Introduction To Part 2 (Proverbs 15:22).
The first part of this collection of Solomon's proverbs commenced with a reference to the father and the mother as being a young man's guide (Proverbs 10:1). This second part may be seen as commencing with a reference to counsellors who have replaced the father and mother. This may be because in this second part the proverbs are aimed more at the more mature, and include those proverbs which are more political, although the fact that ‘my son' is mentioned in Proverbs 19:27 may be seen as militating against this. However, as we shall see that is a very specialised use of ‘my son'. An address to ‘my son' by a wisdom teacher may be no more than a mentor's address to his protégé, but its use in Proverbs 19:27 probably refers back to the son mentioned in Proverbs 19:26. (It is the only use of ‘my son' in the proverbs of Solomon from Proverbs 10:1 to Proverbs 22:16). The inclusion of the more mature at some stage is required by Proverbs 1:5.
The idea behind this proverb is that it is an admonition to heed wise advice. Without proper counsel aims will not be brought to fruition, whilst with plenty of good counsel each aim will be established and will come to fruition. It therefore underlines the need to listen to the wisdom of Solomon and the wise men (Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 22:17 and Proverbs 24:13).
Once again, then, Solomon or the final editor is stressing the importance of wisdom, but now it is a wisdom received from experienced counsellors. In this regard it should be noted that in what follows, at least in the next chapter, there is an increased stress on the importance of YHWH's involvement in people's affairs, and an increased reference to the king's role (a role which up to this point has only been mentioned twice in six Chapter s). However, as this stress is largely limited to Proverbs 16:4-15 it must not be overpressed.
‘Where there is no counsel, aims are thwarted,
But in the multitude of counsellors each one is established.'
The clear message here is that no man is an island. Even the more mature need the assistance of others in living the life of true wisdom in accordance with God's requirements. To stand alone with no counsel will be to have our aims thwarted. We will not walk in the way of true wisdom. But if we have a number of counsellors, discussing together and guiding us with their counsel, this will ensure that our aims are fulfilled. The writer may indeed have seen his ‘multitude of counsellors' as including the wise men of Proverbs 22:17 and Proverbs 24:13, and, if this proverb is the work of the final editor, it could also include the men of Hezekiah (Proverbs 25:1); Azur (Proverbs 30:1), and Lemuel (Proverbs 31:1).
The general principle of the proverb is also clear and that is that if we act on our own in important matters, without advice, our aims will probably not succeed, and that in order to secure the satisfactory fulfilment of our aims, it is important to consult widely with wise counsellors.