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Summary

Proverbs 1:1–7 – Purpose and Theme

What happens: Solomon states the purpose of Proverbs: to give wisdom, discipline, and insight to the simple and the young. The sayings train people in wise behavior, righteousness, justice, and integrity. The wise add to their learning, and the discerning gain guidance. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, while fools despise wisdom and instruction.

What it means: God gives practical wisdom that shapes daily life, not just ideas. Reverent fear of the Lord is the starting line for all true understanding, because God is holy and the source of truth. Human pride resists correction, but humility invites growth. The theme of covenant faithfulness shows up as wisdom that produces right living before God and neighbor.

Proverbs 1:8–19 – Warning Against Violent Greed

What happens: A father urges his son to listen to his parents’ teaching, which is a graceful garland and chain of honor. He warns against sinners who entice him to join their ambush and share stolen goods. Their greed traps them in their own net, and their violence returns on their own heads.

What it means: Parental instruction is a gift God uses to guide and protect. Sinful community pulls the naive toward quick wealth and bloodshed, revealing human hearts bent toward selfish gain. God is just and turns violent plans back on the plotters. Wisdom chooses integrity over shortcuts because God honors righteousness.

Proverbs 1:20–33 – Wisdom’s Public Call and the Cost of Refusal

What happens: Wisdom raises her voice in the streets, calling the simple to turn and receive her words. Scoffers and fools ignore her, so calamity comes and panic overwhelms them. When they finally cry for help, it is too late, because they refused correction. Those who listen dwell secure and at ease without fear of disaster.

What it means: God graciously makes wisdom available to all, showing His mercy and patience. Persistent rejection of God’s counsel hardens the heart and leads to judgment, highlighting divine justice. Real security comes from turning to God early and learning His ways. Wisdom is covenant kindness offered now, not guaranteed later.

Application

  • Invite correction and seek counsel that aligns with God’s Word.
  • Refuse friendships and offers that profit by harm or deceit.
  • Act today on God’s call to wisdom; do not delay repentance.

Bible

1The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

4To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

6To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

9For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

10My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

16For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

21She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

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