Proverbs 22:17-25

INTRODUCTION

This section of Proverbs departs from the two-line structure used through much of the book. Instead, these proverbs run to at least two, sometimes several verses. Verses 17-21, for instance, constitute a single section. Verse 18 is connected to verse 17 by the particle “for,” so that verse 18 gives the ground for the exhortation of verse 17. Verse 19 begins with a purpose clause, showing the goal or aim of the instructive given in verses 17-18. Verses 20-21 also go with this section, posing a rhetorical question to the son about the father’s diligence in passing along the wisdom he has acquired.

Through the rest of the section, the Proverbs are arranged in similar ways. Verses 22-23 form a single section, as do verses 24-25 and verses 26-27. Verses 28 and 29 go back to the more standard style of two or three lines in a single Proverb.

Here, we will go only through verse 25.

PROVERBS 22:17-21

The leading exhortation of this section is the triple command of verse 17: “incline,” “hear,” and “apply” (or “set”). Solomon is teaching his son to turn his ear toward him, and hear. Hearing is of course associated with obedience in Scripture: “Hear, O Israel,” begins the Shema. The ear is the leading organ of obedience, and we are led in the direction that our ears are turned. Solomon is not talking about “mere hearing,” but about a hearing that pays heed, a hearing that produces action. This is the kind of hearing that sets words in our hearts, not a superficial half-listening.

Solomon wants his son specifically to give ear to the “words of the wise,” and it’s clear from the second line of verse 17 that he considers himself to be among the wise teachers: “my knowledge.” This verse indicates a connection between ear and heart. We hear what we incline our ears to, and what we hear is to be set in our heart, planted there so it can bear fruit. Every set of words enters the ear and plants itself in the heart; but not every set of words is wise. Solomon wants his son to incline to words of wisdom, to wisdom communicated through words, ultimately to the Wisdom who is the Word of Yahweh.

The reason for inclining the ear, hearing, and setting wisdom in the heart is that it is beneficial to his son. “It will be pleasant,” he says. But the pleasure comes from “keeping” the words of wisdom within. The language draws partly on the work of the priests and Levites at the tabernacle; they were set as guardians or “keepers” of the house, keeping the “words of wisdom” recorded on tablets of stone in the tent. The tent is an image of man, and Solomon exhorts his son to be a tabernacle in which the word dwells. Solomon looks ahead, dimly, to the time when the words of wisdom would be written by the Spirit on the tablets of the human heart, not merely on tablets of stone.

This process has two intentions and effects. First, we guard the words of wisdom in our hearts so that they can be brought readily to the lips (v. 18b). We don’t keep the words in. There is an ear-heart connection; what goes in the ear enters the heart. There is also a heart-lips connection moving in the opposite direction; what is in the heart comes out through the lips. Lips often have to do specifically with confession, not merely with daily talk. Words of wisdom set in our hearts make it possible for us to share wisdom with others, and to confess the wisdom of Yahweh. We aren’t supposed to treasure up the words of the wise in our hearts like misers. We guard them so that they will be brought out at the right time. The veil will be rent and the words of wisdom will flow out through the lips.

Second, guarding words of wisdom in our hearts produces trust in Yahweh (v. 19a). It’s not clear grammatically whether the purpose clause of 19a is connected back to 18a (“it will be pleasant if you guard them . . . so that your trust may be in Yahweh”) or to 18b (“words ready on your lips, so that your trust may be in Yahweh”). Either works theologically. We guard the wisdom of Yahweh in our hearts so that our trust is directed toward Him. But our speech and confession come to our lips so that our trust is directed toward Yahweh. Taken in this latter sense, we have an interesting variation on the ear-heart connection. When wise others speak to us, it goes into our hearts; but we also hear our own speech, and when wisdom comes to our lips, it also penetrates our hearts and directs us to trust Yahweh.

Verses 20-21 are a single sentence, a question, in which Solomon claims to have communicated to his son so that he would come to certainty about the truth and so that he will give a correct answer. Again, Solomon’s instruction is not just for the benefit of his son, but to make his son a benefit and blessing to others. Solomon communicates counsels and knowledge so that his son can give correct answers to questions. It is interesting that Solomon speaks of writing things to his son (v. 20). Much of the instruction in Proverbs takes place in face-to-face oral settings. Solomon is passing on his “oral tradition,” oral wisdom. Writing is speech extended beyond our lifetimes, and communicates wisdom in a permanent form even to generations that we will never live to see. Writing, like teaching, sends out a “feeler” into the future (Rosenstock-Huessy). Peter says in 2 Peter that he writes down what he knows so that when he is gone the churches will have a written reminder of all that he taught. Solomon is doing the same with his son.

This provides a pattern for Christian fathers. Speak to your sons and daughters. But also write to them. Don’t let your words die on the air. Commit them to writing, so that your sons and daughters can be reminded of your words when you are gone, so that they can communicate your wisdom to their own children.

PROVERBS 22:22-23

Solomon instructs his son in just treatment of the poor and afflicted. Remember that Proverbs is an instruction manual for princes. Solomon wants his son to rule justly. The “gate” is the place of trials and judgments, the place of entry and exclusion, and Solomon wants his son to establish justice among the elders of the gates. As we are all kings and priests in Christ, we are all commanded to carry out these instructions, avoiding robbery of the poor and oppression of the afflicted.

Verse 23 gives the rationale, which echoes the warnings of the law (Exodus 23:6). Yahweh takes u

p the cause of the afflicted, and those who have no protector. He is Father of the fatherless, and Husband of widows, defender of the oppressed. Israel above all should know that this is Yahweh’s character, because their founding history is a history of Yahweh delivering them from the oppressor – the Exodus. Yahweh took up the cause of Israel in Egypt , and He will take up the cause of the oppressed if Israel should become an Egypt (as it ironically does under Solomon himself, and under Solomon’s son Rehoboam). In Egypt , the Lord did “rob the soul” of those who “rob the poor,” taking the firstborn of Egypt in exchange for all the sons of Israel that were slaughtered and thrown into the Nile . There is an eye-for-eye justice here.

Yahweh has not ceased to be the defender of the poor. According to the Magnificat, this is the purpose of Jesus’ coming: To cast down the rich and to raise the poor from the dung heap.

PROVERBS 22:24-25

Proverbs, like the rest of the Bible, assumes that human beings are intimately connected to other human beings. We are mimics, as anyone with small children knows well enough. We may think we are self-standing, but many of our habits are drawn from others. That is the premise of this proverb, which instructs us to avoid a man given to anger, whose nostrils flare with wrath at nothing. The reason given in verse 25 is to avoid picking up his habits and find ourselves being caught.

Anger has all sorts of evil consequences: An angry man is in constant strife; an angry man wastes energy and time; an angry man may lash out in words or actions to harm others; an angry man can stir up a mob to horrendous evil. Not all angry people are red-faced screamers. Anger can be quiet and smoldering, but it is no less destructive for that. There is a place for righteous anger, but a man who is angry by habit does much evil and should be avoided.

In our political season, take this into account in evaluating candidates. Don’t only listen to the platform or policy recommendations. Ask, is this man angry, and stirring up support by catching up others in his anger?