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The Value Of Discipline And The Desire Of Wisdom

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Chapter eight expands the concepts in chapter one and introduces the value of discipline and the desire of wisdom. This is the second of Solomon’s three poems. In these verses, wisdom is again personified as a woman and makes her proclamation, heard from far and wide, and does not wait for the audience to come to her. She represents herself as two nouns: “Doth not wisdom cry? And understanding put forth her voice?” (8:1). Understanding is another word for wisdom. For knowledge and understanding go “hand in hand”. The next few verses set up the setting in which wisdom makes her speech: “She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man” (8:2-3). Waltke’s commentary elaborates on the position of her speech and explains that “she speaks on the highest points, to be visible and audible as possible”. Wisdom stands “by the way in the places of the path”, in which connotes where the masses walk on their way to choosing their lifestyle. This represents the point at where they must decide to follow either wisdom or foolishness. Her location at the gates implies that she is around a place where a lot of people gather on a daily basis, persuading them to stay away from the wicked. Wisdom stands at the opening of the gates and Waltke expands on the idea that “here decisions are made and people ‘enter into’ new situations and even embark on new journeys.” She proceeds to give insight and

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