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Proverbs 1:20-33
20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
KJV Commentary
Verse 20-22.
The plea of wisdom continues, and we meet the person of wisdom. Wisdom appears in this section as a female. Wisdom crieth … in the streets. In the places of public concourse wisdom raises her voice. It is interesting to note how in her many activities wisdom parallels the works of the Lord Jesus Christ as He is depicted in the New Testament. She cries where traffic converges at the gateways of the fortified cities. How long, she cries! Her cry is addressed to three classes of persons. The simple ones are those who are open to good influences, but are also too open to those who influence for evil. Life is simple, for them for they are in pursuit of simple pleasure; and lithe else interests them. The scorner (Heb leµts) despises that which is godly and takes pride in his evil works. The name (Heb leµts) seems to have arisen in Solomon's time when prosperity allowed for the growth of such indifference and pride. Thirdly, wisdom addresses herself to the fools (Heb kesiµliµm). These are those stupid persons who are totally confident in their own wisdom. They believe they have things all figured out without God's aid (cf. Isa 28:14). Wisdom cannot bear the sight of these sinners moving off toward hell and destruction without crying out (cf. Lk 19:41; Rom 9:2).
Verse 23.
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you. Wisdom pleads with men to turn, and the reward for that turning is her spirit. She promises to pour out her spirit; literally, her spirit will flow or gush upon those who turn. There may be an echo here of the prophetic promises of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Isa 44:3; Joel 2:28-29). I will make known my words. Wisdom will also increase the knowledge of those who turn. A similar promise is found in Psalm 25:14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. Blessing and revelation is for those who will turn, and judgment awaits those who will not.
Verse 32-33.
Their turning away and their prosperity has produced a false sense of well-being that leads them to destruction. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet. He who hears wisdom and embraces her shall dwell in the place of safety and shall not be afraid of evil tidings. (cf. Ps 112:7; Ps 37).
20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
KJV Commentary
Verse 20-22.
The plea of wisdom continues, and we meet the person of wisdom. Wisdom appears in this section as a female. Wisdom crieth … in the streets. In the places of public concourse wisdom raises her voice. It is interesting to note how in her many activities wisdom parallels the works of the Lord Jesus Christ as He is depicted in the New Testament. She cries where traffic converges at the gateways of the fortified cities. How long, she cries! Her cry is addressed to three classes of persons. The simple ones are those who are open to good influences, but are also too open to those who influence for evil. Life is simple, for them for they are in pursuit of simple pleasure; and lithe else interests them. The scorner (Heb leµts) despises that which is godly and takes pride in his evil works. The name (Heb leµts) seems to have arisen in Solomon's time when prosperity allowed for the growth of such indifference and pride. Thirdly, wisdom addresses herself to the fools (Heb kesiµliµm). These are those stupid persons who are totally confident in their own wisdom. They believe they have things all figured out without God's aid (cf. Isa 28:14). Wisdom cannot bear the sight of these sinners moving off toward hell and destruction without crying out (cf. Lk 19:41; Rom 9:2).
Verse 23.
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you. Wisdom pleads with men to turn, and the reward for that turning is her spirit. She promises to pour out her spirit; literally, her spirit will flow or gush upon those who turn. There may be an echo here of the prophetic promises of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Isa 44:3; Joel 2:28-29). I will make known my words. Wisdom will also increase the knowledge of those who turn. A similar promise is found in Psalm 25:14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. Blessing and revelation is for those who will turn, and judgment awaits those who will not.
Verse 32-33.
Their turning away and their prosperity has produced a false sense of well-being that leads them to destruction. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet. He who hears wisdom and embraces her shall dwell in the place of safety and shall not be afraid of evil tidings. (cf. Ps 112:7; Ps 37).
