Proverbs 9:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town,

NIV: She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city,

NASB: She has sent out her attendants, she calls out From the tops of the heights of the city:

CSB: She has sent out her female servants; she calls out from the highest points of the city:

NLT: She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city.

KJV: She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

NKJV: She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city,

In Proverbs 7:6–15 an adulterous woman leaves her house to search for a young man who is simple and lacking sense. She seeks to lure him for an immoral purpose. By contrast, Proverbs 9:3 portrays Wisdom sending her servant girls to issue her invitation to dine. They call from the highest places in town, where they will easily be seen and heard. This is in keeping with earlier depictions of Wisdom calling out, in public, to anyone who would listen (Proverbs 8:1–4).

The use of feasts and banquets, meant to attract guests, is common in Scripture. Jesus related the story of a king who prepared a lavish feast in honor of his son. The king sent forth his servants to call the invitees to the feast, but they rejected the call. Therefore, he ordered his servants to go to the main roads and gather for the feast all whom they found, both good and bad people (Matthew 22:1–10). Jesus has been sending believers into all the world to preach the gospel from the time He commissioned His disciples to do so (Matthew 28:18–20). Like the messengers of this verse, believers extend an invitation for others to come and know the One who is the Truth (John 14:6).

Proverbs 9:1–6 continues from chapter 8 by depicting wisdom as a woman. Here, she is a refined lady who has built a grand house and prepared a lavish feast. She calls out everywhere for those who are simple and lack judgment to participate as guests at her feast. This passage begins the chapter on a positive note, but a negative tone quickly follows. Foolishness, also depicted as a woman, will make similar invitations to those who lack sense.

Wisdom is portrayed as a dignified woman who prepares a spacious house and feast. She invites those who are gullible and lacking judgment to improve their wisdom, by accepting her invitation. She urges invitees to abandon their simple ways and walk in the way of insight. Solomon then contrasts the attitudes of those who sincerely seek truth, compared to those who hate being corrected. The chapter ends with a description of Wisdom's mirror image: Folly. She is seductive and ignorant. She invites the gullible to enter her house, promising that immorality is enjoyable and pleasant. Sadly, those who are seduced do not realize her invitation leads to ruin and damnation.

In chapter 7, Solomon portrayed an evil woman (Proverbs 7:7–27). In chapter 8 he portrays wisdom as a refined lady who offers instruction to all who heed her call. Chapter 9 contrasts Lady Wisdom with the evil Woman Folly, who lures the foolish to their ruin. This extended warning about the dangers of rejecting God's wisdom leads into an extended collection of standalone proverbial comments, beginning in chapter 10.

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.