Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
Counsel
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
sound
Proverbs 2:6,7 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding…
Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
I have
Proverbs 24:5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Ecclesiastes 7:19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Ecclesiastes 9:16-18 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard…
I have insight and strength.
Insight refers to deep understanding and the ability to see the true nature of things, a characteristic of divine wisdom. In the historical context of ancient Israel, leaders and judges were expected to possess insight to govern effectively. Strength, in this context, is not merely physical but also moral and spiritual fortitude. This phrase can be connected to the portrayal of Jesus Christ, who embodies wisdom and strength, as seen in Colossians 2:3, where it is stated that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The combination of insight and strength suggests that true wisdom empowers individuals to act with courage and integrity.
“Counsel … is mine.” Wisdom speaks as the personal possession of true guidance. In Scripture, genuine counsel always starts with God Himself—“The counsel of the LORD stands forever” (Psalm 33:11). When Jesus is called “Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6), He embodies this very promise of Proverbs 8:14. Because wisdom owns counsel, we can:
• go to God first, not last, for direction (James 1:5);
• trust that His plans will prevail even when ours shift (Proverbs 19:21).
Receiving counsel from Wisdom keeps our choices rooted in eternal certainty instead of momentary opinion.
“… and sound judgment are mine.” Sound judgment, or discretion, guards us from impulsive or deceptive paths. Proverbs 2:7 affirms that God “stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.” Notice the protective tone: judgment keeps us safe. Jesus commends the same quality when He urges believers to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Wisdom’s judgment:
• tests every idea against the clear teaching of Scripture (Acts 17:11);
• exposes counterfeit wisdom that contradicts God’s character (1 John 4:1).
Because judgment belongs to Wisdom, we never have to guess what is right; we measure by God’s revealed standard.
“I have insight …” Insight lets us see beneath appearances to God’s purpose. Solomon prayed for an “understanding heart” (1 Kings 3:9) and was granted the very insight Wisdom claims here. Paul prayed similarly that believers might know “the riches of the glory of His inheritance” (Ephesians 1:17-18). Insight—
• connects truth to real-life situations so we apply rather than merely admire it (Proverbs 2:10-11);
• lights the path ahead, because “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Wisdom doesn’t just inform; it illumines.
“… and strength.” Wisdom is not ivory-tower theory; it supplies power to live out what we know. Isaiah 40:29 promises, “He gives power to the faint.” Paul echoes, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Strength from Wisdom—
• enables obedience when culture pushes the other way (Joshua 1:9);
• fuels endurance so we finish well (Hebrews 12:1-2);
• partners with counsel, judgment, and insight so truth becomes action (Proverbs 24:5).
Wisdom equips both the mind and the muscles of faith.
Proverbs 8:14 pictures Wisdom as a full toolkit: counsel to guide, sound judgment to discern, insight to perceive, and strength to perform. Because these qualities belong to Wisdom—and Wisdom flows from God—believers who cling to His Word receive everything needed for clear thinking and courageous living.
(14) Sound wisdom.--See above on Proverbs 2:7.Strength.--Comp. Ecclesiastes 7:19. For these various gifts of wisdom, comp. Isaiah 11:2.
Verse 14. - Having said what she hates, Wisdom now says what she is, and what she can bestow on her followers. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom. There is some doubt about the meaning of the word translated "sound wisdom" (tushiyyah). The Vulgate has aequitas; the Septuagint, ἀσφάλεια, "safety." The word occurs elsewhere in this book and in Job, but only in two other places of Scripture, viz. Isaiah 28:29 and Micah 6:9. It means properly "elevation" or "furtherance," or, as others say, "substance;" and then that which is essentially good end useful, which may be wisdom, aid, or security (see on Proverbs 2:7). Wisdom affirms that she possesses counsel and all that can help forward righteousness; see Job 12:13, 16, passages very similar to the present (comp. Wisd. 8:9, etc.). I am understanding. Wisdom does not merely possess these attributes; they are her very nature, as it is said, "God is love" St. Jerome's mea est prudentia, and the LXX.'s ἐμὴ φρόνησις, lose this trait. I have strength. Wisdom directs the energies and powers of her pupils, which without her control would be spent wrongly or uselessly (comp. Ecclesiastes 7:19). Wisdom, understanding, and might are named among the seven gifts of the Spirit in Isaiah 11:2; and we may see in the passage generally an adumbration of him who is called "Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God" (Isaiah 9:6).