Posted by Jeff Short on December 13, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Riches and honor are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
– Proverbs 8:18
Riches are wealth and
honor is glory and abundance.
Durable riches speaks of old or ancient wealth treasured up. Hence, it is enduring and not quickly fading. It is passed on from one hand to another. The wealth of wisdom is abundant, enduring, and just.
Righteousness is justice and opposite of oppression or extortion, which are common worldly means of gaining wealth. As you work through this chapter, keep note of both the physical and spiritual nature of the benefits of wisdom.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 12, 2016 · Leave a Comment
I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
– Proverbs 8:17
Solomon has described many wonderful attributes of wisdom, but wisdom not to be gazed at and admired. Wisdom is not a noble statue or painting on a shelf. Wisdom’s possessions are gifts to be given to those who love and seek wisdom. Seeking early involves diligence and refers to early in life as well
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 11, 2016 · Leave a Comment
By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
– Proverbs 8:16
Like in the previous verse, wisdom is the good of any good authority on earth. Wisdom is required to hold authority without abuse or vainglory. Wisdom will restrain unrighteousness and teach hatred of “evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth” (Proverbs 8:13). These things are all the corruption of power and lead to oppression, extortion, and perversion of justice. These are all things that afflict men when the foolish wicked bear rule (Proverbs 29:2).
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 10, 2016 · Leave a Comment
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
– Proverbs 8:15
If ever justice is decreed, it is by wisdom. Any good reign is accomplished by wisdom. When the wicked and fools bear rule, incompetence, oppression, tyranny, and injustice abound. The point is that any good government requires wisdom.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 9, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
– Proverbs 8:14
Verses 14-21 describes various physical and spiritual benefits wisdom brings to those who have it. Wisdom has counsel and so advises the recipient in the ways of life. Sound wisdom is proper judgment or good sense. Understanding refers to discernment. Strength is might or power. It is not typically listed with wisdom, but it is the force for good actions. We might contrast it with the halting steps of the uncertain or doubting man. He who goes in the straight path of wisdom, goes with strength of conviction.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 8, 2016 · Leave a Comment
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
– Proverbs 8:13
Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but also the middle and end of it. Such proper fear is never outgrown nor gotten past. True wisdom does not only avoid a bad way, but hates it as twice stated here.
Pride and
arrogancy speak of the puffing up of man that thinks himself wise. The
evil way is the road or path that is put for the way of life of the evil man. A
froward mouth is a speaking of perverse things and not wise things. This perverse speech displays the inner void of wisdom and inner corruption of the fool (Luke 6:45). In the previous verse, wisdom expressed her true companions and here her true antagonists.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 7, 2016 · Leave a Comment
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
– Proverbs 8:12
Wisdom dwells with, or resides with, prudence, indicating their compatibility.
Prudence is shrewdness or discretion. It can be positive or negative depending on the context and refers to cunning or craftiness.
Witty inventions are plans or plots. We might even refer to schemes. The word here also relies on context to supply the gloss. They are here paired together indicating that wisdom gives shrewdness and the skill of planning. Wisdom is street-wise and knows how to navigate life, as demonstrated in the prudent man who foresees and avoids evil (Proverbs 22:3). Such a description disabuses us of any notion of a wise person as lofty, detached, and void of common sense or any practical knowledge.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 6, 2016 · Leave a Comment
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
– Proverbs 8:11
Silver, gold, and precious stones have a sort of intrinsic value and rarity. They are the pinnacle of objective value, though all men esteem them not equally.
All things that may be desired is more subjective but expands the range of prized things to include anything a man may prize. These are things men give their life for to obtain. On all accounts, wisdom is more surpassingly valuable than anything highly prized among men. It follows that men should search more diligently and attend more immediately to wisdom than all earthly riches.
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Posted by Jeff Short on December 5, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
– Proverbs 8:10
Instruction is discipline and correction. It is the training in wisdom we are exhorted to receive. Knowledge refers to discernment and not just a store of facts. Receiving the training of wisdom and discernment are more valuable than money—silver and choice gold. A choice is presented suggesting that you cannot pursue both.
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Proverbs 8:18
Posted by Jeff Short on December 13, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Riches and honor are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
Riches are wealth and honor is glory and abundance. Durable riches speaks of old or ancient wealth treasured up. Hence, it is enduring and not quickly fading. It is passed on from one hand to another. The wealth of wisdom is abundant, enduring, and just. Righteousness is justice and opposite of oppression or extortion, which are common worldly means of gaining wealth. As you work through this chapter, keep note of both the physical and spiritual nature of the benefits of wisdom.– Proverbs 8:18
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