The Wisdom in the OT
Interest in wisdom hokmah was widespread in the ancient world. In the Gentile world wisdom was primarily associated with the ability to be successful. It was not a speculative discipline but intensely practical. It pertained to all walks of life: priests (re proper practice in ritual), magicians (re skill in the practice of their arts), craftsmen of all sorts (re skillful workmanship), and administrators (re good management) etc.
In the OT hokmah is frequently used in the broad sense of skill in craftsmanship or administration, etc. Hiram (1 Kng.7:13-14 [NIV "Huram"]; so also in 2 Chronicles 2:13, 4:11) was an outstanding master craftsman skilled in bronze work brought in from Tyre. 2 Chronicles 2:14 adds that he was likewise skilled in working with gold, silver, iron, stone, wood, and various dyes and fine linen. Hiram was “highly skilled and experienced.” More literally “he was filled with wisdom [hokmah] and understanding [tebunah] and knowledge [daat] in doing every kind of bronze work.” This illustrates the broad semantic range of the words “wisdom” and “understanding.” Hiram’s wisdom consisted in his practical skills. (Notice that Solomon not only utilized the finest materials, but he also spared no expense in hiring the finest workmen.) Another outstanding example is Exodus 31:3, in which the two craftsmen appointed to make the tabernacle were given wisdom (NIV “skill”) in carrying out their work.
Wise men were those who had unusual insight into human nature and in the problems of life in general. Thus they were sought as advisers to kings and rulers. This was the case for Daniel and his three friends. Dan.1:20 states that they attained hokmat binah (lit., “the wisdom of understanding”; NIV, “wisdom and understanding”). This implies that in the attainment of results, the securing of a knowledge of the future or of what would be the best decision to make on the part of the government in view of unknown future contingencies, or the like, Daniel and his three colleagues far excelled the professional heathen diviners and conjurers.
The Hebrew hokmah was primarily concerned with living responsibly before God and coping successfully with every problem or task confronting him as a servant of God. Especially in the matter of prudence in business and in the area of human relations (the aspect most frequent in Proverbs), the hokmah that proceeded from the fear of the Lord played a decisive role. In the management of armies in time of war or the administration of government in time of peace–i.e., the knowledge of the right thing to do under the circumstances–or for wise policies to follow in dealing with men, hokmah was essential.
This kind of practical wisdom is applied to life as a whole. It combines the idea of knowledge arrived at through accurate discernment and the ability or skill to apply that knowledge effectively to the task to be done or the decision to be made. It certainly involves an understanding of the world and of life in general, but is always viewed with relation to God himself, the Creator, Designer, and Governor, who imparts meaning and value to all he has fashioned and to all the laws that govern the physical universe and the moral one as well. This finds typical expression in the statement “The fear of the Lord–that is wisdom” (Job 28:28). He who fears the Lord receives wisdom from him, the ability to see things from God’s perspective. Thus true wisdom gives discernment in spiritual and moral matters. It also enables man to discriminate between that which is helpful and that which is harmful. Every aspect of human endeavor is included: the spiritual, intellectual, secular, and practical.
Human “wisdom” (hokmah), “insight” (tebunah), and “counsel” (`esah; NIV, “plan”) must be in conformity to the will of God to be successful. Prov.21:30 uses a single sentence to declare that if these qualities are in defiance of God, they cannot succeed; for human wisdom is nothing in comparison to the wisdom of God (see Job 5:12-13; see also Isa 40:13-14).
