Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 3:12

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Proverbs 3:12. Whom the Lord loveth — To encourage thee to bear correction, know that it is a proof of God's love to thee; and thereby he shows that he treats thee as a father does his son, even that one to whom he bears the fondest affection.

The last clause the Septuagint translate μαστιγοι δε παντα υἱον ὁν παραδεχεται, "and chasteneth every son whom he receiveth;" and the apostle, Hebrews 12:6, quotes this literatim. Both clauses certainly amount to the same sense. Every son whom he receiveth, and the son in whom he delighteth, have very little difference of meaning.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The whole life for God (3:1-35)

Obedience and loyalty to God, in addition to guaranteeing his favour, produce the kind of life that most people acknowledge as honourable (3:1-4). If, instead of trusting in their own wisdom and ability, people live in an attitude of reverential trust in God, they can be assured that God will direct them in all their affairs. God will remove obstacles and lead them to their desired goals (5-8).
Personal income is one part of everyday life where people must honour God. They should give God the first share, not the leftovers. God, in turn, will honour the givers (9-10). But God’s blessings do not always mean prosperity. Sometimes he may show his love by allowing people to meet difficulties, with the purpose of correcting faults and improving character (11-12).
Riches cannot buy wisdom, but those who gain wisdom are rich in all that people most desire (13-18). By wisdom God created and maintains the world (19-20). People likewise should live and work by wisdom, thereby ensuring for themselves contentment and security (21-24). Wisdom will enable them to be confident at all times and prompt in helping others (25-28). They will not create trouble or cooperate in plans that hurt others (29-31). God is on the side of the humble, not the selfish or the scornful (32-35).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

HAPPINESS AND BLESSING OF THOSE WHO TRUST IN GOD

“My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah; Neither be weary of his reproof: For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth, Even as the father the son in whom he delighteth. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding. For the gaining of it is better than silver, And the profit thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: And none of the things that thou canst desire are to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: And happy is every one that retaineth her. Jehovah, thy Wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.”

In this paragraph are enumerated a number of the marvelous blessings of trusting in the Lord which far exceed and surpass any material prosperity. Happiness, peace, pleasantness, honor, length of days - these are the things more profitable than silver or gold. “These are truly `the good things’ of life, the blessings which all men are seeking.”R. B. Sweet Publishing Company, No. 210

“Despise not the chastening of Jehovah” This understanding of the utility of sufferings and misfortunes borne by the righteous, “Is the same solution to that problem that was proposed by both Eliphaz (Job 5:17 f) and Elihu.”Arthur S. Peake, A Commentary on the Bible (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 399. And, although their understanding of it as it regarded the miseries of Job was inaccurate, it is nevertheless one of the valid reasons why God causes his saints to pass through afflictions.

“God’s people, like Jonah, may fall into sin and fall asleep in the storm; but for those whom God’s loves, he will send some terrible tempest to awaken them. The true Christian is thankful for the very afflictions that some despise, because he is able to use them as the occasion for his complete return to duty.”George Lawson’s Commentary on Proverbs (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1980), p. 42.

“Hebrews 12:5-6 quotes this passage verbatim from the Septuagint (LXX) and Sinaiticus Versions of the Old Testament.”Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 560. For further commentary on the subject of Chastening, we refer to Vol. 10 in our New Testament Commentaries (Hebrews), pp. 293-296.

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom” Tate observed that here there are two elements in the admonition regarding wisdom: “This verse speaks of finding wisdom; and Proverbs 3:18 says `Happy is the man that retaineth it.”The Teachers’ Bible Commentary, p. 360.

“The gaining of it (wisdom) is better than the gaining of silver” We like Kidner’s terse comment on this that, “Wisdom will make you richer than money ever will.”Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 15, p. 65.

This writer is deeply impressed with the personification of Wisdom in Proverbs 3:15-16; and we have taken the liberty of capitalizing Wisdom here. To the Christian “Christ is our Wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30); and, as Tate observed, “There is presumed some degree of an independent existence of Wisdom which antedates the creation of the universe (Proverbs 3:19-20).”Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), op. cit., p. 20. This harmonizes completely with the fact of God’s having created all things by Jesus Christ our Lord (Hebrews 1:2).

Cook also noted that, “This passage is a link in the chain which connects the Wisdom mentioned here with the Divine Word ([@Logos]) of John 1:3; and therefore this passage takes its place among the proofs of the dogmatic statements of the Nicene Creed.”Barnes’ Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 Edition), op. cit., p. 21.

“She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her” “The Book of Proverbs is the only book in the Bible that mentions the tree of life except the first (Genesis) and last (Revelation).”Ibid. Other references in Proverbs to the tree of life are Proverbs 11; Proverbs 30; Proverbs 13:12; and Proverbs 15:4.

This first section of Proverbs (Proverbs 1-9) exists in the format of some ten speeches, most of them beginning with the words, “My son.” Walls pointed out that, “The 3rd, 4th, and 5th of these speeches begin in Proverbs 3:1; Proverbs 3:11; Proverbs 3:21 in this chapter.”The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 553 We have now come to this fifth speech.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The first distinct utterance of a truth which has been so full of comfort to many thousands; it is the summing up of all controversies (compare John 9:2) as to the mystery of suffering. The apostle writing to the Hebrews can find no stronger comfort Hebrews 12:6 than this; the Church, in her visitation service, has no truer message for the sufferer.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 continues to

My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments: For length of days, long life, peace, shall they add to thee ( Proverbs 3:1-2 ).

Now these are the three. And we get now into some couplets here. He gives sort of a word, and then he tells you what the result of it will be. And to keep the commandment in your heart, it will grant to you the length of days, long life, peace will they add to thee. Now the next little statement:

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about your neck; write them on the table of your heart ( Proverbs 3:3 ):

What? Mercy and truth.

So will you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man ( Proverbs 3:4 ).

So you see the results of writing the laws of mercy and truth upon your heart.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him ( Proverbs 3:5-6 ),

And the result will be:

he will direct your path ( Proverbs 3:6 ).

How can I know the will of God? A question so often asked. Three steps. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Two: lean not to your own understanding. Three: in all your ways acknowledge Him. The result? He shall direct your path.

Now the next word of exhortation:

Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, depart from evil ( Proverbs 3:7 ).

And the result:

It will be health to thy body, and marrow to thy bones ( Proverbs 3:8 ).

You'll be healthy. "Fear the LORD, depart from evil."

The next exhortation:

Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all of your increase ( Proverbs 3:9 ):

The result:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses ( Proverbs 3:10 )

That would be the winepresses.

shall burst out with new wine ( Proverbs 3:10 ).

Now there is a basic law, and I'm not talking about the Ten Commandments or the law given by Moses, just a basic law of God as we speak of laws. We speak of laws of nature, or the law of magnetism, the law of gravity, the law of electricity, the various laws of nature. They're just there. We've studied them. We've been able to formulize them and understand them that they work. We don't always know why they work, but we know they work. We know that they are just basic laws of nature that they work. There's a cause and effect.

Now, in the same token there are basic spiritual laws that God has established that have a cause and effect kind of a thing just like any other law that is operating in our natural world around us. And there is a law of God concerning giving. And though we cannot understand exactly how it works, yet it does work. Now, I don't have to understand how electricity works to benefit from electricity. Even so, I don't have to understand how the laws of God work as far as giving to benefit from them.

Now here the law of God is stated, "Honor the Lord with your substance, and with the firstfruits of your increase." I believe that the firstfruits belong to God. The first thing that comes out of my salary or my wages were it ever, is earmarked for the Lord. If I've sold a piece of property, the increase, the firstfruits of it I give to God of the increase. Honoring God with your substance. Now this law is stated throughout the Bible many places and is illustrated in many places.

In Malachi, we read, "Will a man rob God? You say, 'Well, wherein have we robbed God?' And God said, 'In your tithes and in your offerings. Now prove Me and see if I will not pour out unto you a blessing which you cannot contain'" ( Malachi 3:8 , Malachi 3:10 ). God challenges you to test this law. Jesus said, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; measured out, pressed down, running over, shall men give unto your bosom" ( Luke 6:38 ). Paul the apostle said that if we sow sparingly, we will reap sparingly; but if we sow bountifully, we're going to reap bountifully ( 2 Corinthians 9:6 ). "In whatever measure you mete, it's going to be measured to you again" ( Matthew 7:2 ), the law of God.

I cannot tell you how it works. All I can do is affirm for you that it does work. God honors that law of giving. And so here is Solomon exhorting his son, "Honor the Lord with your substance and with the firstfruit of all of your increase." What will the result be? "Your barns will be filled with plenty. Your presses shall burst out with new wine."

The next exhortation is:

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delights ( Proverbs 3:11-12 ).

In Hebrews this passage or this proverb is quoted. "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord." Now in Hebrews, he adds, "For He chastens every son that He receives and if a person isn't chastened of the Lord" ( Hebrews 12:6 ). If you can get by with evil, then you better be very concerned. Because if you're a child of God, He's not going to let you get by with evil.

Now a lot of times if we venture into something that we know is wrong and we get caught, then we get real upset with God. "How come they can do it and they can get by with it? I do it and I get caught, you know. Not fair!" If you can do it and get by with it, then you're in a dangerous place. That's an indication you're not a true son of God. God only chastens his sons. So the chastening process of God in my life is always a very comforting process, because at least it proves that I'm His son. He's not going to let me get by with it. Thank You, Father. So, don't despise the chastening of the Lord; don't be weary with His correction. For whom the Lord loveth He corrects."

Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding: For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, the gain is better than gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all of the things that you can desire are not to be compared unto wisdom and understanding ( Proverbs 3:13-15 ).

Oh, that we would really gain wisdom and understanding of God, of God's will, of life.

Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are the ways of pleasantness, all of her paths are peace ( Proverbs 3:16-17 ).

Oh, the benefit of rich and the riches that come from wisdom and understanding.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retains her ( Proverbs 3:18 ).

So all of these things that we count as important: pleasantness, peace, life, happiness. These things all come to the person who has gained wisdom and understanding. Now as he extols wisdom and tells of its effects and results.

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, let not them depart from your eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace unto thy neck. Then shall you walk in the way safely, and your foot shall not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid: yea, you will lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear [or sudden terror], that comes upon the wicked ( Proverbs 3:19-25 ).

When the day of judgment and terror comes, you don't need to be afraid. You can have that confidence, I'm a child of God.

For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken ( Proverbs 3:26 ).

When the day of calamity comes upon the wicked, we do not need to fear.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it ( Proverbs 3:27 ).

This is stated by the New Testament also, "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, it is evil" ( James 4:17 ). You have the capacity to do good and you fail to do it, that's just as much a sin as some overt act of sin. There are sins of failing to do the right thing, just as there are sins of doing the wrong thing. There are sins of omission, omitting to do that which is right or good.

Say not to your neighbor, Go, and come again to-morrow, and I will give it to you; when it's by your side ( Proverbs 3:28 ).

In other words, don't forestall or put him off.

Devise not evil against your neighbor, seeing that he's dwelling securely by you. Strive not with a man without cause, if he hasn't done you any harm ( Proverbs 3:29-30 ).

Don't go looking for a fight and just getting into trouble.

Envy not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD: but God's secret is with the righteous. The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesses the dwelling place of the just. Surely he scorns the scorners: but he gives grace unto the lowly ( Proverbs 3:31-34 ).

"Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift thee up" ( James 4:10 ). "He that exalteth himself shall be abased; he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" ( Matthew 23:12 ). All of these really come, they're the expression of the same truth. "Surely He scorneth the scorners, but He gives grace to the lowly."

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools ( Proverbs 3:35 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

4. Divine promises and human obligations 3:1-12

This section is mainly about peace as a benefit of wise living, but it concludes with another appeal to seek wisdom.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The importance of continuing to seek Wisdom 3:11-12

Even though the price one has to pay for wisdom (i.e., life within the will of God) includes submitting to God’s discipline (Proverbs 3:11-12), it is worth it (Proverbs 3:13-20). "Loathe" (Proverbs 3:11 b) means to shrink back from (cf. Hebrews 12:5-6). Rejecting with the will and recoiling emotionally are opposite actions from trusting (Proverbs 3:5). God’s discipline may not produce all that God desires if we respond to it improperly.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth,.... This is a reason why the children of God should not despise corrections, nor be weary of them; since they spring from love, are given in love, nor is there any abatement of it in them: when the Lord chastens and corrects, he does not take away his lovingkindness from them; yea, it is because he loves them that therefore he thus deals with them; wherefore they ought to be patiently bore, and kindly taken by them;

even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth; as a father chastens and corrects his son, whom he dearly loves, and has the greatest pleasure in, so the Lord chastens and corrects his people; see Deuteronomy 8:5. There is such a relation subsisting between them as that of father and son, which flows from the inexpressible love of God to them; and which is a love of complacency and delight in them, and is invariable and unchangeable, and continues the same under all their afflictions; as appears by what he does for them in them, and by the issue of them; he knows their souls in adversity, and chooses them in the furnace of affliction; he pays love visits to them, and comforts them under all their tribulation; he sympathizes with them, and supports them; he makes their bed in their affliction, and delivers out of it, or takes them to himself: the issue is always his own glory, and their good.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.   8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.   9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:   10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.   11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:   12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

      We have here before us three exhortations, each of them enforced with a good reason:--

      I. We must live in a humble and dutiful subjection to God and his government (Proverbs 3:7; Proverbs 3:7): "Fear the Lord, as your sovereign Lord and Master; be ruled in every thing by your religion and subject to the divine will." This must be, 1. A humble subjection: Be not wise in thy own eyes. Note, There is not a greater enemy to the power of religion, and the fear of God in the heart, than conceitedness of our own wisdom. Those that have an opinion of their own sufficiency think it below them, and a disparagement to them, to take their measures from, much more to hamper themselves with, religion's rules. 2. A dutiful subjection: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil; take heed of doing any thing to offend him and to forfeit his care. To fear the Lord, so as to depart from evil, is true wisdom and understanding (Job 28:28); those that have it are truly wise, but self-denyingly so, and not wise in their own eyes. For our encouragement thus to live in the fear of God it is here promised (Proverbs 3:8; Proverbs 3:8) that it shall be as serviceable even to the outward man as our necessary food. It will be nourishing: It shall be health to thy navel. It will be strengthening: It shall be marrow to thy bones. The prudence, temperance, and sobriety, the calmness and composure of mind, and the good government of the appetites and passions, which religion teaches, tend very much not only to the health of the soul, but to a good habit of body, which is very desirable, and without which our other enjoyments in this world are insipid. Envy is the rottenness of the bones; the sorrow of the world dries them; but hope and joy in God are marrow to them.

      II. We must make a good use of our estates, and that is the way to increase them, Proverbs 3:9; Proverbs 3:10. Here is,

      1. A precept which makes it our duty to serve God with our estates: Honour the Lord with thy substance. It is the end of our creation and redemption to honour God, to be to him for a name and a praise; we are no other way capable of serving him than in his honour. His honour we must show forth and the honour we have for him. We must honour him, not only with our bodies and spirits which are his, but with our estates too, for they also are his: we and all our appurtenances must be devoted to his glory. Worldly wealth is but poor substance, yet, such as it is, we must honour God with it, and then, if ever, it becomes substantial. We must honour God, (1.) With our increase. Where riches increase we are tempted to honour ourselves (Deuteronomy 8:17) and to set our hearts upon the world (Psalms 62:10); but the more God gives us the more we should study to honour him. It is meant of the increase of the earth, for we live upon annual products, to keep us in constant dependence on God. (2.) With all our increase. As God has prospered us in every thing, we must honour him. Our law will allow a prescription for a modus decimandi--a mode of tithing, but none de non decimando--for exemption from paying tithes. (3.) With the first-fruits of all, as Abel, Genesis 4:4. This was the law (Exodus 23:19), and the prophets, Malachi 3:10. God, who is the first and best, must have the first and best of every thing; his right is prior to all other, and therefore he must be served first. Note, It is our duty to make our worldly estates serviceable to our religion, to use them and the interest we have by them for the promoting of religion, to do good to the poor with what we have and abound in all works of piety and charity, devising liberal things.

      2. A promise, which makes it our interest to serve God with our estates. It is the way to make a little much, and much more; it is the surest and safest method of thriving: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty. He does not say thy bags, but thy barns, not thy wardrobe replenished, but thy presses: "God shall bless thee with an increase of that which is for use, not for show or ornament--for spending and laying out, not for hoarding and laying up." Those that do good with what they have shall have more to do more good with. Note, If we make our worldly estates serviceable to our religion we shall find our religion very serviceable to the prosperity of our worldly affairs. Godliness has the promise of the life that now is and most of the comfort of it. We mistake if we think that giving will undo us and make us poor. No, giving for God's honour will make us rich, Haggai 2:19. What we gave we have.

      III. We must conduct ourselves aright under our afflictions, Proverbs 3:11; Proverbs 3:12. This the apostle quotes (Hebrews 12:5), and calls it an exhortation which speaks unto us as unto children, with the authority and affection of a father. We are here in a world of troubles. Now observe,

      1. What must be our care when we are in affliction. We must neither despise it nor be weary of it. His exhortation, before, was to those that are rich and in prosperity, here to those that are poor and in adversity. (1.) We must not despise an affliction, be it ever so light and short, as if it were not worth taking notice of, or as if it were not sent on an errand and therefore required no answer. We must not be stocks, and stones, and stoics, under our afflictions, insensible of them, hardening ourselves under them, and concluding we can easily get through them without God. (2.) We must not be weary of an affliction, be it ever so heavy and long, not faint under it, so the apostle renders it, not be dispirited, dispossessed of our own souls, or driven to despair, or to use any indirect means for our relief and the redress of our grievances. We must not think that the affliction either presses harder or continues longer than is meet, not conclude that deliverance will never come because it does not come so soon as we expect it.

      2. What will be our comfort when we are in affliction. (1.) That it is a divine correction; it is the chastening of the Lord, which, as it is a reason why we should submit to it (for it is folly to contend with a God of incontestable sovereignty and irresistible power), so it is a reason why we should be satisfied in it; for we may be sure that a God of unspotted purity does us no wrong and that a God of infinite goodness means us no hurt. It is from God, and therefore must not be despised; for a slight put upon the messenger is an affront to him that sends him. It is from God, and therefore we must not be weary of it, for he knows our frame, both what we need and what we can bear. (2.) That it is a fatherly correction; it comes not from his vindictive justice as a Judge, but his wise affection as a Father. The father corrects the son whom he loves, nay, and because he loves him and desires he may be wise and good. He delights in that in his son which is amiable and agreeable, and therefore corrects him for the prevention and cure of that which would be a deformity to him, and an alloy to his delight in him. Thus God hath said, As many as I love I rebuke and chasten,Revelation 3:19. This is a great comfort to God's children, under their afflictions, [1.] That they not only consist with, but flow from, covenant-love. [2.] That they are so far from doing them any real hurt that, by the grace of God working with them, they do a great deal of good, and are happy means of their satisfaction.