The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge

The first chapter of proverbs here begins by summarising what it is for. Wisdom is the main theme of Proverbs. Here it prepares and challenges the reader to want to increase knowledge and wisdom. But perhaps the main achievement out of wisdom and knowledge is to begin to develop the "fear of the LORD".

An illustration is given about sound advice given by the father and mother to a son. It encourages the son to heed his parents advice. In addition, it warns the son against listening to sinners who will entice him to sin and wickedness. The consequence of following the sinners who plot evil against others is that they will reap destruction on themselves.

Wisdom is often pictured as describing itself as a female, as in the last section of this chapter. Wisdom describes herself but as we read, it appears that wisdom mentioned here could also be the Holy Spirit. One clue which indicates this is verse 23 "Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;". In fact this last section sounded like the Holy Spirit describing what will happen to those who turn from following her.

In verse 29, the "fear of the Lord" is again related to knowledge where those who hated knowledge do not have the "fear of the Lord". The following warnings were very similar to people who rejected God and God let them live their own ways which leads them to destruction. On the other hand, those who listen will live safely and securely.



Proverbs 1
The Beginning of Knowledge

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To perceive the words of understanding,
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
4 To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
5 A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Shun Evil Counsel

8 My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not forsake the law of your mother;
9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us lie in wait to shed blood;
Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,[a]
And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
13 We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,
We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 Cast in your lot among us,
Let us all have one purse”—
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them,
Keep your foot from their path;
16 For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely, in vain the net is spread
In the sight of any bird;
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood,
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
It takes away the life of its owners.

The Call of Wisdom

20 Wisdom calls aloud outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the chief concourses,[b]
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
And will be secure, without fear of evil.”