Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 19:16

He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; [but] he that despiseth his ways shall die.

16. despiseth ] i.e. pays no heed to them ( is careless of, R.V.; negligit, Vulg.), through a contemptuous disregard of “the commandment” which should regulate them. Similarly for despise not, A. V., we have regard not lightly, R.V. in Heb 12:5. Contrast Pro 16:17.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Keepeth his own soul – i. e., His life in the truest and highest sense.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Pro 19:16

But he that despiseth his ways shall die.

The folly of despising our own ways

I. The sinners fall and ruin. He shall die. There is a death that is common to all mankind. That is the general effect of sin. But there is a death which is the particular lot of impenitent sinners. This is–

1. A spiritual death, which is, being cut off from all communion with God.

2. An eternal death. This is but the perfection of the former. This second death is a real thing, and a fearful thing, and it is very near to all who are going on still in their trespasses.

II. The sinners fault and folly which brings him to this ruin. Despising his own ways. When may we be said to despise our own ways? When we are altogether unconcerned about the end of our ways. When we are indifferent about the rule of our ways, and the measures by which we govern ourselves in them. Those certainly despise their ways who walk at all adventures, and live at large when they should walk circumspectly and live by rule. God has given us the Scriptures to be the guide of our way. He has appointed conscience to be a monitor to us concerning our way. When we are wavering and unsettled in the course and tenor of our ways, then we despise them. If we do not apply ourselves to God in our ways, and acknowledge Him, we despise our own soul. When we are careless of our past ways and take not the account we ought to take of them. When we are heedless and inconsiderate as to the way that is before us, and walk at all adventures. If we are in no care to avoid sin, or to do our duty.

III. The foolishness and danger of despising our own ways.

1. The God of heaven observes and takes particular notice of all our ways.

2. Satan seeks to pervert our ways.

3. Many eyes are on us that are witnesses to our ways.

4. According as our ways are now, it is likely to be ill or well with us to eternity.

Application:

1. Caution not to be rigid and severe in our censures of other peoples ways.

2. Let it charge us to look well to our own ways.

Be strict in your inquiries concerning your present ways. Be impartial in your reflections upon your past ways. Be very circumspect and considerate as to the particular paths that are before you. (Matthew Henry.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

The commandment; the commands of God, called by way of eminence the commandment, as the word is oft used emphatically for the word of God, as hath been noted before. fore. His ways; either,

1. His own ways, by not taking heed to his ways, so as to order his conversation aright. Or,

2. The ways of God, who is understood in the former clause.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

16. (Compare Pro 10:17;Pro 13:13).

despiseth . . . waysopposedto keeping or observing, neglects (Pr16:17) (as unworthy of regard) his moral conduct.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

He that keepeth the commandment,…. Either of parents, as children ought to do; or of masters, as servants should; or of kings and princes, as is the duty of subjects in all things lawful: or rather of God; every command of his, whether of a moral or positive nature, which, though they cannot be perfectly kept, yet should as much as in man lies, in faith, from a principle of love, and to the glory of God: and such a man

keepeth his own soul, or “observes” s it; he shows that he has a concern for its welfare and peace; for though peace does not arise from keeping the commandments of God, yet such have great peace of soul who do love and keep the law of God; though there is no reward for, yet there is a reward in keeping the divine commands; though salvation is not hereby, yet blessed are they that do his commands; by which it appears they have a right to enter into the city, into eternal happiness, Ps 119:165;

[but] he that despiseth his ways: which are at and proper for him to walk in, as Aben Ezra observes; or who is negligent of his ways, does not care in what ways he walks, or what is the issue of them; he walks in the ways of his own heart, and in the sight of his eyes; has his conversation according to the course of this world; walks with a multitude, with a crowd, to do evil, in the broad road which leads to destruction, and yet is quite careless about it: or that despises the ways of the commandment or word of God, which that directs to; for that is a lamp and a light, which men would do well to take heed to, as it shows them the ways in which they should walk; but these they neglect and contemn: or he that despises the ways of God, the ways he himself takes in the salvation of men, all whose ways are mercy and truth; that despises the ways of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation by Jesus Christ: he

shall die; he is dead in sins already, and he shall die the second death, that neglects and despises so great salvation, and all the ways of the Lord, Heb 2:3. There is a “Keri”, or marginal reading, which we follow; but the “Cetib”, or written text, is, “he shall be killed”, or put to death; and so the Syriac version; immediately, by the hand of heaven, by the Lord himself, before his time; or by the judges and civil magistrates; his sins being openly known, as Aben Ezra.

s “observat”.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul;

He that taketh no heed to his ways dies.

As at Pro 6:23, cf. Ecc 8:5, is here the commandment of God, and thus obligatory, which directs man in every case to do that which is right, and warns him against that which is wrong. And (according to the Masora with Tsere, as in Codd. and old editions, not ) is the antithesis of , Pro 16:17. To despise one’s own way is equivalent to, to regard it as worth no consideration, as no question of conscience whether one should enter upon this way or that. Hitzig’s reading, , “he that scattereth his ways,” lets himself be drawn by the manifold objects of sensuality sometimes in one direction and sometimes in another, is supported by Jer 3:13, according to which it must be ; the conj. is not in the style of the Book of Proverbs, and besides is superfluous. The lxx, which is fond of a quid pro quo – it makes, 13b, a courtesan offering a sacrifice she had vowed of the wages of sin of the quarrelsome woman – has here, as the Heb. text: . Thus after the Ker , as also the Targ., Syro-Hexap., and Luther; on the contrary, the Syr., Jerome, the Venet. adopt the Chethb : he will become dead, i.e., dies no natural death. The Ker is more in the spirit and style of the Book of Proverbs (Pro 15:10; Pro 23:13; Pro 10:21).

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

      16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

      Here is, 1. The happiness of those that walk circumspectly. Those that make conscience of keeping the commandment in every thing, that live by rule, as becomes servants and patients, keep their own souls; they secure their present peace and future bliss, and provide every way well for themselves. If we keep God’s word, God’s word will keep us from every thing really hurtful. 2. The misery of those that live at large and never mind what they do: Those that despair their ways shall die, shall perish eternally; they are in the high road to ruin. With respect to those that are careless about the end of their ways, and never consider whither they are going, and about the rule of their ways, that will walk in the way of their hearts and after the course of the world (Eccl. xi. 9), that never consider what they have done nor what they are concerned to do, but walk at all adventures (Lev. xxvi. 21), right or wrong, it is all one to them–what can come of this but the greatest mischief?

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Importance of the Scriptures

Verse 16-See comment on Pro 13:13; Pro 2:7-11.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

CRITICAL NOTES.

Pro. 19:16. Miller reads this verse He that guards the commandment guards himself; in scattering his ways he dies. (See his comment.) Hitzigs rendering of the last clause agrees with Millers.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro. 19:16

A DOUBLE KEEPING

I. A keeping of the Divine commandments. What is it to keep the commandment? Dr. Miller translates this verb to guard or watch. Taken in this sense therefore the proverb implies that there is need

1. To lay up Gods law in our hearts. It is to be our constant aim to know the will of Godthe words which He has spoken, the commands which He has given, are to be constantly kept in remembrance and made the principal subject of our thoughts. We are to tread in the footsteps of the man described in the first Psalm, whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates upon it day and night. But the word as it is commonly understood implies

2. To translate Gods law into life, It is one thing to know the will of God, it is another thing to do it. Knowledge must come before obedience, but knowledge alone will not save the soul from death.

II. A keeping of the human soul. There is but one way to guard the human soul from the dangers to which it is exposed, and that is by complying with the demands of the God who can alone give spiritual life. He commands us to yield ourselves unreservedly to his guidance, to accept his method of being made right in relation to His law, to fight against the evil tendencies of our fallen nature, and to seek His help to overcome them. In doing this He has promised that we shall find that emancipation from the bondage of sin, that awakening of spiritual faculties, and that sense of His favour which alone is the life of the soul. We have before dwelt upon proverbs which embody truths similar to those contained in this verse. (See on chap. Pro. 11:3, page 195; chap. Pro. 10:8, page 151; chap. Pro. 13:6; Pro. 13:13-14, pages 299, 312, 313; chap. Pro. 16:17, page 479.)

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

Keep means to retain. Guard means to watch. The root of the present word means to bristle, then to watch close, either from the bristling of spears, or from a sharp stave. There is a philosophy in these words, viz., that conscience is vagrant. We have to watch. Like the mind itself, it is hard to hold it to the point. Attention is our whole voluntary work. And, to a most amazing degree, the Scriptures are framed upon this idea. We are to remember now our Creator (Ecc. 12:1). We are to remember the Sabbath day (Exo. 20:8). We are to observe to do, etc. (this very word guard). See Deu. 5:1; Deu. 5:32, et passim. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed (this same word guarding) thereto according to Thy word (Psa. 119:9). Guards himself (the same word). (See Critical Notes.) This is an iron link of sequence which no Anti-Calvinistic thought can shake. He who stands sentry over the commandment stands sentry over himself; literally his soul. There is no helplessness in man other than that tardema, or deep sleep (Pro. 19:15) which sloth wilfully casts him into, and which a voluntary slothfulness perpetually increases and maintains. The fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are aliens. The proverb advances upon this in the second clause. What more voluntary than a mans way? It has a voluntary goal, it has a daily journeying, and it includes all that is voluntary. Seize a man at any moment. All that he is upon is part of his lifes travel. Now, a Christian has but one way. So far forth as he is a Christian, he has but one end, and one path for reaching it. There is a beautiful unitariness in his journeying. It is a habit of Scripture to turn attention to the scattered life of the lost. They have no one end. If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light, says the Saviour (Mat. 6:23). Thou hast scattered thy ways to the strangers, says Jeremiah (Pro. 3:13); this same expression. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way (Jer. 2:36). Despiseth (English version) suits the lexicon and suits the sense, for certainly the lost man has less respect for his way and life than the pardoned believer; but scattering is equally legitimate and common; more strengthened by analogy, and more in keeping with the first clause, where the verb to guard stands more opposed to vagrant and distraught ideas. Dies; see Job. 5:2. Corruption is seated in the soul, but not out of reach by any means. A man can increase it. What we do outside kills inwardly. A mans counting-house might seem to have little to do with the state of his soul, but it is shaping it all the time. If he scatters his ways he is killing his soul, and what we are to remark is, that there is an ipso actu condition of the effect (as in chap. Pro. 11:19) which is expressed in the Hebrew. The vagrancy of a mornings worldliness is that much more death, as punctually administered as any of the chemistries of nature. The form is participial. It is in scattering, or as scattering, his ways that he dies.Miller.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

(16) He that despiseth his waysi.e., takes no heed to them, whether they please God or not.

Shall die.Physically (comp. Exo. 12:15; 1Co. 11:30), spiritually (comp. Luk. 1:79); a death to be completed hereafter (Rev. 2:11).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

16. He that keepeth the commandment Observes or practices the law of God.

Keepeth soul Himself. But he that despiseth, or slights, his ways shall die Shall be put to death. Instead of despises, some critics read divides or scatters, understanding it of the man’s own ways, as being divided in his adherence to the worship of Jehovah. It is not certain whether his ways means the man’s ways or the Lord’s. Comp. Pro 16:17; Ecc 8:5; Luk 11:28.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

v. 16. He that keepeth the commandment, namely, that of God’s Law, keepeth his own soul, for such conduct is conducive to spiritual life; but he that despiseth his ways, taking no heed to keep them in agreement with the Word of God, shall die, for destruction is the punishment of such disobedience.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Pro 19:16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; [but] he that despiseth his ways shall die.

Ver. 16. He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul. ] This is the first fruit of shaking off sloth and sleepiness. He that “stirs up himself to take hold of God,” Isa 64:7 and to “take hold of his covenant,” Isa 56:4 “to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servant,” Pro 19:6 to “love him, and keep his commandments,” Exo 20:6 to do that little he does out of love, if it be no more than to “think upon his commandments to do them,” Psa 103:18 this man’s soul shall be bound up “in the bundle of life,” he shall find his name written “in the book of like.” For in vitae libro scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt, etsi quod debent non possunt, saith Bernard. Their names are written in heaven who do what they can, though they cannot do what they ought. “If there be a willing mind, God accepts according to what a man hath, not according to what he hath not.” 2Co 8:12 And here also, Nolentem, praevenit Deus ut velit, volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit. a God, that gives “both to will and to do,” “causeth his people to keep his commandments,” and “worketh all their works in them, and for them.” Php 1:13 Eze 36:17 Isa 26:12 Lex iubet, gratia iuvat; petamus ut det, quod ut habeamus iubet. The law commandeth, but grace helpeth. Let us beg that God would make us to be what he requires us to be. b

But he that despiseth his ways. ] That is, God’s ways, chalked out in his word. See Trapp on “ Pro 13:13 “ Or, He that despiseth his own ways – lives carelessly, and at random; walks at all adventures with God, cui vita est incomposita, et pessime morata contra gnomonem et canonem Decalogi, a loose and lawless person – he “shall die,” not a natural death only, as all do, but spiritual and eternal. c There is but an inch between him and hell, which already gapes for him, and will certainly swallow him up.

a Aug. Enebir. cap. 32.

b Augustin. in Exod. quaest. 55.

c Aut mentem aut restim comparandum. – Chrysip.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)