Proverbs 12:1-28
12 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.
2A good man obtains favor from the Lord,
But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.
3A man is not established by wickedness,
But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.
4An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.
5The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
6The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,”
But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
7The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.
8A man will be commended according to his wisdom,
But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.
9Better is the one who is slighted but has a servant,
Than he who honors himself but lacks bread.
10A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
11He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread,
But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding.
12The wicked covet the catch of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
13The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the righteous will come through trouble.
14A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,
And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.
15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.
16A fool’s wrath is known at once,
But a prudent man covers shame.
17He who speaks truth declares righteousness,
But a false witness, deceit.
18There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
19The truthful lip shall be established forever,
But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21No grave trouble will overtake the righteous,
But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
22Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
23A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
24The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
25Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But a good word makes it glad.
26The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.
28In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary – Proverbs 12:1-28
12:1. To love (i.e., willingly accept or desire) discipline (mûsār, “moral discipline or correction”; cf. 1:2, 7; 10:17) shows that a person loves (desires) knowledge. He wants to be on the right path, to be wise. To hate (reject and despise) correction shows that one is stupid (ba‘ar, “to be brutish or dull-minded” like an animal; also used in 30:2, “ignorant”). Similar thoughts are given in 12:15; 13:1, 13, 18; 15:5, 10, 12, 31–32.
12:2. Proverbs uses many words to describe the righteous and the wise, such as upright (11:3, 11), blameless (11:5), a man of understanding (11:12), trustworthy (11:13), kind (11:17), generous (11:25), prudent (12:16, 23), truthful (v. 22). In verse 2 good is another characteristic. Such a person is blessed with God’s favor (rāṣôn, “acceptance”; see comments on 8:35). But a person who is crafty (cf. 14:17) or deceptively shrewd not only is not favored by God; he is also condemned (“declared guilty”; cf. Ex. 22:9) by God.
12:3. Being settled and stable in their land was valued by the Israelites. But not everyone experienced it (cf. v. 7; 10:25). A wicked person would be uprooted like a plant torn up by the roots, which describes exile and/or death.
12:4. A wife of noble character (cf. 31:10; Ruth 3:11) is like a crown on her husband’s head, that is, her strength of character (ḥayil is lit., “strength”) makes her husband proud and honored. She adds dignity to him. Conversely a disgraceful wife (one who is not noble or strong morally) decays his bones (cf. comments on Prov. 3:8); her shame gives him inner pain.
12:5. Verses 5–9 contrast the righteous and the wicked. The righteous have plans or desires for themselves and others that are fair and honest, but the wicked counsel others in deceitful ways, with advice that is dishonest and self-serving (and warped, v. 8). One’s thoughts and words are usually consistent with his character.
12:6. The wicked seek to destroy other people by their words of advice, as stated in verse 5, which is deceitful. The upright, however, try to rescue them, the victims attacked by gossipers and slanderers.
12:7. When the wicked try to overthrow others (v. 6) they themselves are overthrown (cf. 1:18) in death. Their trap traps them. And they are no more; they cease to exist. But the house (family) of a righteous individual is secure (cf. 12:3; 14:11).
12:8. The attitudes people have toward the righteous and the wicked are contrasted: praise is for the wise (wisdom here is śēḵel, “prudence or sound judgment”; cf. 1:3) and hatred is for those with warped minds. “Warped” (‘āwâh) is one of several words in Proverbs for crooked. It means “bent or twisted.” Their thinking is distorted.
12:9. Verses 9–11 pertain to domestic scenes. A contrast is presented by the words better and than instead of “but.” This is the first of 19 verses in Proverbs that use the “better … than” formula: verse 9; 15:16–17; 16:8, 16, 19, 32; 17:1, 12; 19:1, 22; 21:9, 19; 22:1; 25:7, 24; 27:5, 10; 28:6.
It is preferable to be unknown (be or pretend to be a nobody) and yet be in an honorable position (able to hire a servant) than it is to boast that one is somebody and yet be starving (cf. 13:7). What good is such a claim if one cannot put food on the table?
12:10. A righteous person is concerned about more than himself or his family. His kindness extends to his animals (pets and livestock). Cares for the needs of his animal is literally, “knows the soul of his beast.” He sympathetically understands the life-needs of his animals (cf. 27:23). By contrast the kindest thing a sinner does is really cruel. He does not know how to treat his livestock properly.
12:11. Diligent farming results in plenty of food (cf. 28:19a; also note 14:23). But chasing (an intensive verbal form meaning to pursue frantically) fantasies (things that are empty or worthless), either mentally or physically, does not get the farming done and so one lacks food (cf. 28:19b). To neglect one’s work while thinking about other things shows lack of judgment (see comments on 6:23; 10:13).
12:12. What wicked people acquire by devious means is desired by other wicked people. Plunder, literally “net,” refers to what is caught in the net. In contrast with the temporary nature of what evil men steal (cf. 1:19; 10:2–3; 11:4–5) is the root of the righteous which flourishes. A righteous person is like a plant whose secure root (cf. 10:30) causes it to be green (cf. 11:28) and to bear fruit (cf. 11:30).
12:13. Verses 13–20, 22–23 all refer in one way or another to right and wrong talking (cf. 10:11–14, 18–21, 31–32; 11:9, 11–13). Being trapped is a common figure in Proverbs (see comments on 11:6). A righteous person, speaking righteously or rightly, is therefore not entangled, as is an evil person, by what he says. He escapes trouble (cf. 11:8, 21; 12:21).
12:14. The fruit of one’s lips are his words (cf. 13:2). His speaking brings good things to him (benefits himself; cf. 11:17) as well as to others. Though perhaps less obvious, these benefits are as great as the results of manual labor.
12:15–16. Two marks of a fool and of a wise man are given in these verses: the fool (’ěwîl, “a hardened, thickheaded fool”) thinks his way is right (cf. 21:2), which explains why he will not receive instruction (cf. 1:7); when he is annoyed (perhaps by an insult) he immediately shows it. A wise (prudent; see comments on 12:23) man, in contrast, is open to advice (cf. 10:17; 11:14; 12:1), and is not annoyed by insults. Overlooks means not that he ignores the insult but that he controls his response to it or forgives it. The same verb (kāsâh) in 10:12 is translated “covers.” “Insult” is rendered “disgrace” in 11:2.
12:17. The correct talk of a righteous person is seen in his testifying honestly in court (gives is an intensive verb carrying the idea of “bursts forth” or “breaks out”), but an unrighteous person deliberately tells lies in court (cf. 6:17, 19; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9; 21:28).
12:18–19. Reckless words, which may not be intended to hurt, can in fact be very hurtful, piercing like a sword. They are not thought through. Who has not spoken something thoughtlessly only to find that his careless words were harmful? But words spoken from a wise heart can do just the opposite; they can heal (cf. 15:4) instead of hurt. The effects of words of kindness (cf. 12:25), encouragement, and truth endure, but falsehood and liars will not. Only a moment translates an idiom, which is literally, “the blinking of the eyes” (cf. Job 20:5).
12:20. As stated so often in Proverbs deceit characterizes the wicked (v. 5; 6:14; 11:18; 14:8; 15:4; 26:19, 24, 26) but joy comes to people who desire and work for others’ peace (šālôm, “well-being”). On the word plot see comments on 3:29.
12:21. The righteous experience not only joy (v. 20) but also protection. Befalls may be rendered “shall be allowed to happen to.” Conversely, the wicked experience trouble (cf. 11:8, 21; Ps. 32:10).
12:22. Again lying is referred to (cf. vv. 17, 19; 21:6; 26:28); the LORD hates it because it so directly opposes His standard of truth (cf. Ps. 31:5). (Cf. comments on Prov. 11:20 regarding other things He detests.) Truthfulness is commended (cf. 12:17, 19; 14:5, 25) for it promotes justice.
12:23. A prudent man is not anxious to demonstrate his knowledge; he is not like fools who blurt out folly. “Prudent” translates ‘ārûm, “shrewd” in a good sense, a word used elsewhere only in Job (5:12; 15:5) and Proverbs (12:16, 23; 13:16; 14:8, 15, 18; 22:3; 27:12).
12:24. Diligence and laziness are contrasted here and in verse 27, and in 10:4; 13:4 (also cf. 12:11). The idea that a diligent person will rule may not mean that he becomes an official, but that he is in charge of whatever his situation may be. Laziness, on the other hand, may lead a person into slavery or servanthood (cf. 11:29), in which he has to work harder.
12:25. As is well known today in the fields of medicine and psychology, anxiety can weigh a man down (lit., “causes a man to bow down” or depresses him). An empathetic kind word, however, can give an anxious, depressed person support and can cheer him up (cf. v. 18).
12:26. A righteous person does not take on just anybody as a friend; he chooses his friends carefully. Is cautious could be translated “searches out” (cf. Deut. 1:33) or “investigates” (cf. Ecc. 7:25). The wicked, however, are unconcerned about who becomes their friends. The wicked lead other wicked people astray for they are all on the wrong path.
12:27. A lazy person (cf. v. 24) refuses to roast his game. “Roast” (ḥārak), used only here in the Old Testament, is difficult to translate precisely. It may mean the lazy man will not even go after food. Or (as in the NIV) it may mean that he hunts some game, but is too lazy to cook it. Diligence, however, leads a hunter to value what he has acquired. This suggests that a lazy person does not value what he owns.
12:28. Righteous conduct (way) leads to life, which probably here means temporal blessing, not eternal life (see comments on 3:18). The second line of 12:28 is difficult in the Hebrew. The NIV rendering along that path is immortality is a commendable translation. Though some scholars object to the idea of immortality in the Old Testament, it is certainly taught in several passages (e.g., Job 19:25–27; Ps. 16:10; Isa. 25:8)
God in all His holiness is only your creator until you accept Him. After you accept Him, He becomes your God, your Father, your creator. He will cleanse you of your sins and accept you into the kingdom of His heaven and hear your prayers.
Love God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul. Also, love your neighbor as you love yourself.
God is testing us every day and has given us the right to make our own choices. Do you know which ones are the right choices in God’s mind?
Fear God, love God, honor God, and trust God with all your heart, mind and soul and you will receive and experience the joy of the promises of God’s blessings in His time. And always remember to ask the Father for His help and guidance in all things.
Prayer: Father blessed is your Holy name. We are grateful for Your Son our risen Christ and Your Spirit. We praise You for the opportunity to glorify Your Son and live with Him forever. We also praise you for the opportunity to be able to choose Jesus as our Lord and Savior and to be elect children of Yours. We praise you for the laws You have set down to teach us, to keep our lives in harmony, to learn how to treat others and how to live within your boundaries. Please bless those who have read this article for they too are seeking Your righteous truth, love, wisdom and understanding.
Father, I pray these brothers and sisters have or will come to realize that Your existence is a treasure of grace and love that You have for all Your elect children.
May God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Christianity be our guiding lights for eternity. Let it be Your will Lord not mine. Please come Lord Jesus.
I pray in Jesus sweet name and to His glory through the power of The Holy Spirit,
Amen.
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