Solomon was a very voluminous writer. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and a thousand and five songs. He spoke of trees, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that springs out of the wall.
From all his writings, however, we have preserved to us only the present book of Proverbs, containing about four hundred, one song of which seems to have been the chiefest of all, (Song 1:1) and the short book of Ecclesiastes. It seems that from all the three thousand proverbs these were selected as being the best, "excluding all that were local, personal, or simply humorous,"--Barnes' Notes, "Introduction to Proverbs," 1832. and retaining those only which fell in with the great moral and religious purpose of God in handing down His will to men.
Here the child is taken, and, as it were, introduced to Wisdom herself in all her beauty, who, if he will allow her, takes him by the hand and leads him through the treacherous paths of youth to manhood, and to an old age which is itself a crown of glory because found in the way of righteousness. "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." (Proverbs 16:31)
Here is instruction not only for the child and the youth, but for husband and wife, for father and mother, for the farmer, the merchant, the rich, the poor, the high, and the low. It is Wisdom's grand summary of instruction to the children of men.
The purpose of the Proverbs is stated: "To know [give] wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion." (Proverbs 1:2-4)
"To give subtilty"--acuteness, nicety of distinction, i.e., the ability to distinguish the true from the false, to know the good, and to detect the bad; to see the right, and to discover any lurking tendency toward wrong.
"To the simple."--On this we give the following from Dr. Clarke:
The word simple, from simplex, compounded of sine, without, and plica, a fold, signifies properly, plain and honest, one who has no bye-ends in view; who is what he appears to be; ... but because honesty and plain dealing are so rare in the world, and none but the truly religious man will practice them, farther than the fear of the law obliges him, hence simple has sunk into a state of progressive deterioration.
First it signified, as above, without fold, unmixed, uncompounded; this was its radical meaning.
Secondly, as applied to men, it signified innocent, harmless, without disguise.
Thirdly, such persons were rather an unfashionable sort of people, it sunk in its meaning to homely, homespun, mean, ordinary.
And fourthly, as worldly men, ... supposed that wisdom, wit, and understanding, were given to men that they might make the best of them in reference to the things of this life, the word sunk still lower in its meaning, and signified silly, foolish; and there, to the dishonor of our language and morals, it stands. ... And simplicity, that meant at first openness, plain dealing, downright honesty, is now degraded to weakness, silliness, foolishness. And they will continue thus degraded till downright honesty and plain dealing get again into vogue.
"To give subtlety to the simple" therefore signifies, to give, acuteness, tact, and nicety of distinction to the honest-hearted, the upright, the sincere. "A wise man will hear and will increase learning." (Proverbs 1:5)
Solomon has himself given us the meaning of wise as here used: "The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright." (Proverbs 15:2)
The right use of that which we have already learned not only creates a desire to learn more, but it imparts the ability to properly acquire and appreciate more. Such a man will indeed "increase learning;" he cannot help it; and every increase of such learning is an increase and strengthening of his wisdom.
Wisdom therefore is not shown in the amount that we know, but in the right use of that which we know, however little it may be. "There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city ... Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength ... Wisdom is better than weapons of war." (Ecclesiastes 9:14-18) "And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels." (Proverbs 1:5)
Literally, shall make himself a pilot. The cognate word is used thus in Ezekiel 27:8. That is, he may gain "the power to steer his course rightly on the dangerous sea of life." The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." (Proverbs 1:7)
"The fear of the Lord." Not the slavish fear arising from dread of punishment. But that filial "fear" which springs from respectful reverence, and a fear to offend lest we cause pain to the one whom we have in view; that fears to do contrary to the wish of the one whom we serve, lest we disappoint his expectations of us and forfeit his confidence.
"Is the beginning of knowledge." The man who fears the Lord has entered upon a course of knowledge and wisdom, which is limited only by eternity. However little he may have acquired of knowledge, as the world goes, if he have the fear of the Lord, he has eternity before him, in which to increase knowledge. And though he have all the knowledge of all men of all the world, and have not the fear of the Lord, his little life is soon "rounded by a sleep," and all has ceased, all his knowledge is ended. For when he arises from the dead, it is to woeful destruction, and all that he was is brought to naught. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. "My son, if sinners entice you, consent not." (Proverbs 1:10)
Or, as Dr. Clarke gives it, "will you not," that is have a "will not" for all forms of evil enticement. There is nothing that will strengthen and confirm us in our determination to do right, and at the same time weaken the seducer to wrong, like a firm, decided, "I will not." If one would entice you to take strong drink, meet it with, "I will not." If they would entice you to chew or smoke tobacco, or to run with them in "ways that are dark and tricks that are vain," give them a plain, "I will not." They may sneer at, and make fun of you, yet in their hearts they will respect and honor you. The Lord says: "Them that honor me I will honor." (1 Samuel 2:30) "If sinners entice you, will you not." (Proverbs 1:10)--Signs of the Times, November 6, 1884--Original title: Notes on the International Lesson. Proverbs 1:1-16--Notes on the International Lesson, November 23--Proverbs 1:2-4, 5, 7, 10; 15:2; 16:31
A.T. Jones