[ 1 minutes to read ]

She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
– Proverbs 8:2

[W]isdom is personified as a woman. Even a casual reading of Proverbs reveals a feminine motif, which culminates in the virtuous woman in chapter 31. This theme has been the subject of scholarly thought, study, and debate for a long time. I personally look to the simple, sensible explanation and confess that I don’t have the wisdom to see more at this time. Wisdom is a feminine noun in the Hebrew and naturally would be feminine if personified. This fact provides a likely explanation for the structure and the selection of the strange woman to be the antagonist to lady wisdom. More could be said, but that must be another setting.

The high places refer to elevated vantage points in the city. These are places where wisdom would be visible and have access to many. The places of paths refers to intersections of travel routes. The point is that wisdom is in open, public places where people are. She doesn’t lurk in dark, secret places to catch a few, but reaches out to the broadest audience. The places where she is also reveal how she mixes through different strata of society. It is perhaps a subtle point, but these show the relevancy of wisdom to all walks of life.

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