Proverbs 2

King James Version

Full text for Proverbs Chapter 2

1¶ My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;

3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;

4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures;

5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.

7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

8He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; [yea], every good path.

10¶ When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

11Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

12To deliver thee from the way of the evil [man], from the man that speaketh froward things;

13Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

14Who rejoice to do evil, [and] delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

15Whose ways [are] crooked, and [they] froward in their paths:

16To deliver thee from the strange woman, [even] from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words;

17Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

18For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

19None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

20That thou mayest walk in the way of good [men], and keep the paths of the righteous.

21For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

22But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Proverbs 2 exhorts the son to diligently seek wisdom and understanding as hidden treasures, promising that such pursuit will lead to the knowledge and fear of the LORD. God is presented as the giver of wisdom, which serves as a protective shield for the upright. This divine wisdom preserves the individual from the destructive paths of the evil man and the strange woman, ensuring they walk in righteousness and dwell securely in the land.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with an earnest appeal for the son to receive and hide the words of wisdom, urging him to incline his ear and apply his heart to understanding. It emphasizes that a fervent search for knowledge, akin to seeking silver and hidden treasures, is prerequisite to comprehending the fear of the LORD and finding the knowledge of God. The text affirms that the LORD himself bestows wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, acting as a buckler for the righteous and preserving their paths of judgment. When wisdom and knowledge enter the heart, discretion and understanding protect the individual. This divine guidance delivers one from the perilous ways of the evil man, characterized by froward speech and dark paths, and from the seductive flattery of the strange woman, whose house leads to death. Ultimately, embracing wisdom ensures one walks with the good and righteous, securing their dwelling in the land while the wicked are rooted out.

Long Summary

Proverbs chapter 2 opens with a paternal exhortation, urging the son to embrace and internalize the words of wisdom and commandments. The passage stresses the necessity of actively inclining one's ear to wisdom, applying the heart to understanding, and crying out for knowledge with the same fervor one would seek silver or hidden treasures. This diligent pursuit is presented as the pathway to comprehending the fear of the LORD and discovering the profound knowledge of God. The text explicitly states that the LORD is the ultimate source of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, and that He stores up sound wisdom for the righteous, acting as a protective buckler for those who walk uprightly. Consequently, those who embrace wisdom will discern righteousness, judgment, equity, and every good path. When wisdom and knowledge become deeply ingrained in the heart and soul, discretion and understanding are promised to preserve and keep the individual. This preservation specifically shields one from the destructive influence of the evil man, who speaks froward things, abandons uprightness for darkness, and delights in wickedness. Furthermore, wisdom provides deliverance from the strange woman, a flatterer who forsakes her youthful guide and forgets her covenant with God, whose paths lead inevitably to death and from whom none return to the paths of life. The overarching purpose of this divine wisdom is to enable the individual to walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous. The chapter concludes with a promise of security for the upright and perfect, who shall dwell in the land, contrasting sharply with the fate of the wicked and transgressors, who shall be cut off and rooted out from the earth.

Core Concepts

  • Diligent Pursuit of WisdomThe chapter emphasizes that wisdom and understanding are not passively acquired but must be actively sought with great effort, likened to searching for silver and hidden treasures.
  • Divine Source of WisdomWisdom, knowledge, and understanding are presented as gifts from the LORD, who bestows them upon those who seek Him and acts as a protector for the righteous.
  • Protection from Evil MenWisdom provides discretion and understanding that preserve the individual from the deceitful words and crooked, dark paths of the evil man who delights in wickedness.
  • Deliverance from the Strange WomanThe text warns against the strange woman, characterized by flattery, faithlessness to God's covenant, and paths that lead to death, from whose snare wisdom offers deliverance.
  • Consequences of Righteousness and WickednessThe chapter concludes by stating that the upright and perfect shall dwell securely in the land, while the wicked and transgressors will be cut off and rooted out.
  • Understanding the Fear of the LORDSeeking wisdom diligently is the prerequisite for understanding the fear of the LORD and finding the knowledge of God, which are foundational to righteous living.
  • Discretion and Understanding as PreserversWhen wisdom and knowledge enter the heart, discretion and understanding act as active guardians, preserving the individual from moral dangers and guiding them on good paths.