PROVERBS 9:8-12
A (8) Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
B (9) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser:
C (9) teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
D (10) The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
C1 (11) For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
B1 (12) If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself:
A1 (12) but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
Perhaps the second half of verse 8 should go with part B
. Apart from that I like this one.
This is great work, Nigel! A quick note to sharpen and add to this very helpful work:
The entire chapter is a chiasm, with all of 9:1–6 corresponding to 9:13–18 (A & A1). Both these two women have a house, and they both give the same message (“Whoever is simple,
let him turn in here”) in 9:4 and 9:16 (technically, Lady wisdom’s servants are communicating the message in 9:4). Heeding Lady Wisdom’s message leads to life, and heeding Dame Folly’s message leads to death.
The main point of the chapter would be this: Fear the Lord, and you’ll cherish godly correction instead of scoffing, and you’ll live long in Lady Wisdom’s house instead of dying in Dame Folly’s house.
The idea is that whether someone dwells in Lady Wisdom’s house or Dame Folly’s house is seen very practically in how he or she responds to biblical correction.
May we all live in Lady Wisdom’s house! 🙂