Proverbs 29

1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Are you fond of being reproved? Me either. However, without being taken to task now and then we would be turning our back on Wisdom. The phrase “hardeneth his neck” refers to hoisting your nose high in the air in a show of rebellion. If you notice raising your chin tightens the muscles in the back of the neck. Also, by doing that it is the opposite of a humble posture. If Wisdom is a living entity within us we cannot expect to be devoutly intelligent if we ignore the corrective forces She uses. If at the mere mention of reproof we become hard hearted, that alone should be a warning to us concerning our dedication to what we treasure in our hearts.

If you are wondering what method Wisdom uses as She imparts Her design upon us, take a look at all of these verses in Proverbs alone, which should serve notice to us about how we are to be instructed through chastening:

Pr 1:23 “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”

Pr 1:25 “But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:”

Pr 1:30 “They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.”

Pr 3:11 “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:” Pr 5:12 “And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;”

Pr 6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:”

Pr 10:17 “He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.”

Pr 12:1 “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.”

Pr 13:18 “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.”

Pr 15:5 “A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.”

Pr 15:10 “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.”

Pr 15:31 “The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.

He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.”

Pr 27:5 “Open rebuke is better than secret love.”

2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

There is a funny thing that comes into our heart and mind when those in authority are unjust and seemingly self-centered. I know for myself, when I detect I am being dealt with by someone who is not concerned about the truth in general, but instead their dealings are founded on corruption, my heart is not a place anyone would want to visit. For instance, just two days ago the local police towed my car. Now I can assure you there were no obvious markings indicating the location in which I placed my car was prohibitive. During the process of regaining my possession, my opinion of the job the police were doing was not going to win them any medals.

The NIV says it like this: “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.” I suppose I will state the obvious here and go on record by saying we are often groaning about our government and the way they rule our nation. I’m not sure it is suitable to state that our rulers are wicked. In today’s terminology that may be somewhat harsh.

Are you a ruler? I hope you consider yourself a ruler. You have something for which you are responsible. If you are a man, a father, a husband, you are the ruler of your castle. You cannot rule in a wicked way or you are going to make your family groan. Have they been groaning lately? If you are a woman, a wife, a mother, have you heard any moaning lately?

3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.

We all are sons or daughters of our parents. We all have been fashioned with a special place for Wisdom to reside. Loving the LORD and using Wisdom will not only rejoice our parents but bring honor to them. One of the characteristics of Wisdom is having the sense to stay away from wicked and evil people. We could look at harlots here as having the obvious traits of their trade but think too for a moment of other evil people. There are some whom could be considered as harlots in that they sell themselves for either money or some other self-gratification. Take this a step further, how many times have we sold out on our convictions or damaged our integrity by giving in? The point is this, don’t be so quick to toss this caution to the wind just because you have not been discovered by the news media driving through a known district of prostitution. This is also a warning to us about spending our character on foolishness.

4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

Take that mental picture of castles and knights and clanging armor out of your mind for a moment. This is talking about our current kingdom. If we use judgment, good judgment, fashioned after Wisdom, we will have established our land. Our land could be the way you work, the way we manage our home, the way we manage our personal life, and above all, the way we manage our relationship with God. Don’t be known as one that will waver based on the size and expense of a gift. If we waver, eventually our kingdom will come to ruins because those with bribes with devour us.

5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

This type of flattery is not where you would simply say to your neighbor, “your yard looks nice.” This flattery is more in the sense of being deceitful and the word used here, "flattereth" is often translated from the Hebrew as “divide” or “part” as in dividing the spoil or parting something. This is basically saying when we say things that are not true to those around us; eventually we are going to be caught in our words.

6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.

The evil man is full of rebellion which is what the word “transgression” means here. Rebellion stirs inside a man and makes him restless. One rebellion sews seed to the next. Eventually he is snared by his rebellion. In Pr 12:13 “The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.”

We should not pass over this verse too quickly in that the acknowledgment of our own rebellion is the very footing for which the foundation of our salvation through Christ is fitted. Simply saying the prayer when we were saved and not fully understanding the rebellious nature that existed in us would be careless. The curse of mankind, beginning with Adam is that the ground would bring forth thorns and thistles and he being formed from the dust of the ground would contend with the thorns and thistles of life all of his life.

The righteous understands and is vigilant in staying away from evil. When you have Wisdom you understand the danger of being rebellious and you can sing and rejoice.

7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

The righteous knows the cause many times but the wicked are unaware, so it seems. This is another verse to stop at and do some self-examination. Deception is the fog from which evil emanates. It would be impossible to learn every deception or evil way in order to avoid them. Like those able to identify a counterfeit by studying the real thing we too are to study and know Truth. Often the process of identifying error is to compare it to Truth and knowing that many times the counterfeit may have some Truth. This verse dovetails with Pr. 28:27 where it is vital to understand “Biblically poor.”

8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.

I have often said, “If you look long and hard enough at ANYTHING you can find SOMETHING wrong with it.” The word “scornful” is from the Hebrew root word meaning to boast or mock. The jest here is that if a scornful man can bring a city into a snare or get them all upset and excited, surely he can do the same to a single individual. But one with Wisdom is able to turn them away.

9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

Have you ever walked away from a conversation and wonder what just happened or what was just said? The word “contendeth” means to judge, govern or rule. It also is translated: to enter into a controversy. Of course we desperately need to understand the character of a “foolish man” in order to understand why there is no rest. The foolish despises Wisdom, they mock when guilty, they are quarrelsome, and licentious. Licentious means: 1. Lacking moral discipline or ignoring legal restraint, especially in sexual conduct. 2. Having no regard for accepted rules or standards.[1] In other words, the fool will always seek to justify his actions somehow but never accepting responsibility for them.

My advice is to avoid contending in the first place as it seems in this verse there is no converting them to another way of thinking. Once we see the reaction, “rage or laugh” we will know if there is hope. The word “rage” means to become visibly angry and the Hebrew word used here for “laugh” is a mocking form of laughter.

10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.

The NASB is translated: “Men of bloodshed hate the blameless, But the upright are concerned for his life.” [2] We have to understand there is no room for a kindred heart of the “bloodthirsty” toward the “upright” nor can there be any concern for them whatsoever. The very existence of Righteousness brings rage to their soul and anyone exemplifying that trait is in danger of their life. If that were not true they would not actually be bloodthirsty.

In contrast however, the “just” know the power of Truth and in many cases realize they themselves were bloodthirsty in times past. The just will always seek to bring reason and Truth to them for the purpose of bringing them to Peace.

11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

Have you ever noticed how some, thinking they know everything, utter some of the most ridiculous perspectives on a multitude of topics? You often walk away thinking they are nuts. They are not nuts, just foolish. The word “mind” used here is also translated as wind. Remember too, the fool is full of arrogance and that arrogance is fashioned around his opinions. Like the wind changes directions the fool is capable of changing his mind depending on his need. The savvy fool is capable of seeming quite intelligent on a variety of topics.

The wise will most often seek to understand and gather information before uttering a single thought. Sometimes the wise will not utter a thing, especially if they do not know or they detect there is no real purpose in saying anything. The wise know they do not know everything, which is contrasted with the fool who thinks he knows everything.

12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

A ruler is often surrounded by advisors. The word “hearken” means to hear, be attentive, heed or pay attention. So then if the ruler is paying attention to lies then those around him are going to be liars. The righteous will fall away and what is left is a court full of wickedness. Now this may seem to be distant and removed from our normal lives but take a moment and look around. If we are a ruler or leader do we listen to lies? What if we support a ruler or leader, are we being wicked? Truth is not the easiest thing to serve in many cases especially among the wicked.

13 The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.

The Hebrew word used here that is translated as “deceitful” and is only used once in the entire Bible and actually means oppressor. So then if the poor and the oppressor meet together the LORD is able to enlighten them both. He is able to show the poor what they need to do in order to win the favor of the oppressor and to show the oppressor how wrong it is to oppress. Some translations depict this as a simple statement that the LORD gives them both sight yet they leave out the fact that the verse clearly states that they “meet”.

The clear instruction here is that we may find hope through Wisdom when we find ourselves in either condition. The Hebrew word for “lighteneth” actually means light, not sight. Look at Pr 4:18 "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

The king would have droves of persons that wanted a moment with the king to address some matter of importance. Kings would often only give those of the highest standing in the society time and push aside those considered poor. The kings that had no respect of persons and gave time to everyone equally, this verse says his throne shall be established forever.

Wisdom clearly points out here that we are to deal equally with all of those that come into our path. This is especially true if we are in a position of authority.

15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

In modern world, corporal punishment has been largely rejected in favor of other disciplinary methods. Modern judiciaries often favor fines or incarceration, whilst modern school discipline generally avoids physical correction altogether. Although corporal punishment is still used in many domestic settings, it has been banned in over seventeen countries. Corporal Punishment in Canada is restricted to children under the age of 13, and only by parents or guardians, and only such punishment that does not leave marks.[3]

The rod is a means of immediate discipline. As you noticed in the paragraph above, it is viewed as a rejected means of correction. There is a process however that the rod sets in motion rather quickly; It defines the boundaries quickly, It establishes the tolerance of authority, It brings immediate remorse and it quickens reconciliation.

Reproof simply means rebuke, correction, punishment or chastening. Notice one important aspect here in this verse; “left to himself.” You could look at this in two ways, first, letting them get away with what they have done or secondly, sending them to their room as punishment or a “time-out” while left alone in the corner. Obviously letting them get away without punishment is the wrong behavior of the parent. Consider this: which ever corrective measure you choose is for the sole purpose of reestablishing fellowship.

16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

We all know the meaning of wicked but I wanted to point out a subtlety that tends to be tolerated until it is too late. The word wicked is from the Hebrew root word meaning rebellion. Understand too that rebellion is the root of evil. It was rebellion that set Lucifer onto his wicked path.

Isaiah 14:12-15 “¹²How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! ¹³For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. ¹⁵Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

Most of us would not tolerate any wickedness in the sense of blatant wrongfulness however; the subtle aspects of rebellion are often endured even in our own lives. There is a principle that states, the things we tolerate as rebellion today will soon become the everyday norm.

17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

Correcting our children is not always easy. Nowhere does it say it is easy. In today’s society it is not fashionable to correct children but instead to focus only on the good in order to give them confidence. The problem with that mentality is that they will grow up to be confidently unruly.

18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Here is the simple principle of vision. Vision brings definition to goals and a structured approach to achieving those goals. The “law” is in place to provide order. For instance, if the speed limit on the roads was not a law then there would be havoc and death on our roadways and many would perish. If we do not have vision for our lives then we will perish.

19 A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.

Generally speaking, we need to have examples or be shown how to respond to instructions. Considering the fact that we are servants of our LORD and the LORD has given us His word in the form of Scripture then why do we struggle so much to be obedient? In some cases the chastening is tough but we need desperately to understand it is for our good.

20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Wisdom certainly teaches us to consider things more closely before we comment and this is an example of why. Being quick to speak will bring more trouble than even a fool can hope for. You see a fool considers the outcomes generated by what they say in order to have their schemes conclude to their liking. But if you have diarrhea of the mouth, there is no telling where that might take you.

21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

The term “delicately bringth up” is only used once in the entire Bible and it means to indulge, pamper or treat delicately. Considering this is a servant this type of treatment would be unusual. Servants were meant to carry out various task around the home or business of the family. This verse is demonstrating the method of earning loyalty. When we sew time and genuine concern we will reap genuine loyalty. This would be true in any relationship.

22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

Have you ever seen anyone loose control and become enraged? They throw things and break stuff. Worse than breaking stuff, they break relationships as well with words that “stirreth up strife.”

23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Having a certain amount of pride is not bad necessarily but if that pride gets out of balance it begins to bring us down. Remember Pr 25:7 “For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whome thine eyes have seen.” The basic jest here is that most often we fear being put down. That fear becomes tragic to us especially when it is justly done.

Honor, on the other hand, comes to us because of who we are and the consistency of our character. Pride tends to make us tell everyone to honor us or become pious in our dealings. Honor is sweet to the soul like the honeycomb to the lips. Pr 25:27 “It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.” The word “humble” is an interesting word in this verse. We view humbleness as being an action of sitting in the background and letting things happen without being effected by their results. This view is the best way to take the sting out of our concerns because being humble means having a much more prominent Spirit sense of who we are. The mixture of pride and humbleness cannot mix. They are conflicting perspectives of who we are. Pride says to a man, “This is who I am, now honor me.” Where humbleness says to a man, “This is who I am, I will honor Him.”

24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

I think in almost every case where there are partners in crime each of them eventually try to blame the other for getting them into the resulting mess. The word “bewrayeth” means to declare or make known. The reason they do not make it known is due to the fact of their own guilt of being involved as a thief. There is no easy solution to peace and so, as this verse says, “hateth his own soul” resonates inside. The “cursing” comes from anything that speaks to him about his sin. There is no more miserable place on earth than to be captured by an unrepentant soul.

25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

This version of the word “fear” in the Hebrew is only used eight times in the entire Bible and has a sense of trembling. In Daniel 10:7 “And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.” It is not an easy thing to put our fear away. We tend to have a very earthly sense of our existence, which makes it seem foolish. We tend to be very practical in where we place our trust and many of us trust no one, not even ourselves.

Notice the difference here; “The fear of man…” vs. “The fear of the LORD.” The beginning of this verse sets the stage; we have the marvelous freedom to choose where our fear originates. Fear is a determination of where we put our trust.

26 Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD.

We often seek the favor of the rulers in our lives because they have the power to make our lives better, easier and seemingly more prosperous. They also have the ability to make our lives more miserable if we do not have their favor. However, the ultimate favor and judgment is from the LORD. If we have the favor of the LORD especially as we grow in Wisdom the promise is

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD…” Pr 21:1.

In that while we possess Wisdom, we have the prowess to earn the favor of those rulers in our lives through honest actions and not by deceitfulness. Being brought before the ruler could be nerve-racking unless the confidence of Wisdom rides in our Soul.

27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

This is probably the simplest explanation of “Good vs. Evil” if we understand clearly what is being said here. First, understand that the “unjust man” is a wicked person full of violent deeds and the “just” are those who have character and are lawful in their conduct. The Just and the Unjust are an abomination to each other. The unjust cannot understand why the just do not join them in their plundering approach to life and the just cannot understand why the unjust continue down the path of self-destruction.

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