Proverbs 9: Two Invitations, Two Houses
Wisdom and Folly each build a house and call to the simple, but their tables lead to opposite ends.
Proverbs 9 (WEB)
1 Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her maidens. She cries from the highest places of the city:
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come, eat some of my bread, Drink some of the wine which I have mixed!
6 Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”
7 He who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.
8 Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Instruct a wise man, and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied. The years of your life will be increased.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you mock, you alone will bear it.
13 The foolish woman is loud, Undisciplined, and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by, who go straight on their ways,
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen water is sweet. Food eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Proverbs 9 (KJV)
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.
Proverbs 9 (ASV)
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 is void of understanding, she saith to him,
5 Come, eat ye of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6 Leave off, ye simple ones, and live; And walk in the way of understanding.
7 He that correcteth a scoffer getteth to himself reviling; And he that reproveth a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
8 Reprove not a scoffer, lest he hate thee: Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Giveinstructionto a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased.
12 If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; And if thou scoffest, thou alone shalt bear it.
13 The foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knoweth nothing.
14 And she sitteth at the door of her house, On a seat in the high places of the city,
15 To call to them that pass by, Who go right on their ways:
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; And as for him that is void of understanding, she saith to him,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, And breadeatenin secret is pleasant.
18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Summary
Wisdom builds her house with seven pillars, prepares a feast of meat and mixed wine, and sends out her maidens to call from the city's heights: whoever is simple, turn in here, eat, and live by leaving foolish ways. At the chapter's center comes a contrast about teachable hearts: correcting a mocker invites abuse, but a wise man loves reproof and grows wiser, for the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. Then Folly, a loud and undisciplined woman who knows nothing, sits at her door and calls to the same passersby with nearly identical words. But where Wisdom offers prepared food and life, Folly offers stolen water and secret bread that seem sweet. The deadly difference is hidden from her guests, who do not know that the dead are there and that her house descends to the depths of Sheol.
Main Characters
- Lady Wisdom — The hostess who builds her house, spreads a feast, and invites the simple to leave folly and live.
- Lady Folly — The loud, undisciplined woman who entices passersby with stolen pleasures that end in death.
- The simple — The naive passersby whom both Wisdom and Folly summon, facing a choice between life and Sheol.
- Yahweh — The LORD whose fear is named the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge that brings understanding.
Key Verse
Proverbs 9:10 (WEB)
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Lessons Learned
- Wisdom and folly both call to us, often using strikingly similar invitations.
- The fear of Yahweh is the true starting point of all genuine wisdom.
- A teachable heart that welcomes correction is a mark of true wisdom.
- Sin's pleasures are real but conceal a deadly end hidden from view.
- Wisdom generously prepares and invites. Wisdom builds her house, prepares her table, and sends out her maidens to call the simple to come and eat (Proverbs 9:1-5, WEB).
- True wisdom welcomes correction. Reprove a wise man and he will love you; instruct a wise man and he will be still wiser (Proverbs 9:8-9, WEB).
- Wisdom begins with the fear of Yahweh. The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10, WEB).
- Our choices return upon ourselves. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you mock, you alone will bear it (Proverbs 9:12, WEB).
- Folly mimics wisdom's call with empty noise. The foolish woman is loud and knows nothing, yet calls the same simple passersby to turn in to her (Proverbs 9:13-16, WEB).
- Forbidden pleasures hide a deadly end. Folly says stolen water is sweet, but her guest does not know that her guests are in the depths of Sheol (Proverbs 9:17-18, WEB).
- How does Wisdom prepare and extend her invitation to the simple (Proverbs 9:1-6)?
- What is the difference between how a scoffer and a wise person respond to correction (Proverbs 9:7-9)?
- How are Folly's invitation and appeal both similar to and different from Wisdom's (Proverbs 9:13-17)?
- How do you typically respond when someone corrects or reproves you, and what does that reveal?
- Where are you tempted by 'stolen water' that seems sweet but leads away from life?
- Wisdom builds her house with seven pillars, prepares meat and mixed wine, sets her table, and sends maidens to cry from the city heights, inviting the simple to eat and live by leaving their foolish ways (9:1-6). Her hospitality is generous and life-giving.
- A scoffer hates and abuses the one who corrects him, but a wise man loves the reprover and grows wiser still (9:7-9). The response to correction reveals whether a person is genuinely wise or merely proud.
- Folly uses nearly identical words, calling 'whoever is simple, let him turn in here,' but she is loud and ignorant and offers stolen, secret pleasures rather than a prepared feast; her end is death, not life (9:13-18).
- Personal: invite honest reflection on whether members bristle at correction or receive it humbly. Encourage them to see teachableness as a gift and to thank those who lovingly reprove them.
- Personal: help members name specific 'stolen' pleasures that promise sweetness but lead away from God. Encourage them to weigh the hidden cost and to choose Wisdom's table of life instead.