26 While as yet he had not made H6213 the earth, H776 nor the fields, H2351 nor the highest part H7218 of the dust H6083 of the world. H8398
In the beginning H7225 God H430 created H1254 H853 the heaven H8064 and H853 the earth. H776 And the earth H776 was H1961 without form, H8414 and void; H922 and darkness H2822 was upon the face H6440 of the deep. H8415 And the Spirit H7307 of God H430 moved H7363 upon H5921 the face H6440 of the waters. H4325 And God H430 said, H559 Let there be H1961 light: H216 and there was light. H216 And God H430 saw H7200 H853 the light, H216 that H3588 it was good: H2896 and God H430 divided H914 H996 the light H216 from H996 the darkness. H2822 And God H430 called H7121 the light H216 Day, H3117 and the darkness H2822 he called H7121 Night. H3915 And the evening H6153 and the morning H1242 were the first H259 day. H3117 And God H430 said, H559 Let there be a firmament H7549 in the midst H8432 of the waters, H4325 and let it divide H914 the waters H4325 from the waters. H4325 And God H430 made H6213 the firmament, H7549 and divided H914 the waters H4325 which H834 were under H8478 the firmament H7549 from the waters H4325 which H834 were above H5921 the firmament: H7549 and it was so. H3651 And God H430 called H7121 the firmament H7549 Heaven. H8064 And the evening H6153 and the morning H1242 were the second H8145 day. H3117 And God H430 said, H559 Let the waters H4325 under the heaven H8064 be gathered together H6960 unto H413 one H259 place, H4725 and let the dry H3004 land appear: H7200 and it was so. And God H430 called H7121 the dry H3004 land Earth; H776 and the gathering together H4723 of the waters H4325 called H7121 he Seas: H3220 and God H430 saw H7200 that it was good. H2896 And God H430 said, H559 Let the earth H776 bring forth H1876 grass, H1877 the herb H6212 yielding H2232 seed, H2233 and the fruit H6529 tree H6086 yielding H6213 fruit H6529 after his kind, H4327 whose H834 seed H2233 is in itself, upon the earth: H776 and it was so. And the earth H776 brought forth H3318 grass, H1877 and herb H6212 yielding H2232 seed H2233 after his kind, H4327 and the tree H6086 yielding H6213 fruit, H6529 whose seed H2233 was in itself, after his kind: H4327 and God H430 saw H7200 that it was good. H2896 And the evening H6153 and the morning H1242 were the third H7992 day. H3117 And God H430 said, H559 Let there be lights H3974 in the firmament H7549 of the heaven H8064 to divide H914 the day H3117 from the night; H3915 and let them be for signs, H226 and for seasons, H4150 and for days, H3117 and years: H8141 And let them be for lights H3974 in the firmament H7549 of the heaven H8064 to give light H215 upon the earth: H776 and it was so. And God H430 made H6213 two H8147 great H1419 lights; H3974 the greater H1419 light H3974 to rule H4475 the day, H3117 and the lesser H6996 light H3974 to rule H4475 the night: H3915 he made the stars H3556 also. And God H430 set H5414 them in the firmament H7549 of the heaven H8064 to give light H215 upon the earth, H776 And to rule H4910 over the day H3117 and over the night, H3915 and to divide H914 the light H216 from the darkness: H2822 and God H430 saw H7200 that it was good. H2896 And the evening H6153 and the morning H1242 were the fourth H7243 day. H3117 And God H430 said, H559 Let the waters H4325 bring forth abundantly H8317 the moving creature H8318 that hath H5315 life, H2416 and fowl H5775 that may fly H5774 above H5921 the earth H776 in the open H6440 firmament H7549 of heaven. H8064 And God H430 created H1254 great H1419 whales, H8577 and every living H2416 creature H5315 that moveth, H7430 which the waters H4325 brought forth abundantly, H8317 after their kind, H4327 and every winged H3671 fowl H5775 after his kind: H4327 and God H430 saw H7200 that it was good. H2896 And God H430 blessed H1288 them, saying, H559 Be fruitful, H6509 and multiply, H7235 and fill H4390 the waters H4325 in the seas, H3220 and let fowl H5775 multiply H7235 in the earth. H776 And the evening H6153 and the morning H1242 were the fifth H2549 day. H3117 And God H430 said, H559 Let the earth H776 bring forth H3318 the living H2416 creature H5315 after his kind, H4327 cattle, H929 and creeping thing, H7431 and beast H2416 of the earth H776 after his kind: H4327 and it was so. And God H430 made H6213 the beast H2416 of the earth H776 after his kind, H4327 and cattle H929 after their kind, H4327 and every thing that creepeth H7431 upon the earth H127 after his kind: H4327 and God H430 saw H7200 that it was good. H2896 And God H430 said, H559 Let us make H6213 man H120 in our image, H6754 after our likeness: H1823 and let them have dominion H7287 over the fish H1710 of the sea, H3220 and over the fowl H5775 of the air, H8064 and over the cattle, H929 and over all the earth, H776 and over every creeping thing H7431 that creepeth H7430 upon the earth. H776 So God H430 created H1254 man H120 in his own image, H6754 in the image H6754 of God H430 created H1254 he him; male H2145 and female H5347 created H1254 he them. And God H430 blessed H1288 them, and God H430 said H559 unto them, Be fruitful, H6509 and multiply, H7235 and replenish H4390 the earth, H776 and subdue it: H3533 and have dominion H7287 over the fish H1710 of the sea, H3220 and over the fowl H5775 of the air, H8064 and over every living thing H2416 that moveth H7430 upon the earth. H776 And God H430 said, H559 Behold, H2009 I have given H5414 you every herb H6212 bearing H2232 seed, H2233 which is upon the face H6440 of all the earth, H776 and every tree, H6086 in the which is the fruit H6529 of a tree H6086 yielding H2232 seed; H2233 to you it shall be H1961 for meat. H402 And to every beast H2416 of the earth, H776 and to every fowl H5775 of the air, H8064 and to every thing that creepeth H7430 upon the earth, H776 wherein there is life, H2416 H5315 I have given every green H3418 herb H6212 for meat: H402 and it was so. And God H430 saw H7200 every thing that H834 he had made, H6213 and, behold, it was very H3966 good. H2896 And the evening H6153 and the morning H1242 were the sixth H8345 day. H3117
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 8
Commentary on Proverbs 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
Pr 8:1-36. Contrasted with sensual allurements are the advantages of divine wisdom, which publicly invites men, offers the best principles of life, and the most valuable benefits resulting from receiving her counsels. Her relation to the divine plans and acts is introduced, as in Pr 3:19, 20, though more fully, to commend her desirableness for men, and the whole is closed by an assurance that those finding her find God's favor, and those neglecting ruin themselves. Many regard the passage as a description of the Son of God by the title, Wisdom, which the older Jews used (and by which He is called in Lu 11:49), as Joh 1:1, &c., describes Him by that of Logos, the Word. But the passage may be taken as a personification of wisdom: for, (1) Though described as with God, wisdom is not asserted to be God. (2) The use of personal attributes is equally consistent with a personification, as with the description of a real person. (3) The personal pronouns used accord with the gender (feminine) of wisdom constantly, and are never changed to that of the person meant, as sometimes occurs in a corresponding use of spirit, which is neuter in Greek, but to which masculine pronouns are often applied (Joh 16:14), when the acts of the Holy Spirit are described. (4) Such a personification is agreeable to the style of this book (compare Pr 1:20; 3:16, 17; 4:8; 6:20-22; 9:1-4), whereas no prophetical or other allusions to the Saviour or the new dispensation are found among the quotations of this book in the New Testament, and unless this be such, none exist. (5) Nothing is lost as to the importance of this passage, which still remains a most ornate and also solemn and impressive teaching of inspiration on the value of wisdom.
1-4. The publicity and universality of the call contrast with the secrecy and intrigues of the wicked (Pr 7:8, &c.).
5. wisdom—literally, "subtilty" in a good sense, or, "prudence."
fools—as Pr 1:22.
6. excellent things—or, "plain," "manifest."
opening … things—upright words.
7. For … truth—literally, "My palate shall meditate," or (as Orientals did) "mutter," my thoughts expressed only to myself are truth.
wickedness—specially falsehood, as opposed to truth.
8. in righteousness—or, "righteous" (Ps 9:8,11:7).
froward—literally, "twisted," or contradictory, that is, to truth.
9. plain … understandeth—easily seen by those who apply their minds.
that find—implying search.
10. not silver—preferable to it, so last clause implies comparison.
11. (Compare Pr 3:14, 15).
12. prudence—as in Pr 8:5. The connection of "wisdom" and "prudence" is that of the dictates of sound wisdom and its application.
find … inventions—or, "devices," "discreet ways" (Pr 1:4).
13. For such is the effect of the fear of God, by which hatred to evil preserves from it.
froward mouth—or, "speech" (Pr 2:12; 6:14).
14. It also gives the elements of good character in counsel.
sound wisdom—(Pr 2:7).
I … strength—or, "As for me, understanding is strength to me," the source of power (Ec 9:16); good judgment gives more efficiency to actions;
15, 16. of which a wisely conducted government is an example.
17. early—or, "diligently," which may include the usual sense of early in life.
18. durable riches … righteousness—Such are the "riches," enduring sources of happiness in moral possessions (compare Pr 3:16).
19. (Compare Pr 8:11; 3:16).
20, 21. The courses in which wisdom leads conduct to a true present prosperity (Pr 23:5).
22-31. Strictly, God's attributes are part of Himself. Yet, to the poetical structure of the whole passage, this commendation of wisdom is entirely consonant. In order of time all His attributes are coincident and eternal as Himself. But to set forth the importance of wisdom as devising the products of benevolence and power, it is here assigned a precedence. As it has such in divine, so should it be desired in human, affairs (compare Pr 3:19).
possessed—or, "created"; in either sense, the idea of precedence.
in the beginning—or simply, "beginning," in apposition with "me."
before … of old—preceding the most ancient deeds.
23. I was set up—ordained, or inaugurated (Ps 2:6). The other terms carry out the idea of the earliest antiquity, and illustrate it by the details of creation [Pr 8:24-29].
24. brought forth—(Compare Ps 90:2).
abounding—or, "laden with water."
25. settled—that is, sunk in foundations.
26. fields—or, "out places," "deserts," as opposite to (habitable) "world."
highest part—or, "sum," all particles together,
27. when he set … depth—marked out the circle, according to the popular idea of the earth, as circular, surrounded by depths on which the visible concave heavens rested.
28. established … deep—that is, so as to sustain the waters above and repress those below the firmament (Ge 1:7-11; Job 26:8).
29. commandment—better, the shore, that is, of the sea.
foundations—figuratively denotes the solid structure (Job 38:4; Ps 24:2).
30, 31. one brought up—an object of special and pleasing regard. The bestowal of wisdom on men is represented by its finding a delightful residence and pleasing God.
32-36. Such an attribute men are urged to seek.
34. watching … waiting—literally, "so as to watch"; wait, denoting a most sedulous attention.
35. (Compare Lu 13:23, 24).
36. sinneth … me—or better, "missing me," as opposed to "finding" [Pr 8:35].
love death—act as if they did (compare Pr 17:9).