Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 15:10
Correction [is] grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: [and] he that hateth reproof shall die.
10. Correction is grievous unto ] Rather, There is grievous correction for, as R.V.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Better, There is a grievous correction, i. e., nothing less than death, to him that forsaketh the way.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Correction is grievous; he hateth reproof, because it is a reproach to him, and because it strikes at that sin which he loveth.
The way; Gods way, emphatically called the way here, as also Psa 119:1; 139:24; Pro 2:13.
Shall die, i.e. be destroyed, both here and, for ever; which is a more grievous thing than a harsh reproof.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. (Compare Pr10:17).
the waythat in whichGod would have him to go (Pro 2:13;Psa 119:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Correction [is] grievous unto him that forsaketh the way,…. The right way, the way of God; the way of his commandments: the Vulgate Latin version is, “the way of life”; the same with the way of righteousness, which apostates, having known and walked in, turn aside from; see 2Pe 2:15. And such deserve severe correction, the chastisement of a cruel one, correction in wrath and hot displeasure; which, when they have, is very disagreeable to them; they behave under it like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, and yet they are but dealt righteously with. Or the words may be rendered, “he [has had] bad discipline” or “instruction z that forsakes the way”; due care has not been taken of him; he has not been properly instructed, nor seasonably corrected; had he, he would not easily have departed from the way in which he should go; see Pr 22:6. The Targum is,
“the discipline of an evil man causes his way to err;”
or him to err from his way;
[and] he that hateth reproof shall die; that hates the reproof of parents, masters, and ministers of the word; as he may be said to do that neglects and rejects it, and does not act agreeably to it: and such a man, dying in impenitence and without faith in Christ, dies in his sins; and sometimes shamefully, or a shameful death, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions, or an untimely one; as well as dies the second death, an eternal one.
z “fuit illi mala disciplina, vel castigatio”, Baynus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.
This shows that those who cannot bear to be corrected must expect to be destroyed. 1. It is common for those who have known the way of righteousness, but have forsaken it, to reckon it a great affront to be reproved and admonished. They are very uneasy at reproof; they cannot, they will not, bear it; nay, because they hate to be reformed, they hate to be reproved, and hate those who deal faithfully and kindly with them. Of all sinners, reproofs are worst resented by apostates. 2. It is certain that those who will not be reproved will be ruined: He that hates reproof, and hardens his heart against it, is joined to his idols; let him alone. He shall die, and perish for ever, in his sins, since he would not be parted from his sins. 2 Chron. xxv. 15, I know that God has determined to destroy thee, because thou couldst not bear to be reproved; see also ch. xxix. 1.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Fatal Rejection of Righteousness
Verse 10 reveals the hardening affect of resisting the call to forsake wickedness for the way of righteousness, Pro 1:20-23. To the resister the correction called for is first grievous; then as resistance continues it hardens into that which is hated and rejected with fatal consequences, Pro 12:1; Pro 1:24-32.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CRITICAL NOTES.
Pro. 15:10. Correction is grievous, or, there is grievous correction. Miller reads, Discipline is an evil to him.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 15:10
OUT OF THE WAY
I. There is a pre-ordained way for man to walk in.
1. Nature suggests this. Everything there speaks of law and order.
2. Conscience suggests it.
3. Revelation declares it. (On this subject see Homiletics on chap. Pro. 12:28; Pro. 13:13-14; pages 291 and 313.)
II. A man may break loose from this God-ordained path. That he can do this is his glory; that he does do it is his shame. A convict is compelled to keep to a certain path, he is obliged to conform to a routine laid down for him by another. His outward life is governed by no will of his own, all his acts are prescribed by an authority which he cannot resist. But God will not keep men in the way in which He desires them to walk by such means. He did not so fence about the angels in heaven. They were free to fall, and so are we. God treats His creatures as free men, not as prisoners. They have power to choose whom they will serve; they are free to choose the way in which they will walk. All the force that is exerted over them is the force of moral suasion.
III. The correction that follows this forsaking of the way is intended to punish and to reclaim. In all well-ordered human governments, and in all well-governed families, the main intention of punishment (except in the case of capital punishment) is improvement of character. This ought to be the chief aim of all human correction. It is the main intention in all the chastisements of God in this world. There is no retribution which comes to man in this world which will not, if accepted in a right spirit, become a means of restoring him to the forsaken path; therefore
IV. To hate reproof is to shut out all possibility of moral restoration. A man who will not be reproved denies the imperfection of his nature. Every imperfect being must need correction, and for man to rebel against the chastisement of God is to pass sentence of death upon himself. (On this subject see Homiletics on chapters Pro. 3:11-12; Pro. 12:1; Pro. 13:18; pages 247, 323, etc.)
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
We would always look hopefully at a sinner under correction. For, surely, so long as the physician administers the medicine, there is no ground for despondency. This costly teaching brings us on wonderfully. Lord! let me know the smart of Thy rod rather than the eclipse of Thy love.Bridges.
There are three sorts of passengers that go out of the way. He that mistaketh the way, he that forsaketh his way, and he that loveth to be out of the way. Many miss the way who never were in it, or, being in the way, were missed from it, and these, oftentimes, are glad to be corrected and brought into the way. He forsaketh the way who at first is set in it, and seeing how to go on aright, yet willingly departeth from it: to such an one correction is grievous, and he suffereth it with trouble, but yet many times he is reduced by it. He loveth to be out of the way who hateth reproof, and of his amendment there is little hope. The force of the verse is, that the suffering of correction is grievous, but that the hating of reproof is most pernicious.Jermin.
Of all sinners, reproofs are worse resented by apostates.Henry.
Discipline is an evil to him who forsakes the path. (See rendering in Critical Notes.) In our common version this idea is not brought out. It is a very grave one. Men not converted, but steadily forsaking the path of holiness, are injured by discipline. In hating reproof they go through the very soul-action which we mean when we say, they die. Each hating emotion kills them. And this is the very philosophy of the letter-killing (2Co. 3:6); not that it is poison in itself, but that the gospel awakens opposition, which, on its part, corrupts the mind.Miller.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(10) Correction is grievous.Rather, There is a grievous correction for him that forsaketh the (right) way; first of all, punishment for the sake of correction (Lev. 26:14, sqq.), and then, lastly, in the case of obstinate hatred of reproof, death (Ibid. Pro. 15:33).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Correction Musar, restraint, discipline. (See on Pro 1:2 for this word.)
Is grievous Or, evil; that is, it seems evil to him that forsaketh the way, the way by eminence, the right way, the way of virtue and peace. Compare 1Ki 18:17; 1Ki 21:20. But many of the best critics prefer to translate, substantially. There is a sharp correction for him that forsakes the way; so Zockler, Stuart, Conant, Noyes, Speaker’s Commentary. etc.
He that hateth reproof shall die Prematurely; may be expected to come to a bad end. Such is probably the spirit of the proverb; but whether something beyond this life be not implied is a question worthy of consideration. It is probable that Solomon and his contemporaries had more correct ideas of a future life than we credit them with. It did not come within the plan of this book to draw motives of actions largely from the life beyond: yet a future state of rewards and punishments may nevertheless be implied in such passages as the above. Compare Rom 8:13.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 10. Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 15:10 Correction [is] grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: [and] he that hateth reproof shall die.
Ver. 10. Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way. ] He pleaseth himself in his outstrays, and would not be reduced; he is in love with his own ruin, and takes long strides towards hell, which is now but a little afore him. And if any man seek to save him, “with fear pulling him out of the fire,” Jdg 1:23 he flies in his face. This is as great madness as if they whom our Saviour had healed or raised should have raged and railed at him for so doing.
And he that hateth reproof shall die.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
is grievous, &c. Illustrations: Asa (2Ch 16:10); Jews (Joh 7:7; Joh 8:23, Joh 8:40).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 15:10
Pro 15:10
“There is grievous correction for him that forsaketh the way; And he that hateth reproof shall die.”
“One who abandons the right path will be sternly corrected, and he who resents rebuke will die. Another translation is, “If a person begins to live wrong he will be punished, and the person that hates to be corrected will be destroyed.
Pro 15:10. Those who are in the way of the wicked (Pro 15:9) are in for grievous correction, both by God and man (Gods chastening and mans courts and personal dealings). And while such are famous for not regarding reproof, not listening, not amending their ways, they had better, for he that hateth reproof shall die (sometimes by execution, sometimes by Gods cutting him off, and by ultimately the second death). Other passages: Pro 15:5; Pro 15:12; Pro 15:32; Pro 5:12; Pro 10:17; Heb 12:11.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Correction: or, Instruction
grievous: Pro 12:1, Pro 13:1, Pro 23:35, 1Ki 18:17, 1Ki 21:20, 1Ki 22:8, Joh 3:20, Joh 7:7
and he: Pro 1:30, Pro 5:12, Pro 10:17, Isa 1:5, Isa 1:6, Eze 24:13, Eze 24:14
Reciprocal: 1Sa 2:25 – hearkened Pro 13:15 – but Pro 15:12 – scorner Eze 33:9 – if he 2Ti 3:16 – for reproof Heb 12:11 – no chastening Rev 3:19 – many
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 15:10-12. Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way Gods way, emphatically called the way here, as also Psa 119:1, and elsewhere. He abhors reproof, because it is a reproach to him, and because it strikes at the sin which he loves. And he that hateth reproof shall die That is, shall be destroyed, both here and for ever; which is a more grievous thing than a harsh reproof. A scorner loveth not That is, hateth and avoideth; (more being understood than expressed;) one that reproveth him That tells him of his faults, warns him of his danger: and advises him to reform his conduct; neither will he go unto the wise That is, the godly: he will not seek their company and conversation, as his duty and interest oblige him to do, because he knows they will make conscience of reproving him.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
15:10 Correction [is] grievous to him that {c} forsaketh the way: [and] he that hateth reproof shall die.
(c) He who swears from the word of God, cannot stand to be admonished.