Proverbs 9:10

The beginning ¹  of wisdom is to fear the Lord, ²  and acknowledging ³  the Holy One ⁴  is understanding.

1Ch 28:9; Job 28:28; Ps 111:10; Pr 1:7; Pr 2:5; Pr 30:3; Ec 12:13; Mt 11:27; Joh 17:3; 1Jo 5:20

¹ 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).

² tn Heb “fear of the Lord.”

³ tn Heb “knowledge of the Holy One” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

⁴ 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 Lord. As J. H. Greenstone says, he is “all-holy” (Proverbs, 94). This is an example of the plural of majesty, one of the honorific uses of the plural (see IBHS 122-23 §7.4.3b).