DISCLAIMER 1: I am not a Bible scholar.
DISCLAIMER 2: The Bible scholars I looked up didn't have a lot to say about this passage.
DISCLAIMER 3: I really hate starting a post with disclaimers.

This little passage is one of my favorites from the book of Proverbs:

"By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches." (Proverbs 24:3-4)

I tried to seek some insight into exactly what the writer of these verses had in mind when he penned them, but I didn't find a lot of guidance (See: Disclaimer 2, above). And, since I don't know a lick of Hebrew (See: Disclaimer 1, also above), I can't promise you that what I'm offering here is an exact exposition of the passage.

But instead of making a bunch of excuses (See: Disclaimer 3), I'm going to explain how I think these verses could be applied to homemaking, while praying that I stay in line with the greater truths of scripture. Serious praying going on over here!

I'm a house builder...a homemaker. 

As a homemaker, my main job consists of building our house. No, I'm not out doing carpentry (excuse me while I laugh myself silly at that thought), but I'm making a home for my family.

I'm constructing relationships and creating an environment that will, hopefully, be both strong and beautiful. Make no mistake, we are called to build, establish, and fill our homes; and God has graciously shown us the way to do those things well.

Reading these verses, there are three words that jump out at me: wisdom, understanding, knowledge. Now, like I said before, I don't know what they look like in the original language, but I do know that these words (at least the English words) are used a lot in the book of Proverbs.

And I know that all three of these qualities come from God. "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6). No Bible scholar needed there! True wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are from God.

"By wisdom a house is built..."

Foolishness comes from trusting in our own mind (Prov. 28:26), and wisdom comes from fearing God (Prov. 9:10). John MacArthur writes that "the fear of the Lord is a state of mind in which one's own attitudes, will, feelings, deeds, and goals are exchanged for God's."

Wisdom comes from knowing God enough that we view our world the way He does. It's found by sitting at the feet of Jesus and soaking up the Truths of His Word. Being wise means that our speech and actions are based on the teachings of scripture. Basically, "wisdom" is what keeps us from acting and talking like a fool.

"By understanding it is established..."

The word "understanding" seems to imply having an understanding of people and situations. Repeatedly in the book of Proverbs, we are shown how someone with understanding holds his (or her) temper and tongue (Prov. 11:12; 14:29; 17:27, to list a few). A person's wise response is based on a proper understanding of what's going on.

We are told that "a ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor" (Prov. 28:16). Oh, how many times have I been "cruel" by jumping to conclusions about my children and then dishing out discipline without understanding their hearts or actions? It's painful even to consider it.

From the opposite side of that spectrum, "On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found" (Prov. 10:13). That's what I want. Like the ideal woman we see in Proverbs 31, I want to understand those around me so that I will "open my mouth with wisdom" (Prov. 31:26), rather than being a fool because I haven't tried to relate to others.

"By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

Just like with wisdom, the fear of the Lord is also the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7). We should deeply desire the insight that comes from having a better knowledge of God (Prov. 9:10).

But, while our knowledge of the God and the Bible holds the greatest benefits, being more knowledgable about the tasks the Lord has given us will enable us to more skillfully serve others and live intentionally in all aspects of life.

As a homemaker, I'm continually on the lookout for new and better ways to do my job. I desperately desire for the rooms of my home to be filled with "precious and pleasant riches," both literally and spiritually, but I often feel like I'm in over my head. 

Quite frankly, although I try to share a lot of homemaking knowledge around here, I still have a lot to learn. And since "an intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge" (Prov. 18:15), I should never stop educating myself.

There's a whole lot of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge coming our way.

I'm really excited because next week, I'm going to get a first-rate homemaking education. For 6 days only, more than 75 widely-known bloggers and authors in the homemaking sphere have joined together to offer 97 of their most popular eBooks and eCourses, valued at just over $600, for the incredibly low price of $29.97.  That's an awful lot of knowledge!

This library of homemaking helps include topics such as mothering, organization and cleaning, recipes and kitchen helps, home education, spiritual growth for both moms and kids, home décor and DIY, pregnancy and baby care, frugal living, health and fitness, and even work-from-home and financial tools.

I really believe that we won't find a more comprehensive collection of homemaking resources anywhere on the web, and particularly not in this price range. Plus, to make it even better, they've also teamed up with 10 companies to bring us over $140 in bonus offers, giving us an affordable opportunity to get products we’ll use and love for only the cost of shipping, or in some cases, entirely for free!

Please note that this collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th, and there will be no late sales offered. I'll be sharing the long list of books and freebies on Monday, so be sure to stop back over for all of the important details (two of my favorites, Clean Enough and Getting it Together are part of the mix!).

As I'm growing in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge as a homemaker, I need all the help I can get. This bundle will give me more training than I can even imagine!

Note: Affiliate links have been used in this post.  Read my disclosure here.