Read Proverbs 2 at Bible Gateway.
Pro 2:1-22 {p} Receive + treasure commands to find wisdom, knowledge, understanding/uprightness preserves life
Pro 2:1-22 chiastic structure:
1a) Pro 2:1-4, Receive + treasure My words + commands;
1a) Pro 2:1, My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you;
1b) Pro 2:2, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
2b) Pro 2:3, Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;
2a) Pro 2:4, If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures;
1b) Pro 2:5-9, You will find wisdom + understanding/ He will preserve the way of His saints;
1a) Pro 2:5, Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God;
1b) Pro 2:6a, For the Lord gives wisdom;
central axis) Pro 2:6b, From His mouth come knowledge + understanding;
2b) Pro 2:7-8, He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
2a) Pro 2:9, Then you will understand righteousness + justice, Equity and every good path;
2a) Pro 2:10, When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul;
2b) Pro 2:11-22, Discretion + understanding will preserve you + deliver you from evil;
1a) Pro 2:11, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you;
1b) Pro 2:12a, To deliver you from the way of evil;
1c) Pro 2:12b, From the man who speaks perverse things;
1d) Pro 2:13, From those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness;
central axis) Pro 2:14, Who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked;
2d) Pro 2:15a, Whose ways are crooked;
2c) Pro 2:15b, And who are devious in their paths;
2b) Pro 2:16-19, To deliver you from the immoral woman whose paths lead down to death;
2a) Pro 2:20-22 {p} So you may keep to the paths of righteousness + not be cut off from the earth.
This structure contrasts two paths and what those on the two paths treasure. The upright walk in the paths of righteousness because they treasure the commandments of their Father. The wicked walk in the paths of darkness because they treasure evil and perversity (vs. 14). Now how do we choose our path? It is purely random, what we will treasure, good or evil? No.
“For the Lord gives wisdom, from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Pro 2:6
We need to raise our children on a steady heart diet of the word of the Lord, for that is what comes from His mouth. This word needs to be coupled with His Spirit accompanying it, for the Spirit is the source of what comes from His mouth (Luk 6:45), and He is the Spirit of truth (Joh 16:13) – of true understanding and application of His word.
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