The "Substance" Of True Heritage Is The Holy Spirit

A *house of substance is the *heritage of the *tribes, but from the LORD *a wife is a *prudence of *his prosperity. (MAST)

*[house of substance] literally, the family business. But it is in the context of the tradition of the tribes of Israel. Solomon is talking about the purpose of the tribes to be a kingdom of ministers. While not every tribe was a literal priest, each tribe had a spiritual gift to minister for the house of the LORD. So this is the “substance” and “value” of the gift that is passed down through the tribes to make one (singular) house or dwelling place. The substance, of course, is later recognized as the Holy Spirit in the house of the new covenant (Baptism, the house of the church)(Col.3:10,15; Eph.2:15-16;4:4-5,24; 1Cor.6:13-20;10:14-18;12:4,11-14,18-20,25; Rom.12:4-5). But here, Solomon is addressing the nation, the tribes to come under the understanding of the house of nobility, to come under this house to use their skill, their gift, their substance for the glory of Israel’s purpose and nobility. He is reminding them not to waste their inheritance on foolish living. Therefore, this proverb is the application of the previous rebuke of the foolish son. Solomon is saying, “Do not corrupt the courts of Israel to pursue your own glory and agenda. We are a holy nation unto the LORD and must continue to pass on this precious and most holy gift to the next generation of Israel’s children. Stop being a fool and pursue nobility! Learn what it is and what it means to possess this holy land as an inheritance from the LORD. Honor the fathers that have preserved it for you to this day. Don’t be a misery in the face of the tribe of your fathers. Wait for what is “proper” from the LORD.”

*[the heritage] literally, the successive share. It is the portion that is handed down through the promise of the firstborn according to the tradition of the fathers. Spiritually this heritage can be lost (Matt.3:7-12), but traditionally, it is inalienable (Rom.11:28-29). According to the old covenant, it is only protected in the material form, but through the new covenant, it is protected in the spiritual form. In other words, the heritage can be passed down traditionally through the old covenant but promises no growth or reward apart from the new covenant. Solomon desires that the sons of the kingdom would pursue the highest nobility that is only obtained through the new covenant. This court, his court is to protect the old covenant, but the house of the LORD is to protect the new covenant. Therefore to obtain a good and righteous woman for your house, you must pursue her “from the LORD.”

*[the tribes] literally, the fathers of the tribes. As king, Solomon is the head of all the tribes, he doesn’t desire the identity of the individual fathers of the tribes to be accounted for the foolishness of his court. So he intends to observe these fathers in the feminine understanding of this noun. In other words, as king, he takes responsibility in place of the fathers like a substitute. As king of the tribes, he takes the responsibility to educate them to rise up and be noble like Joshua had done for his generation (Jos.24:15). He observes these tribes like he keeps his own sons, but the fathers of them are like his wife; they receive a higher respect and honor. These fathers can be the downfall of his house, or they can be the prudence of his house. If they are going to thrive as one nation under his house, he seeks their prudence and nobility. But these things are not to be learned under his house. They are to be sought after in the house of the LORD. Go to His house, he says, to learn prudence and to “hone” your inheritance, to qualify “the substance” of your heritage. A “proper” wife will qualify your family business, as “proper” subjects will qualify the house of Solomon. Solomon seeks noble subjects who are wise for the purpose of the kingdom. He wants “the slaves” of the kingdom to “invest” themselves in the proper understanding of the LORD.

*[a wife] literally, a woman. But the context demands the understanding of a wife. For she is the “proper” application to the controversies of the quarrelsome woman of the previous proverb. What makes this woman a proper wife is that she is made the spiritual aid (helper) of the man of understanding. She is the hands and feet of his house when he is out in the field of labor or in the field of battle. She is a gift that is to be inquired about from the hand of the LORD. A wife is not to be found at the brothel or from the seat of idolatry. She is to be purchased from the LORD as a holy investment for the safety and wellbeing of his heritage. A wife from the LORD is a wise choice.

*[a prudence] literally, the skill to understand. But this is the causative reaction of being obtained through the LORD. The verb is participle of the LORD. While the verb is feminine crediting the action of the verb to the wife, the cause of her prudence is the LORD (Phil.2:13). In other words, she prospers her husband because of the LORD. Her husband benefits from her wisdom and labors (1Cor.7:14). She is literally the hands and feet to his house, but the LORD is her wisdom, her very mind. She is the prosperity of his house because the LORD is her labor. She labors out of the mind and conscience of the LORD.

*[his prosperity] literally, the causative effect of a wife from the LORD. Again, the verb is feminine (subservient to the LORD), but is also causative to the head of this house of substance. The LORD is the only masculine noun in the entire construct as all other nouns are feminine (under) this proper noun. The house of “his” prosperity reigns under His sovereignty. So the causative stem (Hifil) is participle to the male head of the LORD’s house. She is given to the tribal head (the father of the house) to build up his prosperity. But the father of this house is to treat this wife as such; she is his prosperity. But the main thrust of the verb is that she is his prosperity (because)(Hifil) she was obtained through the house of the LORD. In other words, the LORD is the glory of her prudence (1Cor.11:7).