Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 13:13
Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
13. the word ] sc. of God, as in Pro 16:20. The commandment, in the parallel clause, seems to make this clear, though the reference is not necessarily to the Law of Moses. See Introd. Ch. 1., p. 13.
The R.V. appears to suggest another rendering, handleth a matter negligently, by referring to Pro 16:20, where “he that giveth heed unto the word” in R.V. text is “he that handleth a matter wisely,” in R.V. margin, as in A.V. text. With this agrees , LXX. (adding a second form, however, of the proverb).
shall be destroyed ] Rather, bringeth destruction upon himself, R.V. text.
The rendering, is bound by it ( maketh himself a debtor thereto, R.V. marg.), i.e. cannot escape either from liability or from punishment, has much to commend it.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Pro 13:13
Whoso despiseth the Word shall be destroyed.
Mans destruction
The more literal rendering would be, He that despiseth the Word shall bring ruin on himself. This is a great law of the Biblical revelation–namely, that destruction is not a merely arbitrary act on the part of God, a mere penalty, but that it involves the idea of suicide or self-ruin. The law of reward and also the law of punishment are to be found within ourselves. (J. Parker, D.D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 13. Whoso despiseth the word] The revelation which God has in his mercy given to man – shall be destroyed; for there is no other way of salvation but that which it points out.
But he that feareth the commandment] That respects it so as to obey it, walking as this revelation directs – shall be rewarded; shall find it to be his highest interest, and shall be in peace or safety, as the Hebrew word may be translated.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Despiseth; disobeyeth it wilfully and presumptuously. The word; the word of God, which is called the word by way of eminency, Deu 30:14, compared with Rom 10:18; 1Th 5:17, and elsewhere.
Shall be destroyed, except he repent, and return to his obedience.
That feareth the commandment; that hath a reverence to its authority, and is afraid to violate it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. the wordthat is, ofadvice, or, instruction (compare Pro 10:27;Pro 11:31).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed,…. The word of God. Either Christ, the essential Word; which must be a great evil, considering the dignity of his person; great ingratitude, considering the grace of his office; very dangerous, considering what a quick, sharp, and powerful Word he is: and such may be said to despise him who despise his ministers, and the Gospel preached by them; and which may be meant by the word, that being the word of God and of truth, the word of righteousness, peace, life, and salvation; and is to them that perish foolishness; and to whom it is so, they shall perish, and be punished with everlasting destruction, for their contempt of it, and disobedience to it. Or the written word may be meant, the Scriptures, which are given by inspiration of God, and therefore ought to be had in the greatest reverence; and yet are greatly slighted and despised by the man of sin and his followers; who set up and prefer their unwritten traditions to them, and so make them of none effect: such are all false teachers, that despise or abuse them, they bring destruction to themselves; for so the words may be rendered, “shall bring destruction to himself”, or shall receive detriment from it: so the Targum, from the word itself; the Syriac version, “by it”; and the Arabic version, “by the commandment itself”; by the threatenings in it, and according to them: or, “because of it”; because of the contempt of it;
but he that feareth the commandment; receives the word with reverence, trembles at it; fears God, and keeps his commandments, and fears to break them: he
shall be rewarded; with good, as the Targum adds; for in keeping the commandments of God there is great reward: or, “shall enjoy peace”, or “be in safety” k; for great peace have they which love the law of God, and serve it: or, “shall be sound, [and] in health” l; when those that despise it “shall be corrupted” m; as the word in the preceding clause may be rendered.
k “in pace versabitur”, V. L. “fruetur pace”, Vatablus; “donatur pace”, Junius Tremellius “pacabitur”, Cocceius; “salvabitur”, Syriac version. l , Sept. m “corrumpetur”; Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
13 Whoever despiseth the word is in bonds to it,
And he that feareth the commandment is rewarded.
The word is thought of as ordering, and thus in the sense of the commandment, e.g., 1Sa 17:19; Dan 9:23, Dan 9:25. That which is here said is always true where the will of a man has subordinated itself to the authoritative will of a superior, but principally the proverb has in view the word of God, the . as the expression of the divine will, which (Pro 6:3) appears as the secondary, with the , the general record of the divine will. Regarding of contemptuous, despiteful opposition, vid., at Pro 6:30, cf. Pro 11:12. Jol records the prevailing tradition, for he translates: “Whoever despises advice rushes into destruction; whoever holds the commandment in honour is perfect.” But that is to be understood neither of perfection nor of peace (lxx and Jerome), but means compensabitur (here not in the sense of punishment, but of reward), we know from Pro 11:31. The translation also of by “he rushes into destruction” (lxx , which the Syr.-Hexap. repeats; Luther, “he destroys himself;” the Venet. , periet sibi ) fails, for one does not see what should have determined the poet to choose just this word, and, instead of the ambiguous dat. ethicus, not rather to say . So also this is not with Gesenius to be connected with = Arab. khabl , corrumpere , but with = Arab. habl , ligare, obligare . Whoever places himself contemptuously against a word which binds him to obedience will nevertheless not be free from that word, but is under pledge until he redeem the pledge by the performance of the obedience refused, or till that higher will enforce payment of the debt withheld by visiting with punishment. Jerome came near the right interpretation: ipse se in futurum obligat ; Abulwald refers to Exo 22:25; and Parchon, Rashi, and others paraphrase: , he is confiscated as by mortgage. Schultens has, with the correct reference of the not to the contemner, but to the word, well established and illustrated this explanation: he is pledged by the word, Arab. marhwan ( rahyn ), viz., pigneratus paenae (Livius, xxix. 36). Ewald translates correctly: he is pledged to it; and Hitzig gives the right explanation: “A [a pledge, cf. Pro 20:16] is handed over to the offended law with the [the bad conduct] by the despiser himself, which lapses when he has exhausted the forbearance, so that the punishment is inflicted.” The lxx has another proverb following Pro 13:13 regarding and ; the Syr. has adopted it; Jerome has here the proverb of the animae dolosae ( vid., at Pro 13:9).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
Here is, 1. The character of one that is marked for ruin: He that despises the word of God, and has no regard to it, no veneration for it, nor will be ruled by it, certainly he shall be destroyed, for he slights that which is the only means of curing a destructive disease and makes himself obnoxious to that divine wrath which will certainly be his destruction. Those that prefer the rules of carnal policy before divine precepts, and the allurements of the world and the flesh before God’s promises and comforts, despise his word, giving the preference to those things that stand in competition with it; and it is to their own just destruction: they would not take warning. 2. The character of one that is sure to be happy: He that fears the commandment, that stands in awe of God, pays a deference to his authority, has a reverence for his word, is afraid of displeasing God and incurring the penalties annexed to the commandment, shall not only escape destruction, but shall be rewarded for his godly fear. In keeping the commandment there is great reward.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Obedience Important
Verse 13, by reference to the WORD and COMMANDMENT, recognizes the existing religious teachings and practices of Israel and
emphasizes the importance of obeying the Scriptures. He who does so will be rewarded. He who scorns their message will suffer grievous consequences here and hereafter, Pro 11:18; Pro 10:8; Pro 10:17; 2Ch 36:15-16; Pro 1:24-33; Pro 28:9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 13:13. Shall be destroyed, rather is bound, or is in bonds to it. Rewarded, be at peace.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 13:13
BOUND BY LAW
The literal translation of the first clause of this verse is Whoso despiseth the law is bound by it, or is in bonds to it (see Critical Notes).
I. Divine law is a necessity of human nature. There must be a standard of right and wrong for moral and responsible creatures, and the law which is that standard ought to be appreciated in proportion to its perfection. Law in a family is a necessity for its right regulation, and in proportion as it approaches perfection it will meet the needs of its members.
1. The law of God is a necessity, in order to educate mens moral sense. The human conscience sometimes lies buried under ignorance, or is passive in the hands of lawless desire, and it needs the law to arouse it to perform its proper functions, and thus prepare men for a Saviour. Christ, says Paul, is the end of the law. It arouses men to feel their need of His atonement.
2. It is needed as a basis of punishment and reward. There are some actions upon which men, by almost universal consent, pass judgment, and their judgment is embodied in their law, and thus forms a basis of conviction for the transgressor. And there are other actions which, by the same consent, are allowed to deserve reward, and that universal consent forms a kind of law. So the holy, just, and true law of God is needed as a standard by which mens actions may be judged.
II. Whether men honour or despise the law they are bound by it. There is no place and there are no circumstances in this world in which men are not bound by physical law. Every man finds that if he would have health he must inhale pure air. No man can afford to despise this law, but whether he do so or not, it will hold him in bonds. He must obey it if he would have health, to disobey may be death. If a moving object is coming to meet us, if it has more force in it than we have, we shall be overthrown by it if we do not get out of its path. We may do as we please about meeting it, but we cannot be loosed from the law which governs it. These laws of our earthly life may not be universal laws, they are doubtless many of them confined to our present state of being, but the moral law of God is in force throughout the universe and there is no escape from it. What is good here is good everywhere, what is morally right now can never be wrong through all eternity. Whether men obey it or defy it, they will be for ever bound by it.
III. It is seen to be a good law by the results of keeping it. He that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded, or shall be at peace. Even when men violate physical law they do not pronounce it bad. But it is seen to be good by its effects on those who keep it. Men who obey the laws of health recommend those laws in their own persons. Those who acknowledge the binding nature of Divine law and fear it, recommend it to others as good. Great peace have they that love Thy law and nothing shall offend them (Psa. 119:165). Self-love binds men to obey it. Whoso breaketh this hedge, a serpent shall bite him (Ecc. 10:8). The whole Bible is an exposition of this text. (See Homiletics on Pro. 13:6).
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
The slave fears the penalty; the child the commandment.Bridges.
In many things we offend all, but we are not all despisers of the Word of God. Good men have reason to lament their manifold breaches of the commandment, and yet they have a sincere love and esteem for it.Lawson.
Whatever comes with Divine authority is a Divine commandment. The Gospel is on this as well as other accounts called the law of faith, being the Divine prescription for the salvation of sinners.Wardlaw.
This word has a private and personal, as well as a public application; but it is in the providential government of the nations that its truth has been most conspicuously displayed. The kingdoms of this world in these days prosper or pine in proportion as they honour or despise Gods Word. Number the nations over one by one, and see where property is valuable and life secure; mark the places where you would like to invest your means and educate your family; you will shun some of the sunniest climes of earth, as if they lay under a polar night, because the light of truth has been taken from their sky. Traverse the world in search of merely human good, seeking but an earthly home, and your tent, like Abrahams, will certainly be pitched at the place of the altar.Arnot.
The more we despise the law, the more we are bound by it. But he that fears. This is a splendid picture of the Christian. He is not one that keeps the law, but fears it, i.e., tries to keep it, fears it with a godly fear, and as a climax, frequent in a second clause (see chap. Pro. 14:11 and passim), he is not one who comes simply less under bonds, but is forgiven altogether.Miller.
The word of Divine revelation is here, as it were, personified as a real superhuman power, whose service one cannot escape, and in default of this he comes into bondage to it, i.e., loses his liberty.Langes Commentary.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(13) Shall be destroyed.Literally, brings ruin on himself. Or the sense may be, is (still) bound to it, even although he may contemptuously neglect it. Comp. the advice (Mat. 5:25), to agree with our adversary quickly, that is, satisfy the requirements of the law of God while there is time, lest it appear as our adversary at the day of judgment.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Despiseth the word (of God, or of Wisdom) shall be destroyed Bring destruction to himself; the idea is, that the despiser, or neglecter, or violator of the word, is in legal bondage to it, and is liable to suffer the penalty.
But he that feareth (reverences, obeys) the commandment of God shall be rewarded, recompensed, or be at peace, or safe. So the Septuagint and Vulgate, but the Authorized Version follows the Hebrew. Compare Pro 11:31; Jer 18:20.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 13. Whoso despiseth the Word shall be destroyed,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly. A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health. Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured. The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Several blessed things are within these verses. The Wicked messenger, and the faithful ambassador: what a contrast for those who minister in the church of Christ to ponder over. The consideration of walking with the wise, and the awfulness of being the companion of fools, what volumes are contained in those short, but striking sentences for all to consider. Precious Jesus! Make all thy servants faithful! Keep thy saints from dangerous society. Be it my portion, Lord, to walk with thee!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pro 13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
Ver. 13. Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed. ] Bishop Banner’s chaplain called the Bible, in scorn, his little pretty God’s book. Gifford and Rainold said it contained doctrinam peregrinam , strange doctrine – yea, some things profane and apocryphal. The more modest Papists account traditions the touchstone of doctrine and foundation of faith; and repute the Scriptures to be rather a kind of storehouse for advice in matters of religion. a We account them the divine beam and most exact balance, cor et animam Dei, the heart and soul of God, as Gregory calleth them; the best fortress against errors, as Augustine, though some of our sublimated sectaries blaspheme that blessed book as a dead letter and a beggarly element.
But he that feareth the commandment.
a Lindan. Panoplia Evangelica, lib. i. cap. 9. Commonitorium, Bell.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the word. Hebrew. dabar (no Art.) App-73.
shall be destroyed. Illustrations: the world (Gen 6; 1Pe 3:20. 2Pe 2:6); Israel (Deu 28:15-68); the lord (2Ki 7:2, 2Ki 7:17-20); Joash (2Ch 24:17-25); Amaziah (2Ch 25:16-27. 2Ch 15:32); the priests and others (2Ch 36:16); Jehoiakim (Jer 26:20-24); the Jews (Jer 44:17, Jer 44:27).
shall be rewarded. Illustrations: Pharaoh’s servants (Exo 9:20, Exo 9:25); Amaziah (2Ch 25:6-11); Ebed-melech (Jer 39:15-18). Contrast Josiah (2Ch 34:27, 2Ch 34:30) with Jehoiakim his son (Jer 36:23-30; Jer 22:18, Jer 22:19).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 13:13
Pro 13:13
“Whoso despiseth the word bringeth destruction upon himself,” But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”
As Keil pointed out, the setting of this verse in between the tree of life and the fountain of life in Pro 13:12 and Pro 13:14 makes it imperative to understand “The Word,” here as, “The expression of the divine will, the word of God.
Pro 13:13. Probably referring to Gods Word and commandment, although the same principle is in effect concerning any word of wisdom or just commandment. King Saul did not obey Gods commandment to destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions so God took the kingship away from his house (1Sa 15:17-23). Look at Abraham as one who was rewarded for fearing Gods commandment enough to have proceeded to sacrifice his son Isaac until God intervened (Gen 22:1-18).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
despiseth: Pro 1:25, Pro 1:30, Pro 1:31, 2Sa 12:9, 2Sa 12:10, 2Ch 36:16, Jer 43:2, Jer 44:16, Jer 44:17, Eze 20:13, Eze 20:16, Eze 20:24, Luk 16:31, Heb 10:28, Heb 10:29
he: Ezr 10:3, Psa 115:13, Isa 66:2, Mal 3:16
rewarded: Heb. in peace, Psa 19:11, Psa 119:165, Mat 5:12, 2Jo 1:8
Reciprocal: Num 15:31 – despised Pro 13:18 – Poverty Pro 19:16 – he that despiseth Ecc 7:5 – better Isa 66:5 – ye that Jer 23:39 – even I Jer 35:17 – because Jer 36:23 – he cut
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 13:13-14. Whoso despiseth Or wilfully and presumptuously disobeys, the word Namely, the word of God, which is called the word, by way of eminence; shall be destroyed Except he repent and return to obedience. But he that feareth the commandment That hath a reverence to its authority, and is afraid to violate it; shall be rewarded He makes God his friend, who will certainly reward him for his obedience. The law of the wise The doctrine, instruction, or counsel of holy men, who are commonly called wise, as sinners are called fools, in this book; is a fountain of life Sending forth streams of living water, and affording both refreshment and comfort to all that will partake thereof; to depart from the snares of death Enabling them to repel the temptations of Satan, and keeping them at a distance from the snares of sin, and therefore from the snares of death, into which they run that forsake the law of the wise.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13:13 Whoever despiseth {g} the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
(g) Meaning the word of God, by which he is admonished of his duty.