Proverbs 3
3
Confidence in God Leads to Prosperity#The instruction consists of a series of six four-line exhortations in which the second line of each exhortation mentions a reward or benefit. In the first five exhortations, the teacher promises a reward: long life, a good name, divine protection, health, abundant crops. The last exhortation, vv. 11–12, departs from the command-reward scheme, implying that being a disciple of the Lord does not guarantee unalloyed bliss: one must allow God freedom to “reprove” or educate. The process of education is like that described in chap. 2: the father first invites his son (or disciple) to memorize his teaching (v. 1), then to enter upon a relationship of trust with him (v. 3), and finally to place his trust in God, who takes up the parental task of education (v. 5). Education begun by the parent is brought to full completion by God.
1My son, do not forget#Do not forget: this word and several others in the section such as “teaching,” “commands,” “years of life,” and the custom of affixing written teaching to one’s body, occur also in Deuteronomy. This vocabulary suggests that Proverbs and Deuteronomy had a common origin in the scribal class of Jerusalem. This section (and vv. 21–34) subtly elaborates Dt 6:5–9, “You shall love the Lord with all your heart (v. 5)…Take to heart these words (v. 1)…Recite them when you are at home and when you are away (v. 23)…when you lie down (v. 24)…Bind them (v. 3) on your arm as a sign and let them be a pendant on your forehead” (v. 21). my teaching,
take to heart my commands;
2For many days, and years of life,#Prv 4:10; 9:11; 10:27.
and peace, will they bring you.
3Do not let love and fidelity forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Then will you win favor and esteem
before God and human beings.
5Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
on your own intelligence do not rely;
6In all your ways be mindful of him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7Do not be wise in your own eyes,#Rom 11:25; 12:16.
fear the Lord and turn away from evil;
8This will mean health for your flesh
and vigor for your bones.
9Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with first fruits of all your produce;#Ex 34:26; Lv 27:30; Dt 26:2; Sir 7:31; 35:7.
10Then will your barns be filled with plenty,
with new wine your vats will overflow.
11The discipline of the Lord, my son, do not spurn;#Heb 12:5–6.
do not disdain his reproof;
12#One might be tempted to judge the quality of one’s relationship to God by one’s prosperity. It is an inadequate criterion, for God as a teacher might go counter to student expectations. The discipline of God can involve suffering. For whom the Lord loves he reproves,
as a father, the son he favors.#Jdt 8:27; Rev 3:19.
The Benefits of Finding Wisdom#An encomium of Wisdom through the listing of her benefits to the human race and the depiction of her role in creation. Wisdom, or understanding, is more valuable than silver and gold. Its fruit is long life, riches, honor and happiness (vv. 13–18). Even the creation of the universe and its adornment (Gn 1) were not done without wisdom (vv. 19–20). The praise of Wisdom foreshadows the praise of a noble wife in the final poem (31:10–31), even to the singling out of the hands extended in a helpful way toward human beings.
13Happy the one who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding!#Prv 8:34–35.
14Her profit is better than profit in silver,
and better than gold is her revenue;
15She is more precious than corals,
and no treasure of yours can compare with her.#Prv 8:11, 19; Wis 7:8–11.
16Long life is in her right hand,
in her left are riches and honor;
17Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace;
18She is a tree of life#A tree of life: in the Old Testament this phrase occurs only in Proverbs (11:30; 13:12; 15:4) and Genesis (2:9; 3:22, 24). The origins of the concept are obscure; there is no explicit mention of it in ancient Near Eastern literature, though on ancient seals trees are sometimes identified as trees of life. When the man and the woman were expelled from the garden, the tree of life was put off limits to them, lest they “eat of it and live forever” (Gn 3:22). The quest for wisdom gives access to the previously sequestered tree of life. The tree of life is mentioned also in the apocryphal work 1 Enoch 25:4–5. Rev 2 and 22 mention the tree of life as a source of eternal life. to those who grasp her,
and those who hold her fast are happy.#Prv 4:13; 8:35; 11:30; Gn 2:9; 3:22.
19The Lord by wisdom founded the earth,
established the heavens by understanding;
20By his knowledge the depths#Depths: for the Hebrews, the depths enclosed the great subterranean waters; the rain and dew descended from the waters above the firmament; cf. Gn 1:6–10; Jb 26:8, 12; Ps 18:15; 24:2. The cosmogony provides the reason why Wisdom offers such benefits to human beings: the world was created in wisdom so that all who live in accord with wisdom live in tune with the universe. are split,
and the clouds drop down dew.
Justice Toward One’s Neighbor Brings Blessing#As in other instructions, the father in vv. 21–26 urges the son to seek wisdom, which in this case means practicing the virtues of “deliberation and planning,” a specification of wisdom. Practicing these virtues brings protection from violence (vv. 22–26) and friendship with God (vv. 32–35). The language is like Ps 91.Verses 27–35 are arranged according to a clear order. Serving God requires serving one’s neighbor through kindness (vv. 27–28), maintaining peace with the good (vv. 29–31), having no envy of the wicked (v. 31), because the Lord’s friendship and kindness are with the just, not with the wicked. Matching the six exhortations of vv. 1–12, vv. 27–34 contain six prohibitions. The righteous/wicked contrast is progressively developed: in contrast to the wicked, the righteous are in God’s inner circle, their houses are blessed, they deal with a merciful God, and obtain honor.
21My son, do not let these slip from your sight:
hold to deliberation and planning;
22So will they be life to your soul,#Your soul: Heb. nephesh means “throat, esophagus; life; soul.” The meanings are connected. The throat area is the moist, breathing center of the body, which stands for life and for self. The figure of speech is called metonymy, in which one word is substituted for another on the basis of a causal relation, e.g., eye for sight, arm for power, or, as here, “throat area” for life. Proverbs sometimes plays on this concrete meaning of life (e.g., 21:23).
and an adornment for your neck.
23Then you may go your way securely;
your foot will never stumble;
24When you lie down, you will not be afraid,
when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.
25Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
of the ruin of the wicked when it comes;
26For the Lord will be your confidence,
and will keep your foot from the snare.
27Do not withhold any goods from the owner
when it is in your power to act.
28Say not to your neighbor, “Go, come back tomorrow,
and I will give it to you,” when all the while you have it.
29Do not plot evil against your neighbors,
when they live at peace with you.
30Do not contend with someone without cause,
with one who has done you no harm.
31Do not envy the violent
and choose none of their ways:#Prv 23:17; 24:1, 19; Ps 37:1.
32To the Lord the devious are an abomination,
but the upright are close to him.
33The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
but the dwelling of the just he blesses;
34Those who scoff, he scoffs at,#Prv 1:26.
but the lowly he favors.
35The wise will possess glory,
but fools will bear shame.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 3: NABRE
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Proverbs 3
3
1 My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.
2 For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace.
3 Let not mercy and truth abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart.
4 And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.
5 Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.
6 In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.
7 Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.
8 Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,
10 and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.
11 My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him.
12 For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence.
14 Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.
15 She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her.
16 Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory.
17 Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life to those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed.
19 The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.
20 By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.
21 My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.
22 And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.
23 Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.
24 When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.
25 Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.
26 For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.
27 Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.
28 Do not say to your friend: "Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you." When you are able to do so, give in the present.
29 Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.
30 Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.
31 Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways.
32 For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.
33 Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.
35 The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in