She has prepared her meatIn ancient Israel, preparing meat was a significant task, often reserved for special occasions or feasts. This phrase suggests a sense of readiness and abundance. The act of preparing meat indicates a deliberate and thoughtful process, symbolizing wisdom's careful planning and provision. In biblical times, meat was not a daily staple but a luxury, highlighting the value and richness of what wisdom offers. This preparation can be seen as a type of Christ, who is the ultimate provision for humanity, offering Himself as the "bread of life" (
John 6:35).
and mixed her wine
Mixing wine in the ancient Near East often involved adding spices or water to enhance flavor and reduce potency. This practice reflects hospitality and generosity, as well as the careful crafting of something desirable and beneficial. Wine in Scripture is frequently associated with joy and celebration (Psalm 104:15). The mixing of wine here can be seen as a metaphor for the depth and richness of wisdom's teachings, offering a full and satisfying experience. It also points to the New Covenant in Christ's blood, symbolized by wine in the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:20).
she has also set her table
Setting a table is an act of preparation and invitation, indicating that everything is ready for guests to partake. In the cultural context, a set table signifies welcome, fellowship, and community. This imagery aligns with the biblical theme of God's invitation to His people to partake in His blessings and wisdom. The table set by wisdom can be compared to the banquet imagery found inIsaiah 25:6, where the Lord prepares a feast for all peoples. It also foreshadows the marriage supper of the Lamb inRevelation 19:9, where believers are invited to dine with Christ in eternal fellowship.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Wisdom (Personified as a Woman)In
Proverbs 9, wisdom is personified as a woman who prepares a feast, inviting people to partake in her banquet. This personification is a literary device used throughout Proverbs to convey the value and accessibility of wisdom.
2.
The Banquet (Event)The banquet represents the rich and fulfilling life that wisdom offers. It is a metaphor for the spiritual nourishment and satisfaction that comes from living according to God's wisdom.
3.
The Table (Place)The table symbolizes a place of fellowship and communion. In the context of Proverbs, it represents the setting where wisdom is shared and experienced.
Teaching Points
The Abundance of WisdomWisdom is not scarce; it is abundantly available to those who seek it. Just as a feast is prepared with care and abundance, so is the wisdom of God ready for us.
Preparation and IntentionalityJust as the woman in
Proverbs 9 prepares her feast, we must be intentional in seeking and preparing our hearts to receive wisdom. This involves studying Scripture, prayer, and living in obedience to God's commands.
Invitation to FellowshipThe setting of a table implies an invitation to fellowship. Wisdom invites us into a relationship with God and others, where we can grow and be nourished spiritually.
The Cost of WisdomWhile the feast is prepared and offered freely, accepting the invitation requires a response. We must be willing to leave behind foolishness and embrace the path of wisdom.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Proverbs 9:2?
2.How can we prepare our hearts like "meat" for spiritual growth today?
3.What does "mixed her wine" symbolize in our daily Christian walk?
4.How does Proverbs 9:2 connect with Jesus' invitation in Matthew 22:4?
5.In what ways can we "set our table" for God's wisdom daily?
6.How can we invite others to partake in God's wisdom as Proverbs 9:2 suggests?
7.What does Proverbs 9:2 symbolize in the context of wisdom's banquet?
8.How does Proverbs 9:2 reflect the cultural practices of ancient Israel?
9.What theological significance does the preparation of a feast hold in Proverbs 9:2?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 9?
11.Why did Noah become intoxicated after the flood?
12.What foods are mentioned in the Bible?
13.Proverbs 3:9 commands honoring God with wealth--why do many faithful givers remain poor while the corrupt often thrive?
14.What are the seven deadly sins?What Does Proverbs 9:2 Mean
She has prepared her meat• Wisdom offers a meal that is already “prepared,” leaving nothing uncertain for the seeker. AsProverbs 8:19 reminds us, “My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold,” underscoring that what God provides is both rich and ready.
• Meat signals substance, not a snack.Isaiah 55:1-2 calls, “Come… buy and eat… listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,” echoing the hearty satisfaction found in Wisdom’s fare.
• Jesus fulfills this promise, saying, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger” (John 6:35). He is the living embodiment of the nourishing meal Wisdom sets out.
and mixed her wine• In ancient practice, wine was thoughtfully blended—often with spices or water—to heighten flavor and healthfulness. Wisdom’s “mixed” wine displays care, richness, and joy rather than excess.
•Psalm 104:15 celebrates “wine that gladdens the heart of man.” InJohn 2:10, the master of the feast marvels that the best wine was saved for last, prefiguring the surpassing quality of what Christ supplies.
• The cup inMatthew 26:27-29 ties the joy of wine to covenant fellowship: “Drink from it, all of you… until that day when I drink it with you in My Father’s kingdom.” Even asEphesians 5:18 cautions against drunkenness, it points to a deeper filling: “be filled with the Spirit.”
she has also set her table• A set table signals readiness, welcome, and order. Nothing is haphazard; every place is appointed.Psalm 23:5 assures, “You prepare a table before me… my cup overflows,” portraying God’s protective hospitality.
• Jesus’ parable inLuke 14:16-23 pictures a “great banquet” already arranged, where the host urges, “Come, for everything is now ready.” Wisdom likewise invites without delay.
• This table foreshadows the ultimate feast: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). The invitation inProverbs 9 is both present and prophetic, leading toward eternal fellowship with the Lord.
summaryProverbs 9:2 paints Wisdom as a generous hostess: the meal is substantial, the wine is carefully enriched, and the table is meticulously arranged. Together these images promise that God’s truth is nourishing, joyful, and immediately accessible to all who respond. Accepting the invitation brings present satisfaction and anticipates the eternal banquet prepared by the Lord.
(2)
She hath killed her beasts.--Comp.
Matthew 22:4.
She hath mingled her wine--i.e., probably, flavoured it with spices, to improve the flavour. (Comp.Proverbs 23:30.) But the wine used at the Passover (Matthew 26:29, &c.) was mingled with water to decrease its strength.
She hath also furnished her table.--"Christ hath furnished His own Table, exhibiting His precious and spotless Body and Blood, which are daily celebrated at that mystic and divine board, being sacrificed in commemoration of that ever-to-be-remembered original table of that mystic and divine supper."--S. Hippolytus (ed. Lagarde, p. 199), quoted by Wordsworth.
Verse 2. -
She hath killed her beasts. So in the parable of the marriage of the king's son (
Matthew 22, which is parallel to the present), the king sends his servants to notify the guests that the oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Wisdom has stores of nourishment for understanding and affection; and Christ has offered himself as a Victim in our behalf, and now makes bounteous offers of grace, and especially has ordained the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for the strengthening and refreshing of the soul.
She hath mingled her wine; Septuagint, "She hath mixed (
ἐκέρασεν) her wine in a bowl." The wine which, untempered, was too luscious or too fiery to drink, was made palatable by a certain admixture of water, it was always so mixed at the Passover; and the ancient Christian Liturgies direct the mixture in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, doubtless from traditional use. Some, however, think that allusion is here made to the custom of adding drugs to wine in order to increase its potency. Among the Greeks,
ἄκρατος οϊνος meant "wine without water," and in
Revelation 14:10 we have
ἄκρατον κεκερασμένον, "undiluted wine mixed." And probably in the text the notion is that the fluid for the guests' delectation is properly prepared, that there may be no trouble when they arrive (see on Proverbs 23:30).
She hath also furnished her table, by arranging the dishes, etc., thereon (
Psalm 23:5, "Thou preparest a table before me," where the same verb,
arak, is used; comp.
Isaiah 21:5). Moralizing on this passage, St. Gregory says, "The Lord 'killed the sacrifices' by offering himself on our behalf. He 'mingled the wine,' blending together the cup of his precepts from the historical narration and the spiritual signification. And he 'set forth his table,'
i.e. Holy Writ, which with the bread of the Word refreshes us when we are wearied and come to him away from the burdens of the world, and by its effect of refreshing strengthens us against our adversaries" ('Moral,' 17:43, Oxford transl.).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
She has preparedטָבְחָ֣ה(ṭā·ḇə·ḥāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2873:To slaughter, butcher, slayher meat;טִ֭בְחָהּ(ṭiḇ·ḥāh)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2874:Something slaughtered, a beast, butcheryshe has mixedמָסְכָ֣ה(mā·sə·ḵāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4537:To mix, produce by mixingher wine;יֵינָ֑הּ(yê·nāh)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3196:Wine, intoxicationshe has alsoאַ֝֗ף(’ap̄)Conjunction
Strong's 637:Meaning accession, yea, adversatively thoughsetעָֽרְכָ֥ה(‘ā·rə·ḵāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6186:To set in a, row, arrange, put in orderher table.שֻׁלְחָנָֽהּ׃(šul·ḥā·nāh)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7979:A table, a meal
Links
Proverbs 9:2 NIVProverbs 9:2 NLTProverbs 9:2 ESVProverbs 9:2 NASBProverbs 9:2 KJV
Proverbs 9:2 BibleApps.comProverbs 9:2 Biblia ParalelaProverbs 9:2 Chinese BibleProverbs 9:2 French BibleProverbs 9:2 Catholic Bible
OT Poetry: Proverbs 9:2 She has prepared her meat (Prov. Pro Pr) 
