“Wisdom has built her house,
She has carved out her seven pillars;
She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine;
She has also set her table;
She has sent out her attendants, she calls out
From the tops of the heights of the city:”

“‘Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!’
To him who lacks understanding she says,
“Come, eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
Abandon your foolishness and live,
And proceed in the way of understanding.”’”

“One who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And one who rebukes a wicked person gets insults for himself.
Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you;
Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser;
Teach a righteous person and he will increase his insight.”

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
And if you scoff, you alone will suffer from it.”

“The woman of foolishness is boisterous,
She is naive and knows nothing.
She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by the high places of the city,
Calling to those who pass by,
Who are going straight on their paths:”

“‘Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,’
And to him who lacks understanding she says,
“Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”

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Context and Meaning

Proverbs 9 brings the first part of Solomon’s collection to a powerful conclusion.
It presents a vivid contrast between two women — Wisdom and Folly — each offering an invitation to the simple and the uncommitted.

• Wisdom’s feast is prepared, pure, and life-giving.
• Folly’s feast is stolen, secret, and deadly.

This is more than poetry — it is a spiritual confrontation. Every soul must choose which invitation to accept.
Wisdom calls us to life in God’s presence; Folly lures us to spiritual death through sin and deceit.

Key Themes:

1. The Call of Wisdom: She invites the simple to feast on truth and life (v. 1–6).
2. The Nature of Correction: Wise people receive rebuke and grow; fools resist and suffer (v. 7–9).
3. The Fear of the Lord: The foundation of all wisdom and understanding (v. 10).
4. The Reward of Wisdom: Long life, growth, and personal blessing (v. 11–12).
5. The Call of Folly: Sinful pleasure masquerades as sweetness but ends in death (v. 13–18).

Reflection and Impact

This chapter reminds us that wisdom and folly both call out to us — but only one leads to life.
Every day, every choice, and every path answers one of these two voices.

• Wisdom’s house is strong – “She has built her house… seven pillars” (v. 1) evokes completeness and stability, much like Matthew 7:24: the wise man builds his house on the rock.
• Her invitation is open – “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here” (v. 4) parallels Isaiah 55:1: come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.
• True wisdom begins with fear of the Lord – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (v. 10) echoes Proverbs 1:7 and Job 28:28.
• Correction is a sign of growth – “Rebuke a wise person, and he will love you” (v. 8) aligns with Hebrews 12:11: discipline yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
• Folly mimics wisdom – “She sits… calling to those who pass by” (v. 14–15) mirrors 2 Corinthians 11:14: even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
• Sin’s sweetness turns to death – “Stolen water is sweet” (v. 17) recalls James 1:15: desire, when it conceives, gives birth to sin, and sin brings forth death.

Application

• Choose Wisdom Daily: Every decision is an answer to one of two invitations.
• Stay Teachable: A wise heart receives correction and grows stronger.
• Revere the Lord: Let holy fear be the foundation of every thought and action.
• Reject Folly’s Imitations: Sin always markets itself as pleasure but always ends in loss.
• Feast on God’s Word: Wisdom’s table is full—Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and truth.
• Remember the End: Wisdom leads to life; folly leads to death.

Closing Thought

The Book of Proverbs begins and ends its opening section with one truth:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Wisdom calls you to life, to growth, and to intimacy with God.
Folly calls you to pleasure without purpose, and ends in ruin.

Choose your table carefully—one leads to life everlasting.

“For one who finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord.”