THIRTY
SAYINGS OF THE WISE
SAYING
NUMBER TWENTY
Proverbs 24:3–4 reads:
3 By wisdom a house is
built, and by understanding it is established; 4 by knowledge the
rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
The tools that build a “house” are “wisdom” and “understanding”.
The ornate decorations are supplied by “knowledge”. The idea of “house” could be general to
include all domestic activity or it could relate to the building of a family as
in Psalm 127:1 (ESV), “unless the Lord builds the
house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in
vain.”
“As indicated by the
clause initial words, the focus is on the means, by wisdom and by
understanding. Unless a household is built on the revealed wisdom upheld by
the Lord,”[1] it is like a house built on sand. In addition “wisdom
does not just build the house; she fills it with prosperity and happiness.”[2]
There may be any numbers of means that the unscrupulous or unwise
might use to establish their domestic life, but that which receives the honour
of being wise, is a house built on wisdom and understanding – adorned with
knowledge. One cannot help think of the words of Jesus: ““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does
them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24, ESV). “Disciples who
build their lives on the bedrock of Jesus and his message of the kingdom of
heaven are truly wise, regardless of the shifting cultural or religious
fashions.”[3]
Previously the sage reminded us that “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly
with her own hands tears it down” (Proverbs 14:1, ESV). A firm house adorned with beauty and
prosperity is the result of wisdom – God’s wisdom, not man’s foolishness. “Trust in the Lord with all your
heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge
him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5–6, ESV)
“It
certainly is true that if it takes wisdom to build a house, it also takes
wisdom to build a household.”[4]
[1] Waltke, B. K. (2005). The Book of
Proverbs, Chapters 15–31 (p. 271). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[2] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S.,
Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study
Bible (Pr 24:3–4). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Expositor's Bible
Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Proverbs/Exposition of Proverbs/IV. The Sayings of the
Wise (22:17-24:34)/A. Thirty Precepts of the Sages (22:17-24:22), Book Version:
4.0.2
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