Day #157

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Proverbs 7-9 - Audio
Proverbs 7-9- Reading

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Daily Reading: Proverbs 7-9

Proverbs 7

The main character of this chapter is the adulterous woman who represents Folly. Folly is personified as this seductive woman. “She” will be contrasted to Lady Wisdom. This interplay between lady wisdom and lady folly is woven throughout the book of proverbs (CLIMAXING IN CHAPTER 31 in the description of the Wife of Noble Character).

7.1-3 The parent urges the child to keep his commands. To “bind them on your fingers” and to “write them on the tablet of his heart.” This imagery hits both the internal (heart) and external (fingers) nature of wisdom. Wisdom not only guides your thoughts, but your actions as well.

7.4-5 His guidance boils down to this “Say to wisdom, 'you are my sister,' and to insight, 'you are my relative.'” While the parent's words echo the law of Moses, they are more immediately connected to wisdom and to understanding, which are personified here as the object of love. In tender terms-similar to what you would say to a bride or a wife. (New Interpreter's Bible Commentary [NIBC])

7.6-27 The adulteress woman is more than just a moral lesson in sexual morality. This episode categorizes the nature of all folly. It reads like a parable or fable. While folly is attractive at first, ultimately “her house is a highway to the grave (vs27).” This woman shows up several times in Proverbs, not being clearly identified until 9.13 “The woman called Folly is brash [or riotous] (the NET Bible makes this most clear).”

7.7 This man didn't have wisdom; it is as if the parent is saying “See what happens...”

7.8 This is a key verse. The naïve young man takes the road to seductresses house, thereby disobeying the parent's command in 4.14-15. The hebrew verb implies intentionality and continuous action. It is as if he is uncontrollably drawn to that corner, but by his own desires. At this point, it seems, that the conscious choice has not been made, but the desires of his heart draws him near

7.9 Twilight is a symbolic time of day. While by daylight, things are clear. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. But at twilight, things begin to get fuzzy.

7.10 Now that he is in range, the adulteress woman (folly) leaps into action. She is loud and aggressive. She is dressed like a prostitute (which does not indicate her profession but her crafty purpose).

7.11 “Her feet never stay at home” is a euphemism. Feet are often used in place of private parts (Judges 3.24, Kings 18.27) In other words, Folly gets around.

7.22 This is the turning point. Notice the heavy animal imagery. The youth has lost his humanity, and been seduced. He is like a trapped animal. But this ensnarement came by a series of choices which had their consequences. He should have known better.

7.23-27 The parent now offers the moral of the story. “Life is a journey motivated by love for either Wisdom or Folly, whose end is life or death. The conditions for life in this world are thus: freedom within structure, love within limits, and life within the rules. To try to live outside the order of existence is to enter the realm of death (NIBC).”

Note: Proverbs seven does not make a general statement about women's sexuality. Any attempt to stereotype women in this way is completely missing the point of the text. Proverbs also portrays Wisdom as a woman(the capable wife), who is meant to be the object of our love (obviously wisdom is not something just for men to seek).

Proverbs 8

8.1-5 Lady Folly is not the only one calling out our name. Lady Wisdom also calls to us. But instead of seductive words, she invites the whole world into her loving embrace. “I love those who love me (vs 17).” She calls specifically to those farthest from her: the “simple” and the “foolish.”

Note: It seems that Lady Wisdom is the personification of God's divine attribute of wisdom here. Perhaps Lady Wisdom can be identified with the Holy Spirit or Christ, but the parallels are not exact (for example, Wisdom is said to be created by God. No person of the trinity is a creature). Most likely is that Lady Wisdom is simply personified to be an impactful literary device. In Acts 6.10, the Holy Spirit is named to be the giver of wisdom. Wisdom seems to be something revealed to us more than gained by us.

8.6-22 This portion is Lady Wisdom's resume or perhaps (even better) a personal profile on eHarmony. “My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness...I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

Note: While 6-13 speaks to an individual life, 13-21 show that Wisdom is indispensable for civil and social order. In other words, Lady Wisdom is VERY interested in politics.

8.22-31 Beyond (and even before) human will, Wisdom is shown to reflect the very order of the universe (“I was constantly at his side [vs 30].”). Sky, land, and sea describe the entirety of God's creation. This is a call back to Genesis 1, when God creates order out of Chaos. Everything is given its place. He gives boundaries to light/darkness, water above/water below, land/sea. We see wisdom too at work in the created order. It is human beings who pushed the limits (remember the Garden of Eden). In Jeremiah 5.21-29, Jeremiah uses very proverbial language in describing God's rebellious children, “you are foolish people who have no understanding, who have eyes but do not discern, who have ears but do not perceive.” Jeremiah goes on essentially to say that we, unlike the sea do not know our boundaries.

8.32-36 “Blessed are those who keep my ways....Blessed are those who listen to me.” Wisdom is to be sought and found like a wife. These verses repeat the blessing and love imagery (seek, find, embrace) of Proverbs 3.11-18.

Proverbs 9

Chapter 9 concludes the first major section of proverbs. It contrasts two houses. The house of Wisdom and the house of Folly. This chapter echoes the language of Proverbs 1-8. Wisdom built a perfect house (7 pillars) prepared for a banquet (eat my food, drink my wine); Folly has constructed a house of death. We are given a choice as to which house we enter. The chapter is split into 3 parts.

9.1-6 Part 1 describes Lady Wisdom's house

9.7-12 Part 2 is an interlude. Part 2 gives us the tools we need to make the decision between Wisdom's House and Folly's House, and how to enter Wisdom's house. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

9.13-18 Part 3. As mentioned before, Lady Folly is clearly identified here. She is in absolute contrast to Lady Wisdom. She makes the same invitation as Lady Wisdom “Let all who are simple come to my house.” But she offers bogus good in contrast to the genuine good of Wisdom. Her water is stolen. Folly and sin represent what is out of order in this world—what is out of place. Sin is a parasite on the good. It takes what is good and twists it. Takes too much of it. Hoards it. Wastes it. Ruins it. Perverts it. “When humans are tempted, it is by something God created good. But it is a disordered good, because we humans, as Augustine saw it, are driven by disordered loves to disorder reality. Christ, the Wisdom of God, come to set our love right (NIBC).”

Questions for reflections: in what ways have you tried to push the boundaries God has set for your life? Do you find yourself in situations you know you should have been avoided? Why were you there?

What would a world that fully embraced wisdom look like?