Bridges on Proverbs 9:10-11
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 9:10-11
 
 1-6 
 7-9 
 10-11 
 12 
 13-18 
 

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.
 
The repetition of this weighty sentence (Chapter 1:7. Job 28:28. Psalm 111:10) deepens our estimate of its importance. The fear of the LORD was a lovely grace in the perfect humanity of Jesus. (Isaiah 11:2, 3.) Let it be the test of our “predestination to be conformed to his image.” (Romans 8:29.) It is the genuine spirit of adoption. The child of God has only one dread — to offend his Father; only one desire — to please and delight in him. Thus is the fear of the LORD connected with his love. ‘The heart that is touched with the loadstone of Divine love, trembles still with godly fear.’ If this temper is the beginning, it is also (as the word imports) the head — of wisdom — not only its first rudiment, but its matured exercise. It is obviously combined with the knowledge of the Holy One. For if men did but know his holiness — “who would not fear thee, O Lord?” (Revelation 15:4.) Days multiplied were the Old Testament reward. (Chapter 3:2, 16; 4:10; 10:27.) And truly the value of life is only realized in the knowledge and service of God. Inconceivably joyous to us is the prospect of years of life increased into a boundless eternity — infinite desires; fully satisfied, yet excited unceasingly to more full and heavenly enjoyment.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Proverbs 1:7
7 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. {the beginning: or, the principal part}
 
Job 28:28
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
 
Psalm 111:10
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. {a good...: or, good success} {his commandments: Heb. them}
 
 
Isaiah 11:2, 3
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: {quick...: Heb. scent or, smell}
 
 
Romans 8:29
29 ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
 
 
Footnote:
Leighton on 1 Peter 2:17.
 

 
1 Peter 2:17
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. {Honour all: or, Esteem all}
 
 
Footnote:
The parallelism with the former clause seems to demand this meaning. The application of the plural number to the sacred name is elsewhere used by Solomon (verse 1:1-20. Ecclesiastes 12:1) as well as by others of the inspired Writers. Genesis 1:26. Job 35:10. Isaiah 54:5. Compare the Hebrew of Hosea 12:1. Joshua 24:19. Bishop Horsley remarks — ‘God is the only Being, to whom the same name in the singular and in the plural may be indiscriminately applied. And this change from the one number to the other, without any thing in the principles of language to account for it, is frequent in speaking of God in the Hebrew tongue, but unexampled in the case of any other Being.’ Sermon 29 on the Watchers. The reason of this peculiar usage — we may add — is obvious to any one, who receives with implicit and reverential faith the Scriptural revelation of the Divine Essence.
 
 
Revelation 15:4
4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
 
 
Proverbs 3:2, 16
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. {long...: Heb. years of life} 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
 
Proverbs 4:10
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
 
Proverbs 10:27
27 ¶ The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. {prolongeth: Heb. addeth}
 
 
Proverbs 1:1-20
1 ¶ The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; {equity: Heb. equities} 4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. {discretion: or, advisement} 5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. {the interpretation: or, an eloquent speech} 7 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. {the beginning: or, the principal part} 8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. {an...: Heb. an adding} 10 ¶ My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: 12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: 13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: 14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: 15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: 16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. 17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. {in the...: Heb. in the eyes of every thing that hath a wing} 18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. 19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. 20 ¶ Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: {Wisdom: Heb. Wisdoms, that is, Excellent wisdom}
 
Ecclesiastes 12:1
1 ¶ Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Genesis 1:26
26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
 
Job 35:10
10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
 
Isaiah 54:5
5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. {Maker: Heb. Makers}
 
Compare the Hebrew of
Hosea 12:1
1 ¶ Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
 
Joshua 24:19
19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God {Heb. holy Gods}; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.