Proverbs 8:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,

NIV: Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,

NASB: Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was His delight daily, Rejoicing always before Him,

CSB: I was a skilled craftsman beside him. I was his delight every day, always rejoicing before him.

NLT: I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.

KJV: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

NKJV: Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,

In this passage, Solomon has poetically described wisdom as a woman calling out to all men (Proverbs 8:1–4). That declaration includes the fact that wisdom is not an invention of God. Rather, godly wisdom has always been a part of God's nature. Truth was "established," so to speak (Proverbs 8:23), before the creation of the universe (Proverbs 8:24–29).

The terminology used here depicts God and wisdom enjoying close fellowship. For that reason, some interpret this passage as a depiction of Jesus: called "the Word" in John 1. John 1:1–2 portrays Jesus, the Word, as present with God in the beginning of beginnings. The word "with" in John 1:2 is the Greek word pros, meaning "toward." Christ was toward God, suggesting face-to-face fellowship between the Father and the Son. Likewise, John 1:3 states: "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." The word for "God" in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim, a plural form of the noun, suggesting the Trinity was in the beginning before the universe was created.

However, the context of the passage itself does not suggest that Solomon means to identify wisdom, literally, as Jesus. While Jesus, as God, is a perfect representation of godly wisdom (Hebrews 1:3), the poetry used here in Proverbs is exactly that. This is a metaphor for the nature of godly wisdom, not a direct reference to Jesus.

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.