Proverbs 15:33

Pro 15:33 The fear of the LORD [is] the instruction of wisdom; and before honour [is] humility.

Ver. 33. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom.] {See Trapp on "Pro 1:7"}

And before honour is humility.] David came not to the kingdom till he could truly say, "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty," &c. {Psa 131:1} Abigail was not made David’s wife till she thought it honour enough to wash the feet of the lowest of David’s servants. {1Sa 25:41} Moses must be forty years a stranger in Midian before he become king in Jeshurun; he must be struck sick to death in the inn before he go to Pharaoh on that honourable embassy. Luther observed that ever, for most part, before God set him upon any special service for the good of the church, he had some sore fit of sickness. Surely, as the lower the ebb, the higher the tide; so the lower any descend in humiliation, the higher they shall ascend in exaltation; the lower this foundation of humility is laid, the higher shall the roof of honour be overlaid.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15:33 Fear of the Lord fosters humility because proper regard for God counteracts our delusions of self-sufficiency.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Meaning, that God exalteth none but them that are truly humbled.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

See here how much it is our interest, as well as duty, 1. To submit to our God, and keep up a reverence for him: The fear of the Lord, as it is the beginning of wisdom, so it is the instruction and correction of wisdom; the principles of religion, closely adhered to, will improve our knowledge, rectify our mistakes, and be the best and surest guide of our way. An awe of God upon our spirits will put us upon the wisest counsels and chastise us when we say or do unwisely. 2. To stoop to our brethren, and keep up a respect for them. Where there is humility there is a happy presage of honour and preparative for it. Those that humble themselves shall be exalted here and hereafter.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The fear . . . wisdom--Wisdom instructs in true piety.

before . . . humility--(compare Luk 24:26; Pe1 1:11); opposite (compare Pro 16:18).

Next: Proverbs Chapter 16

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 33. The fear of the Lord] See Clarke on Pr 1:7. Much is spoken concerning this fear;

1. It is the beginning of wisdom.

2. It is also the beginning of knowledge. And,

3. It is the instruction of wisdom. Wisdom derives its most important lessons from the fear of God. He who fears God much, is well taught.

And before honour is humility.] That is, few persons ever arrive at honour who are not humble; and those who from low life have risen to places of trust and confidence, have been remarkable for humility. We may rest assured that the providence of God will never elevate a proud man; such God beholds afar off. He may get into places of trust and profit, but God will oust him, and the people will curse him, and curse his memory. So will it ever be with bad ministers and advisers of the crown.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(33) The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom.—Or, a discipline which leads to wisdom. (Comp. Pro_1:7.)

Before honour is humility.—Humility leads to it. (Comp. Luk_1:52.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

33. of wisdom] See Pro_15:31, note.

before honour &c.] Comp. Mat_23:12; Luk_14:11; Luk_18:14.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,.... It is "the beginning of wisdom", Pro 9:10; it leads unto it, instructs a man in it; by means of it he attains to true spiritual and evangelical wisdom; it teaches him to abstain from sin, and to serve the Lord; and to seek the salvation of his soul in the way God has appointed, which is by his Son Jesus Christ, which to do is the highest wisdom;

and before honour is humility; the fear of God and humility go together, where the one is the other is; and as the one is the way to wisdom, the other is the way to glory; Christ's humiliation was before his exaltation; men are first humbled and laid low in their own eyes, and then they are raised out of their low estate, and are set among princes; and shall inherit the throne of glory, being made kings and priests unto God; it is a frequent saying of Christ's, "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted", Luk 14:11; such an one is raised to a high estate of grace, and at last to eternal glory.

Next: Proverbs Chapter 16

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The instruction of wisdom - i. e., The discipline that leads to wisdom.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Lesson. Or "what teacheth." Humility, or docility, as those who acknowledge no master will never be wise, Matthew xxiii. 12. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Is the instruction of wisdom; doth instruct men in or lead them to true wisdom; whence it is said to be the beginning of wisdom, Pro 1:7; 9:10.

Before honour is humility, i. e. it is the ready way to honour, both from God and from men. Humility; whereby men submit to God, and yield to men, which gains them love and respect; whereas pride procures them hatred and contempt from God and men.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

33. The instruction (or discipline) of wisdom — The pre-requisite to wisdom — reverence for Jehovah, his character and his law, and the disposition implied in this — are necessary to the attainment of true wisdom. This reverence implies submission and humility; and as the fear of the Lord comes before wisdom, and is the stepping stone to it, so humility must precede honour, as the qualification for it. “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Mat_23:12. On first clause comp. Pro_1:7; Pro_9:10; on last clause, Pro_18:12; Act_14:22.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; that which leads to and gives wisdom. (see Pro_1:3, Pro_1:7, etc.; Pro_9:10) "Pirke Aboth," 3:26, "No wisdom, no fear of God; no fear of God, no wisdom. No knowledge, no discernment; no discernment, no knowledge." Before honour is humility. (Pro_18:12) A man who fears God must be humble, and as the fear of God leads to wisdom, it may be said that humility leads to the honour and glory of being wise and reckoned among the wise (ver. 31). A man with a lowly opinion of himself will hearken to the teaching of the wise, and scrupulously obey the Law of God, and will be blessed in his ways. For "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble". (Jam_4:6; comp. Luk_1:52) The maxim in the second clause has a general application. "He that shall humble himself shall be exalted". (Mat_23:12; comp. Luk_14:11 Jam_4:6) It is sanctioned by the example of Christ himself, the Spirit itself testifying beforehand his sufferings that were to precede his glory. (1Pe_1:11; see also Php_2:5, etc.) Septuagint, "The fear of the Lord is discipline and wisdom, and the beginning of glory shall answer to it." Another reading adds, "Glory goeth before the humble," which is explained to mean that the humble set before their eyes the reward that awaits their humility, and patiently endure, like Christ, "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God". (Heb_12:2)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The instruction - Doth instruct men in true wisdom.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

33 The fear of Jahve is a discipline to wisdom,

And before honour is humility.

We may regard 'יראת ה (the fear of Jahve) also as pred. here. The fear of Jahve is an educational maxim, and the end of education of the Chokma; but the phrase may also be the subject, and by such a rendering Luther's parallelism lies nearer: "The fear of the Lord is discipline to wisdom;" the fear of God, viz., continually exercised and tried, is the right school of wisdom, and humility is the right way to honour. Similar is the connection מוּסר השׂכּל, discipline binds understanding to itself as its consequence, Pro 1:3. Line second repeats itself, Pro 18:12, "Pride comes before the fall." Luther's "And ere one comes to honour, he must previously suffer," renders עני rather than ענוה. But the Syr. reverses the idea: the honour of the humble goeth before him, as also one of the anonymous Greek versions: προπορεύεται δὲ ταπεινοῖς δόξα. But the δόξα comes, as the above proverb expresses it, afterwards. The way to the height lies through the depth, the depth of humility under the hand of God, and, as ענוה expresses, of self-humiliation.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

The fear of the LORD is elsewhere described as the substance (Job 28:28 ), and the beginning or principal part (Pro 1:7 ; Pro 9:10 ; Psa 111:10 ), of wisdom. Here it is set forth as the instruction of wisdom. The Teachers, inspired by Divine wisdom, inculcated it as a grand subject of their instruction.†1 Nor is it less important under the new dispensation, linked as it is with the full privileges of the Gospel. (Act 9:31 . Heb 12:28 .) The fear of terror melts away. The fear of reverence fills the soul. God rejoices in his mercy; the child of God in his confidence. But as it realizes the presence of a holy God, it must always be connected with humility. Indeed no Christian grace can exist without this conservating principle. Every dispensation of God strikes at the root of self-exaltation, and tends to that real absence of self-esteem and self-sufficiency, which most of us rather long after than attain.

Most wise therefore is our Father’s discipline — Humility before honour. Indeed, without humility, honour would be our temptation, rather than our glory. Had not the Apostle been kept down by a most humbling trial, his honour would have been his ruin. (2Co 12:7-9 .) The exaltation of the Lord’s people in Providence, is therefore often conducted through the valley of Humiliation. Joseph was raised from the prison to the throne.†2 Moses and David were taken from the Shepherd’s fold to feed the LORD’s inheritance.†3 Gideon acknowledged himself to be of "the least of the families of Israel."†4 Ruth was humbled by adversity, ere she was raised to the high honour of a Mother in Israel, and progenitor of the Savior.†5 Abigail confessed herself unworthy to wash the feet of her lord’s servants, before she was honoured to be his wife.†6 And in the daily walk of life, the lowest place is the path-way to honour.†7

The same principle obtains in the dispensations of grace. "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted — in due time."†8 Not that in the forgetfulness of our high privileges and confidence, we are to be weighed down in a sense of degradation. The true humility, which realizes our vileness, casts us most simply upon the full resources of the gospel, so that the most humble is the most triumphant believer. ’The lower then any descend in humiliation, the higher they shall ascend in exaltation. The lower this foundation of humility is laid, the higher shall the roof of honour be over-laid.’†8

And was not this the track of our beloved Lord — Before honour, humility — the cross before the crown? How deep was that descent, by which he, who was infinitely more than man, became "a worm and no man!" (Psa 22:6 .) And yet the honour, which rewarded this humility, what tongue can tell! (Php 2:9 .) ’We must not disdain to follow Jesus Christ.’†9 Is it a light privilege to follow in the pathway consecrated by his steps, irradiated by his smile? (Mat 11:29 ; Mat 20:28 . Joh 13:14 .)

Footnotes:

†1 Moses, Deu 10:12 ; Jos 24:14 ; Samuel, 1Sa 12:14, 1Sa 12:20, 1Sa 12:24 ; David, Psa 34:9-11 ; Solomon, Ecc 12:13 .

†2 Gen 41:14-44.

†3 Exo 3:1-12. Psa 78:70-72 .

†4 Jdg 6:15-16.

†5 Ruth 2:1-23. Rth 4:13-22 . Mat 1:5 .

†6 1Sa 25:41-42 .

†7 Luke 14:7-11.

†8 Luke 18:14. 1Pe 5:6 .

†9 Cope in loco.

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

fear

(See Scofield "Psa 19:9").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

v. 33. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, it offers the training which leads to true wisdom; and before honor is humility, that is, true humility will open the way to true honor, for God giveth grace to the humble.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The fear of Yahweh teaches wisdom

The words "fear" and "wisdom" can be translated with verbal phrases. AT: "When one fears Yahweh, he will learn to be wise" (See: Abstract Nouns)

The fear of Yahweh

See how you translated this phrase in Proverbs 1:7.

humility comes before honor

This means that a person must first learn humility before Yahweh will honor him.

translationWords

fear

wise

humble

honor

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

and before honor there is humility Humility causes honor to come.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.