3; 27.12; 28.2.
• [b]. Gr. before the age.
• [c]. Or, marked out.
• [d]. See Appendix in which the Alexandrine text has: When he set to the sea its bound, and the waters shall not pass his [note: Gr. mouth.]
• [e]. Or, arranging all things.
• [f]. appendix has Alexandrine text as: “And blessed are they that keep my ways.”
• [g]. not in Codex Vaticanus, but Alexandrine codex has this text

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 8

This chapter contains the instructions of Wisdom or Christ; showing the excellency of them, and the author of them, in opposition to the harlot and her allurements, in the preceding chapter. Christ, under the name of Wisdom, is represented as an herald, publishing the Gospel in the ministry of the word, either in person or by his servants, Pr 8:1. The places where this proclamation is made are described, Pr 8:2,3; the persons to whom, Pr 8:4,5. The excellency of the things delivered, being right things; truth, agreeably to the word of God, plain and easy to be understood, and of more worth than gold, silver, and precious stones, Pr 8:6-11. And then Wisdom, or Christ, is commended and recommended by his consummate prudence and knowledge, by his hatred of evil, and by his influence on the political affairs of kings and princes, Pr 8:12-16; and the advantages of those that are early seekers of him are pointed out; their enjoyment of his favour, of his riches, honour and righteousness; and their being led by him in right paths now, and inheriting eternal glory hereafter, Pr 8:17-21. And next follows an account of his existence from eternity as a divine Person, illustrated by a variety of phrases, Pr 8:22-29; and of his being with the Father; of his great affection for him, and complacency in him; and of Christ's wonderful delight and pleasure in the sons of men, Pr 8:30,31. And the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to them to hearken to his instructions; setting forth the happiness of those that wait on him in public ordinances, and find him; and the misery of those that hate and reject him.