Bible Questions and Answers

Proverbs 24:7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

The gate was the place where the rulers of the city sat in judgment, where business was transacted; the place where wisdom should be shown.

Ruth 4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it

Matthew Poole Commentary: -

Wisdom is too high for a fool;

either,

1. Really, it is above his reach or capacity. Or,

2. In his opinion; he judges it too hard for him, he despairs of attaining it, he pretends the impossibility of it, because he will not put himself to the trouble of getting it; as, on the contrary, wisdom is said to be easy to him that understands, (Proverbs14:6), because he seriously gives his mind to it, and therefore easily attains to it.

For a fool; for a wilful fool, or a wicked man, whose lusts enfeeble and darken his mind, and make it incapable of wisdom.

He openeth not his mouth in the gate; either,

1. He can say nothing for himself when he is accused before the judge.

Or,

2. He knows not how to speak acceptably and profitably in the public assembly among wise men.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn