Proverbs 3 Footnotes

3:10-12 By including v. 12 in this context, Solomon makes it clear that honoring the Lord with the first of the produce is not simply a way to become rich. Outcomes in life are complex and unpredictable and may cover a broad continuum from great prosperity to discipline. God’s purpose for us is not to make us rich, but rather to develop in us godly character, and his responses are designed with that goal in mind.

3:17 Many people view God’s instruction as restrictive and burdensome, but this verse claims that wisdom’s ways are pleasant and freeing. The paths of wisdom are peaceful, and the Hebrew word shalom suggests not just the absence of hostility, but rather wholeness and well-being. The claim is that life lived according to Yahweh’s order brings delight.

3:21-26 Critics claim that wise people do not always experience the benefits that this section promises, but the intention of the author is to emphasize the fact that wisdom enables a person to avoid many difficulties that foolish people frequently encounter in life. Diligence, careful planning, self-control, and the like allow people to avoid many obstacles that they otherwise might experience. The book of Ecclesiastes, as well as our personal experience, make it clear that the picture presented here is only one tiny cross section of truth about the reality of living in a fallen world, and that difficulties arise for many reasons other than personal folly. Even so, responding to circumstances based on wisdom will provide safety and protection and minimize the difficulties we experience in life.