| Geneva Study Bible The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Wesley's Notes 1:7 The fear - Reverence and obedience to God. Beginning - The foundation without which all other knowledge is vain. Fools - That is, wicked men, are so far from attaining true wisdom, that they despise it, and all the means of getting it. King James Translators' Notes the beginning: or, the principal part Scofield Reference Notes Margin fear Also; Prov 1:29, See Scofield Note: "Ps 19:9" Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 7. The fear of the Lord-the principle of true piety (compare Pr 2:5; 14:26, 27; Job 28:28; Ps 34:11; 111:10; Ac 9:31). beginning-first part, foundation. fools-the stupid and indifferent to God's character and government; hence the wicked. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 1:7-9 Fools are persons who have no true wisdom, who follow their own devices, without regard to reason, or reverence for God. Children are reasonable creatures, and when we tell them what they must do, we must tell them why. But they are corrupt and wilful, therefore with the instruction there is need of a law. Let Divine truths and commands be to us most honourable; let us value them, and then they shall be so to us. | 
