Wisdom (Part 1): Week 3, Day 2

Welcome to our day of INTERPRETING the Scriptures! We are looking at Proverbs 8:1-21 this week, and over the next couple of weeks we will look at the second part of Proverbs 8 and Proverbs 9. Read through this week's text slowly, absorbing what the text says.

Now, re-read the passage, and answer these questions in your notebook:

Side note: In verse 1, I told you to mark wisdom and understanding the same way.  The Hebrew meaning of wisdom in this verse is: technical skill, experience, shrewdness.  The Hebrew meaning of understanding is: cleverness, skill.  In verse 5, the Hebrew meaning of understanding is: see, pay attention, consider, teach, examine.  In verse 1, understanding means close to the same thing as wisdom, so we are going to mark them the same way. In verse 5, understanding takes on a different meaning, so we are going to mark it green throughout the rest of the passage.

1.  In verses 1-3, is wisdom a seemingly difficult thing to come by? How prevalent is wisdom?
2. In verses 4-5, wisdom is speaking to four different groups of people.  List these out.
3. In verse 6-9, the author talks about wisdom "speaking".  List the six things that wisdom speaks about. List the three things that wisdom will not speak about.
4. In verses 10-11, wisdom is compared to riches.  Write out these comparisons.
5. In verse 12, what three things does wisdom do?
6. In verse 13, look at the phrase, "the fear of the Lord."  Read Proverbs 9:10 and write down the relationship between the fear of the Lord and wisdom.  How does that relationship help you interpret verse 13?
7. Look at verses 14-16 and list nine things that you learn about wisdom.
8. According to verse 17, how can you gain wisdom? Use Proverbs 2:4-5 and James 1:5 to help you.
9. Do verses 18-21 imply that if we have wisdom we will be rich? What is the implication in these verses? For more clarity, read Matthew 6:25-33.  What things do we need to concern ourselves with, instead of material things.

Well, sisters, you have made it through today's study.  Take a deep breath!  There is so much to learn and gain from what we have read.  Our next study will be the APPLICATION time, and you better hang on to your hats!  I'm so excited to share this with you!

To read the previous posts on Wisdom, click these links:

Week 1: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

Week 2: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

Week 3: Day 1