Proverbs
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Proverbs 4
Proverbs 4
1Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding: 2For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.
1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
Commentary · verses 1-2
3For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;
3For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Commentary · verses 3-4
We saw in Psalm 19:7, David (Solomon's father) wrote: "The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul: The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple."
5Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth; 6Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Commentary · verses 5-7
Wisdom is the principal thing, the greatest goal. Wisdom is a good decisions. The key to this existence is making good decisions.
Understanding would be a cause for wisdom. When we know the WHY, we can figure out HOW to act. Understanding is the cause and wisdom can be the effect. We ought to directly pursue understanding.
Notice, knowledge, by itself, does not lead to understanding. It can lead to understanding, and it can lead to pride. Hence, knowledge was not mentioned in this critical doctrinal passage. The devil has knowledge, which resulted in his pride. The devil does not have understanding, and he does not have wisdom.
Doctrines on this passage
8Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
9She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.
8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
Commentary · verses 8-9
Wisdom gave ornaments to our heads. This was a picture of the place where our thinking took place being adorned with jewels.
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
Commentary · verses 10-11
Walking in the way of wisdom was the path of uprightness.
12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.
12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Commentary · verses 12-13
"Instruction" meant "chastening; correction," being shown WHY you were wrong, not only WHAT you were wrong about. We should be intentionally finding where we were wrong in order to become more right. This instruction was your life, your ability to repair.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Commentary · verses 14-15
Avoid the ways (HOW/WHY) of the wicked.
16For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Commentary · verses 16-18
The path of the righteous was as a shining light that shined "more and more": growth!
19The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.
19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Commentary · verse 19
1 John 2:11 – "But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes."
20My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.
20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Commentary · verses 20-22
The words Solomon wrote brought life to those who found them. We ought to embrace truth and allow it to affect our actions: wisdom.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Commentary · verse 23
Guard your heart because what was planted in it would come out: causality.
24Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Commentary · verses 24-26
Consider the path you are walking. You ought to be aware of where you are going and why you are going there.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Doctrines on this passage
Solomon started this proverb off with encouragement to understand his instruction because the Doctrine he gave was good: right and just.