Wisdom’s Invitation, Folly’s Deception, and the Fear of the Lord.

Proverbs 9 brings the book’s early warnings and invitations into a final sharp contrast between wisdom and folly. Wisdom is portrayed as preparing a rich feast and calling the simple to leave foolishness and live, while folly also calls out, offering stolen and secret things that appear pleasant but lead to death. The chapter teaches that the response to correction reveals the heart, because the wise receive reproof and grow, while the scorner rejects it and hardens himself. It also anchors true wisdom in the fear of the Lord, showing that reverence before God is the beginning of real understanding. The chapter’s purpose is to force a clear choice: which voice will rule the life, the call of wisdom that leads to life, or the invitation of folly that hides destruction behind pleasure.

Proverbs 9:1 – 9:18

  1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
  2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
  3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,
  4 Whoso [is] simple, let him turn in hither: [as for] him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
  5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine [which] I have mingled.
  6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
  7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked [man getteth] himself a blot.
  8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
  9 Give [instruction] to a wise [man], and he will be yet wiser: teach a just [man], and he will increase in learning.
  10 The fear of the Lord [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding.
  11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
  12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but [if] thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear [it].
  13 A foolish woman [is] clamorous: [she is] simple, and knoweth nothing.
  14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
  15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:
  16 Whoso [is] simple, let him turn in hither: and [as for] him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
  17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread [eaten] in secret is pleasant.
  18 But he knoweth not that the dead [are] there; [and that] her guests [are] in the depths of hell.