Prov 8.1-36 is a chapter that tells us that God was always wise, and wisdom is seen as a person in this chapter, as we like to call her, the Virtuous Woman. Historically, Messiah is seen as wisdom in Proverbs also. Wisdom is also seen as a manifestation of Yehovah in 1 Cor 12.8.
Prov 8.1-11 tells us that wisdom (chachmah or inspired intellect and input and knowing what to with it all) calls out and has promises. It talks about what wisdom has. Again, we see wisdom as the virtuous woman contrasted with the adulterous woman of the previous chapter.
v 1…Does not wisdom call and understanding (binah or comprehension) lift up her voice (bat kol or “daughter of the voice”-Mic 6.9).
v 2…On top of the heights (to be seen and heard), beside the way where the paths meet (a crossroad) she takes her stand.
v 3…Beside the gates (where the courts sat), at the opening to the city, at the entrance of the doors, she cries out (publicly).
v 4…To you, O men, I (wisdom) call and my voice is to the sons of men (everyone has heard the message and there are none who has an excuse-Rom 1.18-32. There is a saying that goes along with this. Anyone can be honestly mistaken, but once they hear the truth they will either stop being mistaken or stop being honest).
v 5…O naive (simple) ones, discern prudence (self-control and apply it), and O fools, discern wisdom (be of an understanding heart or “lev” in Hebrew).
v 6…Listen (root is “shema”) for I shall speak of noble (excellent) things; and the opening of my lips will produce right things (agreeable to reason and the Torah of Yehovah).
v 7…For my mouth will utter truth (in line with the Torah); and wickedness is an abomination to my lips (as opposed to the truth; it is detestable and not in line with the Torah).
v 8…All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness (connected with the righteousness in the Torah of God, in line with it); there is nothing crooked (perverted) in them.
v 9…They are all straightforward to him who understands (in heart, desires, thoughts); and right to those who find knowledge (Hebrew “da’at” meaning the knowledge of God in facts).
v 10…Take my instruction (receive it) and not silver, and knowledge (da’at) rather than choice gold (it is to be preferred over these).
v 11…For wisdom (chachmah) is better than jewels (precious stones); and all desirable things cannot compare with her.
Prov 8.12-21 tells us that Torah wisdom just became a person and speaks.
v 12…I, wisdom (chachmah), dwell (Hebrew “shkanti”) with prudence (self-control), and I find knowledge (Da’at or the knowledge of God in Torah facts) and discretion (God knows all the plans that are in the hearts of men, including wicked designs and secret thoughts).
v 13…The fear (awe) of Yehovah is to hate evil (all evil in general), pride and arrogance and the evil way (“Hebrew “derek ha ra” or evil in a person’s ways), and the perverted mouth (contrary to the truth of the Torah).
v 14…Counsel is mine and sound wisdom (that which gets to the heart of the matter); I (wisdom) am understanding (binah or comprehension); power is mine (the strength to energize wisdom).
v 15…By me kings reign (exercise their wisdom to rule, make decisions and stay in power) and rulers decree (administer) justice.
v 16…By me princes rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly (other officers of the government).
v 17…I (wisdom) love those who love me (and will be rewarded); and those who diligently seek me will find me (and the benefits it brings).
v 18…Riches and honor are with me, the enduring wealth and righteousness (increasing them, as opposed to those who seek wealth because that corrupts and will not endure).
v 19…My fruit is better that gold, even pure gold (which is forgiveness, pardon, grace, mercy, adoption, justification, sanctification, salvation and life), and my yield (revenue) than choicest silver (exceeds it in real value).
v 20…I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice (like a shepherd leading the flock; God leads his people in the Torah, called “The Way.”)
v 21…To endow those who love me (wisdom personified in Yeshua in John 15.15) with wealth (substance, blessings), that I may fill their treasuries (it gives spiritual knowledge to our hearts, the treasury-Matt 12.35).
Prov 8.22-31 tells us that wisdom has been eternal with Yehovah and there from the beginning.
v 22…Yehovah possessed me at the beginning of his way, before his works of old (eternal, before the world was and God used wisdom when he created the universe. This verse was perverted by Arius of Alexander to say that Yeshua was not God, but a created being. Why? Because the Septuagint translates “qanah” as “created one.” This error was one of many by Arius. Many correlate the wisdom in Prov 8 to be Yeshua, but it is an error to say this describes him here because it has been referred to in feminine terms. Yeshua is God and he possesses wisdom. Qanal can be translated “create” but God did not create wisdom at the beginning because that would mean he lacked it at that point, and that is a fatal flaw of Arianism).
v 23…From everlasting (olam) I (wisdom) was established (set up), from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth (origin of creation; before anything existed).
v 24…When there was no depths (oceans were not made yet) I was brought forth, when there was no springs abounding with water (the hidden springs from which the waters of the flood “cleaved” or “knifed” out-Gen 7.11).
v 25…Before the mountains were settled (put into position by Yehovah), before the hills, I (wisdom) was brought forth (existed before world was otherwise it could not have been brought forth; but now wisdom will be seen in the creation and endowed).
v 26…While he (Yehovah) had not yet made the earth and the fields (literally “open spaces, deserts”) nor the first dust of the earth.
v 27…When he (Yehovah) established the heavens (shamayim meaning “there is water”) I was there; when he inscribed a circle (horizon) on the face of the deep (as a boundary for the eyes of man).
v 28…When he made firm the skies (clouds) above, when the springs of the deep became fixed (set their boundaries, holding them in place by his word).
v 29…When he set for the sea its boundary, so that the water should not transgress his command (Gen 1.9), when he marked out the foundations of the earth (the earth’s mantle under the continents called the “Asthenosphere”).
v 30…When I (wisdom) was beside him (Yehovah) as one brought up with him (co-existing with him), and I was daily his delight (in creating the universe), rejoicing always before him (a pleasure to each other).
v 31…Rejoicing in the world (the created world), his earth (Hebrew “eretz” or land) and having my (wisdom’s) delight in the sons of men (at the creation of Adam and Chava).
Prov 8.32-36 tells us that wisdom wants us to listen.
v 32…Now, therefore, O sons, listen to me (after wisdom has given her impressive accomplishments, she can now call on us to hear and obey her), for blessed (empowered to be a success) are they who keep my ways (as defined in the Torah).
v 33…Heed (hear) instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it (refuse it like a fool).
v 34…Blessed (empowered to be a success) is the man who listens to me (wisdom), watching daily at my gates (the gates of wisdom in the Torah where judgment comes forth-Psa 87.2), waiting at my doorposts (same as gates).
v 35…For he who finds me finds life (eternal life in the Messiah by emunah or faith, and keeping the Torah as a way to live-Matt 19.17; Rev 12.17), and obtains favor from Yehovah .
v 36…But he who sins against me (wisdom) injures himself (misses the mark, and Messiah is the goal of the teaching-Rom 10.4); all those who hate me (by throwing off the yoke of the Torah, despise the doctrines) love death (brings death upon them).
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