Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 7 is a father’s message to his son. He tells his son a story about a foolish young man who fell into the trap of a seductress, and warns him not to do the same.

II. Photo

The father warns his son about the lethal powers of a seductress: “For many are those she has struck dead, And numerous are her victims. Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.” (vv. 26-27)

III. Important Verses
vv. 6-8: From the window of my house, Through my lattice, I looked out and saw among the simple, Noticed among the youths, A lad devoid of sense. He was crossing the street near her corner, Walking toward her house…
vv. 18-20: [the woman says] Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace. For the man of the house is away; He is off on a distant journey. He took his bag of money with him And will return only at mid-month.”
v. 22a: Thoughtlessly he follows her, Like an ox going to the slaughter…
vv. 26-27: For many are those she has struck dead, And numerous are her victims. Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.

IV. Outline

1-4. Introduction (exordium)
5-23. Lesson (story)
    6-13. Encounter
    14-20. Seduction
    21-23. Submission
24-27. Conclusion: she is deadly

V. Comment
In Proverbs 7 a father tells his son that Wisdom can protect him from a seductress. It is the last of the parental lectures, and is made up of an exordium (vv. 1-4), a lesson/story (vv. 5-23), and a conclusion (vv. 24-27).  It shares a similar meaning and vocabulary with Prov. 2:16-20: “[Wisdom] will save you from the forbidden woman, From the alien woman whose talk is smooth, Who forsakes the companion of her youth And disregards the covenant of her God. Her house sinks down to Death, And her course leads to the shades. All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life. So follow the way of the good And keep to the paths of the just.” But, as shall be seen, Proverbs 7 is unique in that the father tells a story from the point of view of an observer.

There are two interesting points to be made about the exordium, both of which, I believe, relate to the Pentateuch. The first is in regards to vv. 2-3: “Keep my commandments and live… Bind them (qasherem) on your fingers; Write them (katevem) on the tablet of your heart.” The exhortation to “bind” teachings  to the body and to “write” them on the heart has other parallels in Wisdom literature. For instance, Prov. 3:3 says, “Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you; Bind them (qasherem) about your throat, Write them (katevem) on the tablet of your heart.” Similarly, Jer. 31:33 says “… [thus] declares the LORD: I will put My Teaching into their inmost being and inscribe it (‘ekhtavena) upon their hearts. Then I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Also see Prov. 6:20-21. These phrases, which appear to be metaphors, seem to be parallels to Deut. 6:6-9: “Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them (qesharetem) as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead; inscribe (ketavetem) them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” While it is possible that all the aforementioned verses refer to material amulets (e.g. tefillin and mezuzot), scholars point out that they might actually be a metaphor. Indeed, exegetes as early as Rashbam shared the same opinion (see his comment to Ex. 13:9).

The second point has to do with v. 4, “Say to Wisdom, ‘You are my sister (‘achoti ‘at),’ And call Understanding a kinswoman.” As we have seen, it seems that Prov. 1-9 encourage one to enter into a love-relationship with wisdom. For example,  4:6-8 says, “Do not forsake her and she will guard you; Love her and she will protect you… Hug her to you and she will exalt you; She will bring you honor if you embrace her.” With this in mind, it is interesting that the lover in the Song of Songs is called a “sister,” much like our verse: “How sweet is your love, my sister (‘achoti), my bride! How much more delightful your love than wine, Your ointments more fragrant Than any spice!” (Song 4:10. Also see 4:9, 5:1) Thus, it seems that the father is encouraging his son to enter a love-relationship with personified Wisdom.

This might relate to the Pentateuch in the following way: in Gen. 12 and 20 Abraham is afraid that he will be killed on account of his wife, Sarah. He says to Sarah, “Please say that you are my sister (‘achoti ‘at), that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may remain alive thanks to you.” His plan works; both Pharaoh and Abimelech take Sarah and allow Abraham to live. While these passages are often taken literally (i.e. Sarah said she was Abraham’s blood-relative), based on the word’s use in Proverbs and the Song of Songs Sarah it might have been saying, “I am his lover (‘achot), we are not married.” Yet, I have not yet seen anyone make this point.

The lesson of Proverbs 7 is given in story-form. The episode seems to have a fictive character: the father claims to have seen, from beginning to end, a woman entice a young man. He also claims to hear all the intimate things she tells him. As Murphy points out, the entire dialogue could hardly have been heard from the father’s window (v. 6). For another “example story” in Proverbs, see 24:30-34.

Vv. 6-13 describe how the young man meets the seductress. She is dressed like a harlot (cf. Gen 38:14-15), and searches for him much like the lover in Song of Songs 3:1-3: “Upon my couch at night I sought the one I love — I sought, but found him not. ‘I must rise and roam the town, Through the streets and through the squares; I must seek the one I love.’ I sought but found him not. I met the watchmen Who patrol the town. ‘Have you seen the one I love?’” Fox writes (p. 253), “the woman seems desperate in her search for sexual satisfaction.” Indeed, she is restless, never at home, and kisses the man before she even speaks to him (v. 11-13).

The seduction occurs in vv. 14-20, and the woman entices the young man with erotic images, “I have decked my couch with covers Of dyed Egyptian linen; I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace” (vv. 16-18, see Song 4:14 for the same spices). In the end she is successful: “She sways him with her eloquence, Turns him aside with her smooth talk. Thoughtlessly he follows her, Like an ox going to the slaughter, Like a fool to the stocks for punishment” (vv. 21-22).

The conclusion describes the woman as being deadly (a point not seen in the story): “For many are those she has struck dead, And numerous are her victims. Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.” This is very similar to Prov. 2:18-19, “Her house sinks down to Death, And her course leads to the shades. All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life.”

It must be pointed out that vv. 14-15 is not understood. The seductress says, “I had to make a sacrifice of well-being; Today I fulfilled my vows. Therefore I have come out to you, Seeking you, and have found you.” Murphy writes (p. 44), “It is clear that she wants him for sexual services. Is it perhaps an indication that she needs money (the harlot’s salary) for the fulfillment of her vows? Or is the woman a foreigner who worships her own divinity and needs the services of the youth for ‘devotion’s’ sake? Such a passing reference is a rather obscure way of enticing the youth, and not easily intelligible in such a story as the narrator has composed.”

VI. Works Used
Proverbs 1-9 (Fox) and World Biblical Commentary: Proverbs (Murphy).  See “Commentaries” page. The title for this chapter, “Beware the seductress” is from Fox.

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 6 has two sections. The first section contains four independent Wisdom sayings, and the second section is a father’s lecture to his son. The father warns his son that adultery is a self-destructive practice.

II. Photo
The father warns his son about the dangers of adultery: “Can a man walk on live coals without scorching his feet? It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow’s wife; None who touches her will go unpunished.” (vv. 28-29)

III. Important Verses
vv. 6-8: Lazy one, go to the ant; Study its ways and learn. Without leaders, officers, or rulers, It lays up its stores during the summer, Gathers in its food at the harvest.
vv. 9-11: How long will you lie there, lazy one; When will you wake from your sleep? A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber, A bit more hugging yourself in bed, And poverty will come calling upon you, And want, like a man with a shield.
vv. 28-29: Can a man walk on live coals Without scorching his feet? It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow’s wife; None who touches her will go unpunished.
vv. 34-35: The fury of the husband will be passionate; He will show no pity on his day of vengeance. He will not have regard for any ransom; He will refuse your bribe, however great.

IV. Outline

1-19. Interlude: four epigrams
    1-5. Loan guarantees
    6-11. Laziness
    12-15. The good-for-nothing
    16-19. 7 things God hates
20-35. Lecture: adultery kills
    20-23. Introduction (exordium)
    24-35. Lesson

V. Comment
Proverbs 6 has two sections, the first is a group of sayings and the second is a lecture about adultery. The group of sayings contains four separate topics, and they serve as an interlude between the lectures before and after the chapter. All four topics are common themes of Wisdom teaching.

While the first saying (vv. 1-5) begins with the address “My Son,” it cannot be classified as a “lecture” because it lacks the genre’s conventional introductory remarks (e.g. 4:1-2, 5:1-2, etc.) and conclusion (e.g. 1:17-19). The father warns his son to avoid the trap of giving surety, a practice in which one person guarantees the loan of another: “My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow, Given your hand for another, You have been trapped by the words of your mouth, Snared by the words of your mouth” (vv. 1-2). The father is forthright in his warning, “Give your eyes no sleep, Your pupils no slumber. Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter], Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler” (vv. 4-5). While the book of Proverbs takes up an extreme opinion on the matter (cf. 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26–27), the extrabiblical book Ben Sira takes a more nuanced approach: “Do not give surety beyond your means…” (8:3).

The second saying (vv. 6-11) warns about laziness, a common theme in Proverbs (cf. 26:13-16, 10:5, 15:19, etc.). The lazy one is told to study the ant: “Lazy one, go to the ant; Study its ways and learn. Without leaders, officers, or rulers, It lays up its stores during the summer, Gathers in its food at the harvest.” Learning from animals is also seen in Ch. 30 where ants, badgers, locusts, lizards, lions, eagles, dogs, and goats are used to teach a lesson. Vv. 10-11, which deride oversleeping, are identicalal to 24:33-34.

The third saying (vv. 12-15) is about the ‘adam beliyya’al “the good-for-nothing” and the calamity that awaits him. Many body parts are used in the description, e.g. the mouth, eyes, feet, fingers, and heart.

The fourth saying (vv. 16-19) is a numerical saying, “Six things the LORD hates; Seven are an abomination to Him…” This common form (“x and x plus 1”) appears elsewhere, especially in ch. 30: “Three things are beyond me; Four I cannot fathom” (30:18). Like the third saying, the fourth also places an emphasis on body organs: the eyes, tongue, hands, heart, and feet are all mentioned.

The second section of the chapter is a lecture, much like those in the chapters that precede and follow it. It begins with an exordium (vv. 20-23, see commentary on ch. 7 in regards to v. 21) and then proceeds to teach that sleeping with a married woman is a self-destructive behavior: “Can a man walk on live coals Without scorching his feet? It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow’s wife; None who touches her will go unpunished” (vv. 28-29). In addition to disease and disgrace (v. 6:33), one will be hounded by the husband of the woman with whom he has slept: “The fury of the husband will be passionate; He will show no pity on his day of vengeance. He will not have regard for any ransom; He will refuse your bribe, however great” (vv. 34-35)

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 5 is a father’s lecture to his son. The father warns his son about the dangers of the “strange woman” (probably another man’s wife), and, on the flip side, encourages him to enjoy his own wife. The lecture ends with a statement about the wicked: they will die for their sins.

II. Photo
The father warns his son about sexual temptations: “the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey; Her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood…” (vv.3-4a).

III. Important Verses
vv. 3-5: For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey; Her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to Death; Her steps take hold of Sheol.
v. 8: Keep yourself far away from her; Do not come near the doorway of her house
vv. 18b-19: Find joy in the wife of your youth — A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be infatuated with love of her always.
vv. 20-21: Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman? For a man’s ways are before the eyes of God; He surveys his entire course.

IV. Outline

1-2. Introduction (exordium)
3-20. Lesson
    3-6. The strange woman is deadly
    7-14. It is best to stay away
    15-19. Enjoy your own wife
20-23. Conclusion: God sees and punishes the wicked

V. Comment
The first half of Proverbs 5 speaks of the dangers of the ‘ishah zarah “strange woman,” the same character that appeared in ch. 2. Who is she? Fox (p. 134-141) believes that she is simply another man’s wife. He points to our chapter, which, after encouraging one to enjoy the benefits of one’s own wife (vv. 15-19), says “Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman (zarah)? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman (nakheriyyah)?” (v. 20) Thus, the antithesis of zarah and nakheriyyah is one’s own wife. Further proof may be deduced from ch. 7 which states, “[Wisdom] will guard you from a forbidden woman (‘ishah zarah); From an alien woman (nakheriyyah) whose talk is smooth” (7:5). The chapter describes how a married woman attempts to seduce a man by saying, “Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace. For the man of the house is away; He is off on a distant journey.” Thus, while some speculate that the ‘ishah zarah is a prostitute or even a foreign goddess, it is possible that she is any married woman.

Like most of the lectures in ch. 1-9, the father begins with an introduction (a.k.a. an exordium, a term borrowed from Greek rhetoric). It is unique in that the words chokhema “wisdom” and tevunah “understanding” are personalized (“my wisdom,” “my understanding”), something that does not occur elsewhere (only words like torah, mitzvah, ‘amarim, and devarim are personalized). V. 2 mentions the son’s sefatekha “lips,” setting the stage for the lesson’s topic, “For the lips (siftei) of a forbidden woman drip honey…” (v. 3)

The forbidden woman is not just pleasureful, she is also dangerous: “But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood [a bitter plant], Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to Death; Her steps take hold of Sheol.” (vv. 4-5) The father continues the speech with a second address in v. 7, “So now, sons, pay heed to me…” Like 4:1, the message begins with an address to the plural (“sons”), but continues as if it were directed to a single listener. This might indicate that the instruction, which was said to an individual, is actually directed to all boys.

Why shouldn’t a son engage in a relationship with the forbidden woman? The father gives three reasons, and the first is that the son will lose out his koach “strength” and hod “vigor”: “Lest you give up your vigor to others, Your years to a ruthless one; Lest strangers eat their fill of your strength, And your toil be for the house of another.” What exactly is the son’s strength and vigor? It might be his first offspring (cf. Gen 49:3), who will belong to the husband of the woman he impregnates. The second reason not to have sex with a forbidden woman is the disease that will result: “And in the end you roar, When your flesh and body are consumed” (v. 11). The third reason is the guilt involved: “[you will say], ‘O how I hated discipline, And heartily spurned rebuke. I did not pay heed to my teachers, Or incline my ear to my instructors’” (vv. 12-13). All in all, the father wishes to convey that it is not worth it to engage the forbidden woman.

This leads to the next lesson, which is the positive advice to enjoy your own wife. Vv. 15-18a use a water metaphor to describe the physical relationship between husband and wife: “Drink water from your own cistern, Running water from your own well. Your springs will gush forth In streams in the public squares. They will be yours alone, Others having no part with you. Let your fountain be blessed.” The meaning is that if one remains loyal to one’s wife (“drink from your own cistern”), one will be rewarded with many legitimate children (“Your springs will gush forth… Let your fountain be blessed”). It is interesting that the word for “fountain,” maqor, is used elsewhere to mean “womb” (cf. Lev. 20:18). Also, the reference to “waters” in v. 16 might mean sperm (cf. Isa 48:1 and possibly Num. 24:7). This section ends with an erotic metaphor (vv. 18b-19): “Find joy in the wife of your youth — A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be infatuated with love of her always.” Gazelles and deer are also used as a love metaphor in the Song of Songs (cf. 2:7, 9, 17, and 4:5).

The father concludes his lecture with a statement about divine judgment: “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of God; He surveys his entire course. The wicked man will be trapped in his iniquities; He will be caught up in the ropes of his sin. He will die for lack of discipline, Infatuated by his great folly” (vv. 21-23).

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
In Proverbs 4 a father delivers three messages to his sons. The first is to pursue Wisdom and never let her go, the second is to avoid the wicked by taking the correct path, and the third is to stick to that path because it is a source of life.

II. Photo
The father warns his son to hold on to Wisdom for dear life: “Hold fast to discipline; do not let go; Keep it; it is your life” (v. 14).

III. Important Verses
v. 7: The beginning of wisdom is — acquire wisdom; With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment.
v. 8: Hug her to you and she will exalt you; She will bring you honor if you embrace her.
v. 16: [the wicked] cannot sleep unless they have done evil; Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.
vv. 18-19: The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight, Ever brightening until noon. The way of the wicked is all darkness; They do not know what will make them stumble.

IV. Outline

1-9. Lecture 1
    1-2. Introduction (exordium)
    3-9. Lesson: hold on to wisdom
10-19. Lecture 2
    10-13. Introduction (exordium)
    14-19. Lesson: avoid the path of the wicked
20-27. Lecture 3
    20-23. Introduction (exordium)
    24-27. Lesson: stick to the proper path

V. Comment
Proverbs 4 consists of three lectures: vv. 1-9, 10-19, and 20-27. Until now the lectures have been addressed to “my son,” but vv. 1-2 is addressed to “sons.” This is also the case with 5:7, 7:24 and 8:32. Yet, while these addresses are in the plural, the lectures themselves are directed to a single person. This might indicate that the the father, who is incidentally speaking to one child, is actually addressing all young men.

The father begins the first lecture by recalling how his father once taught the very same lesson to him (vv. 3-4a): “Once I was a son to my father, the tender darling of my mother. He instructed me and said to me…” The lesson is to hold on to personified Wisdom by  “acquiring” (qeneh, appears 4x),  “loving” (‘ehav), and “embracing” (chabeq) her. All of these suggest a love engagement, and the outcome is that “She will adorn your head with a graceful wreath; Crown you with a glorious crown (‘ateret)” (v. 9). This verse might be related to Song of Songs 3:11, a verse where the word ‘ateret “crown” appears in the context of love: “O maidens of Zion, go forth And gaze upon King Solomon Wearing the crown (‘atarah) that his mother Gave him on his wedding day, On his day of bliss.” But, it must be pointed out that the word ‘ateret “crown” appears 23 times in Tanakh, and the vast majority of its occurrences are not sexual.

The second lecture (vv. 10-19) begins with a powerful motivation: “Hold fast to discipline; do not let go; Keep it; it is your life” (v. 13). The lesson is to avoid the path of the wicked, much like Prov. 1:15. While Mic. 2:1 and Ps. 36:5 describe how the wicked plot evil in their beds, v. 16 shows the extent of their addiction: “For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil; Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.” As Fox writes (p. 181), “The wicked have a need to cause harm: their ‘peace of mind’ depends upon it.” On a side note, it is interesting that this section has the word kashal “stumble” at its beginning, middle, and end (vv. 12, 16, 19).

The last lecture (vv. 20-27) exhorts the son to stick to the correct path. While it is very much related the previous lectures, it is unique in that it emphasizes the different parts of the body: the ears (v. 20), eyes (v. 21, 25), heart (v. 21, 23), flesh (v. 22), mouth (v. 24), lips (v. 24), eyelashes (v. 25), and feet (vv. 26-27) are all mentioned in this section.

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 3 is a father’s speech to his son. He tells him to follow in his ways, trust in God, pursue Wisdom, and treat others properly. He also tells him not to envy the lawless because God gives them what they deserve.

II. Photo
V. 18 praises Wisdom: “She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, And whoever holds on to her is happy. “

III. Important Verses
vv. 5-7: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths smooth. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and shun evil.
vv. 9-10: Honor the LORD with your wealth, With the best of all your income, And your barns will be filled with grain, Your vats will burst with new wine.
vv. 11-12: Do not reject the discipline of the LORD, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke. For whom the LORD loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.
vv. 14-15: [Wisdom’s] value in trade is better than silver, Her yield, greater than gold. She is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her.
vv. 17-18: Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths, peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, And whoever holds on to her is happy.
v. 24-25: When you lie down you will be unafraid; You will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. You will not fear sudden terror Or the disaster that comes upon the wicked.
v. 30: Do not quarrel with a man for no cause, When he has done you no harm.

IV. Outline
1-4. A father’s exhortation
5-10. Trust God and pay Him
11-12. Accept God’s rebuke
13-18. Beatitude, value of Wisdom
19-20. God uses Wisdom
21-26. Encouragement, reward
27-30. Treat others correctly
31-35. Do not envy a lawless man

V. Comment
Proverbs 3 is a father’s speech directed to his son (cf. vv. 1, 11, 21). It begins with an exhortation, “My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your mind retain my commandments.” This type of command is found in other parts of proverbs as well, e.g. 4:10, 4:20, 5:1, and 7:1. The introduction concludes by saying, “[if you listen to me] you will find favor and approbation In the eyes of God (‘elohim) and man.” It is interesting that the word ‘elohim “God,” which appears here, only appears 5 times in the entire book. The next time it appears is in chapter 25! However, the Tetragrammaton appears 87 times.

vv. 5-8 emphasize man’s shortcomings when compared to God: “… do not rely on your own understanding…Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and shun evil.” Consequently, one is to “honor” God with his material wealth: “Honor the LORD with your wealth, With the first of your produce.” This is probably a reference to the first fruits offering described in Ex. 23:19 and Deut. 26:1-3. It is interesting that there is a monetary incentive to “honor” God: “And your barns will be filled with grain, Your vats will burst with new wine” (v. 10). This is much like the blessing in Deut. 28:8: “The LORD will ordain blessings for you upon your barns and upon all your undertakings…”

Vv. 11-12 deal with the problem of suffering, and it is the only place in the entire book to do so. The verses say, “Do not reject the discipline of the LORD, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke. For whom the LORD loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.” In other words, God punishes those whom He loves, much like a father (see Prov. 13:24 which states, “He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him early”). This position is taken up in Job 5:17-5:18: “See how happy is the man whom God reproves; Do not reject the discipline of the Almighty. He injures, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands heal.” But, while there are many approaches to this issue in the book of Job, Proverbs only offers one solution.

Vv. 13-18 offer hymnic praise to Wisdom, comparing her to precious metal/jewels: “Her value in trade is better than silver, Her yield, greater than gold. She is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her” (vv. 14-15). For similar analogies, see 2:4, 8:10, 8:18-19, and 20:15. It is interesting that vv. 13-18, which seem to be an individual unit, begin and end with the word ‘ashar “happy/blessed.”

Vv. 27-30 is its own unit and speaks of treating others correctly, e.g. “Do not quarrel with a man for no cause, When he has done you no harm.” Vv. 31-35 explain why its foolish to envy the lawless man: “The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the abode of the righteous” (v. 33). Like its beginning, Proverbs 3 ends by describing the benefits of Wisdom: “The wise shall obtain honor, But dullards get disgrace as their portion” (v. 35).

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 2 contains a father’s speech to his son. It describes how to acquire Wisdom, the benefits one can expect from such a pursuit, and how Wisdom protects one from the temptations of both a wicked man and a forbidden woman. It ends by contrasting the fate of the righteous with the fate of the wicked.

II. Photo
A  father urges his son to pursue wisdom in vv. 4-5: “If you seek it as you do silver And search for it as for treasures, Then you will understand the fear of the LORD And attain knowledge of God.”

III. Important Verses
vv. 4-5: If you seek it as you do silver And search for it as for treasures, Then you will understand the fear of the LORD And attain knowledge of God.
vv. 16-17: [Wisdom] will save you from the forbidden woman, From the alien woman whose talk is smooth, Who forsakes the companion of her youth And disregards the covenant of her God.
vv. 20-22: So follow the way of the good And keep to the paths of the just. For the upright will inhabit the earth, The blameless will remain in it. While the wicked will vanish from the land And the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

IV. Outline
1a. Introduction
1b-4. Gaining Wisdom
5-11. Wisdom’s benefits
12-15. Wisdom protects one from evil men
16-19. Wisdom protects one from forbidden women
20-22. Contrast between the righteous and wicked

V. Comment
Proverbs 2 is a father’s speech to his son, and it can be viewed as one long sentence with the following outline: “if (v. 1)… then (v. 5)… then (v. 9)… to save you (v. 12)… to save you (v. 12)… in order that you may walk (v. 20)…” (Murphy, 14). The speech begins by describing the great lengths one must go to in order to acquire wisdom: “[you must] seek it as you do silver And search for it as for treasures” (v. 4). It then explains how such a pursuit is well worth one’s time and effort: “Then you will understand the fear of the LORD And attain knowledge of God… You will then understand what is right, just, And equitable — every good course… Foresight will protect you, And discernment will guard you.” (vv. 5, 9, 11)

The father then explains how Wisdom protects one from the temptations of wicked men: “It will save you from the way of evil men, From men who speak duplicity… Men whose paths are crooked And who are devious in their course” (vv. 12, 15). While the crimes of these men are not specified, they are described as being corrupt in both word and deed (possibly some sort of black magic). Indeed, they are so corrupt that they “rejoice” and “exult” in their wicked behavior (v. 14).

The father then describes how Wisdom can save one from the ‘ishah zarah/ nakheriyyah “forbidden/alien woman” (vv. 16-19): It will save you from the forbidden woman, From the alien woman whose talk is smooth, Who forsakes the companion of her youth And disregards the covenant of her God. Her house sinks down to Death, And her course leads to the shades. All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life.”

Who is this “forbidden woman”? While some believe that it is a non-Israelite woman, and others believe it is either a foreign goddess or a prostitute, Fox (p. 134-141) believes she is simply another man’s wife. He points to Prov. 5 which, after encouraging one to enjoy the benefits of one’s own wife, says “Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman (zarah)? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman (nakheriyyah)?” (Prov. 5:20) Thus, the antithesis of zarah and nakheriyyah is one’s own wife. Further proof may be deduced from chapter 7 which has a nearly identical message to our own: “[Wisdom] will guard you from a forbidden woman (‘ishah zarah); From an alien woman (nakheriyyah) whose talk is smooth” (7:5). That chapter describes how a married woman attempts to seduce a man by saying, “Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace. For the man of the house is away; He is off on a distant journey.” Thus, it seems that the words “‘ishah zarah” mean a married woman.

Murphy points out how this chapter foreshadows the content of the next five chapters: “(1) In 2:1–8, the seeker after wisdom is promised to be drawn close to the Lord—the relationship to the Lord is taken up again in 3:1–12. (2) The relationship to Wisdom in 2:9–11 is taken up again in 3:13–26 and 4:1–9. (3) The relationship to wicked men in 2:12–15 is taken up again in 4:10–27. (4) The relationship to a woman in 2:16–19 is taken up again in 5:1–23 and 6:20–7:27.” (p. 14) He writes, “This is a remarkable, even singular, example of reprise, and such detail argues to a single author or editor for most of chaps. 2–7… chap. 2 seems to be a carefully prepared literary construction, and its setting is precisely for these chapters.” (p. 14)

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 1 begins with an introduction to the entire book. It then gives two speeches: the first, given by a father to a son, warns him about joining gangs, and the second, a speech of personified Wisdom, harshly condemns those who don’t listen to her.

II. Photo
The father warns his son to avoid gangs. He explains how those involved set out to kill, but get killed themselves: “My son, do not set out with them; Keep your feet from their path. For their feet run to evil; They hurry to shed blood… But they lie in ambush for their own blood; They lie in wait for their own lives. Such is the fate of all who pursue unjust gain; It takes the life of its possessor.” (vv. 15-19)

III. Important verses
v. 7: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and discipline.
vv. 8-9: My son, heed the discipline of your father, And do not forsake the instruction of your mother; For they are a graceful wreath upon your head, A necklace about your throat.
v. 10: My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield…
v. 19: Such is the fate of all who pursue unjust gain; It takes the life of its possessor.
v. 22: How long will you simple ones love simplicity, You scoffers be eager to scoff, You dullards hate knowledge?
vv. 27-29: When terror comes like a disaster, And calamity arrives like a whirlwind, When trouble and distress come upon you. Then they shall call me but I will not answer; They shall seek me but not find me. Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose fear of the LORD

IV. Outline
1. Title
2-6. Introduction
7. Programmatic statement
8-19. First speech: avoid gangs
20-33. Wisdom’s condemnation

V. Comment
The book of Proverbs begins with a title verse: “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.” What is a mashal “proverb”? Fox writes (Proverbs 1-9, p. 54), “The word mashal is applied to a great range of utterances, from one-line adages to extended poems. ‘From evil comes forth evil’ (1 Sam 24:13) is [called] a mashal, but so is the allegory describing the great eagle (Ezek 17:1-10). It does not designate a single genre or category… The word has two distinct meanings: (a) A trope. A trope is a word, statement, or image displaced from its primary, surface meaning so as to represent something else, by virtue of an imputed similarity. (b) A saying that has currency among the people. This is its sense in Proverbs (1:1, 6; 10:1; 25:1; 26:7, 9).” While many “sayings” are not tropes, and many tropes are not sayings, some mashalim are both sayings and tropes.

The title is followed by a short prologue which states – in many synonymous ways – the purpose of studying the book: to gain wisdom. Many scholars have pointed out the similarities between this prologue and those of other ancient Near Eastern wisdom texts such as the Instruction of Amenemope (an Egyptian text going back to at least 1200 BCE, see Context of Scripture 1.47). For example, that text begins “Beginning of the teaching for life, The instructions for well-being, Every rule for relations with elders, For conduct toward magistrates; Knowing how to answer one who speaks, To reply to one who sends a message. So as to direct him on the paths of life, To make him prosper upon earth; To let his heart enter its shrine, Steering clear of evil; To save him from the mouth of strangers, To let (him) be praised in the mouth of people.” It seems that there was a conventional way of beginning works of Wisdom, and the book of Proverbs followed that convention. The introduction ends with a programmatic statement in v. 7: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and discipline.” The words “fear of the Lord” play an important role in Proverbs, appearing a total of 14 times.

Like many sections in Proverbs (e.g. 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, 6:1, etc.), the first unit begins with a father’s speech to a son: “My son, heed the discipline of your father, And do not forsake the instruction of your mother; For they are a graceful wreath upon your head, A necklace about your throat” (vv. 8-9). The father warns his son to avoid the temptations of the wicked: “My son, do not set out with them; Keep your feet from their path. For their feet run to evil; They hurry to shed blood.” (vv. 15-16) The section ends with a “summary-appraisal formula” in v. 19: “Such is the fate of all who pursue unjust gain; It takes the life of its possessor.” Another example of such a formula is Job 8:13: “Such is the fate of all who forget God; The hope of the impious man comes to naught.”

The last section is a speech of personified wisdom. It begins, like other speeches of personified Wisdom (cf. Prov. 8:1-3, 9:1-3), by depicting the public setting in which it was said: “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets, Raises her voice in the squares. At the head of the busy streets she calls; At the entrance of the gates, in the city, she speaks out” (vv. 20-21). Wisdom’s message is harsh, condemning in a merciless fashion those who do not listen to her: “Since you refused me when I called, And paid no heed when I extended my hand, You spurned all my advice, And would not hear my rebuke, I will laugh at your calamity, And mock when terror comes upon you, When terror comes like a disaster, And calamity arrives like a whirlwind, When trouble and distress come upon you. Then they shall call me but I will not answer; They shall seek me but not find me.” (vv. 24-28)

Murphy makes an interesting point: in the book of Proverbs personified wisdom seems to take on the role of God. He writes (p. 12), “An astonishing feature of Wisdom’s speeches in chaps. 1–9 is that she speaks like the Lord, no less… What was referred to God is now referred to her. It is she who feels rebuffed, and who threatens those who refuse to listen. She has divine authority, and she hands out reward and punishment. She does not mention the Lord; she does not urge conversion to God, but to herself! One looks forward with a certain wonderment to speeches that will be proclaimed by her.” As support for this assertion he compares the following verses: Wisdom says (in Prov. 1:24) “Since you refused me when I called (ya’an qara’ti), And paid no heed when I extended my hand” much like God (in Is. 66:4), “… For I called (ya’an qara’ti) and none responded, I spoke and none paid heed…” Similarly, Wisdom says (in Prov. 1:28) “Then they shall call me but I will not answer; They shall seek me but not find me,” much like God (in Zech. 7:13), “… ‘So,’ said the LORD of Hosts, ‘let them call and I will not listen.’”