Introduction
A debate over the meaning of the Hebrew verb קנה dates back to the Church Fathers. At issue is the way Proverbs 8:22-31 assigns the status of co-creator to wisdom in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament. The implications of an accurate interpretation affect both Old Testament theology and a New Testament understanding of Jesus. Considering the word’s usage in the Hebrew Bible, “brought forth” appears to be a reasonable translation of קנה. The following provides evidence to support the translation value as well as a brief explanation of its meaning for understanding Proverbs 8:22-31 and its repurposing in New Testament theology.
Brought Forth
The Hebrew lemma קנה occurs 84 times in 75 verses in the Old Testament, 81 in the Qal, and three in the Niphal. The most prevalent meaning of קנה relates to the concept of purchasing, which occurs 64 times. For example, the narrator of Genesis explains that when Jacob settled in the city of Shechem, “He bought (קנה) the piece of land” (Gen. 33:19 [NASB]). However, the common meaning does not fit the context of Proverbs 8:22, which states, “The Lord קָ֭נָ me (wisdom).” A number of alternatives exist. The verb קנה appears to have the connotation of “acquire” 14 times, 11 of which are in Proverbs, and is often used in the context of acquiring wisdom and understanding (Prov. 4:5, 15:32). However, translating קנה as “acquired” suggests that God discovered wisdom and results in the illogical conclusion that, at some point prior to the discovery, God lacked wisdom. Granted, one could acquire an object by creating it (see discussion on “create” below), but to translate קנה as “acquire” in this instance would likely lead to confusion. Accordingly, other options need exploring.
Except for the verse under study, only five verses remain available for examination. The context of the remaining verses could all possibly mean “create.” For example, Psalm 139:13 would translate, “You created (קנה) my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb” (See also Gen. 4:1, 14:19, 14:22; Deut. 32:6). However, the challenge with the translation “create” in Proverbs 8:22 is that one would have to conclude that, at some point in time, wisdom was not with God and, thus, not an eternal attribute of God. A better possible option for translation may be “possess.” Although the translation may be somewhat strained in the remaining five verses, it remains a good possibility. For instance, Genesis 14:22 would translate Abram’s words when speaking to the king of Sodom as follows: “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor (קנה) of heaven and earth.” The benefit of “possess” in Proverbs 8:22 is that it removes the possibility that a time existed when God did not have wisdom. However, a better translation may be “brought forth.” Three of the five remaining verses have a clear notion of a parental type of “begetting,” as in “brought forth” from the essential being of God. For example, Deuteronomy 32:6 refers to a Father; Psalm 139:13 refers to a mother’s womb; and Genesis 4:1 refers to a wife conceiving a child. Accordingly, Proverbs 8:22 would translate as follows: “The Lord brought me (wisdom) forth (קנה).” Not only does the translation support wisdom as an eternal attribute of God, but also fits well with the rest of the passage.
Proverbs 8:22-31
The translation choice assists in understanding the rest of the passage in four ways. First, “brought forth” allows for the eternal nature of wisdom noted in Proverbs 8:23, which states that wisdom “was established from the beginning.” Second, Proverbs 8:27 insists that wisdom was there when God made the heavens and skies. By translating קנה as “brought forth,” the verb supports the idea that God brought wisdom forth at a specific time. Third, Prov. 8:30 explains that wisdom “was beside Him, as a master workman.” The translation of קנה as “brought forth” is consistent with the nature of wisdom as God’s co-creator brought forth for a purpose. Finally, Proverbs 8:24-25 states, “When there were no depths I (wisdom) was brought forth (חיל)…before the hills I (wisdom) was brought forth (חיל).” The Hebrew verb חיל used in Proverbs 8:24-25 means to “bring forth” and even has a parental connotation, similar to קנה, of the labor pains of childbirth. Accordingly, the translation of קנה as “brought forth” also accentuates the meaning of the two parallel verbs in verses 24-25.
Repurposing
As mentioned, “brought forth” fits well with the co-creative nature of wisdom in light of Proverbs 8:30, which states, “Then I (wisdom) was beside Him, as a master workman.” In the New Testament, Paul explains that Christ is the “wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24). The implication is that Christ is also a co-creator – an agent of God, which is powerful repurposing of Proverbs 8:22-31 on two fronts. First, Proverbs 8:23-27 states, “From the beginning…I was there.” Likewise, John 1:2 states that Jesus also “was in the beginning with God” (See also Col. 1:15). However, not just with God, but a co-creator or agent with God: “All things came into being through Him” (John 1:3). Second, Paul writes, “by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:30). In other words, Jesus was also God’s co-creative agent of salvation; by His doing, humanity lives in Him.
Conclusion
An analysis of the Hebrew verb קנה in Hebrew Bible revealed that an appropriate translation value for the verb is “brought forth.” Furthermore, the translation decision supports the understanding of wisdom’s eternal nature, specific time, co-creative purpose, and also fits with other key verbs in Proverbs 8:22-31. Finally, a brief examination of New Testament verses provided a coherent explanation of the repurposing of Proverbs 8:22-31 in Jesus, the wisdom of God, who, from the beginning, was God’s co-creator of everything – including salvation.