The Hebrew word for fool in this verse is Strong’s number H 0191 ’eviyl (ev-EEL).  It means to be perverse, silly or despise wisdom. The understanding is a silly fool. 

 Proverbs 17:16 says, “Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, when he has no sense?” The word sense here means no heart…it means that wisdom cannot be bought from one who does not love it.  However, the converse is true of a wise man.  Proverbs 3:16 & Proverbs 14:24 speaks of wisdom obtaining wealth and riches.  Fools do not have true riches.

Shifting gears some; let’s look at one who is able to “speak in the gates”. Not only was the location of the gates a place to do business, but it was also a place of judgment…where cases were pleaded and rulings took place.

Psalm 127 says,

“1 Unless YHVH builds the house,
            They labor in vain who build it;
            Unless YHVH guards the city,
            The watchman keeps awake in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
            To retire late,
            To eat the bread of painful labors;
            For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

3 Behold, children are a gift of YHVH,
            The fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
            So are the children of one’s youth.

5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
            They will not be ashamed
            When they speak with their enemies in the gate. [When it says, “speaking with their enemies in the gate” the idea is that of pleading their case in a dispute that would distinguish themselves.]

When you take the whole chapter in context, the wise man understands that it is YHVH that he is to trust to build the house, guard the city, give him children and understand what this means to him, as well as what it means to society; and finally, the ability to raise them properly comes from YHVH.  When this is executed by wisdom, the children will be able to stand up against anything because they have been raised with godly principles and not as fools.

Proverbs 27:11 furthers the concept above; “Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may reply to him who reproaches me.” [A wise son reflects the teachings of his parents or teachers. A son that is foolish brings reproach on his parents or teachers.]

As believers in Yeshua, when we allow the Spirit of Wisdom, which comes from YHVH and the Word, to flow through us, we, too, will be able to “speak with our enemies in the gates”!!  If we’re putting the Word in our hearts that the teacher is teaching us, we do not have to worry about what we will say as the Spirit will put the words in our mouth as we open them.

Have a blessed and shalom filled day!!

Tammy

Shalom & Blessings,

Courtesy of
River of Life Tabernacle
Tammy McLendon
Great peace have they who love Your law. Psalm 119:165a