Prov 9.1-18 tells us that wisdom is again personified as the virtuous woman and she invites us to her “house” which alludes to the Temple, the throne of God, to feast on her provisions. It also discusses those who reject her offer. It discusses the advantages of wisdom and it ends with a description of the foolish woman, or the harlot, and those who feast on her “provisions.”
Prov 9.1-6 talks about the provisions of the virtuous woman.
v 1…Wisdom (chachmah) has built her house (alluding to the Temple dwelling with men), she has hewn out her seven pillars (alluding to the pillars of the court of the Temple and denotes complete stability, and seven is the number of completion and refers to the main attributes of Yehovah-Isa 11.2).
v 2…She has prepared her food (literally “slaughtered her slaughter” in preparing her great feast), she has mixed her wine (symbolizing teaching, covenant, Messiah, banquet, joy, the Torah, marriage, blood and redemption); she has set her table (this is imagery associated with a meal consecrated to God or a “Lord’s Supper”).
v 3…She has sent out her maidens (with invitations), she calls from the tops of the heights of the city (the Temple Mount where the throne of God is on earth).
v 4…Whoever is naive (simple, inexperienced) let him turn in here (into wisdom’s house)! To him who lacks understanding (comprehension) she says,
v 5…”Come eat my food (make wisdom a part of you, learn) and drink the wine I have mixed (the free offer of salvation, marriage, the blood, the Torah, joy, Messiah, etc).
v 6…Forsake your folly (leave the simple ones, the foolish) and live (Deut 30.6; Matt 19.17), and proceed in the way of understanding (by following Torah).”
Prov 9.7-12 tells us the fruitlessness of trying to teach wisdom to those who don’t want to learn, and the benefits of fearing (have an awe for) Yehovah.
v 7…He who corrects the scoffer gets dishonor for himself (his efforts are met with insults and mockery), and he who reproves (corrects) a wicked man gets insults for himself (discredit).
v 8…Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you (he believes he is always right). Reprove a wise man, and he will love you (because he knows he is human and makes mistakes).
v 9…Give instruction to a wise man; and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.
v 10…The fear (reverence) of Yehovah is the beginning of wisdom (the source, the basis), and the knowledge (da’at) of the Holy Ones (plural, alluding to the triune nature of Yehovah-Ecc 12.1; Job 35.10; Psa 149.2) is understanding (comprehension).
v 11…For by me your days will be multiplied (in this life and in the Olam Haba), and years of life will be added to you.
v 12…If you are wise, you are wise for yourself (for your own good), and if you scoff, you alone will bear it (scoffing only harms the scoffer).
Prov 9.13-18 tells us the “provisions” of the harlot and what she has to offer.
v 13…The woman of folly (the harlot) is boisterous (noisy with a mouth that speaks great words, blasphemies and boasting, like the False Messiah will-Dan 7.20, 11.36), she is naive (simple, inexperienced) and knows nothing (that is good).
v 14…She sits at the doorway of her house (doing nothing but looking for victims) on a seat by the high places of the city (fools are not only in a house, but can be found in the highest places of the city),
v 15…Calling to those who pass by, who are making their paths straight (travelers using the highways and roads to conduct business, etc)
v 16…”Whoever is naive (simple), let him turn in here,” (to the harlot’s house) and to him who lacks understanding (comprehension, heart) she says,
v 17…”Stolen water is sweet; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant (things gained by sin are more sweet than what is legally obtained and this is seen in the multitudes that follow that proverbial saying).”
v 18…But he does not know that the dead are there (the allure and excitement of sin has its excitement for awhile, but in the end, the children of death are there), and that her guests are in the depths of Sheol (sunk down in the pit).
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