Tyndale Open Study NotesProverbs 2

The father advises his son to seek wisdom. It will protect him from bad people and the risks of unfaithful women. The son should pursue wisdom, knowing it is a gift from God.

hide my commandments: This means to pay attention to them and follow them. They allow us to fully enjoy and experience life.

wisdom...understanding...insight: These three words are skills needed to handle life's challenges.

People search for silver or hidden treasures with urgency, excitement, and hope for a reward (see Matthew 13:44; Luke 15:8–10).

The search for true wisdom leads to God. You cannot have wisdom without the fear of the Lord (having a great reverence, honor, and respect for God) (Proverbs 1:7).

The Lord gives wisdom to those who learn it from the Scriptures, which are his words (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21). You cannot become wise through observation alone.

Here, common sense is the natural understanding gained by listening to God's words and observing his world. God acts as a shield, guarding and protecting those who have a relationship with him.

• Wisdom will enter your heart and become a key part of your life. Instead of sometimes doing wise things, a wise person always makes wise choices.

• Knowledge brings joy because it helps people live well.

• Wisdom knows when people alter words to make wrong things seem right. The right path leads to life, while the wrong path leads to death (Proverbs 1:10–19; 2:18–19; 5:5–6; 9:1–6, 13–18).

• ways of darkness: In the New Testament, darkness represents evil, while light represents God's goodness (Matthew 4:16; 5:14–16; John 1:14; Romans 2:19).

Wisdom helps a young man avoid an immoral woman, enabling him to resist her flattering and seductive words. Wisdom involves emotional maturity, self-control, and understanding the intent behind someone's words.

An immoral woman has left her husband to pursue another man. Her marriage vows before God included promises of faithfulness (see Malachi 2:14–16).

sinks...to the departed spirits: Adultery breaks a key promise to one's spouse and to God (see also Genesis 39:2–9; Malachi 2:14).

Those who make wise choices will live in the land; those who do not will be evicted. God gave the land of Israel to his people, but they could only stay if they followed God's commands (Deuteronomy 28:9–11, 64–68). Because they broke his law, they were expelled in 586 BC (see 2 Kings 25:1–30; 2 Chronicles 36:15–21).