The Beginning of Knowledge
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
for they are a graceful garland for your head
and pendants for your neck.
My son, if sinners entice you,
do not consent.
If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;
let us ambush the innocent without reason;
like Sheol let us swallow them alive,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder;
throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
my son, do not walk in the way with them;
hold back your foot from their paths,
for their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
but these men lie in wait for their own blood;
they set an ambush for their own lives.
Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
it takes away the life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
If you turn at my reproof,
behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when terror strikes you,
when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof,
therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.
For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
(ESV)
Proverbs 1 Commentary
In Proverbs 1, the author identifies himself as Solomon, son of David and king of Israel. The Proverbs of Solomon are given to impart wisdom, understanding, and guidance for living with integrity, justice, and fairness (Proverbs 1:1-6). True knowledge begins with reverence for the Lord, but fools reject wisdom and discipline (Proverbs 1:7). A child is urged to heed parental instruction, which brings honor and character (Proverbs 1:8-9).
A warning is given against joining the wicked, who seek violence and personal gain, but their actions will lead to their own destruction (Proverbs 1:10-19). Wisdom calls out publicly, offering instruction, but the foolish reject her and will suffer the consequences when disaster strikes (Proverbs 1:20-28). Because they refuse knowledge and obedience to the Lord, they will face ruin, but those who listen to wisdom will live securely and without fear (Proverbs 1:29-33).
What Is The Key To Wisdom?
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
Proverbs 1:7 CSB
The fear of the Lord. Biblical commentator Adam Clarke describes this as “that religious reverence which every intelligent being owes to his Creator.” In other words, it has a lot to do with attitude and relationship.
“What the alphabet is to reading, notes to reading music, and numerals to mathematics, the fear of the Lord is to attaining the revealed knowledge of this book.”
Bruce Waltke
Many would describe “the fear of the Lord” not as a terror, but as an affectionate reverence that leads to joyful obedience. The bottom line is that true wisdom cannot be achieved unless the foundation is built on humility before God. He is God, we are not. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. Apart from Him, we can know nothing.
Jesus puts a new spin on the fear of God in Matthew 10.
“Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Matthew 10:28 CSB
In other words, a wise person understands that God is the ultimate power and authority in the cosmos for all eternity.
Parents And Children
The next scene features a son learning wisdom from his parents. This shows us an example of how wisdom is taught. Parents who respect and honor God teach their children Godly wisdom. Wise parenting begins with bending the knee to God.
Today, people seek all kinds of different ways to try and gain wisdom outside of God. Proverbs 1 unashamedly states that wisdom is not about intellectual superiority. It’s not a shortcut or hack to a hidden path in life. Wisdom, as defined by Solomon, is much more than a simple moral quality. Fearing God and opening our lives to His discipline is an attitude and lifestyle overhaul.
Wisdom Calls Out
Wisdom openly calls out to all people (the simple, the scorner, and the fool), inviting them to receive God’s Spirit and His Word. However, those who hate God reject this call. They disregard God’s outstretched hand and mock Him. As a result, destruction will come. This is a theme seen all throughout Scripture.
Wisdom calls out. She is in the public square. She is at the entrance of the city gates. She is right in front of our faces. God extends Himself to all. He reaches out to all. But there are many who refuse His hand and ignore His Word. With arrogance, they believe there is no accountability for one’s actions in life. This is a callback to the fear of the Lord. Those who do not “fear the Lord” operate in a state of self-worship.
Self-worship leads to a heart that disregards God’s authority. It replaces Him with personal desires and self-exaltation. When people elevate themselves, they ignore the foundational truth that wisdom comes from God, not from within themselves. This ultimately results in foolishness, deception, and spiritual ruin (Pro 1:29-32), where those who reject God’s wisdom suffer the consequences of their choices.
Turning away from wisdom is likened to apostasy, and the individual’s fate is sealed by their own faithlessness. However, those who listen to wisdom will find safety and peace. Their fear of the Lord results in freedom from the fear of evil. Even in adversity, the wise experience peace. The wicked, despite external prosperity, are filled with anxiety. For those who listen to wisdom, even death loses its terror. Suffering becomes a means of drawing closer to God’s promises and peace.
