Human folly is seen in rebellion against God, ignoring his way and will, a failure to understand him: and moral or spiritual irresponsibility.
Examples of human folly
The folly of God's people
Jeremiah 4:22 See also Deuteronomy 32:6 rejecting God; Jeremiah 10:8 worshipping idols; Hosea 7:11 seeking foreign help rather than trusting God
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
The folly of Israel's leaders
Jeremiah 10:21 The shepherds are those entrusted with the task of guiding and caring for God's people; Ezekiel 13:3 See also Matthew 23:16–17
For the shepherds have become senseless; they do not seek the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.
This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit yet have seen nothing.
Particular demonstrations of human folly
Numbers 12:1–11 Aaron and Miriam; 1 Samuel 13:13, 1 Samuel 26:21; 1 Samuel 25:25 Nabal. In Hebrew this name means “fool”.; 2 Samuel 24:10 parallel 1 Chronicles 21:8; 2 Chronicles 16:7–9 Asa, king of Judah; Isaiah 19:11–13 Pharaoh's advisors; Matthew 7:26 the foolish builder; Matthew 25:1–3 the foolish virgins; Luke 12:16–21 the rich fool; Galatians 3:13 the Galatian Christians
Paul's ``foolishness''
2 Corinthians 11:16–21 Paul engages in what he admits is the foolish boasting of his accomplishments in order to challenge the claims of false “apostles”. See also 2 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Corinthians 12:6, 2 Corinthians 12:11
I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. In this confident boasting of mine, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as a fool. Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly put up with fools, since you are so wise. In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face. To my shame I concede that we were too weak for that! Speaking as a fool, however, I can match what anyone else dares to boast about.
God's wisdom regarded as ``foolishness''
1 Corinthians 1:18 See also Hosea 9:7; Zechariah 11:15; 1 Corinthians 1:20–25, 1 Corinthians 1:27, 1 Corinthians 4:10
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Human wisdom is foolishness to God
1 Corinthians 3:19 See also Job 12:17; Isaiah 29:14, Isaiah 44:25, Isaiah 55:8; Jeremiah 50:36; Romans 1:22
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.