Proverbs 13
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
(Pro. 13:1-25) (Compare Pro 6:1-5; Pro 10:1, Pro 10:17).
Open source ↗A wise son heareth his father's instruction,.... As he should, and has good reason to do; since it must be cordial, faithful, and disinterested, as well as the effect of age and experience. He "asks for it" and "loves" it, as Jarchi supplies the text; he likes and approves of it, is well pleased with it, and delights in it; seeing it tends to his profit and advantage; he "receives" it, as the Targum, so Ben Melech; he listens to and obeys it, and acts agreeably to it, which shows him to be wise; and this is the way to be wiser and wiser. So one that is spiritually wise will attend to and receive the instruction of Wisdom or Christ; who stands in the relation of an everlasting fin, her to his children; whose instruction is the doctrine of the Gospel; which a wise man hears, so as to understand it; to love and like it, and approve of it; cordially to embrace and obey it, and put it in practice; see Mat 7:24. The word also signifies "correction" (s), because instruction often comes by it; and he that is a wise man will hear the rod and him that has appointed it, and learn to know his mind by it, and receive instruction from it: or is "chastised by his father" (t), and takes it well, Mic 6:9; but a scorner heareth not rebuke; that is, a son who is a scorner, as the Targum and Aben Ezra; one that makes a mock at sin, and scoffs at religion: such a man will be so far from hearing, attending to, and receiving the rebuke and reproof of his father, that he will scoff also at that; such as were the sons in law of Lot, and the sons of Eli and Samuel. So scornful men, that make a jest of everything that is sacred, will not hearken to the reproof of God's word, to the rebukes of Gospel ministers, or even to the rebukes of Providence, which will issue in their destruction, Pro 5:11.…
Open source ↗The proverb Pro 12:28 is so sublime, so weighty, that it manifestly forms a period and conclusion. This is confirmed from the following proverb, which begins like Pro 10:1 (cf. 5), and anew stamps the collection as intended for youth: 1 A wise son is his father's correction; But a scorner listens not to rebuke. The lxx, which the Syr. follows, translate Ψἱὸς πανουργὸς ὑπήκοος πατρί, whence it is not to be concluded with Lagarde that they read נוסר in the sense of a Ni. tolerativum; they correctly understood the text according to the Jewish rule of interpretation, "that which is wanting is to be supplied from the context." The Targ. had already supplied שׁמע from 1b, and is herein followed by Hitzig, as also by Glassius in the Philologia sacra. But such an ellipse is in the Hebr. style without an example, and would be comprehensible only in passionate, hasty discourse, but in a language in which the representation filius sapiens disciplinam patris audit numbers among the anomalies is not in general possible, and has not even its parallel in Tacitus, Ann. xiii. 56: deesse nobis terra, in qua vivamus - in qua moriemur, non potest, because here the primary idea, which the one expression confirms, the other denies, and besides no particle, such as the ו of this passage before us, stands between them. Bttcher therefore maintains the falling out of the verb, and writes יבּין before בּן; but one says not בין מוסר, but שׁמע מוסר, Pro 1:8; Pro 4:1; Pro 19:27. Should not the clause, as it thus stands, give a sense complete in itself? But מוּסר can hardly, with Schultens and Ewald, be taken as part. Hoph. of יסר: one brought up by his father, for the usage of the language knows מוסר only as part. Hoph. of סוּר. Thus, as Jerome and the Venet. translate: a wise son is the corre…
Open source ↗Among the children of the same parents it is no new thing for some to be hopeful and others the contrary; now here we are taught to distinguish. 1. There is great hope of those that have a reverence for their parents, and are willing to be advised and admonished by them. He is a wise son, and is in a far way to be wiser, that hears his father's instruction, desires to hear it, regards it, and complies with it, and does not merely give it the hearing. 2. There is little hope of those that will not so much as hear rebuke with any patience, but scorn to submit to government and scoff at those that deal faithfully with them. How can those mend a fault who will not be told of it, but count those their enemies who do them that kindness?
Open source ↗13:1 A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline: Gaining wisdom requires discipline and correction.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application מוּסָר (mûwçâr, H4148) — properly, chastisement; figuratively, reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint לוּץ (lûwts, H3887) — properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign… שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… גְּעָרָה (gᵉʻârâh, H1606) — a chiding
Open source ↗אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the… פְּרִי (pᵉrîy, H6529) — fruit (literally or figuratively) פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);… נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… בָּגַד (bâgad, H898) — to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by implication, to pillage חָמָס (châmâç, H2555) — violence; by implication, wrong; by meton. unjust gain
Open source ↗נָצַר (nâtsar, H5341) — to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal,… פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);… שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… פָּשַׂק (pâsaq, H6589) — to dispart (the feet or lips), i.e. become licentious שָׂפָה (sâphâh, H8193) — the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a… מְחִתָּה (mᵉchittâh, H4288) — properly, a dissolution; concretely, a ruin, or (abstractly) consternation
Open source ↗נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… עָצֵל (ʻâtsêl, H6102) — indolent אָוָה (ʼâvâh, H183) — to wish for חֲרוּץ (chărûwts, H2742) — properly, incised or (active) incisive; hence (as noun masculine or feminine) a trench… דָּשֵׁן (dâshên, H1878) — to be fat; transitively, to fatten (or regard as fat); specifically to anoint;…
Open source ↗צַדִּיק (tsaddîyq, H6662) — just שָׂנֵא (sânêʼ, H8130) — to hate (personally) דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, H8267) — an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial) רָשָׁע (râshâʻ, H7563) — morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person בָּאַשׁ (bâʼash, H887) — to smell bad; figuratively, to be offensive morally חָפֵר (châphêr, H2659) — to blush; figuratively, to be ashamed, disappointed; causatively, to shame, reproach
Open source ↗צְדָקָה (tsᵉdâqâh, H6666) — rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue)… נָצַר (nâtsar, H5341) — to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal,… תֹּם (tôm, H8537) — completeness; figuratively, prosperity; usually (morally) innocence דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb רִשְׁעָה (rishʻâh, H7564) — wrong (especially moral) סָלַף (çâlaph, H5557) — properly, to wrench, i.e. (figuratively) to subvert חַטָּאָה (chaṭṭâʼâh, H2403) — an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or…
Open source ↗יֵשׁ (yêsh, H3426) — there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection) עָשַׁר (ʻâshar, H6238) — properly, to accumulate; chiefly (specifically) to grow (causatively, make) rich רוּשׁ (rûwsh, H7326) — to be destitute כֹּל (kôl, H3605) — properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a… רַב (rab, H7227) — abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality) הוֹן (hôwn, H1952) — wealth; by implication, enough
Open source ↗כֹּפֶר (kôpher, H3724) — properly, a cover, i.e. (literally) a village (as covered in); (specifically) bitumen (as… אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… עֹשֶׁר (ʻôsher, H6239) — wealth רוּשׁ (rûwsh, H7326) — to be destitute שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… גְּעָרָה (gᵉʻârâh, H1606) — a chiding
Open source ↗אוֹר (ʼôwr, H216) — illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.) צַדִּיק (tsaddîyq, H6662) — just שָׂמַח (sâmach, H8055) — probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome נִיר (nîyr, H5216) — a lamp (i.e. the burner) or light (literally or figuratively) רָשָׁע (râshâʻ, H7563) — morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person דָּעַךְ (dâʻak, H1846) — to be extinguished; figuratively, to expire or be dried up
Open source ↗זָדוֹן (zâdôwn, H2087) — arrogance נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) מַצָּה (matstsâh, H4683) — a quarrel יָעַץ (yâʻats, H3289) — to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve חׇכְמָה (chokmâh, H2451) — wisdom (in a good sense)
Open source ↗הוֹן (hôwn, H1952) — wealth; by implication, enough הֶבֶל (hebel, H1892) — emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as… מָעַט (mâʻaṭ, H4591) — properly, to pare off, i.e. lessen; intransitively, to be (or causatively, to make) small… קָבַץ (qâbats, H6908) — to grasp, i.e. collect יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), רָבָה (râbâh, H7235) — to increase (in whatever respect)
Open source ↗תּוֹחֶלֶת (tôwcheleth, H8431) — expectation מָשַׁךְ (mâshak, H4900) — to draw, used in a great variety of applications (including to sow, to sound, to prolong,… לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… חָלָה (châlâh, H2470) — properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or… תַּאֲוָה (taʼăvâh, H8378) — a longing; by implication, a delight (subjectively, satisfaction, objectively, a charm) בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) עֵץ (ʻêts, H6086) — a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks) חַי (chay, H2416) — alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially…
Open source ↗בּוּז (bûwz, H936) — to disrespect דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause חָבַל (châbal, H2254) — to wind tightly (as a rope), i.e. to bind; specifically, by a pledge; figuratively, to… יָרֵא (yârêʼ, H3373) — fearing; morally, reverent מִצְוָה (mitsvâh, H4687) — a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law) שָׁלַם (shâlam, H7999) — to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed;…
Open source ↗תּוֹרָה (tôwrâh, H8451) — a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) מָקוֹר (mâqôwr, H4726) — properly, something dug, i.e. a (general) source (of water, even when naturally flowing;… חַי (chay, H2416) — alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially… סוּר (çûwr, H5493) — to turn off (literal or figurative) מוֹקֵשׁ (môwqêsh, H4170) — a noose (for catching animals) (literally or figuratively); by implication, a hook (for… מָוֶת (mâveth, H4194) — death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades);…
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction is prudent.
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the LORD intended to put them to death.
A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.