In 1 Kings 3:5-14, “The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, “Ask what I shall give thee” Solomon responded, “Give therefore your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and bad…” The Lord was very pleased with this request and God granted him not only wisdom but riches and longevity as well. Most likely, King Solomon wrote Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 10:8 (NIV), “Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.” This is another way of saying, "Whatever you sow, you will reap". Our actions have consequences, so we should be careful to follow the admonitions of Colossians 3:23, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”
10:9 (NIV), “Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.” Working with large stones can be dangerous, if they roll back on you. Splitting wood can, also, be very dangerous to the one who is splitting. The wood may separate violently, and can hit those standing nearby. Everyday activities may result in disasters that no one can predict. So, we should take due precautions.
10:10 (NASB), “If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.” An ax needs to be sharpened, to make it cut more easily. Chopping with a dull ax takes much more power. Wisdom is like a sharp ax; it helps us find better ways of doing things.
10:11 (NKJV), “A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different.” Serpents bite without provocation. The babbler, here, is someone who uses his tongue to charm people into doing things his way. The babbler of this kind is just as dangerous as the serpent.
10:12-14 (NIV), “Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness— and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming— who can tell someone else what will happen after them?”
A wise man carefully gages his words to encourage people; whereas a fool talks foolishly and may destroy others and eventually himself. Fools will try to predict the future, but none know the future except God.
10:15 (NIV), “The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.” The fool is characterized by incompetent behavior. He pretends he knows the way to the city, when in fact, he does not. Ignorance extends even to spiritual realities. We must “Be diligent…a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” (2 Timothy 2:15 NIV).
