Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. THE FEAR OF THE LORD (IS) THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE - the grand summary of the whole book (cf. , "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"). Solomon begins his lessons on true wisdom by laying down the first principle and basis of it, which is "the fear of the Lord." This means reverent trust, love, and obedience toward Him. Such reverent fear presupposes the knowledge of how infinite in power, majesty, and goodness God is. He who thus fears God will fear to sin, lest he should displease God (cf. , which was before Solomon's eye in this verse). (BUT) FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION. "Fools" are those who "know not God," and who are "wise to do evil, b...

7-9 Fools are persons who have no true wisdom, who follow their own devices, without regard to reason, or reverence for God. Children are reasonable creatures, and when we tell them what they must do, we must tell them why. But they are corrupt and wilful, therefore with the instruction there is need of a law. Let Divine truths and commands be to us most honourable; let us value them, and then they shall be so to us....

Verse Proverbs 1:7. _THE FEAR OF THE LORD_] In the preceding verses Solomon shows the _advantage_ of acting according to the dictates of wisdom; in the following verses he shows the _danger_ of acting contrary to them. _The fear of the Lord_ signifies that _religious reverence_ which every intelligent being owes to his Creator; and is often used to express the _whole of religion_, as we have frequently had occasion to remark in different places. But _what_ is _religion_? The love of God, and the love of man; the _former_ producing _all_ _obedience_ to the _Divine will_; the _latter_, every _act of_ _benevolence_ to one's fellows. The love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit produces the deepest religious reverence, genuine piety, and cheerful obedience. To love one's neighbour as himself is the second gr...

The beginning of wisdom is found in the temper of reverence and awe. The fear of the finite in the presence of the Infinite, of the sinful in the presence of the Holy (compare Job 42:5), this for the Israelite was the starting-point of all true wisdom. In the Book of Job 28:28 it appears as an oracle accompanied by the noblest poetry. In Psalms 111:10 it comes as the choral close of a temple hymn. Here it is the watchword of a true ethical education. This fear has no torment, and is compatible with child-like love. But this and not love is the “beginning of wisdom.” Through successive stages and by the discipline of life, love blends with it and makes it perfect....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 1:1 PART I. THE TITLE AND SUPERSCRIPTION. The superscription of the Proverbs, which extends from verse 1 to verse 6, furnishes us with an epitome in short and concise language of the general scope and bearing of the book, and points out its specific utility, both to the inexperienced and to those already wise. Thus (1) in Proverbs 1:1 it gives the name of the author to whom the proverbs are attributed; (2) in Proverbs 1:2 it declares the aim, object, or design of the collection, which is to lead to the acquirement of wisdom genera

THE FEAR OF THE LORD [IS] THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE,.... Here properly the book begins, and this is the first of the proverbs, and an excellent one; it is such an one as is not to be found in all the writings of the Heathens. By "the fear of the Lord" is not meant a servile fear, a fear of punishment, of hell, wrath, and damnation, which is the effect of the first work of the law upon the conscience; but a filial fear, and supposes knowledge of God as a father, of his love and grace in Christ, particularly of his forgiving love, from whence it arises, Psalms 130:4; it is a holy, humble, fiducial fear of God; a reverential affection for him, and devotion to him; it includes the whole of religious worship, both internal and external; all that is contained in the first table of the law, and the manner of performing it, and principle of acting: this is the first of all sciences to be learne...

FEAR Also; (Proverbs 1:29); (_ See Scofield) - (Psalms 19:9). _...

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS A detailed analysis, as we have made it in other books, cannot be fully made in this collection of proverbs. Most of them are detached and each has a message by itself. To interpret each separately, to point out the many spiritual lessons, as well as prophetic application, to show their relation to other portions of the Word of God and to explain them by incidents taken from the Bible, would require volumes; and even then the spiritual meaning would not be exhausted. All we can do is to hint at their meaning and give some annotations which, under God, may be helpful in the closer study of this book I. INSTRUCTIONS OF WISDOM GIVEN TO SOLOMON CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Introduction (Proverbs 1:1)_ 2. Warning against evil companions and covetousness (Pro

PROVERBS 1-9. FIRST SECTION. THE PRAISE OF WISDOM. Proverbs 1:1. Title, either of the whole book, or of this particular collection. The word for PROVERB, _mâ shâ l,_ has a wide significance _in Heb. (see BDB)._ Probably it originally expressed a comparison or allusion, drawn from history or nature, and employed to convey a taunt or satire, hence the rendering taunt-song. For different meanings _cf._ Numbers 21:27; Deuteronomy 28:37; Job 13:12; Isaiah 14:4;...

FEAR. reverence. This expression occurs fourteen times in Proverbs (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 1:29; Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 10:27; Proverbs 14:26; Proverbs 14:27; Proverbs 15:16