Proverbs 2:1

"This chapter presents the five fruits of wisdom."[1]

(1) The seeker shall find God (Proverbs 2:1-8).

(2) Wisdom provides many precious rewards (Proverbs 2: 9-11).

(3) God's man is delivered from evil (Proverbs 2:12-15).

(4) He is safe from harlotry (Proverbs 2:16-19).

(5) He will receive a special inheritance (Proverbs 2: Proverbs 2:20-22).

THE SEEKER OF WISDOM MAY FIND GOD

Proverbs 2:1-8

"My son, if thou wilt receive my words,

And lay up my commandments with thee;

So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom,

And apply thy heart to understanding;

Yea, if thou cry after discernment,

And lift up thy voice for understanding;

If thou seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hid treasures:

Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah,

And find the knowledge of God.

For Jehovah giveth Wisdom;

Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding:

He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;

That he may guard the paths of justice,

And preserve the way of his saints."

"My son ..." (Proverbs 2:1). "This address occurs thirteen times in the first seven chapters of Proverbs,"[2] not only indicating the unity of this section, but also revealing the format here as a succession of speeches to a young person by some teacher.

"Incline thine ear to wisdom ... thy heart to understanding" (Proverbs 2:2). The use of the words wisdom and understanding without the possessive pronouns `my' and `her' make it clear that, "Wisdom is no longer personified in this passage and regarded as the speaker."[3]

"Yea, if thou cry after knowledge" (Proverbs 2:3). "The seeker after wisdom must be earnest and sincere, as indicated by these words."[4] Furthermore, he must extend himself diligently and search for true wisdom with the same abandon and exertion that men devote to the seeking of earthly treasures. (See under Proverbs 2:6.)

"How do men seek money? What will they not do to get rich? Reader, seek the salvation of thy soul as earnestly as the covetous man seeks wealth; and be ashamed of thyself, if thou be less in earnest after the true riches than he is after the wealth that perishes."[5]

"This paragraph underlines the involvement and effort needed both to obtain and retain wisdom."[6]

"Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:5). "The deeper religious element of wisdom appears in this verse, the fundamental conception of Hebrew prophecy that the knowledge of God is the supreme good."[7]

"There are two coefficients to our receiving wisdom from God, namely, our efforts and God's assistance,"[8] as noted in the next verse.

"Jehovah giveth wisdom" (Proverbs 2:6). George DeHoff has these priceless lines on this verse. "God gives wisdom only to those who search for it. Often in the Bible, God is pictured as giving something when he merely makes it available. He gave the city of Jericho to Joshua; but it was necessary for Joshua and his soldiers to obey God's instructions before they could possess it. God gave manna to Israel in the wilderness; but they had to go and gather it up (Numbers 11). Christ gave the blind man his sight; but he received it only when he went and washed in the Pool of Siloam. God gives men wisdom; but much diligent study is required in order to receive it."[9] Likewise, salvation itself is the free gift of God; but it is given conditionally. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

"That he may ... preserve the way of his saints" (Proverbs 2:8). "Only here in the book of Proverbs do we find this remarkable word `saints'."[10] And is it really true that God preserves the way of his saints? The answer is affirmative. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule, due to (1) the activities of Satan, (2) the freedom of the human will, (3) the curse upon the earth for Adam's sake, (4) the element of chance, and (5) the mysterious `chastening' that falls upon every true child of God. Our Lord himself promised that his faithful servants, "Shall receive in this present life a hundred fold, and in the world to come, eternal life" (Mark 10:30). How does God accomplish such a thing as this? (1) The angels of heaven do service for them that shall be the heirs of eternal life (Hebrews 1:14). (2) Christ himself will be with his church even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:18-20). (3) God will avenge his elect (Luke 28:7-8).