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Wednesday 08/27/25
Thru the Bible: Proverbs 9-10
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Proverbial Fortune Cookies
Proverbs 9
This chapter marks the end of the first segment of the greater book of Proverbs. In it two appeals are made:
- From Wisdom
- From Folly
Wisdom offers spiritual life and length of natural life as a result of preparation and diligence.
Folly offers physical pleasure and temporary fulfillment with no mention of the havoc and death it will bring.
These seem as if they are being set before Solomon and through him to us, as the only two choices presented in this natural life. Both are presented as possessing at least some benefits and certain costs.
These being set before us set the pace for the rest of the proverbial statements which comprise the next 19 chapters. They are the compass which influence the choices we make from those presented in the next segment of the book.
Here at the beginning Wisdom shows diligence both for herself and as a refuge for the simple who would amend their ways.
“(1) Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars. (2) She has prepared her meat; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
(3) She has sent out her servants; she calls out from the highest points of the city:
(4) “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, she says, (5)
“Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine I have mixed. (6) Leave inexperience behind, and you will live; pursue the way of understanding.”
So Wisdom has built a house which has seven pillars. Pillars are most often associated with that which supports the roof of a house, temple or tent. But in this case, though there is not grammatical clue as to their placement or purpose and though they are part of a house, it seems only fitting with the flow of the chapter to assume these are somehow foundational pillars like the pillars of the earth spoken of in Job 26:11 & Psalm 75:3. That there are seven of them indicates completeness and as a result soundness!
The very next thing Wisdom does is prepare a feast for the simple. Caring for the poor is later used as one of the characteristics of the righteous in chapter 10:21 and of a godly wife in Proverbs 31. This is not a simple PBJ wrapped in a disposable napkin, she prepares food and mixes wine and sets her table for the simple. She is a classy lady, elegant and refined but not haughty or high minded. She is a servant to the poor in spirit.
After making her preparations, she sends out a clarion call to all who would come. To all who are wise enough to realize their need to come.
She invites them to eat her bread and drink her wine – but to do so they must commit to forsaking their ignorance behind, pursue understanding and live!
In her instruction to these simpletons, she warns them of the temptation to share their knowledge with those who need, but do not seek it. She further instructs them to keep company with the wise and when needed rebuke them. For the wise will receive it and reciprocate in your time of need.
“(7) The one who corrects a mocker will bring dishonor on himself; the one who rebukes a wicked man will get hurt.
(8) Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. (9) Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will learn more.”
This next verse is a powerful word, and it speaks of Jesus Himself.
“(10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Now so far as I can recall this is a “first mention”.
The word “Holy One” is actually in the plural and many have translated it as such. However, that would not fit the flow of the thought for “holy ones” would imply holy men, and there is nothing about the knowledge of holy men in themselves which could be characterized as defining understanding. Knowing their ways would reveal understanding, but knowing them would not BE understanding itself. There remains only one option and as I said it is a “first mention” so far as I can remember. In this place “the Holy One” appears in the plural in a grammatical way in the Hebrew of conveying a heightened sense of honor on the One being referenced. So this is a literary device signifying the great honor of the Holy One and that is due to the Holy One.
As we have seen many times, the phrase “Holy One” is a reference to the promised Messiah – Jesus Who is the Christ!
“(11) For by Wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.
(12) If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit; if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”
In steps woman #2. She slithers in really and sets her gaze upon the same audience – the simple.
It tells us much that neither Wisdom nor Folly cry out to the wise. For Wisdom there would be no point, for they are already wise. For Folly it would be point-less, for they would not hear her or follow.
So all attention is on the simple!
“(13) The woman Folly is rowdy; she is gullible and knows nothing.”
Remember how in chapter 7 we saw how ungodly women are boisterous and draw much attention to themselves. They are self-seeking attention grabbers who are desperate for attention and external praise.
The setting here will seem familiar as well to the one we read in chapter 7.
“(14) She sits by the doorway of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, (15) calling to those who pass by, who go straight ahead on their paths:
(16) “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense, she says, (17)
“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten secretly is tasty!”
(18) But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”
The word sheol here is a reference to the physical grave and not hell itself.
The notes in the New English Translation say this.
“The parallelism stresses that those who turn to this way of life are ignorant and doomed. It may signal a literal death lying ahead in the not too distant future, but it is more likely an analogy. The point is that the life of folly, a life of undisciplined, immoral, riotous living, runs counter to God’s appeal for wisdom and leads to ruin. That is the broad way that leads to destruction.”
Proverbs 10:1-32,
As I have been preparing you for, chapters 10-28 are short, fortune-cookie style proverbial statements which are independent truths unto themselves. Many of these are self explanatory, but I will comment on some of them as we work our way through. Also I encourage you to share any thoughts you have or any ways in which some of these have been a blessing to you. Especially any testimonies regarding ways any of these have safeguarded you from danger in your life.
Jewish history suggests that the original collection of Solomonic proverbs appears to be of the condensed “fortune cookie” variety which span from chapter 10:1 to chapter 22:16 which we will begin tonight.
In fact the preserved title of the book “Proverbs” might have originally included these chapters alone. This would mean that chapters 1-9 may have been written by Solomon but added later as the introduction to the book by someone else. None of this speaks against its inspiration, only to its compilation and inclusion in canon.
Chapters 10-29 are definitely from Solomon and are short statements of wisdom.
These are designed for meditation and contemplation. They practice an economy of words yet say so much that one has to ponder them and mull them over in the mind to extract the wisdom they teach.
- Proverbs 10:1-22:16 contain 375 sayings which largely contrast the wise and the foolish, or the righteous and the wicked.
- Proverbs 22:17-24:22 supply moral discourses under the heading of “The words of the wise.”
- Proverbs 25 begins a set of four chapters written by Solomon, but compiled and placed in the ever growing book of Proverbs which would later be canonized. It begins with, “These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah copied:” – Prov. 25:1
So Chapters 25-29, were the ones in connection with King Hezekiah which he had copied from some of Solomon’s works which had been preserved over the years. So even though Solomon penned them, he himself had no knowledge that they made it into a book of proverbs since that happened many years after his death.
“(1) Solomon’s proverbs:
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.”
It is no surprise that the very first one in this section is relational and it speaks to more than human relationships. When we fail to listen to wisdom and mature in Christ, we cause grief in the heart of the Holy Spirit. When we listen and act with wisdom it brings joy to the Father.
You no doubt remember the well known passage in Nehemiah which states that the Joy of the Lord is our strength. I’ve been very pleased with some of you, because as I’ve heard you mention that passage over the past few years you have remembered what I taught you from it.
If you recall, in Nehemiah 8 after the wall around the city had been completed, the people assembled in the square before the water gate. THEY requested Ezra the scribe to read to them from the Law. As he read, the Levites, translated and taught the meaning to the people so they could understand. The tender hearted response of God’s people was to weep as they heard and came to understand the words of the Law.
Then the Priests, the Levites, Nehemiah and Ezra all told the people that, “This day is holy to the Lord you God. Do not mourn or weep!” They then told them to go and feast and celebrate because the Joy of the Lord is their strength.
Who can tell me what that passage is really saying? That God’s joy in His people is their strength. It does not mean our Joy IN the Lord is our strength – THAT is a reflection of the heart’s response to being and belonging in His presence. But God’s Joy in us, is was strengthens us.
It is similar to the encouraging chants of cheerleaders and fans during a game. The players begin to believe in themselves due to the faith their fans are expressing in them. They are encouraged with their encouragement.
This is seen in the New Testament as well. Jesus in His high priestly prayer to the Father in the garden said,
“But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” – John 17:13
Continuing on in chapter 10
“(2) Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone, but righteousness rescues from death.”
“(3) The LORD will not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the wicked what they crave.”
This may not always seem true but it is. In fact, their lack of satisfaction is what drives them to accumulate more. Nothing ever truly satisfies and that is the lesson to the godly. We are told, “having food and clothing with these be satisfied”. But the greatest admonition we have to not insatiably crave from temporal things is found in Hebrews 13:5. It tells us,
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. FOR He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.”
God, not things, is the source of our contentment. It is why Paul was able to say that he knew how to have much or little, because it was through Christ that he was strengthened to do all things. – Philippians 4:13.
“(4) Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.”
Differing translations of these words are not few in number and that is because the meaning of these words in this context can take on several differing shades of meaning. The interesting thing is that though they all differ, they all teach the same general truth.
The first words which in our translation say, “Idle hands make one poor” can be rendered
“He that is remiss in giving to the necessities of others” – so that according to his abilities, and as cases require he does not give to the needs of others.
or
“He that works with a deceitful hand” – so that he is negligent and slothful in his business.
or
“He who pretends to work, but does not” so that he makes a show of diligence but is actually being deceitful.
or
“He who uses many tricking and deceitful ways and methods to live” – like those who misuse and abuse government funds, feigning handicaps though they are perfectly able bodied to work.
or
“he becomes poor that makes a deceitful balance” so that he aims to enrich himself through dishonest dealing.
Such people seldom thrive, or if they do it does not last long and they never acquire true riches.
BUT
“diligent hands bring riches”
That is, the blessing of God is added to it as we read later in verse 22 of this chapter.
The word diligent also signifies one who is “sharp and acute, who are careful and industrious, mind their business, and do their honest part” WITH THESE is the blessing of God!
Gill says,
“All this is true in a spiritual sense; such who are slothful in attendance on the means of grace, the word and ordinances, are slack and negligent in duty, bring a spiritual poverty upon them; and like the Laodicean church, who, through her lukewarmness and carnal security, became poor and wretched, blind and naked:
on the other hand, such who are diligent in the use of means are frequent at the throne of grace, forsake not the assembly of the saints, constantly wait at Wisdom’s gates; these grow rich in grace and in all good works.”
Now I am not attempting to over spiritualize the idea of poverty and riches, because doubtless under the Old Covenant natural riches were part of the promise for keeping God’s laws [See Deuteronomy 28:1-14]. But the New Covenant is based upon greater promises which speak to eternal matters first and foremost.
Rare indeed is an Old Covenant saint who kept God’s words but who lived all their lives in poverty. Even the prophets under the Babylonian captivity had homes and were fed. On the other hand, I cannot call to mind a single prominent New Covenant saint who due to his obedience to the gospel was rich. Even Jesus, the 12 apostles, Paul, Barnabus, Timothy and Titus were men of little means financially.
So it is appropriate to read and understand these promises in this context.
“(5) The son who gathers during summer is prudent; the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.
“(6) Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.”
First off, depending on the translation you use this verse will read considerably differently – as in the KJV, ASV or NIV. This is because the syntax is a bit ambiguous.
The translation takes “the mouth of the wicked” as the nominative subject and “violence” as the accusative direct object; HOWEVER, the subject could equally be “violence,” therefore making the phrase “violence covers the mouth of the wicked”.
In either case the proverb is an example of parallelism which draws out greater depth and understanding in the second stanza.
Here we are told that the righteous are blessed, but that the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
“Blessing” carries the sense of gifts and enrichments which are rewards for their righteous actions. This “blessing” may be from God or from man and may be something as simple as praise and honor for being good.
“Violence” carries the meaning of cruelty and injustice.
Now these two statements are presented as opposites even though nothing is said about the “mouth” of the “righteous” nor of the reward of the “wicked”.
In parallelism these kinds of blanks are filled in by conceptualizing the reciprocal truth.
If the “mouth” of the “wicked” “conceals violence or injustice” then the result is they are cursed. But the “righteous” are “blessed” because their “mouth” reveal “justice”.
Do you see how this works?
Next we see an old favorite from back in our Word of Faith days. Does anyone remember this?
“(7) The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”
We used to cherry pick the first portion of this verse to claim that the mind of the righteous has perfect recall. This was the often cited “scripture” the young people “stood on” before final exams.
Oh Jesus help us! It is amazing what we passed off as scriptural back then!
Of course we used to read this from the NKJV which aided us in our delusion because it says, “the memory of the righteous is blessed”.
I think however, that reading the verse in its entirety clears the issue up for us quite nicely, regardless of which translation you use.
The idea here is that people will remember the life and name of the righteous with joy and pleasure, but the name of the wicked will be recalled as a curse.
Examples of this are Moses, David, Jesus or Mother Teresa as compared to the likes of Pharaoh, King Ahab, Nero or Hilter.
It is helpful when the word “memory” or “rememberance” is translated as “memorial”.
“(8) A wise heart accepts commands, but foolish lips will be destroyed.
(9) The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.
(10) A sly wink of the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will be destroyed.”
This proverb is not a contrasting statement like most have been up to this point, but rather a comparison.
The word “wink” is a participle describing a person who with regularity “winks” his eye as a secret sign of conspiring evil with malicious intent to his comrades.
This is compared to “foolish lips” bringing “destruction”.
“Foolish lips” means one who despises knowledge and discernment and “destruction” means total ruin.
So though neither of these two are good, the comparison is saying that while malicious intentions communicated in secret can cause injury and pain, far worse is the utter destruction brought on by the words of one who despises knowledge.
The same is being communicated in the next proverb as well.
“(11) The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
(12) Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.”
I like the New English Translation notes on this. It says,
“This contrasts the wicked motivated by hatred (animosity, rejection) with the righteous motivated by love (kind acts, showing favor).
Love acts like forgiveness. Hatred looks for and exaggerates faults, but love seeks ways to make sins disappear.”
“(13) Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.
(14) The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.
(15) A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.”
This phrase is a metaphor conveying that the wealth of the rich offers protection against adversaries like a wall around a city.
However, I am not convinced that these two are comparative in nature, because it is a rare thing for the wealthy to be praised in their riches or for riches to be set forth as a truly safe harbor. While it is true that there is a way in which this could be viewed as straightforwardly true from a purely observational standpoint – that seems inconsistent with the nature and purpose of Solomon’s proverbs.
I believe it would be better to understand these words in parallel and I think the words “fortified city” and “destruction” support this idea. Because “fortified city” is a metaphor for security even as “destruction” is a metaphor for the absence of security.
So it is my belief that the following meaning would be the correct one.
A rich man looks to his wealth for protection from his enemies, but his riches offer no real protection. His wealth is actually true poverty because their pursuit will lead to destruction.
“(16) The labor of the righteous leads to life; the activity of the wicked leads to sin.
(17) The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray.
(18) The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
(19) When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise.”
This is the sense in which James 1:19,20 is to be understood.
“(19) My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, (20) for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.”
Continuing on in Proverbs 10…
“(20) The tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the wicked is of little value.
(21) The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
(22) The LORD’s blessing enriches, and struggle adds nothing to it.
(23) As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool, so wisdom is for a man of understanding.
(24) What the wicked dreads will come to him, but what the righteous desires will be given to him.”
This is one of the places which probably inspired the words of Jesus in the beatitudes which said,
“Blessed are those who do hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled to the point of satisfaction”
(25) When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever.
(26) Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.
(27) The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
(28) The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
(29) The way of the LORD is a stronghold for the honorable, but destruction awaits the malicious.
(30) The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not remain on the earth.
(31) The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.
(32) The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate, but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.”
Blessings!
Tri
