Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 15:22
Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established.
Counsellors – The Hebrew word, used almost as an official title 1Ch 27:32; Isa 1:26; Isa 19:11, brings before us the picture of the council-chamber of Eastern countries, arranged for a solemn conference of the wise.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. But in the multitude of counsellors] See Clarke on Pr 11:14. But rob yoatsim might be translated, chief or master of the council, the prime minister.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Without counsel, when men do not seek or will not receive advice from others in weighty affairs,
purposes are disappointed; their designs are ill managed, and succeed accordingly.
In the multitude of counsellors, i.e. of wise and good counsellors, for such only deserve that name,
they are established, i.e. accomplished and brought to a good issue.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. Without counselor,”deliberation,” implying a wise deference to the opinionsof the wise and good, contrasted with rashness.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Without counsel purposes are disappointed,…. If a man determines and resolves upon a matter, and at once hastily and precipitately goes about it, without mature deliberation, without consulting with himself, and taking the advice of others in forming a scheme to bring about his designs, it generally comes to nothing; see
Lu 14:28; or “without a secret” s without keeping one; if a man divulges his intentions, it is much if they are not frustrated; so the Targum,
“vain are the thoughts (or designs) where there is no secret;”
if a man makes no secret of what he designs to do, he is easily counterworked, and his purposes disappointed;
but in the multitude of counsellors they are established; his purposes are, as in Pr 20:18; having the advice of others, and these many, he is confirmed that he is right in what he has thought of and purposed to do; and therefore goes about it with the greater spirit and cheerfulness, and is most likely to succeed, and generally does; see
Pr 11:14.
s “in non secreto”, Montanus; “cum non sit secretum”, Baynus; “quum nullum est arcanum”, Schultens; “ubi non est secretum”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
See here, 1. Of what ill consequence it is to be precipitate and rash, and to act without advice: Men’s purposes are disappointed, their measures broken, and they come short of their point, gain not their end, because they would not ask counsel about the way. If men will not take time and pains to deliberate with themselves, or are so confident of their own judgment that they scorn to consult with others, they are not likely to bring any thing considerable to pass; circumstances defeat them which, with a little consultation, might have been foreseen and obviated. It is a good rule, both in public and domestic affairs, to do nothing rashly and of one’s own head. Plus vident oculi quam oculus–Many eyes see more than one. That often proves best which was least our own doing. 2. How much it will be for our advantage to ask the advice of our friends: In the multitude of counsellors (provided they be discreet and honest, and will not give counsel with a spirit of contradiction) purposes are established. Solomon’s son made no good use of this proverb when he acquiesced not in the counsel of the old men, but because he would have a multitude of counsellors, regarding number more than weight, advised with the young men.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Value of Counsel
Verse 22-(See comment on Pro 11:14.)
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
22. Without counsel Or, where there is no consultation. The sentiment of this proverb is similar to Pro 11:14, (where see note,) but a number of the words are different.
Purposes (or plans) are disappointed Frustrated, broken; that is, are more likely to be; but in the multitude of counsellors, or the greatness of the counsellor, they are established, literally, it shall stand. Compare 1Ch 27:32; Isa 1:26; Isa 19:11.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Introduction To Part 2 ( Pro 15:22 ).
The first part of this collection of Solomon’s proverbs commenced with a reference to the father and the mother as being a young man’s guide (Pro 10:1). This second part may be seen as commencing with a reference to counsellors who have replaced the father and mother. This may be because in this second part the proverbs are aimed more at the more mature, and include those proverbs which are more political, although the fact that ‘my son’ is mentioned in Pro 19:27 may be seen as militating against this. However, as we shall see that is a very specialised use of ‘my son’. An address to ‘my son’ by a wisdom teacher may be no more than a mentor’s address to his protg, but its use in Pro 19:27 probably refers back to the son mentioned in Pro 19:26. (It is the only use of ‘my son’ in the proverbs of Solomon from Pro 10:1 to Pro 22:16). The inclusion of the more mature at some stage is required by Pro 1:5.
The idea behind this proverb is that it is an admonition to heed wise advice. Without proper counsel aims will not be brought to fruition, whilst with plenty of good counsel each aim will be established and will come to fruition. It therefore underlines the need to listen to the wisdom of Solomon and the wise men (Pro 10:1; Pro 22:17 and Pro 24:13).
Once again, then, Solomon or the final editor is stressing the importance of wisdom, but now it is a wisdom received from experienced counsellors. In this regard it should be noted that in what follows, at least in the next chapter, there is an increased stress on the importance of YHWH’s involvement in people’s affairs, and an increased reference to the king’s role (a role which up to this point has only been mentioned twice in six chapters). However, as this stress is largely limited to Pro 16:4-15 it must not be overpressed.
Pro 15:22
‘Where there is no counsel, aims are thwarted,
But in the multitude of counsellors each one is established.’
The clear message here is that no man is an island. Even the more mature need the assistance of others in living the life of true wisdom in accordance with God’s requirements. To stand alone with no counsel will be to have our aims thwarted. We will not walk in the way of true wisdom. But if we have a number of counsellors, discussing together and guiding us with their counsel, this will ensure that our aims are fulfilled. The writer may indeed have seen his ‘multitude of counsellors’ as including the wise men of Pro 22:17 and Pro 24:13, and, if this proverb is the work of the final editor, it could also include the men of Hezekiah (Pro 25:1); Azur (Pro 30:1), and Lemuel (Pro 31:1).
The general principle of the proverb is also clear and that is that if we act on our own in important matters, without advice, our aims will probably not succeed, and that in order to secure the satisfactory fulfilment of our aims, it is important to consult widely with wise counsellors.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Proverbs Of Solomon Part 2 ( Pro 15:22 to Pro 22:16 ).
At this point there is a sudden switch from proverbs which contrast one thing with another, which have been predominant since Pro 10:1, to proverbs where the second clause adds something to the first. Whilst we still find some contrasting proverbs, especially at the beginning, they are not so common. This may suggest a deliberate intention by Solomon to separate his proverbs into two parts.
Furthermore such a change at this point would also be in line with seeing verse Pro 10:1 and Pro 15:20 as some kind of inclusio. The first opened the collection with ‘a wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother’ (Pro 10:1), whilst Pro 15:20 may be seen as closing it with the very similar ‘a wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother’. Pro 15:21 may then be seen as conjoined with Pro 15:20 and as a kind of postscript summing up the fool and the wise who have been in mind throughout the proverbs up to this point.
Pro 15:22, in fact, provides a particularly suitable introduction to a new section with its emphasis on the need for a ‘multitude of counsellors’, who can partly be found in the authors of the proverbs which follow (Solomon and the wise men).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
v. 22. Without counsel, purposes are disappointed,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
Ver. 22. Without counsel purposes are disappointed. ] The word here rendered “counsel” signifies ‘secret,’ because counsel should be kept secret; which to signify, the old Romans, as Servius testifieth, built the temple of Consus, their god of counsel, sub tecto in circo, in a public place, but under a covert; and it grew to a proverb, Romani sedendo vincunt; The Romans, by sitting in council, conquer their enemies. But what a strange man was Xerxes, and it prospered with him accordingly, who, in his expedition against Greece, called his princes together, but gave them no freedom of speech nor liberty of counsel! Lest, said he to them, I should seem to follow mine own counsel, I have assembled you: and now, do you remember, that it becomes you rather to obey than to advise. a Such another was that James that reigned in Scotland in our Edward IV’s time. He was too much wedded, saith the historian, b to his own opinion, and would not endure any man’s advice, how good soever, that he fancied not. He would seldom ask counsel, but never follow any. See the note on Pro 11:14 .
a Val. Max., lib. ix. cap. 5.
b Daniel’s Hist.
counsellors. But they must be “counsellors”.
they are. Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac read “counsel is”.
Pro 15:22
Pro 15:22
“Where there is no counsel, purposes are disappointed; But in the multitude of counselors they are established.”
“There is no religious content in this verse. Purely secular matters are here included in the description of the wise man. Everything that is properly and wisely done must be considered as God’s gift of wisdom. All of these proverbs regarding counselors add up to the common saying, “That two heads are better than one.”
Pro 15:22. A double contrast: no counsel vs. multitude of counsellors and purposes are disappointed vs. they are established. Compare Pro 11:14. Counsel in Proverbs day had to do mostly with war (Pro 20:18).
Pro 11:14, Pro 20:18, Ecc 8:6
Reciprocal: Jdg 19:30 – consider 1Ch 13:2 – If it seem 2Ch 30:2 – the king 2Ch 32:3 – took counsel Psa 141:5 – the righteous Pro 24:6 – and Act 15:6 – General
Pro 15:22-23. Without counsel When men do not seek, or will not receive advice from others in weighty affairs; purposes are disappointed Their designs are ill managed, and succeed accordingly; but in the multitude of counsellors That is, of wise and good counsellors, for such only deserve that name; they are established Accomplished, and brought to a good issue. A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth By a wise or good and seasonable answer: that is, It is a great pleasure to a man to give wholesome counsel, and a greater to see the good success of it; but the greatest of all, both to himself and others, is to have given it so seasonably, that a business was easily effected by it, which had not been done without it. For a word spoken in due season Counsel or comfort given to another in a fit time and manner; how good is it! It is highly acceptable and useful.
15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but {f} in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
(f) Read Pro 11:14.
A person who makes his or her plans without asking for advice or comments from other people shows that he or she is excessively self-confident. However, someone who consults others and asks for their advice shows that he realizes he may be overlooking some factors and is not entirely self-confident (cf. Pro 11:14).
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)