Proverbs 31

³³ The use of sequential numbers like six and seven is a common literary device in Hebrew poetry. It indicates that the list which follows is not exhaustive, but is only a sampling; in verse 16, the sampling is of things God hates.

³⁴ Note that there is a difference between shedding blood and shedding innocent blood. The latter is murder (see Exodus 20:13 and comment). The former was often commanded by God as part of His judgment on wicked men or ungodly nations.

³⁵ In verse 31, the word sevenfold symbolizes completeness: the thief must pay back “in full,” in full accordance with the law. According to Exodus 22:1–9, thieves had to pay back no more than fivefold; in most cases, they had to pay back only double.

³⁶ A major part of wisdom is good judgment; judgment is the ability to discern between good and evil and to make wise choices accordingly.

³⁷ One part of wisdom is prudence (verse 5), which together with knowledge and discretion leads to sound judgment (verses 12,14). All of these terms are closely related and are sometimes used as synonyms for wisdom and understanding.

³⁸ In calling Jesus the firstborn over all creation, Paul was referring to Jesus’ preeminence over creation, just as a firstborn son had preeminence over his brothers in biblical times. Paul was not implying that God “gave birth” to Jesus.

³⁹ Those who are already wise need no special invitation to come to Wisdom’s house; they are already there. Mockers and the wicked are not invited, because they wouldn’t come anyway; therefore, only the simple are invited.

⁴⁰ Wisdom and righteousness always go together.

⁴¹ The wiser a man is the more he will desire correction and rebuke. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting. . . (2Timothy 3:16). However, the hardened mocker and the wicked man reject being taught, and it is usually wise to avoid correcting them (see Matthew 7:6).

⁴² Jesus highlighted a similar point in His parable of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24–27). The two houses they built seemed the same from the outside, but one had no foundation and was destroyed. In the case of the woman Folly, her invitation seems the same as that of Wisdom, but the food she offers results in death (verse 18).

⁴³ Righteousness both delivers from death and leads to life—eternal life with God in heaven.

⁴⁴ For further discussion on the subject of trouble, suffering, and discipline, see Exodus 15:25–27; Psalms 38:1–8,17–22; 44:9–22 and comments.

⁴⁵ In Scripture, the term blameless does not mean “sinless”; it means having integrity, having a sincere heart, having a desire to do what is right.

⁴⁶ Many ordinary families had a servant in biblical times; it was not a luxury, as it is today.

⁴⁷ In most of the Old Testament, the teaching about immortality and eternal life is not fully developed. Such teaching is more clearly presented in the New Testament.

⁴⁸ Moving the boundary stones that determined the boundaries of a person’s property was against God’s law (Deuteronomy 19:14; 27:17).

⁴⁹ For further discussion of atonement, see Leviticus 1:1–4 and comment; Word List: Atonement.

⁵⁰ All authority has been established by God (Romans 13:1)—even the authority of evil kings. However, when kings disobey God and try to force others to do likewise, then the wise man (the godly man) must not appease the king’s wrath but rather he must stand up for God and take the consequences.

⁵¹ It is possible to wink and to purse one’s lips without any evil intent at all; what one’s facial expressions signify depends on the circumstances.

⁵² For further discussion on the subject of divine guidance, see footnote to comment on Exodus 28:15–30; comment on Numbers 9:17–23 and footnote to comment; Psalm 32:8–10 and comment.

⁵³ A crucible is a heat-resistant container used for melting and purifying metals.

⁵⁴ Keep in mind that slander can consist of either truth or falsehood. Any statement that is designed to undermine or discredit a person behind his back is slander—whether true or false.

⁵⁵ For further discussion on the subject of gossip, criticism and slander, see Numbers 11:1–3; 12:1; Psalms 12:1–4; 27:12 and comments.

⁵⁶ It is possible to have disagreements and debates without quarreling or interpersonal conflict. The goal is to debate the issue, not the person.

⁵⁷ The name of the Lord is equivalent to the Lord Himself; His name represents who He is, His nature and His attributes. For further discussion, see Psalm 5:11–12and comment.

⁵⁸ Sometimes it is hard for an outside observer to tell the difference between a gift and a bribe; the difference depends on the motivation of the giver and the circumstances of the gift. A bribe always involves “bending the rules” and unfairly or illegally promoting one’s own self-interest.

⁵⁹ With God, it is never “too late.” He can break into anyone’s life at any age and give that person a new heart and a new life. But the duty of parents is to do all they can, with God’s help, to ensure that their child starts out in life on the path of wisdom and godliness.

⁶⁰ As with many other “promises” in the Old Testament, the statement that our children will not turn from God should not be understood as an absolute promise; rather, it is an expectation. Our children are not robots; it is possible for them to “turn away” or to backslide. Most promises in Scripture are contingent upon our faith and our obedience to God’s commands, and that applies to our children as well.

⁶¹ For a discussion of “Original Sin” and our sinful nature, see Genesis 3:1–13 and comment; General Article: The Fall into Sin.

⁶² We must not associate with wrongdoers as equals or partners; not only will their wrong attitudes “rub off” on us, but our witness to Christ will be compromised by our association with them (2 Corinthians 6:14–18). However, it is necessary to be kind to such people and to encourage them to turn to Christ.

⁶³ The Bible does not support rebellion (or revolution), even against evil kings and rulers. Christians are not to take the law into their own hands; instead they are to rely on God to change their situation—to change the king’s heart (Proverbs 21:1).

⁶⁴ We must keep in mind that in all these references to “fools” in the book of Proverbs, the word fool means someone who is “foolish” in a moral sense—in other words, someone who is unrighteous or ungodly.

⁶⁵ For the use of the word heart in Scripture, see footnote to comment on Psalm 4:7–8.

⁶⁶ In verse 4, the Hebrew word for law is “torah,” which means instruction. It can refer to the law of Moses or to the instructions of wisdom; since the instructions of wisdom are based on the law of Moses, both meanings are applicable.

⁶⁷ Notice that throughout Scripture, and especially in the book of Proverbs, the righteous person has a number of characteristics that always go together: he or she seeks God, keeps His law, follows justice, works diligently, speaks truthfully, gives generously, and looks out for the poor. This is the way of God, the way of wisdom, the way of blessing. The way of the wicked is the opposite in every respect (see Psalm 1:1–6 and comment).

⁶⁸ In Scripture, the word blameless does not mean “sinless”; rather, it means being a godly, upright person who loves the Lord and sincerely seeks to do His will.

⁶⁹ At the end of verse 4, Agur mentions God’s son. Some Bible scholars understand this “son” to be Israel (Exodus 4:22–23; Hosea 11:1); others believe that Agur was referring to God’s word or, prophetically, to Jesus.

⁷⁰ In a more wonderful and fuller way, God has now revealed Himself to us through His Son Jesus (see Hebrews 1:1–3).

⁷¹ The Apostle Paul learned to be content whether he was living in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:12). He wrote: . . . godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

⁷² The use of the numbers three and then four is for poetic effect (see Proverbs 6:16).

⁷³ For a fuller discussion of the marriage relationship, see Ephesians 5:21–33; General Article: Christian Marriage, in The Applied New Testament Commentary.

⁷⁴Men and women are equal before God. However, God has assigned to them distinct roles in this life. Though they may differ, these roles are of equal value and importance to God.

Many Christians today still regard a wife as somehow “beneath” her husband; they believe she should simply stay at home and take care of the family. But this poem presents a different picture of a wife, the picture of an accomplished business woman who contributes to her family’s prosperity and to her husband’s reputation. Surely God wants to use all of a woman’s potential gifts to build His church.