Understanding Proverbs

 To understand Proverbs you must probe.

1 These are the wise sayings of Solomon, David's son, Israel's king -

2 Written down so we'll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it's going;

3 A manual for living, for learning what's right and just and fair;

4 To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality.

--Proverbs 1:1-4 The Message [Version]

Today, I want to present what I think is important for my children to learn. I believe the reason to learn how to read is explained from this portion of the first chapter of the book of Proverbs. For my children to know what this means is to equip them for life. The knowing that there are important lessons and instructions in the Bible is invaluable. For them to be able to understand those lessons can empower my children to navigate life in this world.

The Message Bible provides an easy to understand version of the passage. I still remember using the King James Version. It was so hard to understand, but it made me work harder to break down what each word meant. Here is the King James Version, and you will see what I mean. In the brackets, I have inserted a simplified definition of the word that is in bold-face:

1 The proverbs [wise sayings] of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2 To know [grasp] wisdom [information needed] and instruction [the lessons]; to perceive [comprehend] the words [sayings] of understanding [deep meaning];

3 To receive [get] the instruction of wisdom , justice [practice doing right], judgment [consider all information], and equity [be fair];

4 To give subtilty [cautiously] to the simple [innocent], to the young man knowledge [awareness] and discretion [decide responsibly].

--Proverbs 1:1-4 KJV

I think you can see the major changes between both versions. The Message, which is a more recent version, makes it easier to understand what the Bible says. It might seem to water down the content. I still prefer to break the passage down, word by word. Looking at the keywords is necessary.

In my own words, I will now say what I believe has been said in this portion of the first chapter of Proverbs:

King Solomon wanted these words to be written down so that his son could learn from them. Basically, he wanted his son to grasp (or learn) the information that is needed to live a successful life. It is important for the son to understand the wise sayings. From those lessons, he needed to learn to consider what was the right decision, considering all the information presented in any given situation so he could rule fairly. Further, this information was to be given cautiously to the young man and make him aware that he must always make his decisions responsibly.

I think it is wonderful to know that a parent, like King Solomon, wanted to pass down the knowledge he had gained from God. I think we, as parents, desire to pass on what we have gained through our experiences. Our children need our wisdom in order to succeed in life.

How about you, my readers? Have you considered what you are passing down to the children in your life? If so, what do you think is important to impart to them? I hope you will take the time to ponder what you are passing down to your children. Please ask God for guidance.

God bless you all with His peace, my beloveds.

This entry has been created for the Spiritual Sunday series. I hope you have enjoyed it.

To compile this mini- bible study, I visited: http://www.biblestudytools.com/