Proverbs 1:8-33
Wisdom's Warning
8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching: 9 for they will be a garland to grace your head,
and chains around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent. 11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let’s lay in wait for blood;
let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; 12 let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol,
and whole, like those who go down into the pit. 13 We’ll find all valuable wealth.
We’ll fill our houses with spoil. 14 You shall cast your lot among us.
We’ll all have one purse.” 15 My son, don’t walk in the way with them.
Keep your foot from their path, 16 for their feet run to evil.
They hurry to shed blood. 17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird: 18 but these lay 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 in the street.
She utters her voice in the public squares. 21 She calls at the head of noisy places.
At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words: 22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,
and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn at my reproof.
Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you.
I will make known my words to you. 24 Because I have called, and you have refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; 25 but you have ignored all my counsel,
and wanted none of my reproof; 26 I also will laugh at your disaster.
I will mock when calamity overtakes you; 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish come on you. 28 Then will they 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 didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh. 30 They wanted none of my counsel.
They despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own schemes. 32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.
The careless ease of fools will destroy them. 33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,
and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Proverbs 1:8-33
Commentary on Proverbs 1:7-9
(Read Proverbs 1:7-9)
Fools are persons who have no true wisdom, who follow their own devices, without regard to reason, or reverence for God. Children are reasonable creatures, and when we tell them what they must do, we must tell them why. But they are corrupt and wilful, therefore with the instruction there is need of a law. Let Divine truths and commands be to us most honourable; let us value them, and then they shall be so to us.
Commentary on Proverbs 1:10-19
(Read Proverbs 1:10-19)
Wicked people are zealous in seducing others into the paths of the destroyer: sinners love company in sin. But they have so much the more to answer for. How cautious young people should be! "Consent thou not." Do not say as they say, nor do as they do, or would have thee to do; have no fellowship with them. Who could think that it should be a pleasure to one man to destroy another! See their idea of worldly wealth; but it is neither substance, nor precious. It is the ruinous mistake of thousands, that they overvalue the wealth of this world. Men promise themselves in vain that sin will turn to their advantage. The way of sin is down-hill; men cannot stop themselves. Would young people shun temporal and eternal ruin, let them refuse to take one step in these destructive paths. Men's greediness of gain hurries them upon practices which will not suffer them or others to live out half their days. What is a man profited, though he gain the world, if he lose his life? much less if he lose his soul?
Commentary on Proverbs 1:20-33
(Read Proverbs 1:20-33)
Solomon, having showed how dangerous it is to hearken to the temptations of Satan, here declares how dangerous it is not to hearken to the calls of God. Christ himself is Wisdom, is Wisdoms. Three sorts of persons are here called by Him: 1. Simple ones. Sinners are fond of their simple notions of good and evil, their simple prejudices against the ways of God, and flatter themselves in their wickedness. 2. Scorners. Proud, jovial people, that make a jest of every thing. Scoffers at religion, that run down every thing sacred and serious. 3. Fools. Those are the worst of fools that hate to be taught, and have a rooted dislike to serious godliness. The precept is plain; Turn you at my reproof. We do not make a right use of reproofs, if we do not turn from evil to that which is good. The promises are very encouraging. Men cannot turn by any power of their own; but God answers, Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you. Special grace is needful to sincere conversion. But that grace shall never be denied to any who seek it. The love of Christ, and the promises mingled with his reproofs, surely should have the attention of every one. It may well be asked, how long men mean to proceed in such a perilous path, when the uncertainty of life and the consequences of dying without Christ are considered? Now sinners live at ease, and set sorrow at defiance; but their calamity will come. Now God is ready to hear their prayers; but then they shall cry in vain. Are we yet despisers of wisdom? Let us hearken diligently, and obey the Lord Jesus, that we may enjoy peace of conscience and confidence in God; be free from evil, in life, in death, and for ever.