Proverbs 1:20 - Exposition

Wisdom crieth without. Wisdom . The Hebrew word ( khochmoth ) here used to designate Wisdom seems to be an abstract derivation from the ordinary khochmah. The form is peculiar to the Proverbs and Psalms, in the former occurring four times ( Proverbs 1:22 ; Proverbs 9:1 ; Proverbs 14:1 ; Proverbs 24:7 ), and in the latter twice only (viz. Psalms 49:4 ; Psalms 78:15 ). As in Proverbs 9:1 and Proverbs 24:7 , it is a pluralis excellentiae of the feminine gender, a variety of the pluralis extensivus, as Bottcher prefers to denominate it. The feminine form may he determined by the general law which associates purity and serenity with womanhood (Plumptre). The idea of plurality, however, is not that of extension, but of comprehension, i.e. it is not so much all kinds of wisdom which is presented to us, as all the varieties under which wisdom par excellence may be regarded and is comprehended. The plural form of the word denotes the highest character or excellence in which wisdom can be conceived; or, as the marginal reading expresses it, wisdoms, i.e. excellent wisdom. Other instances of the pluralis excellentiae are met with in Holy Writ, e.g. Elohim, God, i.e. "God of Gods," either from the polytheistic view, or from the monotheistic view as expressive of God's might in manifestation, passim ; k'doshim, "the Holy (God)," Proverbs 9:10 ; Proverbs 30:3 ; adonim, for adon "lord". In the conception of Wisdom here presented to us in the text we have the germ of an idea which, on the principles of expansion, developed subsequently in the consciousness of the Christian Church into a definite identification of Wisdom with the Second Person of the blessed Trinity. There is a striking parallel to this passage in Luke 11:49 , where Christ speaks of himself as ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ , "the Wisdom of God," that shall send prophets and apostles into the world, and thereby identifies himself with Wisdom (cf. this with Luke 11:20 , Luke 11:21 ; Luke 7:1-50 .). Again, a striking similarity is observable between the teaching of Divine Wisdom and that of the Incarnate Word, as much in their promises as in their threats and warnings. But it is difficult to determine with accuracy to what extent the Messianic import of the personification was present to the consciousness of the sacred writers, and whether Wisdom as here presented to us is simply a poetic and abstract personification or a distinct by-postatizing of the Word. Dorner, with reference to Luke 8:22 , etc; says that though Wisdom is introduced speaking as a personality distinct from God, still the passage does not lead clearly to an hypostatizing of the Khochmah. Dollinger ('Heidenthum und Judenthum,' bk. 10. pt. 3. sec. 2 a , and Proverbs 8:22 , etc.) maintains that Wisdom is "the personified idea of the mind of God in creation," rather than the presence of "a distinct hypostasis." Lucke (see references in Liddon, 'Bampton Lects.') holds that in Proverbs Wisdom is merely a personification It is clear that whatever is predicated of Wisdom in Proverbs 8:1-36 . must be also predicated of her in the passage before us, in reference either to the hypostatic or opposite view. On the other hand, a large number of expositors, dating from the earliest periods of the Christian Church down to the present time, see in Wisdom a distinct hypostasis, or person—the Lord Jesus Christ. A fuller investigation of this subject will be seen in our remarks on Proverbs 8:1-36 . For the present we observe that Wisdom is essentially Divine. Her authority, her utterances, whether of promise, threat, scorn, or vengeance, are the authority, the utterances, of God. Crieth ; rather, crieth loudly, or aloud. The Hebrew verb ranan ( רָנַן ) is "to vibrate the voice," and conveys the idea of the clear loud ringing tones with which proclamations were made; cf. the Vulgate praedicare, and the Arabic clamitate, "to cry with a loud voice." Fleischer remarks that the Arabic rannan, which is allied to the Hebrew verb, is used of a speaker who has a clear piercing voice. In such a way does Wisdom cry without when making her address. She elevates her voice that all may hear. The verb in the original is tazonnah, the feminine singular of ranan, and predicate to "Wisdom," according to the rule that verbs in the singular are construed with plural nouns having a singular signification, especially the pluralis excellentiae . Without. בַּהוּץ ( bakhuts ) is here used adverbially, as in Genesis 9:22 , and signifies "in the open places," i.e. abroad, without, as opposed to the space within the walls. The writer here begins his enumeration of the five places wherein Wisdom preaches, viz.

She uttereth her voice; or, causeth her voice to be beard ; represented in the Vulgate by dat vocem suam. and in the LXX . by παῤῥησίαν ἄγει (equivalent to "she observes free-spokenness"). The instrumentality which Wisdom uses in her public preaching are the prophets and teachers (Ecclesiasticus 24:33; Zockler, Vatablus, Mercerus). In the streets; literally, in the wide spares ; the Hebrew, רחֹבוֹת ( r'khovoth ) , being, as in Genesis 26:22 , "wide spaces," and corresponding to the πλατεία of the LXX .; plateae, Vulgate. The same places are indicated in Luke 14:21 , where, in the parable of the marriage supper, the servants are bidden to go out into the streets ( πλατείαι ) and lanes of the city. The word is connected with the adjective rakhav ( רָחַב ), "broad," "wide;" and in 2 Chronicles 32:6 is used to designate the ample space at the gates of Oriental cities (Gesenius), though here it seems to refer rather to "squares," large open spaces, not uncommon in Oriental cities—I saw one such at Aden—or it may refer to the broad crowded thoroughfares. The Syriac reading, in compitis, gives a different sense, as compitum, equivalent to "crossroads."