Proverbs 8:27

When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
– Proverbs 8:27

Wisdom was involved in the creation. The heavens include the earth’s atmosphere, the space of the stars, and the third heaven. Solomon speaks also of the forming of the globular earth. The earth was covered with water, the depth, and God gathered the water and brought out the dry land in two distinct bounds (Genesis 1:9-10). All these works were done in wisdom.

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Proverbs 8:26

While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
– Proverbs 8:26

The word for earth can refer to land or, as here, be put for the whole of the earth. The fields are the wild or desert places of the earth. The word for dust does indicate something powdered such as dry earth or ashes. This verse ranges from the grand scope of the whole earth to the minute particles of dust upon the earth. God has made wisdom indispensable to all aspects of the creation. By extension, one should consider wisdom indispensable to living in a universe and upon an earth where from the greatest to the smallest was made with wisdom.

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Proverbs 8:25

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
– Proverbs 8:25

Wisdom is described as here as before, obviously involved in, the creation of the dry land of the earth. The word for settled means to sink or to plant. It refers to the mountains being planted, suggesting the orderly arrangement and design of the creation. The creation was made in wisdom and nothing akin to random chaos.

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Proverbs 8:24

When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
– Proverbs 8:24

The next several verses relate wisdom to the creation of the universe. Wisdom was before the sea and springs of the earth. The emphasis of wisdom predating the creation is to show wisdom’s role in the acts of creation. Wisdom was present and involved. Brought forth puts us in mind of birth, but rather than pinpointing a birth date of wisdom, the point is to establish the antiquity of wisdom, which also comprehends the scope of wisdom. To the reader, wisdom is broad and deep so that nothing in life is untouched by it.

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Proverbs 8:23

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
– Proverbs 8:23

Wisdom was anointed or installed as set up indicates. This refers to an installation into office. Wisdom was established so that all works in the creation would be by wisdom. Everlasting is time out of mind. Beginning is explained by the alternative, ever the earth was. The antiquity of wisdom is emphasized to reveal its importance and that wisdom’s value surpasses the value of all things made by it.

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Proverbs 8:22

The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
– Proverbs 8:22

Verses 22-31 speak of high things. We have seen wisdom in the streets, high places, gates, and the markets. Now we are given view of wisdom, possessed of God before the foundation of the world such that all God’s works are done in wisdom. Opinions vary greatly on this section of Scripture. The point here is not that God began to have wisdom as though there were some point when God did not have wisdom. The point here is to emphasize the importance of wisdom and that, concerning time, wisdom was before the creation. This means the universe was created with wisdom and wisdom is vital to its existence and maintenance. This supplies a powerful argument to see the importance of wisdom and to seek it more than silver and gold.

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