Proverbs 8:3
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The word of God is two-fold, and, in both senses, is wisdom; for a word without wisdom is of little value, and wisdom without a word is of little use. Now, I. Divine revelation is the word and wisdom of God, and that pure religion and undefiled which is built upon it; and of that Solomon here speaks, recommending it to us as faithful, and well worthy of all acceptation (Pro 8:1-2). God, by it, instructs, and governs, and blesses, the children of men. II. The redeemer is the eternal Word and wisdom, the Logos. He is the Wisdom that speaks to the children of men in the former part of the chapter. All divine revelation passes through his hand, and centres in him; but of him as the personal Wisdom, the second person in the Godhead, in the judgment of many of the ancients, Solomon here speaks (Pro 8:22-31). He concludes with a repeated charge to the children of men diligently to attend to the voice of God in his word (Pro 8:32-36).
Open source ↗8:3 In ancient Near Eastern cities, the city gates had built-in chambers for conducting legal proceedings and business transactions. It was an appropriate place for Wisdom to make her appeal to the most people.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’
“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
“Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life.”