Discourse 4 [4:1-27] (HBH). this chapter has all the urgency of a father's appeal to his son. The plea is that the boy learn right from wrong and stay in the right path for all his life. "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding" (4:7). It is as though father and son were in the marketplace and the father was urging the son to speak his money on wisdom rather than on anything else. The price is the son's whole life.

Prov. 4:1-9 The father who counsels quotes the counsel of his own father. Counseling is a legacy that should be perpetuated. What follows isn't a mere collection of adages about good conduct, but a serious exhortation to seek wisdom.

Prov. 4:5-9 See section 1 of "TRUTH IN ACTION" at the end of Proverbs.

Prov. 4:12-15 An energetic and rapid succession of verb forms, the majority of them negative imperative, offers warnings to the son.

Prov. 4:16,17 They: The unholy are addicted to evil. This becomes as natural to them as sleeping, eating and drinking.

Prov. 4:18 The just: Here, compared with the unholy, their destiny shines like a resplendent promise.

Prov. 4:20-22 These three verses, along with 5:1,2 and 5:7 remind, at intervals, the called about the importance of truth and wisdom.

Prov. 4:23 Keep your heart: Value and protect your mind, emotions and will. How it would have benefited Solomon if he had followed his own counsel!

Prov. 4:24-27 Mouth, lips, eyes, and feet, are symbols associated with communication, attention and conduct.

Discourse 5 [5:1-23] (HBH). Here the father urges his son to avoid every form of promiscuity and be faithful to his own wife. Some may consider the emphasis on the dangers of adultery in these chapters of Proverbs to be excessive. But many go astray and warp their lives precisely here. A primary purpose of wisdom is to teach the reader to avoid self-destruction, and few things are more dangerous and yet so alluring as sexuality. Sexuality itself is not, however, an unhealthy or bad thing. Verses 15-19 eloquently celebrate the beauty and joy of sexual love in its proper place.

Prov. 5:3-6,8 The vivid image of the seductive woman concludes with a warning.

Prov. 5:9-14 Ignoring the warning of verse 8 brings remorse and misery with it.

Prov. 5:15-20 First through metaphors (water, fountains), later directly, matrimonial fidelity is called for.

Prov. 5:21-23 Unable to hide from GOD, the unholy awaits a sad end.

Discourse 6 [6:1-35] (HBH). No one can live a peaceful life with financial chaos due to excessive debt. Proverbs urges diligence in labor and caution about entering into contracts and indebtedness. Again the book warns the young man to avoid both the devious man (6:12-19) and the wanton woman (6:20-35). The numeric saying in 6:16-19 serves as an easy-to-remember rule of thumb for evaluating character. In the modern day 6:25 applies to pornography as well as to acts of adultery.

Prov. 6:1-5 The warning about acting as a bondsman for someone whose acts we can't control, resounds with the urgency of something experienced; either by the writer or his son.

Prov. 6:6-11 See section 4 of "TRUTH IN ACTION" at the end of Proverbs.

Prov. 6:6-11 The laboriousness of the ant constitutes a shame for the lazy! Proverbs condemns inactivity, lack of initiative, agreement with errors and lack of discipline. See also 10:26; 13:4; 24:30-34.

Prov. 6:12 Depraved (KJV-wicked): Literally, "of Belial", alludes as much to something without value as to evil; an appropriate term because one of the central themes of the book is that unholiness benefits nobody. Belial commonly represents the unholy in the Scriptures (for example, see the note for I Sam. 2:12).

Prov. 6:13,14 Winks...speaks...makes signs: These are gestures that are often utilized to sow discord, with which the quotation of those things that GOD repudiates culminates (verses 17-19).

Prov. 6:16 Six...seven: Is a metaphorical way to indicate that the list isn't exhaustive.

Prov. 6:17 The deceitful tongue: A reference to the innate human tendency to speak without caring about the truth of what one says. Compare with the false witness (v.19), which implies deliberate perjury to cause damage to another person. Both forms of falsehood are in the list of horrendous things. And even worse is one who sows discords.

Prov. 6:20-23 Once again (as done previously in 4:20-22; 5:1,2,7; and later in 7:1-4,24) the appeal appears to take what parents teach seriously: in their commandments and reproofs there are guidance (v.22), light (v.23) and life (v.23).

Prov. 6:24-35 This long and eloquent appeal against adultery is based on the consequences that follow an act of that nature: poverty (v.26), mockery (v.33) and bitter retribution (verses 34,35). The adulterer is worse than the thief (v.30), the ignorant (v.32) and the corrupter (v.32).

Discourse 7 [7:1-27] (HBH). This chapter offends some readers on the grounds that it seems to attack women. The harlot, a woman, is presented as a deadly, wicked person whom the wise young man will avoid. But no similar warning is issued for the benefit of young girls. Nothing is said about lecherous men. Yet we must remember that the book was written for young men (see "Introduction"). That being the case, we would not expect similar warnings for girls. Verse 6 begins an example story in which the young man is taken in by the harlot and is on his way to destruction. He becomes a bird in a snare or an ox going to slaughter (7:22-23).

Prov. 7:6-23 Here is a brief and sad tale about a young man's visit to a prostitute, that ends with death, whether real or figurative. The "strange woman" of 5:3,20 is probably a married woman. The "evil woman" of 6:24 could be a prostitute (6:26), or his neighbor's wife (6:29). The harlot of 7:10 is clearly a professional in her acts, if not in a permanent occupation. She has a husband (v.19), but she's seen as a prostitute (v.10). She doesn't seek money for granting her favors, but enjoys destroying her victims.

Prov. 7:14 Peace offerings...paid my vows: Obedient to the letter of some minor (and easy) aspects of the Law, the immoral woman would celebrate a religious feast abandoning herself to the worst sins of the flesh. Formal and ceremonial religiosity is pious externally while shutting its eyes to the fundamental things. Jesus energetically condemned forgetting "the most important aspects of the law" (Matt. 23:23).

Prov. 7:22,23 Ox...fool...bird: The one who gives himself to the seduction is as naive as these simple creatures, no matter how strong he thinks he is (v.26).

Discourse 8 [8:1-36] (HBH). Wisdom calls out for young men to come to her. She both parallels and contrasts with the harlot, who likewise patrols the streets looking for young men (7:6-27). The difference is that wisdom leads young men to life, but the harlot takes them to the grave (compare 7:27 to 8:35). Wisdom is of more value than gold or jewels (8:10-11,18). More than that, she was present with GOD at creation (8:22-31). Nevertheless, she should not be interpreted in a mythological sense, as if she were a goddess, or in a Christological sense, as if she were Christ. Lady Wisdom is a personification, not a person (see also 8:12, where wisdom dwells with "prudence"; this too is a personification and not a second person). When the text says wisdom was there when GOD made heaven and earth, it means that wisdom is not some recent innovation. Principles of right and wrong are not human inventions but are embedded in the very fabric of the created order. Those who reject wisdom, therefore, are going against the very principles GOD built into the world and are on a path of self-destruction.

Prov. 8:1-3 Wisdom, instead of hiding itself or trying to hide, launches its appeal from the high places, the crossroads and the entrance to the city; all public places. Compare with the similar relation that appears in 1:20,21.

Prov. 8:4-36 The personification of wisdom as an attractive woman gives it the opportunity to compete (in an extreme contrast) with the evil woman of chapter 7.

Prov. 8:4-9 Men...sons of men: The appeal is directed to all mankind: To the simple (v.5), the fools (v.5) and those who have found wisdom (v.9).

Prov. 8:10,11 Silver...gold...precious stones: Wisdom should be preferred above all these things (a triple comparison that is repeated in 3:14,15), the most precious material objects mentioned in the Bible.

Prov. 8:12-21 See section 1 of "TRUTH IN ACTION" at the end of Proverbs.

Prov. 8:13 The fear of Jehovah: Is equivalent here to hating evil, and is comparable to wisdom (9:10) and knowledge; therefore, wisdom and knowledge come to abhor evil.

Prov. 8:15-21 Toe products of wisdom include authority (v.15), justice (v.15), wealth, honor and rectitude (v.18).

Prov. 8:21 Treasures: Refers specifically to monetary gains rather than "riches" in general (v.18).

Prov. 8:22-31 Eloquently, but without arrogance, wisdom explains that it's eternally equal to GOD, because is was a quality of the divinity from before the Creation.

Prov. 8:32 Now, then: It's argued that wisdom should be heard for its antiquity and the special place that it belongs in GOD's plans.

Prov. 8:34,35 Other benefits of wisdom: blessing, life, and favor.

Prov. 8:36 The benefits of wisdom are better revealed when it's compares with the condition oft hose who have rejected it.

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