translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: PRO

label: NET study note

text: The contrast is between the “tongue of the wise” and the “mouth of the fool.” Both expressions are metonymies of cause; the subject matter is what they say. How wise people are can be determined from what they say.


text: The Hiphil verb יַבִּיעַ ( yabia ’) means “to pour out; to emit; to cause to bubble; to belch forth.” The fool bursts out with reckless utterances (cf. TEV “spout nonsense”).


text: The proverb uses anthropomorphic language to describe God’s exacting and evaluating knowledge of all people.


text: The Hebrew noun חֹסֶן ( khosen ) means “wealth; treasure.” Prosperity is the reward for righteousness. This is true only in so far as a proverb can be carried in its application, allowing for exceptions. The Greek text for this verse has no reference for wealth, but talks about amassing righteousness.


text: The phrase “the heart of fools” emphasizes that fools do not comprehend knowledge. Cf. NCV “there is no knowledge in the thoughts of fools.”


text: The sacrifices of the wicked are hated by the Lord because the worshipers are insincere and blasphemous (e.g., Prov 15:29; 21:3; 28:9 ; Ps 40:6-8 ; Isa 1:10-17 ). In other words, the spiritual condition of the worshiper determines whether or not the worship is acceptable to God.


text: J. H. Greenstone notes that if God will accept the prayers of the upright, he will accept their sacrifices; for sacrifice is an outer ritual and easily performed even by the wicked, but prayer is a private and inward act and not usually fabricated by unbelievers ( Proverbs , 162).


text: God hates the way of the wicked , that is, their lifestyle and things they do. God loves those who pursue righteousness , the Piel verb signifying a persistent pursuit. W. G. Plaut says, “He who loves God will be moved to an active, persistent, and even dangerous search for justice” ( Proverbs , 170).


text: If this line and the previous line are synonymous, then the one who abandons the way also refuses any correction, and so there is severe punishment. To abandon the way means to leave the life of righteousness which is the repeated subject of the book of Proverbs.


text: This is an understatement, the opposite being intended (a figure called tapeinosis). A scorner rejects any efforts to reform him.


text: The verb יֵיטִב ( yetiv ) normally means “to make good,” but here “to make the face good,” that is, there is a healthy, favorable, uplifted expression. The antithesis is the pained heart that crushes the spirit. C. H. Toy observes that a broken spirit is expressed by a sad face, while a cheerful face shows a courageous spirit ( Proverbs [ICC], 308).


text: The “days” represent what happens on those days (metonymy of subject).


text: The image of a continual feast signifies the enjoyment of what life offers (cf. TEV “happy people…enjoy life”). The figure is a hypocatastasis; among its several implications are joy, fulfillment, abundance, pleasure.


text: One of the frequent characteristics of wisdom literature is the “better” saying; it is a comparison of different but similar things to determine which is to be preferred. These two verses focus on spiritual things being better than troubled material things.


text: Turmoil refers to anxiety; the fear of the Lord alleviates anxiety, for it brings with it contentment and confidence.


text: Not all wealth has turmoil with it. But the proverb is focusing on the comparison of two things – fear of the Lord with little and wealth with turmoil. Between these two, the former is definitely better.


text: Again the saying concerns troublesome wealth: Loving relationships with simple food are better than a feast where there is hatred. The ideal, of course, would be loving family and friends with a great meal in addition, but this proverb is only comparing two things.


text: The fact that רִיב ( riv ) is used for “quarrel; strife” strongly implies that the setting is the courtroom or other legal setting (the gates of the city). The hot-headed person is eager to turn every disagreement into a legal case.


text: The contrast to the “thorny way” is the highway, the Hebrew word signifying a well built-up road ( סָלַל , salal , “to heap up”). The upright have no reason to swerve, duck, or detour, but may expect “clear sailing.” Other passages pair these two concepts, e.g., Prov 6:10; 10:26; 28:19 .


text: The proverb is almost the same as 10:1 , except that “despises” replaces “grief.” This adds the idea of the callousness of the one who inflicts grief on his mother (D. Kidner, Proverbs [TOTC], 116).


text: The proverb says essentially the same thing as 11:14 , but differently.


text: The “proud” have to be understood here in contrast to the widow, and their “house” has to be interpreted in contrast to the widow’s territory. The implication may be that the “proud” make their gain from the needy, and so God will set the balance right.


text: The Lord administers justice in his time. The Lord champions the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the needy. These people were often the prey of the proud, who would take and devour their houses and lands (e.g., ; Prov 16:19 ; Isa 5:8-10 ).


text: The contrast is between the “thoughts” and the “words.” The thoughts that are designed to hurt people the Lord hates; words that are pleasant ( נֹעַם , no ’ am ), however, are pure (to him). What is pleasant is delightful, lovely, enjoyable.


text: The participle “troubles” ( עֹכֵר , ’ okher ) can have the connotation of making things difficult for the family, or completely ruining the family (cf. NAB). In Josh 7:1 Achan took some of the “banned things” and was put to death: Because he “troubled Israel,” the Lord would “trouble” him (take his life, Josh 7:25 ).


text: The form is plural. What they say (the “mouth” is a metonymy of cause) is any range of harmful things.


text: To say that the Lord is “far” from the wicked is to say that he has made himself unavailable to their appeal – he does not answer them. This motif is used by David throughout for the problem of unanswered prayer – “Why are you far off?”


text: The verb “hear” ( שָׁמַע , shama ’) has more of the sense of “respond to” in this context. If one “listens to the voice of the Lord ,” for example, it means that he obeys the Lord . If one wishes God to “hear his prayer,” it means he wishes God to answer it.


text: God’s response to prayer is determined by the righteousness of the one who prays. A prayer of repentance by the wicked is an exception, for by it they would become the righteous (C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 316).


text: The proverb is one full sentence; it affirms that a teachable person is among the wise.


text: To “despise oneself” means to reject oneself as if there was little value. The one who ignores discipline is not interested in improving himself.