translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: PRO

label: NET study note

text: The chapter begins with an admonition to receive wisdom (1-4) and then traces the benefits: the knowledge of God and his protection (5-8), moral discernment for living (9-11), protection from evil men (12-15) and immoral women (16-19), and enablement for righteous living (20-22).


text: Verses 1-11 form one long conditional sentence in the Hebrew text: (1) the protasis (“if…”) encompasses vv. 1-4 and (2) the apodosis (“then…”) consists of two parallel panels in vv. 5-8 and vv. 9-11 both of which are introduced by the particle אָז (’ az , “then”).


text: The verb “to store up” ( צָפַן , tsafan ; cf. NAB, NLT “treasure”) in the second colon qualifies the term “receive” ( לָקַח , laqakh ) in the first, just as “commands” intensifies “words.” This pattern of intensification through parallelism occurs throughout the next three verses. The verb “to store up; to treasure” is used in reference to things of value for future use, e.g., wealth, dowry for a bride. Since proverbs will be useful throughout life and not always immediately applicable, the idea of storing up the sayings is fitting. They will form the way people think which in turn will influence attitudes (W. G. Plaut, Proverbs , 43).


text: The word “ear” is a metonymy of cause; the word is used as the instrument of hearing. But in parallelism with “heart” it indicates one aspect of the mental process of hearing and understanding. A “hearing ear” describes an obedient or responsive person (BDB 24 s.v. אֹזֶן 2).


text: The noun recalls the second purpose of the book ( 1:2 ). It is also cognate to the last word of 2:2 , forming a transition. The two objects of the prepositions in this verse are actually personifications, as if they could be summoned.


text: The two similes affirm that the value placed on the object will influence the eagerness and diligence in the pursuit and development of wisdom (e.g., Job 28:9-11 ). The point is not only that the object sought is valuable, but that the effort will be demanding but rewarding.


text: The verb חָפַשׂ ( khafas ) means “to dig; to search” (BDB 344 s.v.; cf. NCV “hunt for it”). The Arabic cognate means “to dig for water.” It is used literally of Joseph searching his brothers’ sacks ( Gen 44:12 ) and figuratively for searching the soul ( Ps 64:7 ). This is a more emphatic word than the one used in the first colon and again emphasizes that acquiring wisdom will be demanding.


text: This expression is an anthropomorphism; it indicates that the Lord is the immediate source or author of the wisdom. It is worth noting that in the incarnation many of these “anthropomorphisms” become literal in the person of the Logos, the Word, Jesus, who reveals the Father.


text: The Hebrew word translated “upright” ( יָשָׁר , yashar ) is one of the terms used for the righteous. It points to the right conduct of the believer – that which is right or pleasing in the eyes of God. It stresses that the life of the individual is upright, straightforward, and just. It is paralleled with “those who walk in integrity.”


text: This purpose clause introduced by לְהַצִּילְךָ ( lÿhatsilkha , “to deliver you”) parallels the purpose clause introduced by לְהַצִּילְךָ (“to deliver you”) in v. 12 . There it introduced deliverance from the evil man, and now from the evil woman. The description of the evil man encompassed four poetic lines in the Hebrew text (vv. 12-15 ); likewise, the description of the evil woman is four poetic lines (vv. 16-19 ).


text: The phrase “reach the paths of life” is a figurative expression for experiencing joy and fullness of blessing (BDB 673 s.v. נָשַׂג 2.a).