1.
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
My son. Note this guide to the Structure on p. 864.
words = sayings. Hebrew. 'imrah. App-73 .
hide = lay up. More than listening = hide as in a treasury. Illustrations: Deuteronomy 6:6 . Psalms 119:9 , Psalms 119:11 .Matthew 13:44 .Luke 2:19 , Luke 2:51 ; Luke 9:44 .
2.
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
incline thine ear = hearken. Hebrew prick up or point thine ear. Not the same word as in Proverbs 2:18 .
wisdom. Hebrew. chokma. See note on Proverbs 1:2 .
And apply = [then] thou shalt incline or bend thy heart, &c. This is the first step, as Proverbs 2:5 is the result.
understanding = discernment. Hebrew. binah. Note on "wisdom" (Proverbs 1:2 ), No. 2.
3.
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Yea = For if. (Hebrew. ki'im). If thou goest further and criest and seekest, &c. Then the result is shown in Proverbs 2:5 .
4.
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
as silver: or money. Probably the reference is to Job 28 .
5.
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Then . In that case. See notes above.
the fear, &c. That is only "the beginning of wisdom", not the end. See note on Proverbs 1:7 .
find. What He has hidden (Proverbs 2:7 ).
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
6.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
giveth. The cry of Proverbs 2:3 implies a Giver. Illustrations: Joseph (Genesis 41:38 , Genesis 41:39 ); Moses (Exodus 4:12 ); Solomon (1 Kings 3:12 ; 1 Kings 4:29 ); Daniel (Proverbs 1:17 ; Pro 2:23 ); Stephen (Acts 6:5 , Acts 6:10 ); Lydia (Acts 16:14 ); Paul's prayer (Ephesians 1:17 . Colossians 1:9 ); John (1 John 5:20 ).
Out of His mouth. A phrase common in the prophets, but only here in Proverbs.
cometh. Supply Ellipsis from preceding clause "He giveth".
7.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
He layeth up. Same word as "hide" in Proverbs 2:1 . The wicked cannot find. The righteous must dig. It is in safety from the enemy.
sound wisdom = something stable. Hebrew. tushiyah = that which is, or stability. May be so rendered in all its twelve occurrences. Compare Job 5:12 (enterprise = anything stable); Proverbs 6:13 (wisdom = stability); Proverbs 11:6 ; Proverbs 12:16 (wisdom = stability); Proverbs 26:3 ; Proverbs 30:22 (substance). Proverbs 2:7 ; Proverbs 3:21 ; Proverbs 8:14 (sound wisdom); Proverbs 18:1 (wisdom = all that is). Isaiah 28:29 (workings everything that is). Micah 6:9 (the man of wisdom = every one who is or exists). See App-74 .
buckler. Compare Psalms 3:3 ; Psalms 7:10 ; Psalms 18:2 , Psalms 18:30 , Psalms 18:35 ; Psalms 28:7 ; Psalms 33:20 . Applied to God, as here.
uprightly = blamelessly.
8.
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
He keepeth = for preserving. See note on Proverbs 4:23 .
the paths of judgment = righteous paths.
preserveth, &c. Illustrations: David (1 Samuel 25:32-34 ; 1 Samuel 27:1 . Compare 2 Samuel 22:1 ); Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 ).
saints = favoured ones. Hebrew. chasidim. The first occurrence in Proverbs of this word which marks a later Jewish sect called chasidim or holy ones.
9.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Then, &c. Another conclusion, as in Proverbs 2:2 and Proverbs 2:5 .
10.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
When, &c.: or because. Commencing the particular instructions as to the practical power of wisdom, to keep from evil men (verses: Proverbs 2:10-15 ) and the foreign woman (verses: 16-19); and in the way of good men (verses: Proverbs 2:20-22 ). See App-74 .
thy soul = thee. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
11.
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12.
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
deliver = pluck, or rescue. evil = evil [man]. Hebrew. ra'a'.
froward = perverse. Hebrew occurs nine times in Proverbs (verses: Proverbs 2:12 , Proverbs 2:14 , Proverbs 2:14 ; Proverbs 8:13 ; Proverbs 10:31 , Proverbs 10:32 ; Proverbs 16:28 , Proverbs 16:30 ; Proverbs 21:8 ); elsewhere only in Deuteronomy 32:20 .
13.
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
darkness. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), App-6 , for the evil which leads thither. Compare Romans 13:12 .Ephesians 5:11 .
14.
Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
wicked. Same word as "evil", Proverbs 2:12 .
15.
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
16.
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
strange woman. Hebrew. zur = apostate to a false religion, of which prostitution formed part.
stranger = foreigner. Hebrew. nakar = foreign woman. Not of Abraham's seed (Genesis 17:12 ): ever a snare to Israel.
17.
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18.
For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
house. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for household.
the dead. Hebrew Rephaim, who have no resurrection. Compare Isaiah 26:14 ("deceased"), Isaiah 26:19 ("the dead"); and see App-25 . This shows that a Canaanite woman is referred to here.
19.
None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
return again. Compare "rooted out", Proverbs 2:22 , with Isaiah 26:19 .
take . . . hold = attain to.
20.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21.
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
dwell in the land. Not be "cast out", as in Proverbs 2:22 .
perfect: or blameless.
22.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
wicked = lawless. Not the same word as in Proverbs 2:14 . Hebrew. rasha'.
transgressors = traitors, treacherous or faithless ones. Hebrew. bagad.