The Wisdom Of YAHWEH - The hokmah or chokmah

What is the true "Wisdom Of YAHWEH"?

hokmah (2451), "wisdom; experience; shrewdness." This word appears 141 times in the TanaK. Like hakam, most occurrences of this word are in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.
The hakam seeks after hokmah, "wisdom." Like hakam, the word hokmah can refer to technical skills or special abilities in fashioning something. The first occurrence of hokmah is in Exod. 28:3: "And you shall speak unto all that are wisehearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office." This first occurrence of the word in the Hebrew Bible bears this out as well as the description of the workers on the tabernacle. The artisan was considered to be endowed with special abilities given to him by YAHWEH: "And he hath filled him with the spirit of YAHWEH, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship" (Exod. 35:31).
Hokmah is the knowledge and the ability to make the right choices at the opportune time. The consistency of making the right choice is an indication of maturity and development. The prerequisite for "wisdom" is the fear of YAHWEH: "The fear of YAHWEH is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Prov 1:7). "Wisdom" is viewed as crying out for disciples who will do everything to pursue her (Proverbs 1:20). The person who seeks hokmah diligently will receive understanding: "For YAHWEH gives wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6); he will benefit in his life by walking with YAHWEH: "That you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous" (Proverbs 2:20). The advantages of "wisdom" are many: "For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them upon the table of your heart: so shall you find favor and good understanding in the sight of YAHWEH and man" (Proverbs 3:2-4). The prerequisite is a desire to follow and imitate YAHWEH as He has revealed Himself in YAHSHUA MESSIYAH, without self-reliance and especially not in a spirit of pride: "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: to understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of YAHWEH is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Proverbs 1:5-7). The fruits of hokmah are many, and the Book of Proverbs describes the characters of the hakam and hokmah In Renewed Covenant terms the fruits of "wisdom" are the same as the fruits of the Holy Spirit; cf. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23); "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace" (James 3:17-18).
The importance of "wisdom" explains why books were written about it. Songs were composed in celebration of "wisdom" (Job 28). Even "wisdom" is personified in Proverbs, hokmah as a person stands for that divine perfection of "wisdom" which is manifest in YAHWEH's creative acts. As a divine perfection it is visible in YAHWEH's creative acts: "Doth not wisdom cry: and understanding put forth her voice? ...I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. ...YAHWEH possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. ...Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. ...Now therefore hearken unto me, a ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways" (Proverbs 8:1, 12,22, 30, 32): The Septuagint translations are: sophos ("clever; skillful; experienced; wise; learned"); phronimos ("sensible; thoughtful; prudent; wise"); and sunetos ("intelligent; sagacious; wise"). The KJV gives these translations: "wise; wise man; cunning."

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