The Meaning of Proverbs 1:7 Explained

Proverbs 1:7

KJV: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

YLT: Fear of Jehovah is a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!

Darby: The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and instruction.

ASV: The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The fear  of the LORD  [is] the beginning  of knowledge:  [but] fools  despise  wisdom  and instruction. 

What does Proverbs 1:7 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
Also; Proverbs 1:29 ,
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Verse Meaning

This verse enjoys almost universal recognition as the key statement not only in Proverbs but in all the wisdom literature of the Bible (cf. Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 15:33; Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Ecclesiastes 12:13). Some people think of it as the motto of the book, others the foundational principle, others the major premise, or something similar. The verse contains a positive statement followed by its negative corollary.
The "fear of the Lord" occurs at least18 times in Proverbs ( Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 1:29; Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 3:7; Proverbs 14:26-27; Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 10:27; Proverbs 14:2; Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 15:33; Proverbs 16:6; Proverbs 19:23; Proverbs 22:4; Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:21; Proverbs 31:30). "Fear" includes not only a correct way of thinking about God but a correct relationship with Yahweh. It is an affectionate reverence that results in humbly bowing to the Father"s will. It is a desire not to sin against Him because His wrath is so awful and His love is so awesome.
"Beginning" does not mean that the fear of the Lord is where one starts learning Wisdom of Solomon , but then he or she can move away from it as from the starting line in a race. Rather, the fear of the Lord is the controlling principle, the foundation, on which one must build a life of wisdom.
"What the alphabet is to reading, notes to reading music, and numerals to mathematics, the fear of the LORD is to attaining the revealed knowledge of this book." [1]
"Knowledge" is a relationship that depends on revelation and is inseparable from character. Even though many unbelievers have acquired much information without the fear of God, true knowledge rests on a relationship to God that revelation supports. We can learn the really important lessons in life only this way.
Other ancient Near Eastern countries produced wisdom literature in addition to what we have in our Old Testament. [2] However, the wisdom literature outside Israel did not contain advice to look to a personal relationship with a god as essential to obtaining wisdom. The references to fearing the Lord in Proverbs , including Proverbs 1:7, are unique and make this book distinctive and theologically relevant. The demand for faith underlies the whole book. Only in a right relationship to the true and living God can one enter into God"s foreordained, righteous order for life and find true success and happiness. The fool despises God"s revealed order for life and the instruction that would lead him or her into it ( Proverbs 1:7 b).
The Hebrews believed people could acquire knowledge in three ways. One way was through observing nature and human behavior. Another way was by drawing analogies between traditional beliefs (e.g, creeds) and reality. A third way was through an encounter with the transcendent God. [3]

Context Summary

Proverbs 1:1-19 - "the Beginning Of Knowledge"
Notice the perfect balance of each clause, and the duplication of the one thought in the two clauses of each verse.
Wisdom as used in this book is more than intellectual learning or cleverness. It represents a moral quality, the result of a pure and a true life. We are conscious that many simple-minded people, who have little enough book-learning, are remarkable for sagacious advice, insight into character, the wise reading of events, an intuitive knowledge-all based on the fear of God. The headlines of Scotch copy-books used to be taken from this book. Certain it is that the young who ponder and practice these maxims can hardly fail of a successful career. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 1

1  The use of the proverbs
7  An exhortation to fear God, and believe his word
10  to avoid the enticing of sinners
20  Wisdom complains of her contempt
24  She threatens her contemners

What do the individual words in Proverbs 1:7 mean?

The fear of Yahweh [is] the beginning of knowledge wisdom and instruction Fools [But] despise -
יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה רֵאשִׁ֣ית דָּ֑עַת חָכְמָ֥ה וּ֝מוּסָ֗ר אֱוִילִ֥ים בָּֽזוּ פ

יִרְאַ֣ת  The  fear 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יִרְאָה  
Sense: fear, terror, fearing.
יְ֭הוָה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
רֵאשִׁ֣ית  [is]  the  beginning 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: רֵאשִׁית  
Sense: first, beginning, best, chief.
דָּ֑עַת  of  knowledge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דַּעַת 
Sense: knowledge.
חָכְמָ֥ה  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
וּ֝מוּסָ֗ר  and  instruction 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מוּסָר  
Sense: discipline, chastening, correction.
אֱוִילִ֥ים  Fools 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱוִיל  
Sense: be foolish, foolish.
בָּֽזוּ  [But]  despise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בּוּז  
Sense: to despise, hold in contempt, hold as insignificant.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation