Commentary
Solomon’s last, great lesson to his son is almost complete. Perhaps Solomon paused here. Maybe he thought about whether he had taught enough. His young son needed the full facts. The son needed to decide between wise behavior and evil behavior. His decision would guide his entire life. In the future, the son would be king, like his father Solomon. Then, the son would become powerful. Solomon wanted the son to choose wisdom.
Solomon decided to add a final, great poem. This poem would explain wisdom to his son, but it would also explain the opposite of wisdom. Then, at last, the son would know enough. Then, the son could make his own decision. The son must choose whether he wanted to be wise. If not, the son would be a fool, and the whole nation would suffer.
Verses 1-3
v1 The woman called Wisdom has built a splendid house.
She has made 7 columns for her house.
v2 She has prepared the food. She has poured out the wine.
Her table is ready for a meal.
v3 Her servants have left to fetch the guests.
She declares her message from the highest place in the city.
Commentary
The woman, called Wisdom, has worked hard. She has decided to invite guests. She has even built a special house to give them a special welcome. The house has 7 columns, so it is large. It is complete, and it is perfect. The number 7 may refer to the 7 instructions in verses 6-12.
Everything is ready. The woman, Wisdom, has made a great meal for her guests. Her guests will not remain hungry. Wisdom has prepared everything that they need.
God provides the things that we need. Paul wrote, ‘My God will provide everything that you need. He will do this from the riches that are in Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:19) Jesus said, ‘Look at the birds! They do not grow their own food. However, God feeds them. You are more valuable than the birds.’ (Matthew 6:26)
The Bible compares heaven with an invitation to a meal. ‘The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let every one who hears repeat, “Come!” If you need to drink, then come! Take the free gift of the water of life!’ (Revelation 22:17) ‘Come, if you need to drink! Come to the water! If you have no money, then still come! Without any money, you can buy and you can eat! Buy wine and milk! You do not need money, because there is no cost.’ (Isaiah 55:1)
The servants of Wisdom (the woman) go to fetch the guests. Wisdom herself has invited the guests. Everyone can hear her message because everyone must choose whether to learn to be wise.
In Luke 14:15-24, Jesus told a story about a meal. A man invited all his friends to a great meal, but they all refused. The man was very angry. If his friends would not come, then other people must enjoy his great meal. He invited poor people and ill people. He invited blind people. He invited people who could not walk. Everybody was welcome.
Jesus’ story means that we should invite everyone to become Christians. If our friends refuse, we must invite other people. We can invite poor people and ill people. We can invite people that we do not like. We can even invite our enemies. God wants us to do this. In heaven, God is preparing a great meal. God’s house must be full of people. If our friends refuse, they will not be at God’s great meal. Other people will take their place.
Verses 4-12
v4 ‘If you are simple, then come here!’
She says this to the unwise people.
v5 ‘Come, and eat my food!
Drink the wine that I have poured!
v6 Leave your simple ways and live wisely!’
v7 Do not stop someone who is insulting other people! He will only insult you.
Do not correct an evil man! He will attack you.
v8 Do not correct someone who is insulting other people! He will hate you for your interruption.
Show a wise man how he is wrong! He will love you for your correction.
v9 Teach a wise man and he will become still wiser.
Teach a good man and he will learn more.
v10 Respect God! This is the first lesson in wisdom.
Know God! This is intelligence.
v11 I am Wisdom. If you learn from me, you will have a long life.
v12 If you are wise, then your wisdom will reward you.
If you insult other people, then only you will suffer.’
Commentary
Wisdom, the woman, chooses her guests carefully. They are not the guests whom we might select. She does not choose only clever people, whose conversation will be good. She does not choose only famous people so that other people will respect her. She does not even select wealthy people.
Wisdom’s guests are ‘simple’ people. They are people who do not know about good and evil behavior. They are people who do many wrong things. These people have not yet learned to be wise. Wisdom, the woman, wants to teach them. She wants to show the right way to them. She wants to lead them to God.
Jesus said, ‘When you make a meal, do not invite your friends! Do not invite your brothers or your relatives! Do not invite your rich neighbors! If you do, they might invite you back. You wanted to give a gift, but they will repay you. When you make a great meal, invite poor people! Invite ill people! Invite blind people! Invite people who cannot walk. Then God will be kind to you. These people cannot invite you back. Instead, God will reward you in heaven.’ (Luke 14:12-14)
A person must do two things to become a Christian:
1. He must turn from evil behavior. The woman called Wisdom, says, ‘Leave your simple ways, and live!’
2. He must trust in God. The woman called Wisdom says, ‘Live wisely!’
Peter explained this in Acts 3:19. ‘Refuse to do evil things! Turn to God! If you do this, then God will forgive you. He will give a new life to you.’
Some people will never listen to you. They refuse to follow advice. They refuse all correction.
Perhaps, you think that you are wise. Here is a test for you. A wise man loves the person who corrects him. A wise man learns from the person who sees his (the wise man’s) errors. If you love such a person then you are really wise.
A Christian should always want to learn. The verse speaks about a ‘wise man’ and a ‘good man’. A Christian should want to be both ‘wise’ and ‘good’. At church, he should learn from the preacher (that is, the speaker). At home, he should learn from his family. At work, he should learn to be fair and honest. When he is alone, he should pray. He should read the Bible and learn from God. If he does this, he will become wiser. He will learn more. He will know God more and more.
A wise person is not always intelligent or clever. He might know only a few things. Maybe, he has only learned his first lesson.
This is the first lesson: ‘Respect God!’ God must be first in our lives. God is more important than our businesses. God is more important than our friends. God is even more important than our families. When we make a decision, we must first think about God. We must ask whether our plans are good or evil. We must decide whether our plans give honor to God.
This is only the first lesson. But it is a great lesson. This lesson will teach us to be wise. If we respect God, then evil ideas will not attract us. If we respect God, then we shall try to be fair and honest with other people. If we respect God, then money will not control our lives. If we respect God, then we shall want to learn from God.
Wisdom, like a woman, cares for us. She is like a mother. If a child does not listen to his mother, then he is in danger. If a child learns from his mother, her instructions will keep him safe.
Wisdom offers a real reward. Wisdom will benefit our whole lives. If you refuse to be wise, then you will suffer.
The woman called Wisdom finishes her speech. This is her final speech in the Book of Proverbs. The poem is also approaching its end. But then we see another woman. This second woman is also shouting out. She also has an invitation. She too offers a meal. If you are simple, then you might confuse this other woman with Wisdom. If you are simple, then you might make a terrible mistake.
Verses 13-18
v13 Another woman shouts aloud. She is called ‘The Foolish Woman’.
She knows nothing. She has no discipline.
v14 She sits by the door of her house.
She sits in the highest place in the city.
v15 She calls to those who pass her.
She calls as they walk straight ahead.
v16 ‘If you are simple, then come here!’
She says this to the unwise people.
v17 ‘The water that we steal, tastes good.
The food that we eat in secret is wonderful.’
v18 Dead people are in her house. The man that she attracts does not know this.
He does not know that her previous guests are in hell.
Commentary
The second woman is called ‘The Foolish Woman’.
People who accept her invitation are foolish. This is why she has this name.
Wisdom, the woman, says that knowledge is valuable (Proverbs 8:10). The Foolish Woman does not think so. She thinks that knowledge has no value. She knows nothing.
The woman called Wisdom prepared a fine meal for her guests. Wisdom even built a splendid house for them.
But the Foolish Woman is lazy. The Foolish Woman did none of these things. She does not even stand to invite her guests. She sits down.
The messages of the two women both come from the highest place in the city. So everyone will hear both messages. Nobody will miss them. Everyone will receive both invitations. We cannot accept both invitations. We must choose. Either we follow wisdom, or we are foolish.
The people walk straight ahead. Solomon compares life to a journey. We should walk straight ahead. See Proverbs 4:25-26. We must not allow evil things to attract us.
The Foolish Woman calls to people. She wants to tempt them away from the straight path. She wants to take them on the path to her house. She will lead them away from God. In the end, she will destroy them.
We heard this invitation earlier, in verse 4. The Foolish Woman gives the same words of invitation as the woman called Wisdom.
The Foolish Woman also calls ‘simple’ people. Evil people have decided already to be foolish. The simple people have not yet decided. The Foolish Woman tries to persuade them. She wants to tempt them.
The Foolish Woman also offers a meal to her guests. However, her meal does not belong to her. She stole the water. She must eat in secret.
‘Water’ reminds us of Proverbs 5:15-18. In that passage, ‘water’ refers to love and sex. So, the Foolish Woman offers sex. She ‘stole’ sex, so this is not sex between a husband and wife. This is the same invitation as Proverbs 7:18-20. This is why the meal is secret. So the meal also gives the idea of sex.
The woman tempts the simple man with evil ideas. Solomon is thinking about all evil things, not just sex. If we are foolish, then we shall choose to do evil things. If we refuse to be wise, then we also refuse to follow God.
Evil actions might feel ‘good’. Evil actions might feel ‘wonderful’. These are only feelings; they are not reality. The reality is that evil behavior is always wrong. The reality is that evil behavior will destroy us. The reality is that God hates all evil things.
‘Death is like a wage for the person who does evil things. But God gives us life that will last always, through Jesus.’ (Romans 6:23)
Death and hell are the punishments for our evil actions. So we must not do evil things. Instead, we should serve God. And we should ask God to forgive us. God wants us to trust him. God’s love is like a free gift. God offers real life. We shall not die. We shall live always with him, in heaven. This is the best invitation.
We must make our choice. We can be wise, or we can be foolish. Make the right decision! God wants us all to learn to be wise.
The Sad Story of Solomon and His Son
The Book of Proverbs hides a sad story. Solomon was a wise king for most of his life. When he became old, Solomon forgot his wisdom. He had many wives. His wives tempted him to serve false gods. He did not remember God, who gave wisdom to him. He served false gods. The real God was angry with Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-10).
Solomon wrote Proverbs 1:1 to Proverbs 9:18 for his son. He wanted his son to learn wisdom. Solomon tried to teach his son. Solomon’s son was called Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the king when Solomon died. Rehoboam never followed wisdom. When he became king, his first decision was to refuse wisdom. He refused to obey the advice of Solomon’s wise advisers. Instead, he chose advisers who knew nothing (1 Kings 12:1-19). Rehoboam’s first decision was a terrible decision.
Most of the people refused to serve Rehoboam. There were a revolution and a war. The nation split in two.
Solomon led a great nation. His nation was always at peace. His son, Rehoboam, led a small nation. Rehoboam was always at war (1 Kings 14:30).
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