1:29 Because 1 they hated moral knowledge, 2
and did not choose to fear the Lord, 3
2:5 then you will understand 4 how to fear the Lord, 5
and you will discover 6 knowledge 7 about God. 8
3:7 Do not be wise in your own estimation; 9
fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 10
9:10 The beginning 11 of wisdom is to fear the Lord, 12
and acknowledging 13 the Holy One 14 is understanding.
15:16 Better 15 is little with the fear of the Lord
than great wealth and turmoil 16 with it. 17
15:33 The fear of the Lord provides wise instruction, 18
and before honor comes humility. 19
24:21 Fear the Lord, my child, 20 as well as the king,
and do not associate 21 with rebels, 22
1 tn The causal particle תַּחַת כִּי (takhat ki, “for the reason that”) introduces a second accusation of sin and reason for punishment.
2 tn Heb “knowledge.” The noun דָעַת (da’at, “knowledge”) refers to moral knowledge. See note on 1:7.
3 tn Heb “the fear of the
4 tn The verb בִּין (bin, “to perceive; to understand; to discern”) refers to ability to grasp, discern or be sensitive to what it means to fear the
5 tn Heb “the fear of the
6 tn Heb “find” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).
7 tn The term דַּעַת (da’at, “knowledge”) goes beyond cognition; it is often used metonymically (cause) for obedience (effect); see, e.g., Prov 3:6, “in all your ways acknowledge him,” and BDB 395 s.v. This means that the disciple will follow God’s moral code; for to know God is to react ethically and spiritually to his will (e.g., J. H. Greenstone, Proverbs, 18).
8 tn Heb “knowledge of God.” The noun is an objective genitive.
9 tn Heb “in your own eyes” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.”
10 sn The second colon clarifies the first. If one fears the
11 sn The difference between תְּחִלַּת (tÿkhillat) here and רֵאשִׁית (re’shit) of 1:7, if there is any substantial difference, is that this term refers to the starting point of wisdom, and the earlier one indicates the primary place of wisdom (K&D 16:202).
12 tn Heb “fear of the
13 tn Heb “knowledge of the Holy One” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
14 tn The word is in the plural in the Hebrew (literally “holy ones”; KJV “the holy”). It was translated “holy men” in Tg. Prov 9:10. But it probably was meant to signify the majestic nature of the
15 sn One of the frequent characteristics of wisdom literature is the “better” saying; it is a comparison of different but similar things to determine which is to be preferred. These two verses focus on spiritual things being better than troubled material things.
16 sn Turmoil refers to anxiety; the fear of the
17 sn Not all wealth has turmoil with it. But the proverb is focusing on the comparison of two things – fear of the
18 tn Heb “[is] instruction of wisdom” (KJV and NASB similar). The noun translated “wisdom” is an attributive genitive: “wise instruction.”
sn The idea of the first line is similar to Prov 1:7 and 9:10. Here it may mean that the fear of the
19 tn Heb “[is] humility” (so KJV). The second clause is a parallel idea in that it stresses how one thing leads to another – humility to honor. Humble submission in faith to the
20 tn Heb “my son,” but there is no indication in the immediate context that this should be limited only to male children.
21 tn Heb “do not get mixed up with”; cf. TEV “Have nothing to do with”; NIV “do not join with.” The verb עָרַב (’arav) is used elsewhere meaning “to exchange; to take on pledge.” In the Hitpael stem it means “to have fellowship; to share; to associate with.” Some English versions (e.g., KJV) interpret as “to meddle” in this context, because “to have fellowship” is certainly not what is meant.
22 tn The form rendered “rebellious” is difficult; it appears to be the Qal active participle, plural, from שָׁנָה (shanah), “to change” – “those who change.” The RV might have thought of the idea of “change” when they rendered it “political agitators.” The Syriac and Tg. Prov 24:21 have “fools,” the Latin has “detractors,” and the LXX reads, “do not disobey either of them,” referring to God and the king in the first line. Accordingly the ruin predicted in the next line would be the ruin that God and the king can inflict. If the idea of “changers” is retained, it would have to mean people who at one time feared God and the king but no longer do.