Bible Discussion Thread

Proverbs 8v12

King James version.

Witty inventions.

I think this can be read as man's clever ideas designs or inventions-products to help mankind.

Without damaging the fundamental point of avoiding man's clever or better words would be,"cunning or wicked", plans-inventions to mislead against God's word.

Mezzimah is the Hebrew for inventions. In its meaning I've read it can mean , good plans or good ideas to help mankind as well as wicked plans.

Does anyone agree that the full expression of Witty inventions in verse 12 of proverbs 8 would include good plans of man. Maybe it can cover good and bad plans. Using wisdom to find knowledge of Witty inventions.

The word Witty I think is a broad word too which can be interpreted differently.

All without damaging the fundamental teaching that God's plans are better than man's but also that the fullness of God's blessings and potentials shouldn't be limited by a more fundamental interpretation in this verse.

Thanks, I wrote alot, been writing about this a bit.

???

Hello Michaelantoni. The Hebrew word given for 'witty inventions', is as you've shown, 'mezzimah'. In your study, you would have also found out how that word is used in the other verses. In Proverbs 8:12 that you shared, this Hebrew word implies 'one's power to devise or show discretion'. Hence, the verse could read, 'I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge through the use of discretion.' Or further with that verse, 'I wisdom enjoy good sense, acquiring knowledge by the use of discretion'. And we see the same word, 'mezzimah', with its specific meaning used in Proverbs 1:4, Proverbs 2:11, Proverbs 3:21 & Proverbs 5:2.

And yes, we can see that word being applied towards 'thoughts' ( Jeremiah 23:20); 'intents' ( Jeremiah 30:24); 'device/plan' ( Jeremiah 51:11). And then we see it in 'evil thoughts' ( Psalm 10:4); 'evil schemes' ( Job 21:27); 'lewd/wicked acts' ( Jeremiah 11:15); wicked speech ( Psalm 139:20).

So to understand 'mezzimah', which meaning can be quite diverse, we need to read it as the verse gives it, in its correct context. So 'discretion or one's power to devise' appears to be the primary meaning of 'mezzimah', but how that word is used will give other associated meanings, i.e. whether one's mind works for that which is good & wholesome, or towards evil thoughts & acts. So, I believe we find an agreement here.