Introduction

We live in a time in which everything should be quick and easy and results must be directly measurable. He who thinks that in that respect this book fits in this time, is mistaken. The book of Proverbs is not a ‘quick bite’ literature and a directly desirable effect is more often absent than present. The reading of this book and the meditation on it in the heart demands patience. It can be compared with using a certain medicine which you first ought to take for a while to notice its beneficial effect. When we read and meditate on the book of Proverbs daily, the healthy efficacy of this book will be noticeable after a course of time.

Let us take the time to experience this book, to take in the content, as it were. As with the medicine it is necessary to ask the blessing from the Lord, which means that we read it prayerfully. It will benefit our spiritual health if we ‘take in’ this part of God’s Word prayerfully. That will express itself in making wise, good choices in all of those situations that daily happen in our lives in which we have to make decisions.

The book of Proverbs is the manual that tells us how we can become wise. It is not meant for people who love to be intellectually busy with philosophy. It is meant for every Christian and especially for the young Christian who realizes that the world in which he lives is a labyrinth with many traps and pitfalls. This book shows the way in this labyrinth and indicates where the traps and pitfalls are, so that he can avoid them.

If we prayerfully reflect on what we have read and put into practice what we have pondered, we will greatly benefit spiritually. Our life will be to the honor of God and to the blessing of our environment, while it gives us the satisfaction of a life in fellowship with God.

Ger de Koning
Middelburg, June 2016, reviewed Mai 2023

Introduction to the book

The book of Proverbs follows after the book of Psalms. In Psalms it is particularly about the inward feelings toward God. In Proverbs it is particularly about the outward walk toward the world. As being occupied with Psalms causes one to have a burning heart, being occupied with Proverbs causes one to have a shining face. Each one of these books represents one of the two sides of the life of the believer. You recognize Psalms in what Peter calls “a holy priesthood”, and Proverbs in what he calls a “royal priesthood” (1Pet 2:5; 9). The book of Psalms places you in the presence of God to offer Him spiritual sacrifices as a holy priest. The book of Proverbs places you in the presence of the world to proclaim the virtues of God in royal dignity.

In Proverbs we see the kindness of God, Who in His wisdom shows us His insight in who man is really like. He shows us the ways man goes and the consequences of all the ways in which a man can walk. In this book we see the law that what a man sows, he also reaps (Gal 6:7). The world is for man, for us, a labyrinth, where one single wrong step can have bitter consequences. It is therefore a great grace to have a book that shows us the way of prudence and life and does that from the perspective of the wisdom that comes from God.

Solomon is filled with that wisdom from above. In his letter James mentions the characteristics of this wisdom (Jam 3:17). Solomon applies this wisdom in a way that we can use it in the world in which we live. He describes the things as God sees them. If we submit to God’s Word we will discover in this book the roadmap for our life. Included are the instructions to avoid the path of one’s own wisdom and to be able to recognize the foolish promptings of our own heart. It may be clear that the road of life is not a fearful road, but one that gives joy in going it if we take to heart the teaching of this book.

In this book of proverbs, we find useful precepts for all categories of people, for young and old, for man and woman, from high to low. Kings and persons in high esteem, as well as those in low positions and living in the poorest conditions, read in it instructive lessons about their behavior in their various circumstances. Its specific prescriptions contain instructions on wisdom and foolishness, the righteous and the wicked, the tongue, pride and humbleness, justice and revenge, the family, laziness and work, poverty and riches, friends and neighbors, love and passion, anger and fight, masters and servants or employers and employees, life and death. The precepts of life concern the values and standards in the sphere of the family, but also in the sphere of religion, politics and economics. The proverbs deal with each aspect of human relationships, with their Divine principles transcending the boundaries of time and culture.

The whole book is the compass for each person in his own circumstances to determine the right course of his life ship on the sea of life, skirting the cliffs. We find an abundance of sound rules designed to regulate life in every possible circumstance. These rules are put down clearly, emphatically and very varied. If our desire is to be taught, we can choose from a multitude what is most appropriate for our personal situation.

The main purpose of the wisdom teacher speaking to us in this book, which is actually the Lord Jesus Himself, is to instill in us a deep reverence for God and ignite in us a fervent love of wisdom and virtue. He has admonitions and advice on sexuality, laziness, the use of the tongue, money, courage, respect. He mentions matters like: unrighteousness, wickedness, lawlessness, idleness, carelessness, drunkenness and nearly every vice.

The wisdom teacher doesn’t mince words. He paints these matters in bright colors. He does so especially for the young person, whom he focuses on with his teaching. There is nothing that ruins a young person as thoroughly as bad company, debauchery and illicit connections. Therefore the teacher uses the most powerful arguments against these vices. In particular, he sharply denounces the aimless wandering and hanging around and the company of the seductive woman.

This is at the same time one of the reasons why the book of Proverbs is not one of the favorite books of the Bible for some. This is because the book is very confrontational.

Another argument used for not reading it is that it contains rules that are too general and seem far from working in practice. As an example the following is sometimes quoted: “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Pro 22:6). We all know that even well-raised children sometimes stray from the way of the Lord. What is then the use or profit of such a general rule if it doesn’t seem to be work anyway? What we must learn, is to look higher and beyond what we perceive in life around us.

To understand this book, we must have the key to this book. Only if we use that key we will experience the great blessing that this book holds. That key is: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Pro 1:7a). The name ‘LORD’ (Yahweh) presupposes a relationship with Him. It is the Name of God that indicates the connection between Him and His people.

If we want to get the true and optimal benefit from this book, we will have to have a relationship with the Lord Jesus. If we have a living relationship with Him, we will approach this book with the greatest reverence for God. Then a treasure will be unlocked that invites us to dig deeper and deeper.

This splendid book is really a goldmine of Divine wisdom. As it is said, it tells us how God sees the human nature and therefore how the human nature really is. We read a description of life dedicated to God and we also receive teaching and advice on how to live this life. Let our prayer be: “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth” (Psa 86:11a). We will then on the one hand avoid the conduct of the world, while on the other hand the Lord Jesus will become more and more visible in our conduct (Rom 13:13-14).

The proverbs in this book are taken from observations the wise Solomon made regarding life or from what he himself experienced. In that way also the ordinary sayings which we use or which we hear others using, originate. Just take for example our saying, ‘strike the iron while it is hot’. Someone saw that at the blacksmith’s or he did it himself as a blacksmith. But the proverbs in this Bible book go deeper. It is not simply life wisdom. The proverbs are surely taken from observations or they describe experiences, but they are connected to faith. This book is the revelation of God concerning life. It tells about man from God’s perspective. He directs life, He is the sovereign God (cf. Pro 21:1; Pro 16:33). Life is not a succession of coincidences.

Solomon has observed people (Pro 7:6-24) and passes on what he has seen. The observations he made, under Divine inspirations, are thorough and accurate. What we get to see, is not a flattering picture. But if we also learn to look at it as he does, it will enormously help us to go our life’s journey to the glory of God, to the blessing of others and to our own joy. If we take this book to heart by accurately applying the rules written in it, to our life and behavior, the result will be that each one of us will be a “man of God … equipped for every good work” (2Tim 3:16-17).

The book of Proverbs is wisdom literature. The nations also have wisdom literature. Egypt, for example, is famous for that. The major difference between the two is that in Proverbs wisdom is seen in the light of the fear of God. In this book we find wisdom for everyday life, a wisdom only found in the Word of God (cf. Jer 8:9). True wisdom begins with the Word of God.

Whoever sets aside the Word of God, is a fool. Words of the wise (Pro 22:17; Pro 24:23) are words of those who are familiar with God’s Word, not as study-room scholars, but as people who apply that Word to all things in their daily life. It is about everyday life, but seen in the light of eternity. To those who listen to the words of the wise, it will be eternal glory. But behind those who ignore these words, the dark background of the realm of the dead rises (Pro 4:19; Pro 15:11).

Behind and above Solomon we see Him Who is “more than Solomon”, the Lord Jesus (Mt 12:42). He is the true Teacher Who teaches about life. He teaches practical life wisdom. He Who teaches this is the great example Himself of the Wise (Isa 11:2). Everything in this book is perfectly true of Christ. His whole journey on earth was the journey of the wise. With Him we see in everything that He was perfectly led by the fear of the LORD, while we at the same time observe that with Him foolishness was completely absent.

He is not only the wise Man, but also the wise King, as Solomon also was as a picture of Him. For us as New Testament believers this means that we can only understand this book and bring it into practice when the Lord Jesus reigns in our heart and life.

Division of the book

1. Prologue (Proverbs 1:1-7)
2. Instructing speeches (Proverbs 1:8-9:26)
3. First series of proverbs of Solomon (Proverbs 10:1-22:16)
4. First appendix (Proverbs 22:17-24:22)
5. Second appendix (Proverbs 24:23-34)
6. Second series of proverbs of Solomon (Proverbs 25:1-29:27)
7. First appendix: the proverbs of Agur, the son of Jakeh (Proverbs 30:1-33)
8. Second appendix: the words for king Lemuel (Proverbs 31:1-9)
9. Third appendix: praise to the woman (Proverbs 31:10-31)

Proverbs and Its Author

Pro 1:1-6 are the introduction on the book. It tells who the author is and what the purpose of this book is. The book bears the name of its first word “proverbs”. A definition of a proverb is: a concise, succinct saying that expresses a clear, generally applicable truth (Eze 16:44). A proverb is a timeless truth that represents a fundamental reality of life in the form of a simple illustration. It may also be a lesson derived from the past (Psa 78:2-6). The purpose of a proverb is to make the right choice from the options available, so that the path of folly is avoided and the path of wisdom is taken.

The basic meaning of the Hebrew word for ‘proverbs’, mashal, is the comparison of two things by putting the one thing next to the other. It is derived from a word which means ‘compare’. Mashal means comparison or parable. The book is so named because it constantly compares things with each other. Contrasts are constantly made, for example, between the good and the evil, the wise and the fool, the obedient and the disobedient, the diligent and the lazy.

The word mashal has more meanings. Mashal also means a proverb in the sense of instruction or teaching (Psa 78:2). The word is probably also related to power, which indicates that a proverb is a power word. A brief proverb is a powerful word that requires the listener to think carefully. Solomon was not only a wise king, but he was also a powerful king. With him wisdom and power went together. It underlines what is noted earlier, that he is a type or a shadow of the Lord Jesus, Who is called “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1Cor 1:24).

They are the proverbs “of Solomon”. Although the name of Solomon is attached to this book, also proverbs from others are written in it (Pro 30:1). It is comparable to the book of Psalms which is generally ascribed to David, although it also includes psalms written by others. Solomon has spoken 3,000 proverbs (1Kgs 4:32), out of which the book of Proverbs contains a selection of more than 800 proverbs. Under Divine guidance, he compiled from the great volume of thoughts in regular order a collection that serves to instruct God’s people through time until the end of time.

The name Solomon means ‘peace’. The purpose of the proverbs is for the believer to make his way through life in peace, just as the Lord Jesus made His way on earth in peace.

Solomon has spoken as “the son of David”. David had more sons, but Solomon is the son par excellence, for he is the beloved of the LORD (2Sam 12:24-25). Therefore, He is a wonderful picture of the Lord Jesus, the great Son of David, the beloved Son of the Father.

He also spoke his proverbs as the “king of Israel”. As the king of that people he is also their teacher. Also as the king of Israel, he is a type or shadow of the Lord Jesus as the Prince of peace Who will reign over His people in justice and righteousness in the millennial kingdom of peace.

The greater part of Psalms is written by David, the man of trials and battle. Proverbs is written by Solomon, a man of peace. He did not copy them from others, but pronounced them himself. They are expressions of his wisdom which was given to him by God. Proverbs is a book of wisdom. That the name of Solomon is attached to it, only strengthens its recommendation. After all, he had a breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore and he was wiser than all men (1Kgs 4:29-31).

Solomon is an exceptional type of Christ. In his person he refers to Him Who is “more than Solomon” (Mt 12:42). We read of Christ that He “became to us wisdom from God” (1Cor 1:24; 30). He is Wisdom in Person. In Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:2-3). As the Wisdom He sends out wise men to His people (Mt 23:34; Lk 11:49). We know the wise men He sends from both the Old and the New Testament. In the Old Testament these are His prophets (Heb 1:1). In the New Testament these are His apostles and prophets. Similarly Solomon is a wise man sent by Him to His people and to us.

This book is about Christ as the King of Israel. That He is this, He will show in the future. In Proverbs He does not yet reign openly, although the time of His reign is pointed forward to. The consequence of His absence is that the evil is not immediately punished, nor is good always immediately rewarded. We find ourselves placed in a situation where the evil prevails and we, as righteous people, must find the way God wants us to go. In finding that way, Christ is our example. We must see Him in this book. He has fulfilled the law and the prophets. He is the meaning, the sense, of the entire Old Testament, of every book of it, including this book of Proverbs.

To Know Wisdom and to Discern Sayings

In Pro 1:2-4 Solomon makes clear what the multiple purpose of this book is. To do this, he uses nine words in these verses that recur throughout the book:
1. Wisdom (Hebrew hokma): to fathom the nature of things and situations, through which one is able to make good choices.
2. Instruction (Hebrew musar): teaching / education through correction, warning and discipline.
3. Understanding (Hebrew bina): the ability to apply what you understand by distinguishing between good and evil, making healthy and making sick, truth and lie.
4. Righteousness (Hebrew tsedek): the right conduct (refers to acting and thinking).
5. Justice (Hebrew mishpat): what is right according to the standard and the Being of God.
6. Equity (Hebrew meyshar): the skill to act according to honor and virtue, according to what is appropriate to the situation.
7. Prudence (Hebrew orma): the skill to see in others what it is all about.
8. Knowledge (Hebrew da’at): sound information gained through experience.
9. Discretion (Hebrew mezimma): the ability to act cautiously, thoughtfully with policy and tact.

First and foremost, it is about “knowing wisdom and instruction”. Wisdom and instruction are joined together as a unit. The original meaning of wisdom is ‘ability’ or ‘skill’ (Exo 31:6; Psa 107:27; 1Kgs 3:28). In Proverbs wisdom means the ability to live as God wants. It is the ability to make wise choices and to live successfully after the commandments of God. It is about success in the sense of blessing and advantage in our spiritual life. If we live skillfully in this way, our life will produce fruits of lasting value to God and to the community of which we are a part. All God’s ordinances are simple. If we live by them, ‘success’ is assured.

Wisdom is to master the art of living, but as it is according to the will of God. The art is not only that the wise man recognizes the dangers of life, but also that he knows how to overcome these dangers. Wisdom is looking and seeing as God looks and sees. It is looking at how He governs the world, and responding to that governance appropriately.

Instruction is inseparable from wisdom. It implies teaching, or – in a broader sense – education, or training. It contains the teachings of a father to his son. It also includes exhortation and punishment or discipline because the tendency to foolishness must be corrected and reverence for the LORD must be developed. As a result, the young man is directed in the right direction. Thus, authority is attached to instruction, for if he deviates he must be disciplined.

The important thing is that wisdom and instruction “are known”, making them our property. It means we have to put effort into it. It does not come naturally. We must make effort to make wisdom and instruction our own.

“Sayings of understanding” are words that make clear that a person has insight into the path to be chosen. They are sayings that show a person the right way. For these sayings to have the desired effect, the young man must “understand” them. For this reason, those sayings are explained. But the young man will not be helped by an explanation alone. He must understand the explanation also. Therefore he must possess the right mind.

In summary, we may say that Solomon makes his words know and explains them, so that they may be understood. To benefit from his teaching, the young man must meet two conditions: he must be willing to make effort to know the wise words and he must be willing to understand them.

To Receive Instruction

The teaching of Solomon has the purpose to make his son, and us, wise, which will lead us to make the right choices in our life. He teaches an “instruction in wise behavior”. The wisdom teacher holds out to his son an instruction that offers insight into how life should be lived. It is a ‘manual’ for life.

By presenting it in this way, he wants to lead his son, and us, to accept his instruction. It would be very stupid to refuse or ignore his ‘manual’ for life. The word ‘receive’ has to do with submission to the instruction or teaching, with the thought that what is being offered is worth accepting.

By nature, we want to determine our own life and are not inclined to submit. So it is necessary for us to submit in order to gain insight into life. However, we are not forced to accept the instruction, but invited to so, though emphatically and insistently. The father emphatically gives orders and the son would be wise to obey them, but he must make the choice himself whether he wants to.

No one requires us to read the manual that comes with a device before using it, but it is still urgently recommended. It can cost us a lot of money if we start using the device without having read the manual. That certainly goes for this manual for life, of course. The invitation expressed in this verse is that we accept the contents of this book and apply them in our lives.

“Wise behavior” means using our minds enlightened by God’s Word to think through certain matters, make plans and assess risks in order to then make the right choice between good and evil. If we receive this instruction, we will also consider in our actions
1. “righteousness”, meaning acting according to the proper norm or standard, as is done, for example, with weights and measures to measure and weigh something correctly (Deu 25:15); it means acting in accordance with God’s law;
2. “justice”, meaning acting as a result of and in accordance with an official, judicial verdict (Deu 16:18-19), doing what is appropriate;
3. “equity”, that is, acting in a way that is fair and pleasing to others and that we act sincerely.

Prudence, Knowledge and Discretion

In this verse Solomon mentions two kinds of people to whom he especially addresses his teaching and whose character he wants to shape by his teaching. If they heed his teaching, they will prosper spiritually. We may say that the book of Proverbs is the key to success. He who listens to it, that is, takes its teaching to heart, knows how to go his way, what is the wisest way. It is the way on which God can give His blessing.

The “naive” are the first kind. They are gullible, innocent, thoughtless, stupid. We must not identify them with the fools. The naive lives life as it comes to him. He cares about nothing and thinks about nothing. This means that he is easily tempted to go the wrong way.

The “youth”, or the young man, is the second kind. Because he is young, he lacks experience. He cannot know what life all is about and is therefore vulnerable and easy to be tempted to go the wrong way.

The naive and the youth or young man must come to fear God. Then He will teach them through this book about the way they should choose (Psa 25:12).

The wisdom teacher wants to give “prudence” to the naive through his teaching. Prudence is cleverness or shrewdness. If the naive uses the prudence given to him, he will know how to act cleverly. As a result, his choice brings no harm to himself, but on the contrary advantage (Pro 22:3). He will know how to avoid the pitfalls of life. If he does not listen the teaching of the wise, but engages with fools, he becomes a fool.

For the young man, the wisdom teacher has “knowledge and discretion” in mind. Because youth lacks knowledge of life, teaching is aimed at making him familiar with the secrets of life. Young people sometimes think they have a lot of knowledge, but it is only knowledge from books. They often talk like a headless chicken. They simply cannot yet know what life all is about. This lack is more than excellently met by the book of proverbs.

Once the lack of knowledge has been eliminated by taking to oneself the teaching of the contents of this book, it is then important to apply that knowledge in the right way and at the right time. Therefore, “discretion” is directly linked to knowledge here (cf. 2Pet 1:6a). Discretion is a sound mind, thoughtfulness or self-control. He who has a sound mind, thinks before he does or says anything. He will act or speak hastily, but wait for the right time.

Wise and Understanding

Not only the naive and the young man benefit from this book, but also anyone who is already “wise” and “understanding”. To become wise and understanding never stops. He who is really wise and understanding will not say that about himself, but will have the desire to increase in that more and more. We can always become wiser and of more understanding, we can always become more like Christ. God’s wisdom is infinite and His understanding is unfathomable. This book is an exhortation to choose the way of wisdom and understanding for anyone who is not yet going that way. This book is a manual to continuing that path for anyone who has already chosen that path.

If we are wise and have chosen the way of wisdom, we are able to hear all the better what the teacher has to say. “Hear” or listen is a great way to learn. First hear, then do. If we hear, we will “increase in learning”. God does not want us to stand still, but that we continue to grow spiritually and increase more and more in the knowledge of His thoughts. Learning is the understanding of the context of a certain case and the overview of the elements that altogether play a role (cf. 1Chr 12:32).

“Acquiring wise counsel” is an activity to acquire good advice and wise counsels in order to come to good consideration and then make a good decision. Those who are wise will do their best to acquire good advice and wise counsel. Acquire suggests effort. The man of understanding sees the valuable significance of seeking wise counsel and will work for consultation. He does not lean on his own understanding (Pro 3:5b).

Proverb, Figure, Words, Riddles

Solomon has made the importance of his teaching in this book of proverbs penetratingly clear in the preceding verses. If we have understood at all the importance of a guide to and on the path of wisdom, we will desire to take in the contents of this book.

This does not mean that everything is bite-sized in front of us. An apparent difficulty arises. Besides clear proverbs and words of wise men understandable to all, the book also consists of figures and riddles of wise men. This means that it is not always immediately clear what is meant. Often proverbs are “think-throughs”, riddles. We have to think about them and think through them. We will have to listen intensively to each proverb and look at it closely. In doing so, we must also pay attention to the context in which the proverb appears.

So sometimes we need to think about a proverb and examine its meaning. When we do that, we will discover, to our surprise, that the proverb examines us. It prompts self-examination and questioning ourselves. The examination places us under the inquiring eye of God as He Himself speaks to us in this book. God puts His spotlight on our life so that we view it in His light. This should lead us to a conclusion that shows we have understood Him and adjust our life accordingly.

This reflecting and thinking through a proverb is an important point to note at the beginning of this book. We need time to extract wisdom and allow it to penetrate us. Teaching is not always just there for the taking. We have to search for it, dig for it. This book is not a cursory novel that reads smoothly. But if we seriously seek wisdom, we are in the right place. If we are convinced of the importance of the search for wisdom, every effort will be rewarded. The significance that wisdom has for us will be measurable by our effort to obtain it.

The Fear of the LORD

Fortunately, seeking God’s wisdom does not depend on our intellect. The wisdom God wants to give to His children when they seek it is hidden from the wise and intelligent of the world (Mt 11:25). God’s wisdom is found by those who fear Him. To fear God means to acknowledge Him in Who He is and to trust Him, to have reverence for Him, to worship, obey and serve Him. “The beginning” means the essence, what it is all about in the deepest sense. Any “knowledge” must be acquired from the fear of the LORD, otherwise it is darkness.

“The fear of the LORD” is worked in a man by the forgiveness he has received after confessing his sins (Psa 130:3-4). Then we have become small before the great God, Whose wrath we fear and Whose love attracts us. When we truly know that our sins are forgiven, there will be a great and deep awe of Him and we will long to live to His glory. With this we hold the key to understanding this book. The wisdom of this book is not primarily for the purpose of making us behave better, but to make us more like Christ so that He becomes visible in our life.

The fear of the LORD (Pro 9:10; Pro 15:33; Job 28:28; Psa 111:10) is what is exactly missing in all the wisdom proverbs of the pagan nations, for they do not know of repentance of their sins and conversion to God. The book of Proverbs is not only a book with a collection of beautiful, wise and practical advice, but all lessons of life are brought under one denominator, and that is the fear of the LORD. If that denominator is missing, with all your so-called wisdom you will still end up in hell, eternal pain. What matters is the desire to live by the Word of the Lord. That is the essence of true wisdom. The Lord Jesus lived on earth toward His God and Father according to this Word.

This book is full of ‘discipline for the purpose of godliness’ (1Tim 4:7). This discipline continues throughout life. Without the fear of the LORD it is not possible for a person to live a life of Godliness. It is impossible to gain wisdom without that fear, just as it is impossible to read without knowing the alphabet or study math without knowing numbers.

“Fools despise wisdom and instruction” because they despise the fear of the LORD. Those are people who first were naive, but have become fools because they have despised the teaching of wisdom that has come to them. The fool thinks that he could make it on his own without any help. He thinks he can manage without teaching.

This book uses three different words in Hebrew, all of which are translated in English as “fool”. The different words indicate that the fool is a thick-headed and headstrong person, one who refuses to accept anything from another because of laziness and shortsightedness. He lacks spiritual knowledge because he excludes God from his life. As a result, he is an arrogant, unrepentant man who stubbornly clings to his own way.

The constitution of wisdom is the law of sowing and reaping. That is, of all the actions we perform (sowing), we must bear the consequences (reaping). If we want to avoid unpleasant consequences, we should not perform stupid actions. If we go out into the bitter cold without a coat, we will catch a cold and get sick. This is a law of nature in which we also see the actions of God. God rewards good actions and punishes bad actions. He who speaks and does evil will encounter evil in his path.

It is important to note here, however, that the consequences are not always already seen on earth, but only later, after death. We will encounter this viewpoint again and again in this book. It is an established fact that God always punishes evil and rewards good. Sometimes He does so already on earth, but certainly after death (1Tim 5:24-25). Ultimately, the wicked end badly and the righteous end well.

Hearing Will Be Rewarded

The first teaching a human being receives is from his father and mother. It is also the first relationship in which a man is placed and in which he learns that he is subject to authority. God’s authority is expressed in this book not so much in the giving of precepts, but in the relationships He has established between people and in particular those of parents and children. Whoever submits to his parents as a child submits to the order that God has established.

The father addresses the word to his son (Pro 1:8). Here is not the classroom teacher speaking to his students. Here we are listening to the advice of a father to his son who also involves his mother (Pro 6:20; Pro 10:1). The book of Proverbs is the parenting book par excellence. Parents will find in it everything necessary for the education of their children.

Pro 1:8 determines us that the teaching of wisdom is given above all in the family context. If we are parents, we have a great commission to instruct our children in wisdom. The teaching of this book forms their character as Christians (Pro 4:3-4; Deu 6:7). We can thank God for it if we have had a parental home where He was reckoned with in all things of life.

The father addresses his son directly. The book of Proverbs is a textbook with teaching from a father to his son. The atmosphere in which the teaching takes place is the father-son relationship. It is an atmosphere of love, confidentiality, involvement and safety. In application, this means that the proverbs in this book are meant for those who live in an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, the Wisdom in Person. The proverbs of this book can also be understood only by them.

By addressing his son as “my son”, the father underscores the close relationship he has with him. From this automatically flows the direct responsibility to admonish his son. He commands his son to listen to the “instruction”. Instruction is a broad term. It includes teaching and training and, if necessary, discipline in the sense of physical chastisement. The purpose of the father’s instruction is to persuade his son to listen to the instruction, that is, to heed it by obeying it. Listening is actively listening in the awareness of being addressed directly and personally, while the willingness is present to do what is said.

They are the instructions “of your father”. By this the father lets the son know that he is important to him. A father does not “lecture’, but speaks from a relationship of love. A true father knows that he is a father and will let his children experience that. He is deeply involved in their spiritual development and will do everything to help them always make the right choices, so that their development does not stagnate or even go wrong.

The involvement of “your mother” in her son’s spiritual development is in “the teaching” she gives him. She does this with her words and example rather than instruction. Instruction is primarily connected with the father’s contribution in parenting (Eph 6:4). The son is in danger of neglecting his mother’s teaching. Hence this appeal from his father. The mother’s teaching involves pointing him in the right direction. She teaches him to live his life in an orderly manner.

There is something to be learned from the fact and manner in which the father involves his wife in parenting. It is important for a husband to encourage and support his wife’s input. Husband and wife should be unified in their parenting and not attack each other, especially in the presence of the children. Children sense unerringly when there is a difference between father and mother. They know how to exploit this difference when the occasion arises.

If a son listens to instruction and teaching, it will adorn his life, making it attractive (Pro 1:9). A wreath to the head and ornaments about the neck indicate dignity. There is talk here of “a graceful wreath”. There is loveliness radiating from one who has accepted instruction and teaching from his father and mother. Obedient children are attractive and command respect. High dignitaries wear a golden chain around their neck as an ornament (Gen 41:42; Dan 5:29). This is how they are seen who accept discipline and teaching.

If we are “adorned” with the teaching, we show the truth of God’s wisdom in our words and our life (cf. Tit 2:9-10). If we are adorned with wisdom, the sharp edges of our behavior will disappear and we become more pleasant to others in dealing with them. We also present a clearer picture of life as a Christian because we show more of the Lord Jesus.

What we read of the father and mother in this verse can also be applied to those who are fathers and mothers in the church in a spiritual sense. They have a special concern for young believers to help them to go their way with the Lord. Paul was as a father and a mother to the new believers in Thessalonica (1Thes 2:7; 11). Both parents and elders in the church represent a Father in heaven Who teaches us. He does so through His Son: “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” (Lk 9:35).

Avoid Bad Company

The first thing the father warns his son about is bad company (Pro 1:10). He repeats that warning in Pro 1:15. This bad company consists of sinners whose life consists of sinning, whose lifestyle is sinning. They do nothing else and are only after that. They do not live by honest labor, but by the proceeds of crime. For this purpose, they seek not only victims, but also new companions. For this reason, they approach young people. They present the young man with a choice between the easy and quick money and the long road of obedience to what his father and mother have told him.

The father does not leave it at a general and therefore vague warning. He does not briefly forbid his son from joining a company of sinners, but teaches him about their conduct. He lets him know how they approach him so that he can recognize them when they come to him with their talk to entrap him. The father takes time to talk with his son. Parents should take time to talk with their children.

That way they should not talk with toddlers. These should learn to listen and obey what the parents say, even without explanation. Children are often talked with far too young to convince them of anything. This does not work with children and will even cause difficulties later when direct obedience is required. It does work with those who are “sons”, that is, children who already have a certain degree of maturity and are able to consider what is being said.

The fact that the first alarm bells ring in the book of Proverbs regarding bad company is an important signal for families with children. Outside the home, children are often in groups, for example:
- They go to school with a group of children.
- At school, they are part of a group.
- There are group assignments.
- They are in a sports club or music school.
- They go to birthday parties.
- Social media has groups.

Peer pressure in schools, primary, higher and university, is great. Our children must be made resilient to this. How they will develop depends in part on the company in which they find themselves. Therefore, as parents, we must know who they associate with – also and especially on social media! – and warn them against wrong company. It is folly and self-deception for parents to say that (young) children have a ‘right to privacy’ and they ‘therefore’ do not want to know with whom their children have contacts on social media.

Sinners form a company that has no part in the company of God’s children, but seeks to associate with it. The father is not naive and knows all too well that this company is out to tempt his son to sin. Immediately after satan has fallen, he has become a seducer and tempter. The sinners are servants trained by him. All the devil can do is tempt us. He cannot force us to sin. To “consent” is to give in to his temptation, upon which sin follows. Eve consents and then she sins (Gen 3:6). Joseph does not give in to temptation and does not sin (Gen 39:8-9).

How important it is for parents to warn their children against bad company and keep them away from it. Many parents make efforts and spare neither time nor money nor energy for their children to excel in, for example, music, sports or social activities. It is hoped that they have the same effort to make their children excel in knowing and obeying the Word of God.

Children will only be able to say ‘no’ to evil if they say ‘yes’ to God. The fear of God makes them turn away from evil. Therefore, we must teach them to fear God. It is always easier to follow the crowd than to swim against the current (cf. Exo 23:2). We must have a goal in life to know in which direction to walk. That goal is Christ. Let us present that goal to our children.

The young man needs to know two things about sinners. These are
1. the methods they use to entice him to join them (Pro 1:11-14) and
2. what their end is (Pro 1:15-19).

In Pro 1:11-12, the father tells his son how the sinners operate in their attempts to tempt him. He should be aware that they approach him and invite him to participate in a plunder. They are professional criminals who already have the goal in mind. The father uses an extreme, but not unrealistic, example. Most choices in life are at a lower and seemingly minor level. This extreme example makes clear where a first step on the road with sinners ultimately will lead.

The sinners present their plan as something exciting and at the same time as something very simple. The son receives the invitation to lie in wait for blood with them. The phrase “lie in wait” has to do with being ambushed with the intention of killing someone (Deu 19:11) or kidnapping someone (Jdg 21:20). Here it is to shed blood.

Violence is one of the two main characteristics of sin. The other main characteristic is corruption. All sins fall under one of these two main characteristics. The first sin committed by man is that of corruption. That is when Eve believes the devil and thereby declares God a liar (Gen 3:1-6). The second sin is the sin of violence. That is when Cain kills his brother Abel (Gen 4:8). Since then, the world has been full of corruption and violence (cf. Gen 6:11).

The victim is “the innocent”, someone who gives no cause for robbery (cf. Psa 35:7). These people do not care who their victim is. It also happens today that someone has the misfortune to walk along a group of criminal youth who are out for a diversion. For no reason, he is beaten up and robbed. It is the behavior of Cain who kills his brother Abel even though he has done nothing to him (Gen 4:8).

The sinners add to their proposal that they will erase all traces of their evil deeds beyond recognition (Pro 1:12). With this portrayal, they want to persuade the son to join them. He need not fear that he will be caught. They will bury their victim untraceable. The language they use here means that they will act like God, Who also causes the rebellious Korach, Dathan and Abiram to descend to the grave alive, so that nothing more can be seen and found of them (Num 16:33). But God sees it and will make it public (Gen 4:9-10).

In Pro 1:13-14, the bait is presented to the son to persuade him to join. The sinners promise the newcomer quick success, that is, quickly obtained wealth (Pro 1:13). All he has to do is go with them; they have invited him to do so (Pro 1:11). They ask for nothing more.

The sinners envision it as attractively as possible. ‘Imagine what we will find when our victim is devoured and gone. We will find all kinds of precious things and fill our homes with the loot. It’s not a little bit, but a big loot. You can live on that for years.’ The language used by the sinners is that of the countrymen of whom the Lord Jesus speaks in a parable: “But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance’” (Mt 21:38).

There is a great temptation from an easy way to get money apart from God. As far as we can see in Scripture, there are three ways to obtain money in a lawful way:
1. by earning it by working,
2. by inheriting it,
3. by someone giving it to us.

Getting money through violence is not one of them. The root of this evil of violence is love of money. Paul admonishes Timothy as a father does his child and reminds him to flee the love of money (1Tim 6:9-11).

The sinners promise the young man that he will ‘belong’ to them as a full member of the gang. It aligns with what almost all young people, even today, desire, and that is to be part of the group. They have put everything they have looted into one pot. From that he will get his share as much as anyone else. Really, they will share everything ‘fairly’ with him.

Many young people fall for this because it makes them ‘somebody’. They are part of the gang, share in the loot and are recognized by the other gang members. They throw off the oppressive yoke of their parents, who obviously don’t understand their desire for freedom. Then they are free to do as they please. In the process, they also come into possession of coveted luxuries. But it is a false freedom, for they have sold their souls to the devil. When they are no longer needed, they are discarded, cast away or slaughtered.

In the application, we need not only think of youth gangs of young people from broken families who want money in a quick way. It also involves white-collar crime, financial fraudsters. People who hold high positions in large companies fill their pockets through all kinds of dubious deals. In doing so, they involve subordinates they need and placate them by promising them a share of the proceeds. The lure of the ‘easy money’ is there in all layers of the population and in all age groups.

In Pro 1:15, the father warns his son for the second time (Pro 1:10). The warning “do not walk in the way with them” is contrasted with the sinners’ invitation “come with us” in Pro 1:11. In the previous verses, the father has shown his son what the sinners are after and how they operate. That lifestyle should be sufficient warning not to join them and not to accept their invitation. In Pro 1:16-18, he shows his son why he should not join them and keep his foot off their path.

For the father also knows the serious consequences for those who join sinners. He holds these up to his son as well. He warns him of what will befall him if he goes along and joins. They envision a pleasant life for him, but the father lets him know that this life leads to the destruction of his own life. Therefore, he commands him to keep his foot from their path. He who keeps God’s Word will not put his foot on the criminal path (Psa 119:101).

No one immediately becomes a criminal or a hooligan. In order not to walk in the road with sinners, the foot must be kept from taking even one step in their path, for “bad company corrupts good morals” (1Cor 15:33). Once the first step is taken, more steps soon follow. So don’t start with the first step. With every step we take in satan’s path, we move further away from fellowship with God.

“For” indicates the reason why the son should not join them (Pro 1:16). It is because their behavior is wrong. It is immoral and violent. The father makes it clear to his son that the gang members are quick to do evil and rush to shed blood (cf. Isa 59:7). Whoever goes on their path is going down a descending path. At some point the walking is so fast that there is no slowing down and stopping. There is speed and haste, no rest. Everyone who finds himself on the sinner’s path is being hunted.

The father assures his son that there is a possibility of escaping their way, and that is by heeding his warning (Pro 1:17). He gives an example from nature. A bird that sees the net stretched in front of it will not fly into it, but over it and thus be saved from capture. The first natural reaction of anyone who sees that there is danger somewhere is to avoid this evil. So it is at least with birds that see the net. This implies that anyone who joins bad company is not only wrong, but also foolish. Sticking with the image of the bird, we can say that whoever rises above the lowly activities of sinners will not be tempted by them or caught in their net.

Some people are more stupid than birds. With all their darkened mind and imagined wisdom, they do not react to danger as the animals do, but walk into it with open eyes. They do not realize that they are digging their own graves (cf. Psa 7:16-17; Job 18:8; Est 7:9-10). They think they are laying an ambush for others, but they are laying an ambush for their own lives. Once their activities are known, they themselves will fall victim to others. A lot of settlements take place on the criminal circuit. A murderer is often also killed himself at some time.

In Pro 1:19, the father summarizes the warning of Pro 1:10-18 (cf. Job 8:13). Obtaining unlawful gain means the loss of life. Sinful actions seem to bring benefit and profit, which makes one think one can live a more pleasant life, but it is the way of death. When sinners and those who associate with them rob and kill the innocent, they rob and kill themselves. They sin against their own life. Every crime they commit against another, they are in reality committing against themselves. They deprive themselves of life. The only way to escape this is to avoid the company of sinners.

An important element of the new life is that it extends into eternity (Rom 2:7). Opposite this is the visible world with its standards. Power and money dominate this world. From these there is a great attraction that wants to drag us along. Saying ‘no’ is sometimes extremely difficult.

The rich young man and Judas Iscariot prove that with greed is always connected the rejection of Christ and the loss of one’s own life: “It takes away the life of its possessors.” It seems that they are possessors, independent, but the reality is that their addiction kills them. One went away sad, the other hanged himself (Mt 19:22; Mt 27:5). This is why Wisdom shouts in the next section.

Wisdom Shouts

After the father has spoken, now Wisdom comes to speak. The father has warned his son about the company of sinners. This was done in the private sphere of the domestic circle. Now Wisdom is speaking to sinners. That happens in public. Starting in Pro 1:20, there is a long call from Wisdom to sinners who are outside.

There is an insistence heard in Her voice that is not heard that way in the voice of the father. She addresses Herself to sinners who have already made their choice. We can also think of young people who have ignored their father’s warnings. They have joined the bad company of sinners despite all warnings and are now fully part of it. Yet Wisdom does not abandon them to their fate, but goes after them and holds out to them where their path ends. She calls them to reflect and repent in order to escape that end.

Wisdom is shown here as a Divine Person Who shouts loudly in public places (“in the street”, “in the square”). There is much noise around Her, so there is a great danger that Her voice will not be heard (Pro 1:21). Therefore, She lifts Her voice. She does so wherever people are busy doing the daily things that can so engross a person. But life consists of more than making money. She even goes to the “entrance of the gates in the city”, the place where people enter the city to trade and make a profit. That is also where the judges are found who are often only after their own benefit. There She speaks Her words to call those present to repent.

Wisdom begins with the complaint “how long?” (Pro 1:22). This question implies that there is a possibility to return from the path of the sinner and at the same time that there will come a moment that it is no longer possible. After the question, She addresses three groups of people. She addresses the “naive ones”, “scoffers” and “fools”.

The naive one is someone who does not think about life and lives it as it comes. He believes everything, except God, and investigates nothing. He does not think about God and the future. Any call made to think about life is seen by him as a disturbance of his peace and an intrusion on his privacy. He sees it as a disturbing, nonsensical alarm.

The scoffer is the rebellious and cynical freethinker. He thinks he knows everything and is without any fear or shame. Regret is unknown to him. He is blunt and crude in his dealings and in his words. All decency is lacking. Scoffing is a favorite pastime of his. To him, religion is something for backward people.

The fool is the morally corrupt, insensitive wicked. He shuts himself off from everything that could make him wise and happy. Of many other things he has knowledge, at least he thinks so, but of the beginning of true knowledge, the fear of the LORD, he wants to know nothing. The knowledge of other things makes him blind and insensitive to true knowledge.

Wisdom calls them all to turn to Her reproof, that is, to obey it (Pro 1:23). When that happens, She will pour out Her Spirit on them and as a result She will make Her words known. She promises that the Bible, which until now has been a closed Book, will open to them and they will understand its contents. We need that Spirit of wisdom to understand the words of God (cf. Eph 1:17).

Consequences of Not Listening

All works of creation stand where Wisdom has placed them and they serve Her (Psa 119:90-91). Only the inveterate sinners refuse to respond to Wisdom’s call and take the place that befits them before Her (Pro 1:24). She has held out Her hand invitingly to them (cf. Isa 65:2). But the sinners rejected the most important counsel of all, that of Wisdom (Pro 1:25).

Even Her “reproof”, which serves to draw them to Herself, has no effect because they are unwilling to accept it. It is a conscious, self-willed choice against Wisdom. The sinners have “refused” everything that Wisdom has offered (Pro 1:24a), they have ‘not paid attention” to it (Pro 1:24b), “neglected” it (Pro 1:25a) and “did not want” it (Pro 1:25b). She endured them for so long, but they despised that forbearance (Rom 2:4; Rom 9:22).

After “because” of Pro 1:24-25 comes “I will” in Pro 1:26. They have laughed at and mocked Wisdom. Therefore, Wisdom will laugh over them at their downfall. Her laughter is a terrible laughter (Psa 2:4). It is a scornful laughter because now comes upon them what She has warned them about.

Wisdom called sinners, but they did not listen. Then the opposite happens (cf. Eze 8:18). Wisdom will scoff when the stubborn sinners will be seized by their fear (Job 15:24; Dan 5:5-6; 30). They will be destroyed by their fear (Pro 1:27). As by “a whirlwind”, they will go down in “distress and anguish”.

In Pro 1:28, it says in what way Wisdom gives substance to Her laughter and mockery. She distances Herself from the sinners – as if She can no longer bear them – and now speaks not to them, but about them to others. She warns those others not to follow the sinners’ example. Wisdom will not respond to the sinners’ call for help when they will call to Her in their distress, because they did not want to respond when She called Her warnings to them. It is an awful thing when God departs from men (Hos 9:12), how much more so when it is also a time of need (1Sam 28:15).

Wisdom explains why She does not listen to sinners when they call to Her in distress. It is “because they hated knowledge” (Pro 1:29). The unwise want to remain foolish. The foolish not only prefer foolishness, but they despise knowledge. They simply do not want to be taught. It is a conscious choice not to choose the fear of the LORD. Those who are like this miss the beginning of knowledge; they cannot become wise and therefore remain foolish.

They did not want to listen to the counsel of Wisdom that She presented to them (Pro 1:30). All Her reproof, which served to induce them to listen, “they spurned”. Those who so stubbornly refuse to open up to Wisdom cannot be helped. They will find out when they are given the bitter fruit of their self-willed way to eat (Pro 1:31). They will reap what they have sown and get what they deserve and want for themselves (Gal 6:7-8). They will be satiated “with their own devices”.

How that happens is explained in Pro 1:32. The word “for” indicates that. Their apostasy from the living God means their death. The fools’ love for their carefree rest is like a rocking boat floating on the river in which they are sleeping. Without their noticing, the little boat slowly but surely drifts toward the waterfall where it plunges down and crashes. The peace they embrace is the peace of death. Their stubbornness and complacency will kill and destroy them.

The Part of Him Who Listens

The section does not end in minor, but with a wonderful and also attractive promise for those who do listen to Wisdom. What he gets is a permanent, uninterruptible safety. In this, it is also a situation in which no threat is felt. He is “at ease from the dread of evil”.

Listening to Wisdom provides protection from evil. This is the great contrast between the false security of the wicked in the previous verse and the true and lasting peace of the righteous who listens to Wisdom in this verse. In this situation of safety and peace, every believer may already live who listens to the Word of God and applies it to all aspects of his life.