Proverbs 2:12-15 meaning

Wickedness is a perversion of God’s design for the world and for each individual life. Those who chose it find themselves fighting against reality.

Solomon continues laying out his pathway for how human responsibility best interacts with God’s design for the world, and with God Himself. The first half of Chapter 2 focused on the direct positive outcomes of wisdom. The second half is a warning of the negative consequences of choosing the other way—the way of evil.

Only through aligning our choices with a trust in God will we be delivered from the way of evil. The word way here is the Hebrew word “derek,” which means journey. Like wisdom, evil is a path. A way of life. Only through accepting and applying God’s knowledge to our lives can we be delivered from the evil way.

One of the keys to Wisdom Literature (the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon) is this challenging mix between making the best choices we can and trusting in God—even when the consequences are confusing or the purpose unclear. Job was baffled by the trajectory of his life. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon warns that life is vaporous and enigmatic, even when we fear God and obey His commands. In Proverbs, Solomon will talk about the confusing reality of exceptions—wisdom is not a strict prescriptive formula. It is a path.

When we face this uncertainty, it leads to two options. We can either press into trusting God or we can steer off the path in search of our own way—which will ultimately be some kind of illusion of control.

The ways of evil are referred to as perversions. Wisdom delivers us from the way of evil and from the man who speaks perverse things. This man is representative of those who choose evil. In the next verse (13), those who choose evil are referred to as those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness. They choose to take what God means for good, as a means for trusting in Him, and remake it in their own image. For their own ends. They choose darkness over light.

Those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness have departed from the good path. They have left. The Hebrew word for leave here is the word “asab,” which is most often translated “forsake.” Those who walk in the ways of darkness first have to leave or “forsake” the path for which they were created.

Solomon is pointing out the absurdity of this choice. To forsake the way of God is to walk in the ways of darkness. Obviously, walking in darkness is very difficult; it is vastly inferior to walking in the light. We were made to walk not just with our feet but with our eyes. Without vision, it is hard to move. Walking becomes frustrating, slow, and crooked. By leaving the path of wisdom, the wicked choose to walk blindly. This is the reality of what is happening, but will of course not be the perception of those who choose darkness, at least not initially.

The wicked, therefore, delight in doing evil. They rejoice in forsaking reality. Choosing their own way, they rejoice in the perversity of evil. They have left the straight path and chosen the crooked path. The straight path is wisdom and the deformed path is wickedness. The wicked delight in their twisted perversions. The design for their life, the way, has been abandoned. Evil is not a creation. It is a perversity of good. In essence, evil is the giving up of good. Deciding to lean away from God rather than into Him. We are delivered from the fate of evil by receiving the knowledge of God (verse 11).

We need God’s guidance to protect us from these perversions. So that we do not become one of those who rejoice in the perversity of evil. There is the famous saying that the gates of hell lock from the inside, suggesting those who do evil have chosen it. They prefer it. The negative consequences of evil become their preference. This is the end result of denying reality. Those who choose the way of evil, the path of perversion, succumb to a crooked and devious existence. They slip further and further from reality, believing more and more in their perversity.

Biblical Text

To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things;

13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;

14 Who delight in doing evil
And rejoice in the perversity of evil;

15 Whose paths are crooked,
And who are devious in their ways;

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Additional Resources

Book Theme

These are the proverbs of Solomon, one of the most renowned kings in the history of Israel. The word translated “proverb” is the Hebrew word “mashal.” The root of the word contains the idea of “compare”—it is translated throughout Scripture as “parable” just as often as “proverb.”

This gives us some insight into the nature of these sayings. Proverbs are not prescriptions. It is not about a formula for how to manipulate circumstances and bend them to our will. That might be wishful thinking, but doesn’t work in reality. The proverbs are, in a sense, “comparing” our human perceptions to the reality of God’s world; trying to connect the two by providing principles that shape our perspective and inform our choices such that we live constructively—that is to say, wisely.

Like parables, the proverbs are meant to guide us “to wisdom”, that is, into a way of living. A way of thinking and perceiving. It is about molding and shaping our perceptions, values, and character into something that is consistently in tune with God, not just as a rule-follower but as someone who understands and practices the essence of the divine. One who sees the world through God’s eyes, and acts accordingly.

Ecclesiastes might be thought of as a philosophical foundation for wisdom. It shows the way to properly view the many aspects of life we cannot control, the “hebel” or vaporous nature of all that surrounds us. The main thing Ecclesiastes shows us is the importance of choosing to trust God, and make good choices based on that trust.

Proverbs will reiterate the philosophical foundations of Ecclesiastes, then zoom in and expand upon the practical application of trusting God and choosing a true perspective within certain areas of life. Proverbs leads us to choose a true perspective in all areas of life, and creates a foundation from which we can choose actions that are constructive, beneficial, and fulfilling.

There are only three things we control in life: who we trust, our perspective, and what we do—our actions. Ecclesiastes makes this reality abundantly clear. Trying to control what we cannot leads to complete futility. Trusting God, however, provides a foundation for constructive living. Proverbs teaches us how best to steward the choices we have—how to trust God, how to choose His perspective, and the key actions to take that lead us to the path of wisdom.

Chapter Context

Chapter 2 is an extension of Solomon’s introduction to The Book of Proverbs. In it, he continues to establish the intrinsic value of wisdom. Wisdom is the key to living life well. The opposing force to wisdom is evil. The destructive power of wickedness undermines reality and truth (the pillars of wisdom). Foolishness is the first step toward wickedness, the gateway into evil.

Chapter 2 is a poem in two parts. The first part focuses on the benefits of wisdom and the second on the dangers of wickedness, with a summary conclusion in the final two verses.

Solomon continues to explore the paradox of pursuing wisdom. The knowledge of how to live wisely begins with admitting we are incapable of knowing reality apart from faith. Without faith, the “hebel” (the vaporous reality Solomon speaks of in Ecclesiastes) cannot be made sense of. All efforts to do so will lead to futility.

The resolution of this paradox requires letting go of the illusion that we can gain comprehensive understanding on our own. We must receive wisdom solely as a gift from God. It is a gift received by faith. Yet, once we receive wisdom, we must be good stewards of it, which requires making good choices. In the latter vein, Solomon calls us to take ownership over implementing the principles of wisdom in our lives. To act on the perspectives we are urged to believe, and make good choices. Wisdom comes from a pattern of consistently good choices, just like walking a path requires a series of effective steps.

The way (or path) of wisdom is the alignment of our single, significant life with the cosmic, eternal design of all things. Wickedness is not a natural adversary, an equal but negative force; it is simply a perversion. Evil cannot create; it can only derail the created order. And it tries to do that very thing insistently by preying upon our thoughts and perceptions, leading to self-destructive choices.

Clinging to wisdom is a process of receiving truth from God and deciding to steward it intentionally, rather than giving in to the seductions of wickedness and the falsity of a perverted course.

Proverbs 2:12-15 meaning

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Additional Resources

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Chapter Context

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The Bible Project - Proverbs Summary

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