Proverbs 9

The Way of Wisdom

1 ¹Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her ²seven ³pillars.

2 She has ⁴slaughtered her beasts; she has ⁵mixed her wine; she has also ⁶set her table.

3 She has ⁷sent out her young women to ⁸call from ⁹the highest places in the town,

4 ¹⁰"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" ¹¹To him who lacks sense she says,

5 "Come, ¹²eat of my bread and ¹³drink of ¹⁴the wine I have mixed.

6 Leave ¹⁵your simple ways,^[a] and ¹⁶live, ¹⁷and walk in the way of insight."

7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

8 ¹⁸Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; ¹⁹reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

9 Give instruction^[b] to a wise man, and he will be ²⁰still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will ²¹increase in learning.

10 ²²The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and ²³the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

11 For by me ²⁴your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.

12 ²⁵If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

13 ²⁶The woman Folly is ²⁷loud; she is seductive^[c] and ²⁸knows nothing.

14 She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on ²⁹the highest places of the town,

15 calling to those who pass by, who are ³⁰going straight on their way,

16 ³¹"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" And to him who lacks sense she says,

17 ³²"Stolen water is sweet, and ³³bread eaten in secret is pleasant."

18 But he does not know ³⁴that the dead^[d] are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Proverbs 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The invitations of Wisdom. (1-12) The invitations of folly. (13-18)

Verses 1-12 Christ has prepared ordinances to which his people are admitted, and by which nourishment is given here to those that believe in him, as well as mansions in heaven hereafter. The ministers of the gospel go forth to invite the guests. The call is general, and shuts out none that do not shut out themselves. Our Saviour came, not to call the righteous, but sinners; not the wise in their own eyes, who say they see. We must keep from the company and foolish pleasures of the ungodly, or we never can enjoy the pleasures of a holy life. It is vain to seek the company of wicked men in the hope of doing them good; we are far more likely to be corrupted by them. It is not enough to forsake the foolish, we must join those that walk in wisdom. There is no true wisdom but in the way of religion, no true life but in the end of that way. Here is the happiness of those that embrace it. A man cannot be profitable to God; it is for our own good. Observe the shame and ruin of those who slight it. God is not the Author of sin: and Satan can only tempt, he cannot force. Thou shalt bear the loss of that which thou scornest: it will add to thy condemnation.

Verses 13-18 How diligent the tempter is, to seduce unwary souls into sin! Carnal, sensual pleasure, stupifies conscience, and puts out the sparks of conviction. This tempter has no solid reason to offer; and where she gets dominion in a soul, all knowledge of holy things is lost and forgotten. She is very violent and pressing. We need to seek and pray for true wisdom, for Satan has many ways to withdraw our souls from Christ. Not only worldly lusts and abandoned seducers prove fatal to the souls of men; but false teachers, with doctrines that flatter pride and give liberty to lusts, destroy thousands. They especially draw off such as have received only partial serious impressions. The depths of Satan are depths of hell; and sin, without remorse, is ruin, ruin without remedy. Solomon shows the hook; those that believe him, will not meddle with the bait. Behold the wretched, empty, unsatisfying, deceitful, and stolen pleasure sin proposes; and may our souls be so desirous of the everlasting enjoyment of Christ, that on earth we may live to him, daily, by faith, and ere long be with him in glory.

Cross References

• 1. [Matthew 16:18; 1 Peter 2:5]; See Ephesians 2:20-22
• 2. [Revelation 1:4]
• 3. [1 Timothy 3:15]
• 4. [Matthew 22:4]
• 5. Proverbs 23:30; Song of Songs 8:2
• 6. Psalms 23:5; [Luke 14:17]
• 7. [Psalms 68:11; Matthew 22:3; Matthew 23:34]
• 8. Proverbs 8:1, 2
• 9. ver. 14; Proverbs 8:2; [Matthew 10:27]
• 10. ver. 16; [Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 1:26]
• 11. Proverbs 6:32
• 12. [Song of Songs 5:1; Isaiah 55:1; John 6:27]
• 13. [John 7:37]
• 14. [See ver. 2 above]
• 15. See Proverbs 1:4
• 16. [ver. 11]
• 17. [Proverbs 23:19]
• 18. [Matthew 7:6]
• 19. See Psalms 141:5
• 20. [Matthew 13:12]
• 21. Proverbs 1:5
• 22. See Proverbs 1:7
• 23. Proverbs 30:3
• 24. [Proverbs 10:27]; See Proverbs 3:2
• 25. [Job 22:2, 3; 1 Corinthians 3:8; Galatians 6:5]
• 26. For ver. 13-18, see Proverbs 7:7-27
• 27. Proverbs 7:11
• 28. Proverbs 5:6
• 29. ver. 3
• 30. [ver. 6]
• 31. ver. 4
• 32. [Proverbs 5:15]
• 33. [Proverbs 20:17; Proverbs 30:20]
• 34. See Proverbs 7:27

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Leave the company of the simple
• [b]. Hebrew lacks instruction
• [c]. Or full of simpleness
• [d]. Hebrew Rephaim

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 9

In this chapter, Wisdom, or Christ, is represented as having built a stately house or palace for the entertainment of his guests, Pr 9:1; as having made large and suitable provisions for them, Pr 9:2; and as having sent his servants to invite them to come and partake of them, and quit all other company but his, Pr 9:3-6; When it is observed who are and who are not to be reproved, with the reasons of it, Pr 9:7-9; and what is the sum and substance of true wisdom; and what the advantages of it both here and hereafter, Pr 9:10-12; And the chapter is concluded with the description of the foolish woman, the opposite of Wisdom; who is represented as clamorous, simple, and ignorant, Pr 9:13; and plying passengers that go by her door, and inviting them in to partake of her provisions, Pr 9:14-17; the consequence of which is sure and certain death and destruction to her guests, Pr 9:18.