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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 1:20-33

Solomon, having shown how dangerous it is to hearken to the temptations of Satan, here shows how dangerous it is not to hearken to the calls of God, which we shall for ever rue the neglect of. Observe, I. By whom God calls to us?by wisdom. It is wisdom that crieth without. The word is plural?wisdoms, for, as there is infinite wisdom in God, so there is the manifold wisdom of God, Eph. 3:10. God speaks to the children of men by all the kinds of wisdom, and, as in every will, so in every word,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:21

She crieth in the chief place of concourse ,.... Where a multitude of people meet together; the Targum is, "on the top of palaces;' but rather it is to be understood of the synagogues of the Jews, where Christ frequently preached; and which, from hence, they build in the highest part of the city F3 Maimon. Hilchot Tephillah, c. 11. s. 2. ; and best of all the temple, whither the tribes of Israel went up to worship in great bodies, and to which the Jews daily resorted; here Christ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 1:22

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity ?.... Simple foolish things, agreeably to their character, being weak simple men, men of weak capacities and shallow understandings; and such were the first persons that were called by Christ through the ministry of the word, even effectually; they were babes and sucklings in comparison of others, by whom they were despised as illiterate and ignorant of the law; see Matthew 11:25 ; though it may respect the Jews in general, who were... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 1:22

Ye simple ones - פתים pethayim , ye who have been seduced and deceived. See on Proverbs 1:4 ; (note). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:20-23

The gospel call This cry of Wisdom is a sort of evangel of the Old Testament religion. It is an anticipation of the gracious invitation subsequently put forth by the Christian truth. That, too, is a cry of Wisdom; for is not Christ the "Wisdom of God" ( 1 Corinthians 1:24 ), and "made unto us Wisdom" ( 1 Corinthians 1:30 )? We of the latter times, therefore, may hear in the preaching of Solomon the call of the glorious gospel of the blessed God. I. THE CHARACTER OF THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:20-23

The voice of Wisdom Wisdom is here personified; it is the language of poetic inspiration. Later on, "in the dispensation of the fulness of times," Wisdom was manifested in human form, and spake in the hearing of men. But its voice has never been silent altogether, from the beginning until now. We are reminded of it— I. THAT THERE ARE MANY CHANNELS THROUGH WHICH WISDOM UTTERS ITS VOICE . The plural form of the word ("wisdoms") suggests the manifoldness of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:20-33

2. Second admonitory discourse. Address of Wisdom personified, exhibing the folly of those who wilfully reject, and the security of those who hearken to, her counsels. The sacred writer, in this section, as also in Proverbs 8:1-36 ; uses the rhetorical figure of prosopopceia, or impersonation. Wisdom is represented as speaking and as addressing the simple, scorners, and fools. The address itself is one of the noblest specimens of sacred eloquence, expressing in rapid succession the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:20-33

Warning cry of Wisdom In dramatic style, Wisdom is presentiated, personified, endued with visible and audible attributes. As contempt for religion has been animadverted upon, so now contempt for Wisdom calls for rebuke. The motto ( Proverbs 1:7 ) is still in the preacher's mind. I. THE CRY OF WISDOM IS PUBLIC AND CLEAR . In the street, "where merchants most do congregate," and in all places of general resort, the cry is heard. Hers is no esoteric doctrine; it is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:21

She crieth in the chief place of concourse. The chief place is literally the head ( ראֹשׁ , rosh ); here used figuratively for the place where streets or roads branch off in different directions, as in Ezekiel 16:25 , "the beginning of streets," or "the head of the way;" comp. Genesis 2:10 , where it is used of the point at which the four streams branched off; and the corresponding expression in Proverbs 8:2 , "She staudeth in the top ( rosh ) of high places." Of concourse... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 1:22

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? etc. From this verse to the end of the chapter the sacred writer puts before us the words of Wisdom herself. The discourse begins in the same way as in Psalms 4:2 (Zockler), and the classification of the persons addressed—the simple, the scorners, and the sinners—closely resembles that of Psalms 1:1 . In the order there is a progression from the least to the most culpable. The simple ( פְתָיִם , p'thayim ) , as in Psalms 1:4 ,... read more

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