“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
Parallel Translations
-
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
-
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
-
'Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither'; as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him:
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Proverbs 9:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 6:32 He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
- Proverbs 8:5 You simple, understand prudence! You fools, be of an understanding heart!
- Proverbs 9:16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
- Matthew 11:25 At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
- Psalms 19:7 Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple.
- Psalms 119:130 The entrance of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.
- Proverbs 1:22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
- Revelation 3:17-18 Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
- Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He that knoweth his own ignorance, and is void…
He that knoweth his own ignorance, and is void of malice.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 9:4 Whoso [is] simple, let him turn in…
Pro 9:4 Whoso [is] simple, let him turn in hither: [as for] him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
Ver. 4. Whoso is simple.] And with it persuadable; that have not yet contracted that callum obductum, corneas fibras, brawny breasts, horny heart strings.
Read full note →
She saith to him.] It is Christ, then, that speaketh in his ministers: "He that heareth you heareth me." "Ye received it not as the word of man, but as it is indeed, the word of the ever living God."
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Simple; ignorant, and weak, and subject to delusion, and…
Simple; ignorant, and weak, and subject to delusion, and willing to learn; to show that wisdom rejects those scholars who are proud and self-conceited.
Understanding, Heb. heart, which signifies understanding, Jer 5:21; Hos 7:11.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither,.... Into…
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither,.... Into Wisdom's house, so well built and furnished; the church of Christ, as a house of instruction; a school, where such who are "simple", weak, and foolish, may learn. Here are many instructors; saints instruct one another; ministers of the word are teachers; yea, Father, Son, and Spirit, here teach and instruct, and none teach like them. Here many lessons are to be learned concerning themselves, concerning Christ, and concerning their duty to God and men; all sorts of persons may learn here, such who know ever so much or ever so little. Or let him turn in here, as into an inn, into which passengers or travellers turn for accommodations; see Pro 9:15. The saints are travellers here, at a distance from their Father's house, and need refreshment by the way; the church of God is an inn of good accommodations; here is room enough to entertain them; here are good lodgings for rest and safety, and good provisions, and all of free cost. And now these are the words of Wisdom, or Christ, either in person, or by his maidens, his ministers, inviting such who are "simple" to turn in hither, and partake of the provisions in it; that is, not such who are quite stupid and insensible, sottish, incorrigible, and irreclaimable; but who are sensible of their folly and simplicity; who are but of weak capacities, apt to be credulous, and so easily imposed upon and deceived;
as for him that wanteth understanding; not the natural faculty of the understanding, nor an understanding of things natural and civil; but of things spiritual and evangelical, as of the grace of God; of salvation by Christ; of the work of the Spirit; of themselves and their state; of the Gospel, and the mysteries of it; and who are sensible of their ignorance and want of understanding; which is the first thing the Spirit of God convinces men of; or who are so in comparison of others, are weak in knowledge and experience. Now these Christ does not despise, but invites them into his house for instruction; and where can they be better? and who so fit and proper to be here, and be with Wisdom, than such as these?
Read full note →
she saith to him: as follows.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Simple - Ignorant, and weak.
Simple - Ignorant, and weak.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 4. Whoso is simple] Let the young, heedless,…
Verse 4. Whoso is simple] Let the young, heedless, and giddy attend to my teaching.
Him that wanteth understanding] Literally, he that wanteth a heart; who is without courage, is feeble and fickle, and easily drawn aside from the holy commandment.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Pro 9:4-6. Whoso is simple — Ignorant, weak, and…
Pro 9:4-6. Whoso is simple — Ignorant, weak, and liable to be deceived, but willing to learn; let him turn in hither — For there is no man so ignorant but he is welcome to come and receive instruction. By this manner of speaking, Wisdom shows that she rejects those scholars who are proud and self-conceited. As for him that wanteth understanding — Hebrew, that wanteth a heart, which is put for understanding, Jer 5:21; Hos 7:11, and elsewhere. She saith to him, Come, eat of my bread — Partake of the provision which I have made; my nourishing and strengthening instructions; and drink of the wine which I have mingled — Receive my refreshing and invigorating comforts. Forsake the foolish — The ignorant and wicked; shun their company and their practices; converse not with them; conform not to their ways; have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, or with those that do such works. The first step toward virtue is to shun vice, and therefore to avoid the company of the vicious. And live — Arise from the dead and live indeed; not a mere animal life, such as brutes live, but now at length live the life of men, the life of Christians. Live a spiritual life, in union with God, and you shall live an eternal life in the enjoyment of him. And go in the way of understanding — Govern thyself by the rules of religion and right reason. It is not enough to forsake the foolish, but we must unite ourselves with those that walk in wisdom, and walk in the same spirit, and the same steps.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain One. Simple, but not inconstant, like children, 1 Corinthians…
One. Simple, but not inconstant, like children, 1 Corinthians xiv. 20. Pleasure addresses the same, (chap. vii. 7.) but for their destruction. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain (Compare Pro 1:4; Pro 6:32). Wisdom not only supplies…
(Compare Pro 1:4; Pro 6:32). Wisdom not only supplies right but forbids wrong principles.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4. Simple — Uninstructed, a novice. (See on Pro_1:4.)
4. Simple — Uninstructed, a novice. (See on Pro_1:4.)
Wanteth understanding — Hebrew, lacketh heart, intelligence, sense. (See note on Pro_7:7.) Compare Pro_9:16.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) Whoso is simple . . . as for…
(4) Whoso is simple . . . as for him that wanteth understanding.—So God does not call many “wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble” (1Co_1:26); but chooses the “foolish,” “weak,” and “base,” whom man might overlook; not being willing that any should perish (2Pe_3:9), especially His “little ones” (Mat_18:14). who are liable to fall through their inexperience and want of judgment.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 4-12. Here follows the invitation of Wisdom, urging…
Vers. 4-12. Here follows the invitation of Wisdom, urging the attendance of guests at the sumptuous banquet which she has prepared. (comp. Rev_19:9)
Whose is simple, lot him turn in hither. This is a direct address to the imprudent and inexperienced, (see on Pro_7:7) calling them to turn aside from the way on which they are going, and to come to her. Vulgate, si quis est parvulus veniat ad me, which reminds one of Christ"s tender words, "It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish". (Mat_18:14)
Read full note →
As for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him what follows (so ver. 16). Wisdom"s own speech is interrupted, and the writer himself introduces this little clause. She calls on the simple and the unwise, both as necessarily needing her teaching, and not yet inveterate in evil, nor wilfully opposed to better guidance. "The world by wisdom knew not God" and he "hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen". (1Co_1:21, 1Co_1:26, etc.; comp. Mat_11:25)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 9:4 Wisdom makes her appeal especially to the simple…
9:4 Wisdom makes her appeal especially to the simple and those who lack good judgment because they have not yet decided between wisdom and folly. See 9:16, where Folly mimics and then perverts Wisdom’s words.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.