Reference: Wisdom
Hastings
The great literary landmarks of the 'wisdom' teaching are the Books of Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, and the Wisdom of Solomon. This literature, in its present form at least, belongs to the latter half of the Persian period and to the Greek period of Jewish history. But behind this latest and finest product of the Hebrew mind there lay a long process of germination. In the pre-exilic history there are traces of the presence of the 'wisdom' element from early times. This primitive 'wisdom' was not regarded as an exclusively Israelitish possession, but was shared with other nations (1Ki 4:30-31; Ge 41:8; Jg 5:29; Jer 10:7; Eze 27:8). In Israel it was confined neither to rank (1Ki 10:28; De 16:19; Job 32:9) nor to sex (2Sa 14:1 ff; 2Sa 20:22); but it was particularly characteristic of 'the elders' (De 1:16; Job 12:12; 32:7), and in course of time seems to have given rise to a special class of teachers known as 'the Wise' (Jer 18:18).
Early 'Wisdom' was varied in character and of as wide a scope as the range of human activities. It thus included the most heterogeneous elements: e.g. mechanical skill (1Ki 7:14), statecraft (1Ki 5:12), financial and commercial ability (Eze 28), political trickery (1Ki 2:6), common sense and tact (2Sa 14; 20:14-22), learning (1Ki 3:16-28), military skill and administrative ability (Isa 10:13), piety (De 4:6), and the creative energy of God (Jer 10:12). In short, any capacity possessed in an exceptional degree was recognized as 'wisdom,' and was regarded as the gift of God. But there was already manifest a marked tendency to magnify the ethical and religious elements of 'wisdom,' which later came to their full recognition.
In pre-exilic Israel, however, 'wisdom' played a relatively small part in religion. The vital, progressive religious spirit exhausted itself in prophecy. Here was laid the foundation of all the later 'wisdom.' Not only laid the prophets hand down the literary forms through which the sages expressed themselves, e.g. riddle (Jg 14:14-18), fable (Jg 9:3-15), parable (2Sa 12:1-3; Isa 5:1-5), proverb (1Sa 10:12; Jer 31:29), essay (Isa 28:23-29), lyric, address, etc., but they also wrought out certain great ideas that were presupposed in all the later 'wisdom.' These were: (a) monotheism, which found free course in Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, and Deutero-Isaiah; (b) individualism, or the responsibility of the individual before God for his own sins and for the sins of no one else
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And it came to pass in the morning, that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men of it. And Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was no man who could interpret them to
And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the sojourner who is with him.
Keep therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
Thou shall not distort justice. Thou shall not respect persons, neither shall thou take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.
Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
And his mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. And their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother. And they gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and unstable fellows who followed him. read more. And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy men, upon one stone, but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. And all the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried out, and said to them, Hearken to me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken to you. The trees went forth a time to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? And the trees said to the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees? Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to impoverish us? Is it not [s read more. And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou do but hate me, and not love me. Thou have put forth a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor m And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her because she pressed him greatly. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people. And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my
And a man from the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
And LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds, read more. but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him, and with his sons. It ate of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was t
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab re
Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and do not let his hoar head go down to Sheol in peace.
Then two women who were harlots came to the king, and stood before him. And the one woman said, Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. And I was delivered of a child with her in the house. read more. And it came to pass the third day after I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also. And we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, except we two in the house. And this woman's child died in the night, because she lay upon it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead. But when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son whom I bore. And the other woman said, No, but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And the other woman said, No, but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king. Then the king said, The one says, This is my son that lives, and thy son is the dead. And the other says, No, but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living. And the king said, Fetch me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor thine. Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and by no means kill it; she is the mother of it. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged. And they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.
And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men: than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame was in all the nations round about.
And LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two made a league together.
He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a workman in brass. And he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wroug
And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. And the king's merchants received them in herds, each herd at a price.
With aged men is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
It is not the great who are wise, nor the aged who understand justice.
LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth was, read more. when there were no depths. I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with water, before the mountains were settled, before the hills. I was brought forth while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong, when he gave to the sea its bound that the waters should not transgress his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was by him, a master workman. And I was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him, rejoicing in his habitable earth. And my delight was with the sons of men.
Let me sing for my well-beloved a song of my beloved concerning his vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. And he dug it, and gathered out the stones of it, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a winepress in it. And he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought fo read more. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away the hedge of it, and it shall be eaten up. I will break down the wall of it, and it shall be trodden down.
For he has said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding. And I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. And like a valiant man I have brought down those
Give ye ear, and hear my voice, hearken, and hear my speech. Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he [continually] open and harrow his ground? read more. When he has leveled the face of it, does he not cast abroad the chick-peas, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows, and the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in the border of it? For his God instructs him aright, [and] teaches him. For the chick-peas are not threshed with a sharp instrument, nor is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin, but the chick-peas are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Bread [grain] is ground, for he will not be always threshing it. And though the wheel of his cart and his horses scatter it, he does not grind it. This also comes forth from LORD of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.
Who should not fear thee, O King of the nations? For to thee it appertains, inasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like thee.
He has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he has stretched out the heavens.
Then they said, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah. For the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not gi
In those days they shall no more say, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the son's teeth are set on edge.
The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were thy rowers. Thy wise men, O Tyre, were in thee; they were thy pilots.
Watsons
WISDOM is put for that prudence and discretion which enables a man to perceive that which is fit to be done, according to the circumstances of time, place, persons, manners, and end of doing, Ec 2:13-14. It was this sort of wisdom that Solomon intreated of God with so much earnestness, and which God granted him with such divine liberality, 1Ki 3:9,12,28. It also signifies quickness of invention, and dexterity in the execution of several works, which require not so much strength of body, as industry, and labour of the mind. For example, God told Moses, Ex 31:3, that he had filled Bezaleel and Aholiab with wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge, to invent and perform several sorts of work for completing the tabernacle. It is used for craft, cunning, and stratagem, and that whether good or evil. Thus it is said by Moses, that Pharaoh dealt wisely with the Israelites, when he opposed them in Egypt, Ex 1:10; it is observed of Jonadab; the friend of Ammon, and nephew of David, that he was very wise, that is, very subtle and crafty, 2Sa 13:3; and Job 5:13, says, that God "taketh the wine in their own craftiness." Wisdom means also doctrine, learning, and experience: "With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding," Job 12:12. It is put for true piety, or the fear of God, which is spiritual wisdom: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply or hearts unto wisdom," Ps 90:12; "The fear of the Lord that is wisdom," Job 27:23. Wisdom is put for the eternal Wisdom, the Word of God. It was by wisdom that God established the heavens, and founded the earth, Pr 3:19. How magnificently does Solomon describe the primeval birth of the eternal Son of God, under the character of Wisdom personified; to which so many references and allusions are to be found in the Old and New Testament! "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth," Pr 8:22-25. The apocryphal book of Wisdom introduces, by a reference to this passage, the following admirable invocation, Wisdom 9:9, 10:
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Come, let us deal craftily with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when war happens, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land.
and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very sly man.
Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to judge this thy great people?
behold, I have done according to thy word. Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there has been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like thee.
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged. And they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.
He takes the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.
With aged men is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.
Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.
So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom.
LORD by wisdom founded the earth. By understanding he established the heavens.
LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth was, read more. when there were no depths. I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with water, before the mountains were settled, before the hills. I was brought forth
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as far as light excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold the man, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! And wisdom is justified from her children.
Because of this, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scholars. And some of them ye will kill and crucify, and some of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will persecute from city to city,
And wisdom is justified from all her children.
Because of this also the wisdom of God said, I will send to them prophets and apostles. And some of them they will kill and persecute,