Pro 3:19-20 | NETfull | STEP | By wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth; he established the heavens by understanding.

Proverbs 3:19-20

19 By wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth; ^{▼▼ Heb “founded the earth.” The verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish; to found”) describes laying the foundation of a building (1 Kgs 5:31 [HT]; 7:10; 2 Chr 3:3; Ezra 3:10–12; Zech 4:9) and God laying the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4; Pss 24:2; 89:12; 102:26; 104:5; Isa 48:13; 51:13, 16; Zech 12:1).}
he established the heavens by understanding. ^{▼▼ The theme of God’s use of wisdom in creation is developed in Prov 8:22–31. Because God established the world to operate according to the principle of wisdom it is impossible for anyone to live successfully in his world apart from the wisdom that only God can give.}
20 By his knowledge the primordial sea ^{▼▼ The word תְּהוֹמוֹת (t^ehomot, “primordial sea”) alludes to the chaotic “deep” in Gen 1:2 (BDB 1063 s.v. תְּהוֹם 3). This was viewed in the ancient world as a force to be reckoned with. However, God not only formed it but controls it (see J. Emerton, “Spring and Torrent in Ps 74:15, ” VT 15 [1965]: 125).} was broken open, ^{▼▼ This might refer to God’s action of dividing the waters to form the dry ground on the third day (Gen 1:9–10) or, less likely, to the breaking up of the fountains of the deep at the flood (Gen 7:11).}
and the clouds drip down dew. ^{▼▼ The two colons form a merism: The wisdom of God is behind all forces of nature, whether the violent breaking forth of its watery forces at creation or the provision of the gentle rain and dew throughout history (T. T. Perowne, Proverbs, 55).}