Say unto wisdom, Thou [art] my sister; and call understanding [thy] kinswoman:
Ver. 4. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister,] q.d., If thou must needs have a lady to set thy love upon, let me commend a mistress to thee more amiable and affable than any that thou canst meet with, and that is heavenly wisdom. Say unto her, Thou art my sister, &c. Christ oft woos his spouse by this title, "My sister, my spouse." As the nearest affinity is spouse, so the nearest consanguinity is sister. There are all bonds to knit us to Christ, there shall be all to knit Christ to us, if we fall in with wisdom; this is to become akin to Christ. Mat 12:50 And that is the truest nobility where God himself is top of the kin, and religion the root, in regard whereof all the rest (riches, retinue, &c.) are but shadows and shapes of nobleness.
Call understanding thy kinswoman,] i.e., Be thoroughly and familiarly acquainted with her. Surely as in nature he is accounted a singular idiot that knows not his own sisters or near kinsfolk, so in religion he is strangely simple and stupid that is not acquainted with the grounds of behaviour and comfort, as they are contained in the word.