angela hormberg

Category: Matthew Henry’s Commentary

  • Proverbs Chapter 10

    Proverbs Chapter 10

    Commonplace –

    “The Proverbs of Solomon” (Proverbs 10:1).

    Chapters 1 – 9 of Proverbs represents Solomon’s persuasive argument for following the path of righteousness and turning away from the path of the wicked. On the good path, one finds life, and, on the wicked path, one finds death.

    Proverbs Chapter 10 marks the beginning of the short, insightful words of wisdom of Solomon. Again, we turn to Henry for enlightenment on the subject. As Matthew Henry says it, what we have read so far has “been in the porch or the preface to the proverbs, here they begin” (690).

    “They are short but weighty sentences; most of them are distichs, two sentences in one verse, illustrating each other; but it is seldom that there is any coherence between the verses” (690).

    Due to the style of the proverbs, we will adopt the method of taking each verse on its own and writing on it, following the same manner Matthew Henry used when he wrote on Proverbs.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 10.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs Chapter 9

    Proverbs Chapter 9

    Commonplace –

    “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).

    Proverbs 9 is the culmination of Solomon’s plea for readers to embrace wisdom. He describes wisdom and compares her with the foolish woman; Wisdom cries upon the high places and declares that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the holy is understanding” (v.10) , while folly loudly declares at her own doorstep that “stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten is secret is pleasant” (v.17). The result of following wisdom is long life (v.12), and the result of following folly is death and hell (v.18).

    In his introduction to Proverbs 9, Matthew Henry shares the following:

    “Christ and sin are rivals for the soul of man, and here we are told how they both make their court to it, to have the innermost and uppermost place in it. The design of this representation is to set before us life and death, good and evil; and there needs no more than a fair stating of the case to determine us which of those to choose, and surrender our hearts to. They are both brought in making entertainment for the soul, and inviting it to accept of the entertainment, concerning both we are told what the issue will be; and, the matter being thus laid before us, let us consider, take advice and speak our minds. And we are therefore concerned to put a value upon our own souls, because we see there is such striving for them” (686).

    In his summary, Henry gets to the heart of Proverbs 9. Solomon does set the scene well. Wisdom prepares her home with seven pillars, kills the beast, which will be served, prepares the wine and the table; it is a hospitable and welcoming scene. Then, she sends out her handmaids to call in the guests. Her message is how to get wisdom and understanding: fear the Lord. In contrast, folly is loud and boisterous as she sits at the door of her house, and her only preparation is her enticement to the simple to partake in stealing and secrecy, while inside her home is death and hell.

    Solomon opens Proverbs 9 with the following verse:

    “Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars” (v.1).

    What these seven pillars are we are not told directly, but there is speculation. Some believe they are a reference to: the fear of the Lord, knowledge, understanding, discretion, counsel, correction, and instruction. Henry makes the following reference related to the seven pillars: “Some reckon the schools of the prophets to be here intended” (687).

    I really like what Hebrew4Christians.com has to say about today’s chosen commonplace, Proverbs 9:10.

    “The scriptures declare that the starting point for wisdom is not to be found in speculative or abstract reasoning, but in understanding that a personal, holy, and righteous God has give us absolute imperative to love and do justly (see Mark 12:28-31). That is we are truly wise when we reverentially submit our lives to God in obedience to His commandments” (“Binah”).

    Works Cited

    “Binah”. Hebrew4Christians.com, John J. Parsons. https://hebrew4christians.com/Meditations/Binah/Printer_Version/printer_version.html. Accessed 9 Dec 2025.

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 9.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs Chapter 8

    Proverbs Chapter 8

    Commonplace –

    “Does not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

    She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

    She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors” (Proverbs 8:1-3).

    In his introduction to Proverbs 8, Solomon poses a couple of questions:

    1. “Doth not wisdom cry” (v.1a)
    2. Doesn’t “understanding put forth her voice” (v.1b)

    Wisdom and understanding are open and available to all. They “crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors” (v.3). Unlike folly and ignorance, who lurk in the shadows and use cunning to entrap their prey, wisdom illuminates the soul and can only be found in connection with light.

    From verses 4-36, Wisdom directly addresses the reader and makes it clear that wisdom is readily available to everyone.

    “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

    They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge” (Proverbs 8:8-9).

    And, again,

    “I wisdom dwell with prudence” (Proverbs 8:12a).

    Prudence is practical wisdom; it’s common sense. There is also intellectual wisdom, which is the wisdom we need to understand fundamental, unchanging truths. In Proverbs 8:12, we learn that wisdom is available to the common man and is useful for everyday living.

    In verse 13, Wisdom imparts foundational knowledge, informing the reader what it means to possess ‘fear of the Lord’.

    “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Prov 8:13).

    If you will recall, Solomon shared in Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. So from the beginning of our journey through these first eight verses of Proverbs, Solomon has been making a passionate plea for us to choose the path of wisdom, which begins with fear of the Lord. Now, in Proverbs 8:7, Solomon clearly states with it means to ‘fear the Lord’, which is to hate evil, pride, arrogance, and contrariness.

    Beginning in verse 22, Wisdom shares that she was with the Lord in the very beginning: “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was” (v.22-23). In reference to these two verses, Matthew Henry comments,

    “That it is an intelligent and divine person that here speaks seems very plain, and that it is not meant of a mere essential property of the divine nature, for Wisdom here has personal properties and actions; and that intelligent person can be no other than the Son of God himself, to whom the principal things here spoken of wisdom are attributed in other scriptures, and we must explain scripture by itself” (684).

    In his introduction to Proverbs 8, Henry writes:

    “The word of God is two-fold, and, in both senses, is wisdom; for a word without wisdom is of little value, and wisdom without a word is of little use” (680).

    Proverbs 8 gives instruction in wisdom and also points to the source of wisdom, which is the Word.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 8.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs Chapter 7

    Proverbs Chapter 7

    Commonplace –

    “Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye” (Proverbs 7:2).

    In the first 4 verses of Proverbs 7, Solomon commands his son in the imperative voice; he gives his son the following directives:

    1. “keep my words” (v.1)
    2. “lay up my commandments with thee” (v.1)
    3. “Keep my commandments…and my law” (v.2)
    4. “bind them upon thy fingers” (v.3)
    5. “write them upon the table of thine heart” (v.3)
    6. “say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister” (v.4)
    7. “call understanding thy kinswoman” (v.4)

    Solomon advises his son that following these commands will keep him “from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words” (Proverbs 7:5). Solomon did not want his son to be lured in by wicked women, so he is giving him relationship advice.

    Then, Solomon illustrates his instructions with a parable. He tells his son that one day, he was looking through his window out onto the street and he “beheld among the simple ones, [he] discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding” (Proverbs 7:7).

    He sets the scene: the young man was out walking on the street “in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night” (v.9), when he met a woman who was dressed as a harlot and had a cunning heart, which he defines as a woman who “is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house” (v.11). So, here is this young man, who is a simpleton and out among the other youths, walking the streets in the evening and purposely walks the streets near where a known harlot lives, when he comes upon her, a female trickster dressed as a prostitute.

    The woman spots this ignorant young man, her prey, immediately grabs him, kisses him and “with an impudent face” (v.13) expresses that she is a wealthy woman, “I have peace offerings” (v.14), and she is religious, “this day have I payed my vows” (v.14). So, she tells him she isn’t going to rob him, because she doesn’t need the money and, besides, she’s too religious to do such a thing. After which, she informs the wayward young man that her husband has gone on a trip and he won’t be back for a while, which means she is home alone, and invites the youth back to her home for intimate relations. And the young man, like an ox to slaughter, follows after her, which is the beginning of the end for him.

    Solomon follows his story with a warning to children. He tells them to listen and attend to his words: Don’t go after these types of women, who intentionally seek to bring down young men. “Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death” (Proverbs 7:27).

    Matthew Henry offers the following summary of Proverbs 7:

    “The scope of this chapter is, as of several before, to warn young men against the lusts of the flesh. Solomon remembered of what ill consequence it was to his father, perhaps found himself, and perceived his son, addicted to it, or at least had observed how many hopeful young ment among his subjects had been ruined by those lusts; and therefore he thought he could never say enough to dissuade men from them, that ‘every one man may possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncleanness‘.” (677).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs .” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs Chapter 6

    Proverbs Chapter 6

    Commonplace –

    “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

    Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

    Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

    How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

    Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

    So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man” (Proverbs 6:6-11).

    Avoiding slothfulness is just one of the many important points Solomon touches on in Proverbs 6. In his summary on Proverbs 6, Matthew Henry notes,

    “We are here dissuaded from sin very much by arguments borrowed from our secular interest, for it is not only represented as damning in the other world, but as impoverishing in this” (672).

    As Henry wisely observes in Proverbs Chapter 6, Solomon touches on many sins to avoid in our day to day dealings in the secular world:

    1. Avoid being a surety for others. If you do enter into such a situation, don’t stop working until the debt is paid.
    2. Avoid being lazy, because it leads to poverty.
    3. Avoid being froward, an ancient word that refers to contrariness. The examples Solomon gives are those of the wicked, cunning person, who devises “mischief continually” (v. 14).
    4. Avoid the following seven things, which God hates: “a proud look”, “a lying tongue”, “hands that shed innocent blood”, “a heart that devises wicked imaginations”, feet that run to mischief, being “a false witness that speaketh lies”, sowing “discord among brethren”.
    5. Avoid whorish women (and men).
    6. Avoid adultery.

    All of these things are sins, but, even if you don’t believe in sin, these things make life difficult.

    Instead, “keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not thy law of thy mother”, which hearkens back to Solomon’s words in Proverbs 1:8, “hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother”. Some may not have had fathers and mothers who imparted worthy instruction, which makes reading Proverbs all the more important and necessary. Solomon’s words to his own son serve as useful instruction to us, and the words of the Bible itself impart knowledge of the law. Therefore, we are without excuse.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 6.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs Chapter 5

    Proverbs Chapter 5

    Commonplace –

    “My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:

    That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge” (Proverbs 5:1-2).

    As Matthew Henry notes,

    “The scope of this chapter is much the same with that of chapter 2. To write the same things, in other words, ought not to be grievous, for it is safe, Phil. 3:1” (668).

    For reference, the full quote from Philippians 3:1 is:

    “Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you (Phil 3:1)”.

    This is a splendid reference Henry has provided and spot on in regards to Proverbs 5. It is often said that people need to be reminded more than instructed, which is exactly what Solomon has been doing in these past few chapters, reminding his son over and over why seeking wisdom and choosing good is the best path. In Proverbs 5, Solomon adds to his previous arguments for the path of righteousness and ponders the outcome of a wicked life. He also spends time (v.18-20) encouraging his son to remain faithful to his wife and refrain from seeking the embrace of “a strange woman” (v.20).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 5.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs Chapter 4

    Proverbs Chapter 4

    Commonplace –

    “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

    In the opening verse of Proverbs 4, Solomon cries out to all children, and, as Matthew Henry notes, Solomon revisits the same topics he has covered in the previous three chapters.

    “When the things of God are to be taught precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, not only because the things themselves are of great worth and weight, but because men’s minds, at the best, are unapt to admit them and commonly prejudiced against them; and therefore Solomon, in this chapter, with a great variety of expression and a pleasant powerful flood of divine eloquence, inculcates the the same things that he had pressed upon us in the foregoing chapters” (663).

    Solomon’s reference to his own childhood is important.

    “For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

    He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live” (Proverbs 4:3-4).

    Here we have tradition, from father to son, one generation to the next. This is key, because it highlights the importance of the ongoing duty each generation has to those who come after them. But we must not overlook the duty we have to the previous generation; we must receive receive the instruction they have given us.

    How do we learn? Precept upon precept, we learn the rules that govern our actions and behavior.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 4.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs Chapter 3

    Proverbs Chapter 3

    Commonplace –

    “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

    In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

    Matthew Henry gives the following glowing introduction to Proverbs 3:

    “This chapter is one of the most excellent in all this book, both for argument to persuade us to be religious and for directions therein” (657).

    Further, Proverbs 3:5-6 are two of the most quoted and beloved verses from Proverbs 3. Within them is a sweet promise that if one chooses to acknowledge God and trust Him implicitly, God will direct their path. In particular reference to these verses, Henry notes the following:

    “Those that faithfully follow the pillar of cloud and fire shall find that though it may lead them about it leads them the right way and will bring them to Canaan at last” (658).

    So, let’s take a deeper look at Proverbs 3.

    If this, then this.

    Solomon begins by addressing his son and presents him with statements along the line of “If you do this, then this will happen”

    1. If you remember the law and keep the commandments, then you will have long life and peace (v. 1-2).
    2. If you hold tightly to mercy and truth, then you will find favor and good standing with God and men (v. 3-4).
    3. If you trust in God fully and do not rely on your own understanding, God will direct your path (v. 5-6).
    4. If you are not proud, run from evil, and fear the Lord, then you will have physical and spiritual strength (v. 7-8).
    5. If you honor God with your possessions and give the first fruits of your work, your food and drink will be plentiful.

    Correction

    In verse 11, Solomon again begins with “My son” and addresses the topic of correction. He encourages his son to accept correction from the Lord and refrain from despising it or growing weary of it, because the Lord corrects only those he loves, as a loving father does for his children.

    Wisdom

    Beginning in verse 13, Solomon speaks of the profit of finding wisdom and understanding. The man who seeks wisdom and understanding is a happy man, because the profit of wisdom is more valuable than any physical wealth, such as gold or silver. Wisdom is precious and desirable, because she brings long life, riches, honor, and peace. (v. 13-17).

    In verse 18, Solomon says, “[Wisdom] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her”. Recall that in Genesis 3:22, after Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God expelled them from the garden, so they would not have access to the tree of life.

    “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever; Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken” (Genesis 3:22).

    Now, Solomon is sharing with us that the way back to the tree of life is through wisdom. It was through wisdom that God created the world and all of the wonders in it (v.19-20).

    Keep Wisdom and Discretion

    Here, for the third time, Solomon directly addresses his son, telling him, “My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion” (v.20-21).

    If you keep sound wisdom and discretion, they will bring you life and grace. You will

    1. walk safely (v.23)
    2. not stumble (v.23)
    3. not be afraid, having sweet sleep (v.24).

    Solomon then directs his son to:

    1. Do not be “afraid of sudden fear” (v.25).
    2. Do not be afraid of “the desolation of the wicked” when it comes (v.25).
    3. Be confident in God (v.26).
    4. Do not withhold good (v.27).
    5. When it is within your power to do good, do it (v.27).
    6. If you are going to give, give it right away, without delay, when you have it (v.28).
    7. Don’t devise evil against your neighbor (v. 29).
    8. Don’t argue with others without reason (v.30).
    9. Don’t envy others (v.31).

    God’s provision to the righteous and the wicked

    To the righteous God

    1. gives the secret of righteousness (v.32),
    2. blesses their home (v.33),
    3. gives grace to the lowly (v.34), and
    4. gives an inheritance of glory (v.35).

    As for the wicked, God

    1. views them as an abomination (v.32),
    2. curses their house (v.33),
    3. scorns the scorners (v.34),
    4. shames the fools (v.35).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 3.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs Chapter 2

    Proverbs Chapter 2

    Commonplace –

    “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

    Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee;

    To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things” (Prov 2:10-12).

    In Psalm 2, Solomon pleads with his son to receive his words and “hide my commandments with thee” (v.1) and, in so doing, follow the path of wisdom, which leads to understanding and fear of the Lord. (I wrote a post specifically related to “The Fear of the Lord”, which you can read by following the link.) Solomon lists the benefits of allowing wisdom to enter the heart and knowledge to become pleasant to the soul (v.10):

    1. “Discretion shall preserve thee” (v.11a).
    2. “Understanding shall keep thee” (v.11b).
    3. Deliverance from the evil man (v.12).
    4. Walking in the way of good men and keeping to the right path (v.20).
    5. Dwelling in the good land (v.21).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 2.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Proverbs: “The Fear of the Lord”

    Proverbs: “The Fear of the Lord”

    Commonplace –

    “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7, emphasis added).

    “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

    So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

    Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up my voice for understanding;

    If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

    Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:1-4, emphasis added).

    What does it mean: “fear of the Lord”?

    The Hebrew word used here is ‘yare’.

    “Yare: to fear; mor. to revere; caus. to frighten” (“Yare”).

    According to Strong’s Concordance, in Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 2:5, the same word is used for fear, ‘Yare’. In these instances, the word is

    “used of a person in an exalted position, yare’ connotes “standing in awe.” This is not a simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect” (“Yare”).

    There are moments in an individual’s life when a Copernican shift happens. Just like when Copernicus first suggested that the sun was the center of the universe and not the earth, so, too, in an individual’s life, there are moments when the individual realizes God is the center of the universe and not them.

    If we consider that shift in regard to the two references mentioned where “fear of the Lord” is used, Proverbs 1:7 and 2:5, then we can understand Solomon’s intent, which is that we acquire understanding, when we realize God is in control. This does not mean we have no part to play in our own destiny, but it does mean we acknowledge that our destiny is part of a greater plan centered on honoring God. We have a choice to make between good and evil, and that choice dictates our ultimate outcome.

    What is important to remember is that it’s not simply the big moments that define us but really all the little moments day to day which build our character and determine our fate. Decision upon decision we choose our destiny, when we choose between good and evil.

    In his commentary on Proverbs 1:7, Matthew Henry notes the following:

    “Solomon, having undertaken to teach a young man knowledge and discretion, here lays down two general rules to be observed in order thereunto and those are, to fear God and honour his parents, which two fundamental laws of morality Pythagoras begins his golden verses with, but the former of them in a wretchedly corrupt state. Primum, deos immortales cole, parentesque honora – First worship the immortal gods, and honour your parents. To make young people as they should be,

    I. Let them have regard to God as their supreme.

    1. He lays down this truth, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (v.7); it is the principal part of knowledge (so the margin); it is the head of knowledge; that is (1.) Of all things that are to be known that is most evident, that God is to be feared, to be reverenced, served, and worshipped; this is so the beginning of knowledge that those know nothing who do not know this. (2.) In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by the instructions that are given us unless our minds be possessed with a holy reverence of God, and every thought within us be brought into obedience to him. If any man will do his will, he shall know of his doctrine, John 7:17. (3.) As all our knowledge must take rise from the fear of God, so it must tend to it as its perfection and centre. Those know enough who know how to fear God, who are careful in everything to please him and fearful of offending him in any thing; this is the Alpha and Omega of knowledge.
    2. To confirm this truth, that an eye to God must both direct and quicken all our pursuits of knowledge, he observes, Fools (atheists, who have no regard to God) despise wisdom and instruction, having no dread at all of God’s wrath, nor any desire of his favour, they will not give you thanks for telling them what they may do to escape his wrath and obtain his favour. Those who may say to the Almighty, Depart from us, who are so far from fearing him that they set him at defiance, can excite no surprise if they desire not the knowledge of his ways, but despise that instruction. Note. Those are fools who do not fear God and value the scriptures; and though they may pretend to be admirers of wit they are really strangers and enemies to wisdom” (649-650).

    And in his commentary on Proverbs 2:5, “Thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord”, Matthew Henry notes:

    “that is, thou shalt know how to worship him aright, shalt be led into the meaning and mystery of every ordinance, and be enabled to answer the end of its institution” (655).

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs .” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    “Yare’”. The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 2001. pg 119-120

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg