Proverbs 8:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,

NIV: before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth,

NASB: Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was born;

CSB: Before the mountains were established, prior to the hills, I was given birth—

NLT: Before the mountains were formed, before the hills, I was born —

KJV: Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

NKJV: Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth;

On the third day of creation God created the dry land, including mountains and hills (Genesis 1:9). However, wisdom existed even before God formed the mountains and hills (Proverbs 8:22–24). As Solomon continues to portray wisdom as a woman, calling out to all men (Proverbs 8:1–4), he emphasizes that wisdom has always been a part of God's nature.

Wise individuals marvel at the structure of high mountains and rolling hills, but they look for help from the Creator. The psalmist wrote: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1–2). Romans 1:18–23 indicts nature worshipers as rejecting the Creator and worshiping nature instead. Paul writes, "Their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things" (Romans 1:21–23). If we marvel at the beauty and strength of mountains and hills, should we not marvel more at the wisdom God showed in creating these natural wonders?

Proverbs 8:22–31 pays tribute to wisdom as having existed from the very beginning of beginnings. In this chapter, wisdom speaks as a woman, in a poetic style used by Solomon. Since the wisdom in question is godly truth, rooted in the knowledge and nature of God, that wisdom predates the creation of the world and everything in it. Like God's goodness and justice, His wisdom has always been part of who He is and how He creates.

In this passage, wisdom is once again imagined as a woman who cries out to be heard (Proverbs 1:20–21). Wisdom extols her own truth and value. Wisdom was part of God's creative power long before even the creation of the universe. The chapter again returns to the many benefits of godly wisdom, before completing those declarations at the start of the next chapter.

Thus far in Proverbs, Solomon has spoken about the virtues of wisdom and the need to acquire it and live by it. He has also warned about the dangers of rejecting wisdom. Chapter 7 ended with a description of a promiscuous woman seducing a foolish young man. Now, in chapter 8, he lets wisdom speak, once again personified as a woman. She speaks about her existence before creation and her gift of life to all who find her. This analogy continues into chapter 9.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.