Sprueche 2

1 Mein Kind, so du willst meine Rede annehmen und meine Gebote bei dir behalten,

2 daß dein Ohr auf Weisheit achthat und du dein Herz mit Fleiß dazu neigest;

3 ja, so du mit Fleiß darnach rufest und darum betest;

4 so du sie suchest wie Silber und nach ihr froschest wie nach Schätzen:

5 alsdann wirst du die Furcht des HERRN verstehen und Gottes Erkenntnis finden.

6 Denn der HERR gibt Weisheit, und aus seinem Munde kommt Erkenntnis und Verstand.

7 Er läßt's den Aufrichtigen gelingen und beschirmt die Frommen

8 und behütet die, so recht tun, und bewahrt den Weg seiner Heiligen.

9 Alsdann wirst du verstehen Gerechtigkeit und Recht und Frömmigkeit und allen guten Weg.

10 Denn Weisheit wird in dein Herz eingehen, daß du gerne lernst;

11 guter Rat wird dich bewahren, und Verstand wird dich behüten,

12 daß du nicht geratest auf den Weg der Bösen noch unter die verkehrten Schwätzer,

13 die da verlassen die rechte Bahn und gehen finstere Wege,

14 die sich freuen, Böses zu tun, und sind fröhlich in ihrem bösen, verkehrten Wesen,

15 welche ihren Weg verkehren und folgen ihrem Abwege;

16 daß du nicht geratest an eines andern Weib, an eine Fremde, die glatte Worte gibt

17 und verläßt den Freund ihrer Jugend und vergißt den Bund ihres Gottes

18 (denn ihr Haus neigt sich zum Tod und ihre Gänge zu den Verlorenen;

19 alle, die zu ihr eingehen, kommen nicht wieder und ergreifen den Weg des Lebens nicht);

20 auf daß du wandelst auf gutem Wege und bleibst auf der rechten Bahn.

21 Denn die Gerechten werden im Lande wohnen, und die Frommen werden darin bleiben;

22 aber die Gottlosen werden aus dem Lande ausgerottet, und die Verächter werden daraus vertilgt.

Sprueche 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

Promises to those who seek wisdom. (1-9) The advantages of wisdom. (10-22)

Verses 1-9 Those who earnestly seek heavenly wisdom, will never complain that they have lost their labour; and the freeness of the gift does not do away the necessity of our diligence, Joh. 6:27 . Let them seek, and they shall find it; let them ask, and it shall be given them. Observe who are thus favoured. They are the righteous, on whom the image of God is renewed, which consists in righteousness. If we depend upon God, and seek to him for wisdom, he will enable us to keep the paths of judgment.

Verses 10-22 If we are truly wise, we shall be careful to avoid all evil company and evil practices. When wisdom has dominion over us, then it not only fills the head, but enters into the heart, and will preserve, both against corruptions within and temptations without. The ways of sin are ways of darkness, uncomfortable and unsafe: what fools are those who leave the plain, pleasant, lightsome paths of uprightness, to walk in such ways! They take pleasure in sin; both in committing it, and in seeing others commit it. Every wise man will shun such company. True wisdom will also preserve from those who lead to fleshly lusts, which defile the body, that living temple, and war against the soul. These are evils which excite the sorrow of every serious mind, and cause every reflecting parent to look upon his children with anxiety, lest they should be entangled in such fatal snares. Let the sufferings of others be our warnings. Our Lord Jesus deters from sinful pleasures, by the everlasting torments which follow them. It is very rare that any who are caught in this snare of the devil, recover themselves; so much is the heart hardened, and the mind blinded, by the deceitfulness of this sin. Many think that this caution, besides the literal sense, is to be understood as a caution against idolatry, and subjecting the soul to the body, by seeking any forbidden object. The righteous must leave the earth as well as the wicked; but the earth is a very different thing to them. To the wicked it is all the heaven they ever shall have; to the righteous it is the place of preparation for heaven. And is it all one to us, whether we share with the wicked in the miseries of their latter end, or share those everlasting joys that shall crown believers?

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 2

This chapter directs to the means of attaining to the knowledge of divine things, and shows the profit and advantage arising from thence. The means are, embracing the doctrines of the Gospel, and retaining in memory and affection the ordinances of it, Pr 2:1; and an inclination of the ear and an application of the heart to the knowledge of these things, Pr 2:2. An earnest and importunate desire, expressed by prayer, after the same, Pr 2:3; and a diligent and unwearied search for them, as for silver and hid treasure, Pr 2:4. The advantages are, that such shall attain to the fear and knowledge of God; which may be concluded from these being the gift of God to his people, and from their being laid up for them, whom he carefully keeps and preserves, Pr 2:5-8; and not only so, but such learn to do that which is just and right among men, Pr 2:9. And, besides, such is the nature of divine wisdom, that, when it has once got a place in the heart and in the affections, it will be a means of preserving both from the ways of evil men, Pr 2:10-12; who are described, Pr 2:13-15. And from the evil woman, whose character is given, Pr 2:16,17; whose vicious course of life, and the ways she leads persons into, are represented as very dangerous, Pr 2:18,19. And, on the contrary, such is the usefulness of true wisdom, that it leads into the way of good men, who will be happy and safe, when the wicked shall be destroyed, Pr 2:20-22.