Proverbs 9
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The commendation of wisdom is continued, under the figure of a liberal host, and its provisions under that of a feast (compare Luk 14:16-24). The character of those who are invited is followed by a contrasted description of the rejectors of good counsel; and with the invitations of wisdom are contrasted the allurement of the wicked woman. (Pro. 9:1-18) house--(compare Pro 8:34). her--or, "its" (the house). seven pillars--the number seven for many, or a sufficiency (Pro 6:31).
Open source ↗Wisdom hath builded her house,.... Or "Wisdoms": of which see Pro 1:20; Christ, the Wisdom of God, is meant, in whom and from whom all wisdom is. Various are the opinions concerning this house built by him. Some take it to be the whole circle of sciences, and the seven pillars to be the seven liberal ones, as Aben Ezra; though rather, as others, it may design the schools of the prophets, in which young men were trained up in the knowledge of divine and spiritual things. Some would have the whole universe to be meant, and the seven pillars to be the seven days of creation, as Jarchi; or the seven planets, as others: it is an odd notion of Grotius, that the human body is intended, with its five senses; and, to make up the number seven, adds the voice and memory: rather the human nature of Christ, which is a temple, a tabernacle, a house in which the Godhead dwells, is built by Wisdom, made without the hands of men; and then its seven pillars are the graces of the Spirit, by which it was supported and adorned; see Isa 11:2; Some understand it of the temple of a regenerate man's heart; in which God, Father, Son and Spirit, dwell. But there are two other senses, which bid fairest one of them to be right; either the heavenly glory, the house not made with hands, Christ's Father's house, in which are many mansions for his people; and which is a city whose builder and maker is God, and is prepared by Christ; and stands firm upon the promises of God, the person, blood, and righteousness of Christ, and the grace of the blessed Spirit: or rather the church of Christ on earth, the house of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth; this is built by Christ upon himself, the rock and foundation; the materials of it are true believers, precious and lively stones; built up a spiri…
Open source ↗The preceding discourse pronounces those happy who, having taken their stand at the portal of Wisdom, wait for her appearance and her invitation. There is thus a house of Wisdom as there is a house of God, Psa 84:11; and if now the discourse is of a house of Wisdom, and of an invitation to a banquet therein (like that in the parable, Matt 22, of the invitation to the marriage feast of the king's son), it is not given without preparation: 1 Wisdom hath builded for herself an house, Hewn out her seven pillars; 2 Hath slaughtered her beasts, mingled her wine; Hath also spread her table; 3 Hath sent out her maidens; she waiteth On the highest points of the city. Pro 9:1 Regarding חכמות, vid., at Pro 1:20. It is a plur. excellentiae, which is a variety of the plur. extensivus. Because it is the expression of a plural unity, it stands connected (as for the most part also אלהים, Deus) with the sing. of the predicate. The perfects enumerate all that Wisdom has done to prepare for her invitation. If we had a parable before us, the perf. would have run into the historical ותּשׁלח; but it is, as the תקרא shows, an allegorical picture of the arrangement and carrying out of a present reality. Instead of בּנתה לּהּ בּית there is בּנתה בּיתהּ, for the house is already in its origin represented as hers, and 1b is to be translated: she has hewn out her seven pillars (Hitzig); more correctly: her pillars, viz., seven (after the scheme דבּתם רעה, Gen 37:2); but the construction is closer. שׁבעה is, altogether like Exo 25:37, the accusative of the second object, or of the predicate after the species of verba, with the idea: to make something, turn into something, which take to themselves a double accusative, Gesen. 139, 2: excidit columnas suas ita ut septem essent. Since the figure is all…
Open source ↗Wisdom is here introduced as a magnificent and munificent queen, very great and very generous; that Word of God is this Wisdom in which God makes known his goodwill towards men; God the Word is this Wisdom, to whom the Father has committed all judgment. He who, in the chapter before, showed his grandeur and glory as the Creator of the world, here shows his grace and goodness as the Redeemer of it. The word is plural, Wisdoms; for in Christ are hid treasures of wisdom, and in his undertaking appears the manifold wisdom of God in a mystery. Now observe here, I. The rich provision which Wisdom has made for the reception of all those that will be her disciples. This is represented under the similitude of a sumptuous feast, whence it is probable, our Saviour borrowed those parables in which he compared the kingdom of heaven to a great supper, Mat 22:2; Luk 14:16. And so it was prophesied of, Isa 25:6. It is such a feast as Ahasuerus made to show the riches of his glorious kingdom. The grace of the gospel is thus set before us in the ordinance of the Lord's supper. To bid her guests welcome, 1. Here is a stately palace provided, Pro 9:1. Wisdom, not finding a house capacious enough for all her guests, has built one on purpose, and, both to strengthen it and to beautify it, she has hewn out her seven pillars, which make it to be very firm, and look very great. Heaven is the house which Wisdom has built to entertain all her guests that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb; that is her Father's house, where there are many mansions, and whither she has gone to prepare places for us. She has hanged the earth upon nothing, there in it we have no continuing city; but heaven is a city that has foundations, has pillars. The church is Wisdom's house, to which she invites her g…
Open source ↗9:1-6 The invitation to join Wisdom for a lavish meal is met by a competing invitation in 9:13-18. 9:1 The number seven can denote grandeur or fullness, so the seven columns represent the grandeur of Wisdom’s house, the place where it dwells.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
חׇכְמוֹת (chokmôwth, H2454) — wisdom בָּנָה (bânâh, H1129) — to build (literally and figuratively) בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) חָצַב (châtsab, H2672) — to cut or carve (wood, stone or other material); by implication, to hew, split, square,… שֶׁבַע (shebaʻ, H7651) — seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week;… עַמּוּד (ʻammûwd, H5982) — a column (as standing); also a stand, i.e. platform
Open source ↗טָבַח (ṭâbach, H2873) — to slaughter (animals or men) טֶבַח (ṭebach, H2874) — properly, something slaughtered; hence, a beast (or meat, as butchered); abstractly… מָסַךְ (mâçak, H4537) — to mix, especially wine (with spices) יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication עָרַךְ (ʻârak, H6186) — to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order (in a very wide variety of applications) שֻׁלְחָן (shulchân, H7979) — a table (as spread out); by implication, a meal
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) נַעֲרָה (naʻărâh, H5291) — a girl (from infancy to adolescence) קָרָא (qârâʼ, H7121) — to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of… גַּף (gaph, H1610) — the back; by extension the body or self מָרוֹם (mârôwm, H4791) — altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively… קֶרֶת (qereth, H7176) — a city
Open source ↗פְּתִי (pᵉthîy, H6612) — silly (i.e. seducible) סוּר (çûwr, H5493) — to turn off (literal or figurative) חָסֵר (châçêr, H2638) — lacking; hence, without לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) לָחַם (lâcham, H3898) — to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction) לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899) — food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it) שָׁתָה (shâthâh, H8354) — to imbibe (literally or figuratively) יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication מָסַךְ (mâçak, H4537) — to mix, especially wine (with spices)
Open source ↗עָזַב (ʻâzab, H5800) — to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc. פְּתִי (pᵉthîy, H6612) — silly (i.e. seducible) חָיָה (châyâh, H2421) — to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive אָשַׁר (ʼâshar, H833) — to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy);… דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb בִּינָה (bîynâh, H998) — understanding
Open source ↗יָסַר (yâçar, H3256) — to chastise, literally (with blows) or figuratively (with words); hence, to instruct לוּץ (lûwts, H3887) — properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign… לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) קָלוֹן (qâlôwn, H7036) — disgrace; (by implication) the pudenda יָכַח (yâkach, H3198) — to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or… רָשָׁע (râshâʻ, H7563) — morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person מאוּם (mʼûwm, H3971) — to stain; a blemish (physically or morally)
Open source ↗יָכַח (yâkach, H3198) — to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or… לוּץ (lûwts, H3887) — properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign… שָׂנֵא (sânêʼ, H8130) — to hate (personally) חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) אָהַב (ʼâhab, H157) — to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) חָכַם (châkam, H2449) — to be wise (in mind, word or act) יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… צַדִּיק (tsaddîyq, H6662) — just יָסַף (yâçaph, H3254) — to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing) לֶקַח (leqach, H3948) — properly, something received, i.e. (mentally) instruction (whether on the part of the…
Open source ↗יִרְאָה (yirʼâh, H3374) — fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God תְּחִלָּה (tᵉchillâh, H8462) — a commencement; rel. original (adverb, -ly) חׇכְמָה (chokmâh, H2451) — wisdom (in a good sense) דַּעַת (daʻath, H1847) — knowledge קָדוֹשׁ (qâdôwsh, H6918) — sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a… בִּינָה (bîynâh, H998) — understanding
Open source ↗יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… רָבָה (râbâh, H7235) — to increase (in whatever respect) שָׁנֶה (shâneh, H8141) — a year (as a revolution of time) חַי (chay, H2416) — alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially… יָסַף (yâçaph, H3254) — to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
Open source ↗חָכַם (châkam, H2449) — to be wise (in mind, word or act) לוּץ (lûwts, H3887) — properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign… נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
Open source ↗כְּסִילוּת (kᵉçîylûwth, H3687) — silliness אִשָּׁה (ʼishshâh, H802) — a woman הָמָה (hâmâh, H1993) — to make a loud sound (like English 'hum'); by implication, to be in great commotion or… פְּתַיּוּת (pᵉthayûwth, H6615) — silliness (i.e. seducibility) בַּל (bal, H1077) — properly, a failure; by implication nothing; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… מָה (mâh, H4100) — properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what!…
Open source ↗יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… פֶּתַח (pethach, H6607) — an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) כִּסֵּא (kiççêʼ, H3678) — properly, covered, i.e. a throne (as canopied) מָרוֹם (mârôwm, H4791) — altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively… קֶרֶת (qereth, H7176) — a city
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never again leave it. Upon him I will write the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from My God), and My new name.
And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
Thus he set up the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jachin, and the pillar to the north he named Boaz.
Solomon made his colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide, with a portico in front of it and a canopy with pillars in front of the portico.
in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.