I wisdom dwell. Wisdom personified. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia. App-6 . witty = sagacious. Anglo-Saxon witan, to know; like Greek. oida = to know intuitively: not by effort, which is ginosko = to get to know. read more
MORE REASONS FOR HEEDING THE WORDS OF WISDOM"I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling,And find out knowledge and discretion.The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil:Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,And the perverse mouth do I hate.Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge:I am understanding; I have might.By me kings reign,And princes decree justice.By me princes rule,And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.I love them that love me;And those that seek me diligently shall find me.Riches and honor... read more
Proverbs 8:12. And find out knowledge of witty inventions— And penetrate the knowledge of right things. Schultens; who observes, that the first clause contains a very splendid image, "I wisdom inhabit prudence." So Jehovah is said to inhabit eternity. Calmet says, that the last clause, according to the Hebrew, is, And have invented the knowledge of thoughts; or of prudence, of reflection, of the judicious attention of wise men. It is the eternal wisdom which speaks here. It is she from whom... read more
12. prudence—as in :-. The connection of "wisdom" and "prudence" is that of the dictates of sound wisdom and its application. find . . . inventions—or, "devices," "discreet ways" ( :-). read more
13. The function of wisdom ch. 8Chapter 8 is an apology (defense) of wisdom. The argument of this section develops as follows. Wisdom would be every person’s guide (Proverbs 8:1-5; cf. Galatians 5:18; Galatians 5:22-23). She is morality’s partner (Proverbs 8:6-13), the key to success (Proverbs 8:14-21), the principle of creation (Proverbs 8:22-31), and the one essential necessity of life (Proverbs 8:32-36). Chapter 8 contains the longest sustained personification in the Bible. [Note: Merrill,... read more
Wisdom and morality 8:6-13Wisdom and godliness are practically synonymous (cf. Proverbs 1:7). Proverbs 8:9 means that the person who already has walked down wisdom’s path for a distance can appreciate the moral rightness of wisdom better than someone who has not."What the verse says is not that Wisdom’s words are clear, intelligible, simple to the instructed, but that they commend themselves as true . . ." [Note: Toy, p. 163.] "The simplicity of integrity is the profundity of wisdom. . . .... read more
B. Instruction for Young People 1:8-8:36The two ways (paths, worldviews) introduced in Proverbs 1:7 stretch out before the reader (cf. Matthew 7:13-14). In this section Solomon spoke to his son, guiding him into God’s way. "My son" was and is a customary way of addressing a disciple."It derives from the idea that parents are primarily responsible for moral instruction (Proverbs 4:3-4; Deuteronomy 6:7)." [Note: Ross, p. 907.] The frequent recurrence of the phrase "my son" in this part of... read more
Wisdom’s CryWisdom now reappears as a preacher, holding forth in all the places where men most do congregate. After expounding in varied ways the excellence of the gifts which she can bestow, she asserts that she was the first of all God’s creatures, who stood at His side when He formed our world, and took part in His work as a master workman, whose delight has always been in the lives and affairs of men. In Proverbs 8:1-21 we find only the ordinary kind of personification, in which a quality... read more
(12) Dwell with prudence.—(‘ormah), literally, inhabit it, have settled down and taken up my abode with it, am at home there.Witty inventions.—Literally, well thought out plans (mezimmôth) translated “discretion” (Proverbs 1:4). read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 8:1-36
Eternal wisdom available to all (8:1-36)Once again wisdom is personified as a woman standing in a public place and speaking to the people who pass by (8:1-3; cf. 1:20-21). Even the immature and foolish can learn wisdom (4-5). One characteristic of wisdom is speech that is wholesome, true and straightforward (6-9). The instruction given by wisdom is beyond value, for it produces all those qualities most necessary for a truly worthwhile life. Yet it will not lead to pride, for people can only... read more