Proverbs 8:17,18 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

I love them that love me I do not despise their love, though it be but a small and inconsiderable thing to me, but I kindly accept it, and will recompense it with my love and favour; and those that seek me early That is, with sincere affection, and great diligence, and above all other persons or things in the world; shall find me Shall not seek in vain, but shall obtain that wisdom which they so highly prize. Observe well, reader, in order that we may seek for wisdom with the earnestness she merits, we must know her value, and love her. We do not desire, much less do we earnestly seek that, the excellence and utility of which we do not know. We must therefore sincerely and importunately ask of God this knowledge, that, understanding the worth and necessity of wisdom, we may fervently desire and love her; and then, in proportion as this love increases, wisdom will more abundantly communicate herself to us: and “the more early in life we begin this search, the more shall we engage the love, and consequently the encouragement of this divine and blessed monitor.” Dodd. Riches and honour are with me To bestow on those that love me, who shall have as much of them as infinite wisdom sees will be for their good: see on Proverbs 3:16; Proverbs 4:7-9. Yea, durable riches and righteousness Riches honestly gotten, not by fraud and oppression, but in the way of justice and fair dealing; and riches charitably used, for alms are called righteousness. Those that have their wealth from God's blessing on their industry, and that have a heart to do good with it, have riches and righteousness, and such riches will be durable. “Wealth gotten by vanity,” says Henry, “will soon be diminished, but that which is well got will wear well, and will be left to children's children; and that which is spent in works of piety and charity is put out to the best interest, and so will be durable; for the friends made by the mammon of unrighteousness, when we fail, will receive us into everlasting habitations, Luke 16:9.”