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Expanded Comments |
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1 Doth not wisdom cry,
And understanding put forth her voice?
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2 On the top of high places by the way,
Where the paths meet, she standeth;
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3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
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4 Unto you, O men, I call;
And my voice is to the sons of men.
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5 O ye simple, understand prudence;
And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
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6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things;
And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
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7 For my mouth shall utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
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8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
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9 They are all plain to him that understandeth,
And right to them that find knowledge.
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10 Receive my instruction, and not silver;
And knowledge rather than choice gold.
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11 For wisdom is better than rubies;
And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it.
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Better than rubies – If the Queen of Sheba traveled such a long distance to know about the wisdom of God which Solomon possessed, how much more should the "greater than Solomon" be sought. (Matt. 12:42) R5722:5
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12 I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
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13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil:
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
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14 Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge:
I am understanding; I have might.
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Counsel is mine – Christ's, as the personification of wisdom. D637
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15 By me kings reign,
And princes decree justice.
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By me kings reign – Israel's government was that of a republic under divine autocracy and law supervision. R4192:3
Decree justice – The prospect of a righteous, just, unshakable Kingdom. R3053:4
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16 By me princes rule,
And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
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All the judges – The earthly phase of the Kingdom. D637
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17 I love them that love me;
And those that seek me diligently shall find me.
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I love them – This is said of wisdom, but God is the personification of wisdom; and also Christ is wisdom-- "he is made unto us wisdom." (1Cor. 1:30) R4269:6
That seek me early – "Train up a child in the way he should go." (Prov. 22:6) R3711:5
The child-mind is peculiarly susceptible to the truth and its spirit-- the spirit of consecration. R4270:1
A child, reasonably well-born and raised under the influences of a Christian home, would very generally, at the age of 12, be ready to make a consecration of himself to the Lord. R3711:5, R 4270:4
Every home should have its Sunday School class and every Sunday its quiet, sacred hour of fellowship, communion and praise--for parents and children. R4270:1
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18 Riches and honor are with me;
Yes, durable wealth and righteousness.
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19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold;
And my revenue than choice silver.
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20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice;
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21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,
And that I may fill their treasuries.
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22 Jehovah acquired me as the beginning of his way,
The first of his works of old.
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LORD possessed me – Jehovah possessed the Logos--wisdom personified. E93; R1059:6, R446:1; SM491:3
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23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
Before the earth was.
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From everlasting – As one of the divine attributes, wisdom existed even before our Lord Jesus; though it is not strange that some infer that wisdom here personifies Christ. R1518:2
Ever the earth was – Was formed. E93
This passage, to verse 25, may be viewed as a prophecy of what our Lord understood of his previous condition. R5065:3
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24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
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Were no depths – No seas. E93
Brought forth – Had Jesus been on an equality with God before, how could he have been highly exalted after. R803:1*
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25 Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills was I brought forth;
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26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
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27 When he established the heavens, I was there:
When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,
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28 When he made firm the skies above,
When the fountains of the deep became strong,
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29 When he gave to the sea its bound,
That the waters should not transgress his commandment,
When he marked out the foundations of the earth;
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30 Then I was by him, as a master workman;
And I was daily his delight.
Rejoicing always before him,
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Brought up with him – For centuries before coming to earth the Son had seen the Father's mighty works, marked his wondrous wisdom and experienced his tender love, having the plan revealed to him step by step. R3160:3
While he joyfully worked out the great plan of creation, Jesus probably knew nothing of God's purpose for the subsequent permission of evil. R3160:3
Showing not only his intimate acquaintance with Jehovah and knowledge of his plans, but exhibiting him as the honored agent in their accomplishment. R1059:6, R446:2*
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31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth;
And my delight was with the sons of men.
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32 Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me;
For blessed are they that keep my ways.
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Blessed are they – God is "a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11:6) R4072:5
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33 Hear instruction, and be wise,
And refuse it not.
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34 Blessed is the man that heareth me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
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35 For whoso findeth me findeth life,
And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.
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36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
All they that hate me love death. |
Love death Let them make "a covenant with death" (Isa. 28:25) who hate wisdom; but we abhor death and seek for life through the life-giver, the Lord Jesus Christ. R625:6*
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