PROVERBS 1
The Usefulness of Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding,
3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity;
4 To give prudence to the naïve, to the youth knowledge and discretion,
5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause;
12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, even whole, as those who go down to the pit;
13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth, we will fill our houses with spoil;
14 Throw in your lot with us, we shall all have one purse,”
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path,
16 For their feet run to evil and they hasten to shed blood.
17 Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any bird;
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors.
Wisdom Warns
20 Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22 “How long, O naïve ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you neglected all my counsel and did not want my reproof;
26 I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will 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 did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They would not accept my counsel, they spurned all my reproof.
31 So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices.
32 For the waywardness of the naïve will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
Reflection
In this first chapter, we read about the difference between the wise and the foolish—this is a reoccurring theme through the whole book. To start to be wise, the writer of Proverbs tells us we must fear the LORD. However, this fear isn’t the same feeling as when someone says they’re afraid of the dark. The Hebrew word means to have great awe of something. It’s a respect and reverence for the LORD that allows us to see things a little more like He does. When we worship Him, the Bible says all other wisdom falls into place.
The other important message that we read in this first chapter is that wisdom is available for those who will seek it and who are willing to listen. In verse 23 we read that wisdom will make her words known to us. We will read more about this in tomorrow’s chapter.
Reflect
What does this passage say about those who don’t listen to wisdom? What do these verses say about those who follow people who don’t listen to wisdom?
Engage
How would you define wisdom in your own words?
An Extra Mile
What questions do you have after reading chapter one? Take a moment to write them down. Part of wisdom is admitting we don’t know it all! There is much to learn from God’s word, and asking questions is a wonderful part of the journey. [Seek wisdom from The Lord in prayer.] Who is someone in your life you can [turn to, like a Pastor/Teacher/Mentor]? You can ask them to help you seek out answers to your questions as well.
Thank you for all that you do.