Why is wisdom described as feminine in Proverbs?

[Michie]

Not that I'm complaining. Just curious.

 

[Shiranui117]

Not that I'm complaining. Just curious.

Mainly because it's a feminine noun in Hebrew, I think. Just like Komputer in German is masculine. Gotta love arbitrary grammatical gender...

 

[John Davidson]

Not that I'm complaining. Just curious.

All the ancient philosophers considered wisdom to be female. That is why in Greek she is referred to as Sophia.

 

[bill5]

Because women are smarter than men. Duh!

 

[John Hyperspace]

I believe this is because the grace and beauty of the woman is symbolic of wisdom; and this is why the woman was taken out of the man to be his helper, in the same sense the church was taken out of mankind to help him to achieve the wisdom of God. But, just as Eve was meant to help but instead, caused the man to transgress, so the church repeats the story.

But, wisdom is that helper of men, bringing them out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light of understanding. Much like a woman "civilizes" a man (generally speaking through idea). She gives grace and compassion to the heart of stone, as it were.

Note that the "Preacher" of the Ecclesiastes is also the feminine "Qoheleth"

 

[Michie]

Because women are smarter than men. Duh!

Move to the head of the class Bill.

 

[Neophyte365]

Is it because the wise pursue wisdom the way heterosexual men pursue women? Or because women can bear children the way wisdom can bear other virtues?

 

[Michie]

Has anyone noticed how in Proverbs 8:22 mentions that wisdom was first created by the Lord? I assume before He created humanity. Just another fascinating thought. Remember when God said let (us) make man in (our) image? Who is us?

 

[LivingWordUnity]

I just thought of this, but perhaps the wisdom being referred to in the Old Testament in the feminine was a foreshadowing of the wisdom of the Church which is a she because the Church is Christ's Bride.

“that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” Eph 3:10

“'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the church” Eph 5:31-32

 

[Michie]

I just thought of this, but perhaps wisdom referred to in the Old Testament in the feminine was a foreshadowing of the wisdom of the Church which is a she because the Church is Christ's Bride.

“that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” Eph 3:10

“'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the church” Eph 5:31-32

Interesting.

 

[bill5]

Basically Michie, many traits are considered "masculine" or "feminine," but that does NOT equate to being "male" or "female" traits or meant to imply anything superior or inferior about men or women or have anything to do with being masculine or feminine in the sense we normally think of it.

For ex. strength and power are considered "masculine," but women can just as easily as men be strong or powerful in a wide variety of ways, and it's not inherently good or bad or going against their gender in any way. Wisdom and compassion are considered "feminine." But again don't confuse "feminine" with "effeminate." A wise man is no less a man and no less masculine (again the sense we normally think of it) than a fool.

 

[Martinius]

Has anyone noticed how in Proverbs 8:22 mentions that wisdom was first created by the Lord? I assume before He created humanity. Just another fascinating thought. Remember when God said let (us) make man in (our) image? Who is us?

Because God is a Trinity, perhaps? And that each member of the Trinitarian God has certain qualities that contributed to creating mankind?

My many decades of experience with both men and women tells me that on average, women project greater wisdom than men. So that description in Proverbs seems perfectly natural. I also equate the Wisdom of the Bible with the Holy Spirit, in the sense that the HS conveys wisdom to people.