Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 1:22
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
22. simple ] unwary, see Pro 1:4 above, note.
love simplicity ] when you stand in need of that subtilty, which wisdom offers you ( Pro 1:4). When war is at the gates, you are not safe without armour. “Parvuli, diligitis infantiam,” Vulg.
scorners ] The word is, with few exceptions, peculiar to this Book, in which “ ‘the scorners’ appear as a class of defiant and cynical freethinkers in contrast and antagonism to ‘the wise.’ The root-principle of their character is a spirit of proud self-sufficiency, a contemptuous disregard for God and man (Pro 21:24). It is impossible to reform them, for they hate reproof and will not seek instruction (Pro 13:1, Pro 15:12). If they seek for wisdom they will not find it (Pro 14:6). It is folly to argue with them (Pro 9:7-8). They are generally detested (Pro 24:9), and in the interests of peace must be banished from society (Pro 22:10). Divine judgements are in store for them, and their fate is a warning to the simple (Pro 3:34, Pro 19:25; Pro 19:29, Pro 21:11).” Kirkpatrick on Psa 1:1, in this Series.
fools ] The Heb. word here used for “fool” signifies, heavy, dull, gross. See Pro 17:21, note.
simple, scorners, fools ] The enumeration covers the field: the simple, from whom recruits are too easily drawn to the army of evil; scorners, the proud leaders of the host; fools, the rank and file of the host.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Compare the Psa 1:1 note.
(1) The simple, literally, open, i. e. fatally open to evil;
(2) the scorners, mocking at all good;
(3) lastly, the fools in the sense of being hardened, obstinate, perverse, hating the knowledge they have rejected.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. Ye simple ones] pethayim, ye who have been seduced and deceived. See on Pr 1:4.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Ye simple ones; ye ignorant, and easy, and credulous persons, who are so soon cheated by the world and the devil, and do not understand your own interest.
Love simplicity; being unwilling to part with it, or to be made wiser. Scorners; that scoff at all religion, and contemn the word and faithful ministers of God.
Fools; wilful and wicked fools, as Pro 17:10; 26:4.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. simple ones(Compare Pr1:4).
simplicityimplyingignorance.
scorners (Ps1:1) who despise, as well as reject, truth.
foolsThough adifferent word is used from that of Pr1:7, yet it is of the same meaning.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?…. Simple foolish things, agreeably to their character, being weak simple men, men of weak capacities and shallow understandings; and such were the first persons that were called by Christ through the ministry of the word, even effectually; they were babes and sucklings in comparison of others, by whom they were despised as illiterate and ignorant of the law; see Mt 11:25; though it may respect the Jews in general, who were externally called by Christ, and were a simple and foolish people, addicted to silly customs and usages, to the traditions of the elders, and loved the folly and darkness of them, and to continue in them, rather than the light of the Gospel, Joh 3:19;
and the scorners delight in their scorning; at Christ, because of the meanness of his parentage and education; at his disciples and followers, at his doctrines and miracles, sufferings and death;
and fools hate knowledge? the knowledge of Christ, and of God in Christ; the knowledge of the Gospel, and the truths of it; they hated the light of it, and did not care to come to it, but rather loved the darkness of the law, and even of error and infidelity; they hated Christ, the teacher of true and useful knowledge; they hated his person, though without a cause; they hated him in his offices, as a Prophet to instruct them, as a Priest to be the propitiation for them, and as a King to rule over them; such “fools” were they, and who are therefore expostulated with by Wisdom or Christ; which expostulations show their continuance in these things, and the danger they were in by them, the pity and compassion of Christ as man and a minister of the word, and the fervour and importunity of his ministrations.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The poet has now reached that part of his introduction where he makes use of the very words uttered by Wisdom:
How long, ye simple, will ye love simplicity,
And scorners delight in scorning,
And fools hate knowledge?
Three classes of men are here addressed: the , the simple, who, being accessible to seduction, are only too susceptible of evil; the , mockers, i.e., free-thinkers (from , Arab. lus , flectere, torquere , properly qui verbis obliquis utitur ); and the , fools, i.e., the mentally imbecile and stupid (from , Arab. kasal , to be thick, coarse, indolent). The address to these passes immediately over into a declaration regarding them; cf. the same enallage, Pro 1:27. has the accent Mahpach, on account of the Pasek following; vid., Torath Emeth, p. 26. Intentionally, Wisdom addresses only the , to whom she expects to find soonest access. Between the futt., which express the continuing love and hatred, stands the perf. , which expresses that in which the mockers found pleasure, that which was the object of their love. is the so-called dat. ethicus, which reflexively refers to that which is said to be the will and pleasure of the subject; as we say, “I am fond of this and that.” The form , Abulwald, Parchon, and Kimchi regard as Piel; but instead of would be a recompensatio of the virtual doubling, defacing the character of the Piel. Schultens regards it as a defectively written Pail (in Syr.), but it is not proved that this conjugation exists in Hebr.; much rather is the only possible Kal form with without the pause, regularly formed from ( vid., Ewald, 193, a). The division by the accent Mercha – Mahpach of the two words is equal in value to the connecting of them by Makkeph; vid., Baer’s Psalterium, p. x. In codd., and also in correct texts, is written with the accent Galgal on the first syllable, as the servant of the Mercha – Mahpach. The Gaja is incorrectly here and there placed under the .
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(22) How long . . .Three classes of persons are here addressed: (1) simple ones, open to good influences, but also to evil (Pro. 1:4); (2) scorners (ltsm), men who despised what was holy, priding themselves on their cleverness in so doing (Pro. 14:6), who avoided the wise, and held themselves above their advice (Pro. 15:12), proud, arrogant men (Pro. 21:24). The name first appears at the time of Solomon, when the prosperity of the nation was favourable to the growth of religious indifference and scepticism. Isaiah had to deal with them in his day, too (Isa. 28:14). (3) Fools (kheslm), dull, stupid persons, stolidly confident in their own wisdom.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. There is a gradation here, as in Psa 1:1. Simple ones See Pro 1:2. Scorners Or, scoffers at that which is good.
Fools , ( kesilim,) a different word from that in Pro 1:7, but etymologically of nearly the same signification; dull, carnal, stupid, hardened ones. The change of person here (from the second to the third) is common in the Hebrew. The interrogatory how long? carries its force to each of the clauses.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Ver. 22. How long, ye simple ones. ] The fatuelli that are easily persuaded into a fool’s paradise. These are the best sort of bad men; the apostle calls them A . Rom 16:18 Optimi putantur Pontifices (saith Papirius Massonius, a Popish writer) a si vel leniter mali sint; vel minus boni quam coeteri mortales esse solent. Those are thought to be very good popes that are not stark naught, or that have any good at all in them. These simplicians are much better than scorners that delight in their scorning, but far beyond those fools that hate knowledge. See a like gradation in Psa 1:1 , See Trapp on “ Psa 1:1 “ Peccata non sunt paria; Nemo repente fit turpissimus. All sins are not alike sinful, and wicked men grow worse and worse.
a In Vita Pauli, iii.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
love. The second feature. The first was ignorance in Pro 1:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
How: Pro 6:9, Exo 10:3, Exo 16:28, Num 14:27, Mat 17:17
ye simple: Pro 7:7, Pro 9:4-6, Pro 9:16-18, Psa 94:8, Mat 9:13, Mat 11:29, Mat 11:30, Mat 23:37, Luk 19:42, Rev 22:17
the scorners: Pro 3:34, Pro 14:6, Pro 15:12, Pro 19:29, Pro 21:11, Job 34:7, Psa 1:1, 2Pe 3:3
fools: Pro 1:7, Pro 1:29, Pro 5:12, Joh 3:20
Reciprocal: Num 14:11 – How long will this Job 5:2 – the foolish Job 8:2 – How long Job 21:14 – for we Job 30:8 – fools Job 36:10 – commandeth Psa 4:2 – how Psa 5:5 – The Psa 14:1 – fool Psa 19:7 – making Psa 62:3 – How Psa 68:18 – rebellious Psa 75:4 – I said Psa 92:6 – a fool Psa 95:10 – and they Psa 106:7 – Our Psa 107:17 – Fools Psa 119:130 – it giveth Psa 119:150 – draw nigh Pro 1:4 – subtlety Pro 4:5 – Get wisdom Pro 8:5 – General Pro 14:9 – Fools Pro 17:16 – a price Pro 18:2 – fool Isa 28:14 – ye Isa 42:23 – will give Isa 46:12 – Hearken Jer 4:14 – How long Jer 13:27 – shall Hos 8:5 – how Luk 11:40 – fools Joh 1:5 – General Rom 1:14 – to the unwise Rom 1:28 – as they did Rom 3:11 – none that understandeth 2Co 5:20 – be Tit 3:3 – foolish
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 1:22-23. How long, ye simple ones Ye ignorant, careless, and credulous persons, who are so easily deceived by sin and sinners, and cheated and deluded by the world, and the god of it, and do not understand or consider your own interest; will ye love simplicity? Being unwilling to part with it, or to be made wise. And the scorners That scoff at all religion, and despise the word and faithful ministers of God; delight in their scorning Take pleasure, and glory in deriding and reviling the truths and precepts of the gospel, and the people and ways of God. And fools That is, the wicked, for the Scriptures, with the utmost propriety, denominate all such, fools; hate knowledge Which surely none but fools would hate. They hate it, because it lays open and reproves their errors, sins, and corrupt ways, which they cannot bear to have detected and rebuked. Hence they hate the knowledge of the divine laws, and also all those who are acquainted with them, and set a value upon them. Turn you at my reproof Upon this admonition here given you, turn from your evil ways unto me. Behold If you do so; I will pour out my spirit unto you The gifts and graces of my Spirit, which God, whose wisdom here speaks, has promised to those that turn to him, and sincerely and earnestly ask them, Luk 11:13; Joh 4:14; and Joh 7:39. I will make known my words unto you By my Spirit I will enable you truly and savingly to understand my word, which is hid from others, 2Co 4:3. The Hebrew, , may be rendered, ye shall turn at my instruction, or correction; behold, , ebulliam vobis Spiritum meum, I will cause my Spirit to ebulliate, or spring up within you, or, I will make my Spirit flow upon you as a fountain, which produces its water. The special and saving grace of God shall never be denied to any that honestly seek it and submit to it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1:22 How long, ye {s} simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
(s) Wisdom reproves three kinds of men, the foolish or simple who err out of ignorance, the mockers who cannot stand to be taught, and the fools who are drowned in worldly lusts and hate the knowledge of godliness.