Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 2:9

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Proverbs 2:9. Then shalt thou understand — He who is taught of God understands the whole law of justice, mercy, righteousness, and truth; God has written this on his heart. He who understands these things by books only is never likely to practise or profit by them.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The rewards of seeking wisdom (2:1-22)

People must spare no effort in diligently searching for wisdom. At the same time they must remember that the true goal of their search is not academic achievement but spiritual growth through knowing God better (2:1-5). However, when they obtain this wisdom, they cannot claim to have achieved it by their own abilities; it is the gift of God. He rewards those who seek genuinely (6).
Not only does God give wisdom to those who earnestly seek it, but he also watches over them (7-8). He gives them inner satisfaction through their greater understanding of what is right (9-10). This enlightened understanding helps protect them from those who have scheming minds and find pleasure in wrongdoing (11-15). Also it will save them from falling to the temptations of immoral women. These women, in making prostitutes of themselves, have left their husbands, despised God and bought lasting damage to themselves and their lovers (16-19). By contrast, those who obtain wisdom have useful lives that bring lasting benefits to all (20-22).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

MANY RICH REWARDS BESTOWED BY WISDOM

"Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, yea, every good path. For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee:"

"Many men in high office who are guiding the destiny of our nation today are not being guided by the Lord."J. Vernon McGee, Vol. III, p. 11. The righteousness, justice and equity needed in a well-ordered society are available only in God's Word. The tragic word in the sacred Scriptures is that, "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). Every generation of mankind has repeatedly proved this to be the truth.

"Knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul" Men must appreciate wisdom in order to profit by it. "It is one thing to be acquainted with wisdom, and quite another for wisdom to be welcomed as a 'pleasant' guest."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 Edition), Proverbs, p. 18.

"Understanding shall keep thee" These words introduce another facet of the benefits of wisdom and the knowledge of God to which it leads; and that is, "It is not only that to which wisdom leads a man, but it is that from which it saves him, or keeps him, that eternally blesses him."Ibid. The following verses will provide examples of this.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 2

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with you; So that you incline your ear unto wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding; If you seek after her as silver, and you search for her as for a hidden treasure; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to him that walks uprightly. He keeps the paths of judgment, and preserves the way of his saints. Then shall you understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yes, every good path. When wisdom entered this into your heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto your soul; Discretion will preserve you, understanding will keep you: And they will deliver you from the way of the evil man, and from the man that speaks froward things ( Proverbs 2:1-12 );

The word froward is a word that means perverse. The Hebrew word is perverse things.

Who leaves the paths of the uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoices to do evil, and delights in the perverseness of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and they pervert their own paths: To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flatters with her words; Who has forsaken the husband of her youth, and has forgotten the covenant that she made before God. For her house inclines unto death, her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. That thou mayest walk in the ways of good men, keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it ( Proverbs 2:13-22 ).

So the instructions of a father to a son. I think that so many times as fathers we probably don't take enough time to just really sit down with our sons and talk to them about life and the issues of life. The importance of seeking after the knowledge of God and the wisdom of God. Seeking it diligently just like you would seek for prosperity from silver or anything else. Hidden treasures. For the treasures of the wisdom and the knowledge, the treasures that they bring to a man who possesses them.

And then the warning against the adulterous woman. How that wisdom will lead you from her, deliver you from her who flatters with her words. As most women know, men are real suckers for flattery. "Oh, you're so strong. Can you open this jar for me, you know? Oh, you're strong, you know." And men are just... they eat it up.

Now, unfortunately, our wives are many times more honest with us. And they, so many times, are just blunt. "Sometimes I think you're so dumb. How can you do such stupid things?" And here the stranger comes along and with her flattery says, "Oh, you're so smart! My, where did you learn all of that? I've never met a man as clever as you," and the flattery. How many men have been trapped by that? And so the warning is against the adulterous woman who flatters with her lips. Be careful of that.

The Bible says that she has forsaken the covenant that she made before God, the marriage vows, the husband of her youth. She has left him. And now she is looking for a prey. She's looking for security. And she comes along with her flattering words and like poor Samson, through her flattering lips the strongest man can be brought down to a crust of bread.

And so here is just a father warning his son, "Be careful for these gals, son, who come along with their flatteries and all. Who can turn and twist your judgment because their path is the path of death. You go into their houses, you don't come out again. There's destruction in their ways." And so the dad warning his son, and we need to be warned of the folly of forsaking the covenants that we have made in our own marriage vows in order to listen to the words of a flatterer. "None that go in unto her return again, neither do they take hold of the path of life." "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. Wisdom as a treasure ch. 2

Chapter 2 is a discourse that sets forth the blessings that wisdom confers.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The giver of Wisdom 2:6-9

The searcher for wisdom will find what God gives when he or she searches divine revelation (Proverbs 2:6). The knowledge of how to live comes with the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:7). The success in view is correct behavior (Proverbs 2:7-9). Lovers of wisdom are godly (Proverbs 2:8, Heb. hasidim, loyal sons of the covenant).

This is another passage in which we can see the difference between Hebrew wisdom literature and that of other ancient nations. Solomon identified Yahweh as the source of wisdom. Only through relationship with Him can a person be truly wise and experience the blessings of wisdom.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment,.... This is another fruit and effect of the Gospel, and of a spiritual understanding of it; that besides the knowledge of God, and how to behave with reverence towards him, Proverbs 2:5; it leads men into a notion of doing that which is right and just among men; it gives them not only a theoretic but a practical understanding of justice, and a true judgment of what is right and wrong; or gives such an understanding thereof as that they practise it; for it teaches men to live soberly, righteously, and godly, Titus 2:11. It is not only a revelation and ministration of the righteousness of Christ as the only matter of a sinner's justification before God; and informs a man's judgment so that he can distinguish between truth and error, right and wrong, good and bad notions and practices; but it influences his actions, life, and conversation, and engages him to do works of righteousness from the best principles, upon the best motives, and with the best views;

and equity; [yea], every good path; that is, so to understand equity, as to do that which is equitable between man and man; and to understand every good path which the word of God directs to, even all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, so as to walk in them; these things the Gospel acquaints men with, and urges them to observe: or the words may be rendered, either "the rectitude" or "equity of fall good paths", as the Syriac version; how just, and right, and plain, and equitable, everyone is, and therefore ought to be walked in; or "plainnesses", or "most plain", is or shall be "every good path" r, to them that have a spiritual and experimental knowledge of the Gospel; and by it an understanding of their duty. One word signifies "plain" and "straight", and another "round" s, and both are true of the path of righteousness; for though it is a circle of duty saints walk in, yet straight and plain.

r So Schmidt. s מישרים "complanationes", Schultens; מעגל "orbitam", Montanus; "ab עגל rotundus", Gejerus.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;   2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;   3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;   4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;   5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.   6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.   7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.   8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.   9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

      Job had asked, long before this, Where shall wisdom be found? Whence cometh wisdom? (Job 28:12; Job 28:20) and he had given this general answer (Job 28:23; Job 28:23), God knoweth the place of it; but Solomon here goes further, and tells us both where we may find it and how we may get it. We are here told,

      I. What means we must use that we may obtain wisdom.

      1. We must closely attend to the word of God, for that is the word of wisdom, which is able to make us wise unto salvation,Proverbs 2:1; Proverbs 2:2. (1.) We must be convinced that the words of God are the fountain and standard of wisdom and understanding, and that we need not desire to be wiser than they will make us. We must incline our ear and apply our hearts to them, as to wisdom or understanding itself. Many wise things may be found in human compositions, but divine revelation, and true religion built upon it, are all wisdom. (2.) We must, accordingly, receive the word of God with all readiness of mind, and bid it welcome, even the commandments as well as the promises, without murmuring or disputing. Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears. (3.) We must hide them with us, as we do our treasures, which we are afraid of being robbed of. We must not only receive, but retain, the word of God, and lodge it in our hearts, that it may be always ready to us. (4.) We must incline our ear to them; we must lay hold on all opportunities of hearing the word of God, and listen to it with attention and seriousness, as those that are afraid of letting it slip. (5.) We must apply our hearts to them, else inclining the ear to them will stand us in no stead.

      2. We must be much in prayer, Proverbs 2:3; Proverbs 2:3. We must cry after knowledge, as one that is ready to perish for hunger begs hard for bread. Faint desires will not prevail; we must be importunate, as those that know the worth of knowledge and our own want of it. We must cry, as new-born babes, after the sincere milk of the word.1 Peter 2:2. We must lift our voice for understanding lift it up to heaven; thence these good and perfect gifts must be expected, James 1:17; Job 38:34. We must give our voice to understanding (so the word is), speak for it, vote for it, submit the tongue to the command of wisdom. We must consecrate our voice to it; having applied our heart to it, we must employ our voice in seeking for it. Solomon could write probatum est--a tried remedy, upon this method; he prayed for wisdom and so obtained it.

      3. We must be willing to take pains (Proverbs 2:4; Proverbs 2:4); we must seek it as silver, preferring it far before all the wealth of this world, and labouring in search of it as those who dig in the mines, who undergo great toil and run great hazards, with indefatigable industry and invincible constancy and resolution, in pursuit of the ore; or as those who will be rich rise up early, and sit up late, and turn every stone to get money and fill their treasures. Thus diligent must we be in the use of the means of knowledge, following on to know the Lord.

      II. What success we may hope for in the use of these means. Our labour shall not be in vain; for, 1. We shall know how to maintain our acquaintance and communion with God: "Thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 2:5), that is, thou shalt know how to worship him aright, shalt be led into the meaning and mystery of every ordinance, and be enabled to answer the end of its institution." Thou shalt find the knowledge of God, which is necessary to our fearing him aright. It concerns us to understand how much it is our interest to know God, and to evidence it by agreeable affections towards him and adorations of him. 2. We shall know how to conduct ourselves aright towards all men (Proverbs 2:9; Proverbs 2:9): "Thou shalt understand, by the word of God, righteousness, and judgment, and equity, shalt learn those principles of justice, and charity, and fair dealing, which shall guide and govern thee in the whole course of thy conversation, shall make thee fit for every relation, every business, and faithful to every trust. It shall give thee not only a right notion of justice, but a disposition to practise it, and to render to all their due; for those that do not do justly do not rightly understand it." This will lead them in every good path, for the scripture will make the man of God perfect. Note, Those have the best knowledge who know their duty, Psalms 111:10.

      III. What ground we have to hope for this success in our pursuits of wisdom; we must take our encouragement herein from God only, Proverbs 2:6-8; Proverbs 2:6-8.

      1. God has wisdom to bestow, Proverbs 2:6; Proverbs 2:6. The Lord not only is wise himself, but he gives wisdom, and that is more than the wisest men in the world can do, for it is God's prerogative to open the understanding. All the wisdom that is in any creature is his gift, his free gift, and he gives it liberally (James 1:5), has given it to many, and is still giving it; to him therefore let us apply for it.

      2. He has blessed the world with a revelation of his will. Out of his mouth, by the law and the prophets, by the written word and by his ministers, both which are his mouth to the children of men, come knowledge and understanding, such a discovery of truth and good as, if we admit and receive the impressions of it, will make us truly knowing and intelligent. It is both an engagement and encouragement to search after wisdom that we have the scriptures to search, in which we may find it if we seek it diligently.

      3. He has particularly provided that good men, who are sincerely disposed to do his will, shall have that knowledge and that understanding which are necessary for them, John 7:17. Let them seek wisdom, and they shall find it; let them ask, and it shall be given them, Proverbs 2:7; Proverbs 2:8. Observe here, (1.) Who those are that are thus favoured. They are the righteous, on whom the image of God is renewed, which consists in righteousness, and those who walk uprightly, who are honest in their dealings both with God and man and make conscience of doing their duty as far as they know it. They are his saints, devoted to his honour, and set apart for his service. (2.) What it is that is provided for them. [1.] Instruction. The means of wisdom are given to all, but wisdom itself, sound wisdom, is laid up for the righteous, laid up in Christ their head, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and who is made of God to us wisdom. The same that is the Spirit of revelation in the word is a Spirit of wisdom in the souls of those that are sanctified, that wisdom of the prudent which is to understand his way; and it is sound wisdom, its foundations firm, its principles solid, and its products of lasting advantage. [2.] Satisfaction. Some read it, He lays up substance for the righteous, not only substantial knowledge, but substantial happiness and comfort, Proverbs 8:21. Riches are things that are not, and those that have them only fancy themselves happy; but what is laid up in the promises and in heaven for the righteous will make them truly, thoroughly, and eternally happy. [3.] Protection. Even those who walk uprightly may be brought into danger for the trial of their faith, but God is, and will be, a buckler to them, so that nothing that happens to them shall do them any real hurt, or possess them with any terrific apprehensions; they are safe, and they shall think themselves so. Fear not, Abraham; I am thy shield. It is their way, the paths of judgment in which they walk, that the Lord knows, and owns, and takes care of. [4.] Grace to persevere to the end. If we depend upon God, and seek to him for wisdom, he will uphold us in our integrity, will enable us to keep the paths of judgment, however we may be tempted to turn aside out of them; for he preserves the way of his saints, that it be not perverted, and so preserves them in it safe and blameless to his heavenly kingdom. The assurances God has given us of his grace, if duly improved, will excite and quicken our endeavours in doing our duty. Work out your salvation, for God works in you.