1My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you,
2so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
3yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;
4if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures:
5then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God.
6For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.
9Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.
10For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,
12to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things,
13who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness,
14who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,
16to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,
17who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God;
18for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits.
19None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life.
20So you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it.
22But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.
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Drawn from the public-domain commentaries and Spurgeon sermons that cover this exact passage · ~780 words.
Matthew Henry. If we depend upon God, and seek to him for wisdom, he will uphold us in our integrity, will enable us to keep the paths of judgment, however we may be tempted to turn aside out of them; for he preserves the way of his saints, that it be not perverted, and so preserves them in it safe and blameless to his heavenly kingdom. The same that is the Spirit of revelation in the word is a Spirit of wisdom in the souls of those that are sanctified, that wisdom of the prudent which is to understand his way; and it is sound wisdom, its foundations firm, its principles solid, and its products of lasting advantage. [2.] Satisfaction. We shall know how to conduct ourselves aright towards all men (Pro 2:9): "Thou shalt understand, by the word of God, righteousness, and judgment, and equity, shalt learn those principles of justice, and charity, and fair dealing, which shall guide and govern thee in the whole course of thy conversation, shall make thee fit for every relation, every business, and faithful to every trust. The means of wisdom are given to all, but wisdom itself, sound wisdom, is laid up for the righteous, laid up in Christ their head, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and who is made of God to us wisdom. We must give our voice to understanding (so the word is), speak for it, vote for it, submit the tongue to the command of wisdom. We must avoid the way of the evil man, and the strange woman, in order that we may walk in good ways; we must cease to do evil, in order that we may learn to do well. "That thou mayest imitate those excellent persons, the patriarchs and prophets (so bishop Patrick paraphrases it), and be preserved in the paths of those righteous men who followed after them." We must not only choose our way in general by the good examples of the saints, but must also take directions from them in the choice of our particular paths; observe the track, and go forth by the footsteps of the flock. Let that wisdom then enter into our hearts, and be pleasant to our souls, which will keep us out of a way that will end thus. Wisdom will keep thee from being captivated by the carnal mind, and from subjecting the spirit to the dominion of the flesh, that notorious adulteress which forsakes its guide, violates the covenant of our God, which inclines to death, and which, when it has got an undisturbed dominion, makes the case of the soul desperate. And we must not only walk in that way awhile, but we must keep it, keep in it, and never turn aside out of it: The paths of the righteous are the paths of life, which all that are wise, having taken hold of, will keep their hold of. The ways of sin are ways of darkness, uncomfortable and unsafe; what fools are those that leave the plain, pleasant, lightsome paths of uprightness, to walk in those ways! This wisdom will be of use to guide and direct us in that which is good (Pro 2:20): That thou mayest walk in the way of good men.
Jamieson–Fausset–Brown. Listen attentively and reflect seriously (Pro 1:24; Psa 130:2). understanding--right perception of truth. Yea, if--literally, "When if," that is, in such a case. knowledge--or, "discrimination." understanding--as in Pro 2:2. According to the context, this may be assistance, as here corresponding with buckler--or safety, or wisdom, which procures it (compare Pro 3:21; Pro 8:14; Pro 18:1; Job 6:13; Job 12:13). layeth up--provides, ever ready. keepeth . . . way--God defends the right way, and those in it. saints--objects of favor (compare Psa 4:3, &c.). Then--emphatic, in such a case. righteousness . . . path--all parts of duty to God and man. To deliver--as from great danger (Pro 6:5). way . . . man-- (Psa 1:1). froward things--perversity (Pro 6:14; Pro 23:23), what is opposed to truth. and that with pleasure, in ignorance of good and pursuit of evil. frowardness--Not only their own perversity, but that of others is their delight. Deliverance from another danger. the strange woman--This term is often used for harlot, or loose woman (Jdg 11:1-2), married (Pro 7:5, Pro 7:19) or not (Kg1 11:1), so called, because such were, perhaps at first, foreigners, though "strange" may also denote whatever is opposed to right or proper, as "strange fire" (Num 3:4); "strange incense" (Exo 30:9). flattereth--literally, "smooths." her words-- (Psa 5:9). that is, such as remain impenitent (compare Ecc 7:26). paths of life-- (Psa 16:11), opposed to paths unto the dead.
Full commentary on this passage
Matthew Henry
chapter
Solomon, having foretold the destruction of those who are obstinate in their impiety, in this chapter applies himself to those who are willing to be taught; and, I. He shows them that, if they would diligently use the means of knowledge and grace, they should obtain of God the knowledge and grace which they seek (Pro 2:1-9). II. He shows them of what unspeakable advantage it would be to them. 1. It would preserve them from the snares of evil men (Pro 2:10-15) and of evil women (Pro 2:16-19). 2. It would direct them into, and keep them in, the way of good men (Pro 2:20-22. So that in this chapter we are taught both how to get wisdom and how to use it when we have it, that we may neither seek it, nor receive it in vain.
Job had asked, long before this, Where shall wisdom be found? Whence cometh wisdom? (Job 28:12, Job 28:20) and he had given this general answer (v. 23), God knoweth the place of it; but Solomon here goes further, and tells us both where we may find it and how we may get it. We are here told,
I. What means we must use that we may obtain wisdom.
1. We must closely attend to the word of God, for that is the word of wisdom, which is able to make us wise unto salvation, Pro 2:1, Pro 2:2. (1.) We must be convinced that the words of God are the fountain and standard of wisdom and understanding, and that we need not desire to be wiser than they will make us. We must incline our ear and apply our hearts to them, as to wisdom or understanding itself. Many wise things may be found in human compositions, but divine revelation, and true religion built upon it, are all wisdom. (2.) We must, accordingly, receive the word of God with all readiness of mind, and bid it welcome, even the commandments as well as the promises, without murmuring or disputing. Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears. (3.) We must hide them with us, as we do our treasures, which we are afraid of being robbed of. We must not only receive, but retain, the word of God, and lodge it in our hearts, that it may be always ready to us. (4.) We must incline our ear to them; we must lay hold on all opportunities of hearing the word of God, and listen to it with attention and seriousness, as those that are afraid of letting it slip. (5.) We must apply our hearts to them, else inclining the ear to them will stand us in no stead.
2. We must be much in prayer, Pro 2:3. We must cry after knowledge, as one that is ready to perish for hunger begs hard for bread. Faint desires will not prevail; we must be importunate, as those that know the worth of knowledge and our own want of it. We must cry, as new-born babes, after the sincere milk of the word. Pe1 2:2. We must lift our voice for understanding lift it up to heaven; thence these good and perfect gifts must be expected, Jam 1:17; Job 38:34. We must give our voice to understanding (so the word is), speak for it, vote for it, submit the tongue to the command of wisdom. We must consecrate our voice to it; having applied our heart to it, we must employ our voice in seeking for it. Solomon could write probatum est - a tried remedy, upon this method; he prayed for wisdom and so obtained it.
3. We must be willing to take pains (Pro 2:4); we must seek it as silver, preferring it far before all the wealth of this world, and labouring in search of it as those who dig in the mines, who undergo great toil and run great hazards, with indefatigable industry and invincible constancy and resolution, in pursuit of the ore; or as those who will be rich rise up early, and sit up late, and turn every stone to get money and fill their treasures. Thus diligent must we be in the use of the means of knowledge, following on to know the Lord.
II. What success we may hope for in the use of these means. Our labour shall not be in vain; for, 1. We shall know how to maintain our acquaintance and communion with God: "Thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord (Pro 2:5), that is, thou shalt know how to worship him aright, shalt be led into the meaning and mystery of every ordinance, and be enabled to answer the end of its institution." Thou shalt find the knowledge of God, which is necessary to our fearing him aright. It concerns us to understand how much it is our interest to know God, and to evidence it by agreeable affections towards him and adorations of him. 2. We shall know how to conduct ourselves aright towards all men (Pro 2:9): "Thou shalt understand, by the word of God, righteousness, and judgment, and equity, shalt learn those principles of justice, and charity, and fair dealing, which shall guide and govern thee in the whole course of thy conversation, shall make thee fit for every relation, every business, and faithful to every trust. It shall give thee …
The scope of these verses is to show, 1. What great advantage true wisdom will be of to us; it will keep us from the paths of sin, which lead to ruin, and will therein do us a greater kindness than if it enriched us with all the wealth of the world. 2. What good use we should make of the wisdom God gives us; we must use it for our own guidance in the paths of virtue, and for the arming of us against temptations of every kind. 3. By what rules we may try ourselves whether we have this wisdom or no. This tree will be known by its fruits; if we be truly wise, it will appear by our care to avoid all evil company and evil practices.
This wisdom will be of use to us,
I. For our preservation from evil, from the evil of sin, and, consequently, from the evil of trouble that attends it.
1. In general (Pro 2:10, Pro 2:11), "When wisdom has entire possession of thee, it will keep thee." And when has it an entire possession of us? (1.) When it has dominion over us. When it not only fills the head with notions, but enters into the heart and has a commanding power and influence upon that, - when it is upon the throne there, and gives law to the affections and passions, - when it enters into the heart as the leaven into the dough, to diffuse its relish there, and to change it into its own image - then it is likely to do us good. (2.) When we have delight in it, when knowledge becomes pleasant to the soul: "When thou beginnest to relish it as the most agreeable entertainment, and art subject to its rules, of choice, and with satisfaction, - when thou callest the practice of virtue, not a slavery and a task, but liberty and pleasure, and a life of serious godliness the most comfortable life a man can live in this world, - then thou wilt find the benefit of it." Though its restraints should be in some respects unpleasant to the body, yet even those must be pleasant to the soul. When it has come to this, with us, discretion shall preserve us and keep us. God keeps the way of his saints (Pro 2:8), by giving them discretion to keep out of harm's way, to keep themselves that the wicked one touch them not. Note, A principle of grace reigning in the heart will be a powerful preservative both against corruptions within and temptations without, Ecc 9:16, Ecc 9:18.
2. More particularly, wisdom will preserve us,
(1.) From men of corrupt principles, atheistical profane men, who make it their business to debauch young men's judgments, and instil into their minds prejudices against religion and arguments for vice: "It will deliver thee from the way of the evil man (Pro 2:12), and a blessed deliverance it will be, as from the very jaws of death, from the way in which he walks, and in which he would persuade thee to walk." The enemy is spoken of as one (Pro 2:12), an evil man, but afterwards as many (Pro 2:13); there is a club, a gang of them, that are in confederacy against religion, and join hand in hand for the support of the devil's kingdom and the interests of it. [1.] They have a spirit of contradiction to that which is good: They speak froward things; they say all they can against religion, both to show their own enmity to it and to dissuade others from it. They are advocates for Satan; they plead for Baal, and pervert the right ways of the Lord. How peevishly will profane wits argue for sin, and with what frowardness will they carp at the word of God! Wisdom will keep us either from conversing with such men or at least from being ensnared by them. [2.] They are themselves apostates from that which is good, and such are commonly the most malicious and dangerous enemies religion has, witness Julian (Pro 2:13): They leave the paths of uprightness, which they were trained up in and had set out in, shake off the influences of their education, and break off the thread of their hopeful beginnings, to walk in the ways of darkness, in those wicked ways which hate the light, in which men are led blindfold by ignorance and error, and which lead men into utter dar…
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For--God is ready (Jam 1:5; Jam 4:8).
out of his mouth--by revelation from Him.
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sound wisdom--literally, "substance," opposed to what is fictitious. According to the context, this may be assistance, as here corresponding with
buckler--or safety, or wisdom, which procures it (compare Pro 3:21; Pro 8:14; Pro 18:1; Job 6:13; Job 12:13).
layeth up--provides, ever ready.
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keepeth . . . way--God defends the right way, and those in it.
saints--objects of favor (compare Psa 4:3, &c.). He guides and guards them.
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Then--emphatic, in such a case.
righteousness . . . path--all parts of duty to God and man.
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