DAWN

     Explanation: In Proverbs 2 Solomon describes the benefits of wisdom as it enables those who seek it to avoid evil things and evil people and to find good things with good people and favor and fellowship with the LORD. A significant part of wisdom is to avoid the type of people and the types of situations depicted in today's painting.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Proverbs 1. Proverbs 3. Proverbs 4. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Proverbs 2. ]

     Solomon encourages his son to receive (take in) his words, to hide his commandments within himself to incline his ear (to prick up his ear) to wisdom, to apply (stretch out) his heart to understanding, to cry after knowledge, to lift up his heart for understanding, and to seek her as for silver or hidden treasures. If he does this he will understand the fear (reverence) for the LORD; and he will find the knowledge of God (1-5). The LORD gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. He lays up sound (substantial) wisdom for the righteous (the straight). He is a buckler (a shield) to those who walk uprightly. He keeps (guards) the paths of judgment and preserves (hedges about) the way of his saints. Then he will understand righteousness, judgment, equity, and every good path (6-9). When wisdom enters his heart and knowledge is pleasant to his soul, discretion shall preserve him and understanding will keep him to deliver him from the way of evil, from those who speak froward (perverse) things, who leave the paths of uprightness, who walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice to do evil, who delight in the frowardness (perversity) of the wicked, whose ways are crooked, who are froward (turned aside) in their paths. It will deliver him from the strange (turned aside) woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words, who forsakes the guide of her youth, who forgets the covenant of her God. Her house inclines (sinks into) death; her paths lead to the dead. None who go to her return again, nor do they take hold of the paths of life (10-19). Wisdom will cause him to walk in the good way and keep the paths of the righteous. The upright will dwell in the land; and the perfect (excellent) shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth; and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it (20-22).

¹ My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
² So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
³ Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
⁴ If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
⁵ Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

⁶ For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
⁷ He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
⁸ He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
⁹ Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

¹⁰ When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
¹¹ Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
¹² To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
¹³ Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
¹⁴ Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
¹⁵ Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
¹⁶ To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
¹⁷ Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
¹⁸ For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
¹⁹ None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
²⁰ That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
²¹ For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
²² But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.