Proverbs 12

General context

Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, and he that hates reproof is brutish. A good man obtains favour of the Lord, but a man of wicked devices he will condemn. The root of the righteous is not moved. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, but she that makes ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. The thoughts of the righteous are right, the counsels of the wicked deceit; the words of the wicked lie in wait for blood; the wicked are overthrown, the house of the righteous stands. He that is despised and has a servant is better than he that honours himself and lacks bread. A righteous man regards the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He that tills his land shall be satisfied with bread. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he that hearkens to counsel is wise; a fool's wrath is presently known, a prudent man covers shame. There is one that speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health; the lip of truth is established for ever, a lying tongue is but for a moment. No evil shall happen to the just. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, the slothful shall be under tribute. Heaviness in the heart makes it stoop, a good word makes it glad. The slothful man does not roast what he took in hunting. The chapter closes with the saying that in the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

Cited passages: Proverbs 12:1, Proverbs 12:2, Proverbs 12:3, Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 12:5, Proverbs 12:6, Proverbs 12:7, Proverbs 12:8, Proverbs 12:9, Proverbs 12:10, Proverbs 12:11, Proverbs 12:13, Proverbs 12:14, Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 12:16, Proverbs 12:17, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 12:19, Proverbs 12:21, Proverbs 12:22, Proverbs 12:24, Proverbs 12:25, Proverbs 12:27, Proverbs 12:28

Proverbs 12 (KJV)

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Historical context

The chapter has no heading and names no one; it continues the collection of 10:1. The Lord appears in verse 2, as the one who gives favour and condemns, and in verse 22, where lying lips are his abomination and those who deal truly his delight. The phrase "A virtuous woman" in verse 4 is the same phrase that opens the closing poem of the book at 31:10, but here it is a single line about her effect on her husband, with no description of her. The words of the wicked that "lie in wait for blood" repeat the language of the sinners' invitation in 1:11. Verse 9 is a "better than" saying, ranking a despised man with a servant above a self-honouring man without bread; it states the ranking and gives no situation. "There shall no evil happen to the just" in verse 21 is stated without condition, and the chapter does not qualify it. The "false witness" of verse 17 is named as a type without any court or case being described. The sayings about the diligent, the slothful and the man who tills his land assume farming, hunting and rule, but they name no land or ruler.

Cited passages: Proverbs 12:2, Proverbs 12:22, Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 31:10, Proverbs 12:6, Proverbs 1:11, Proverbs 12:9, Proverbs 12:21, Proverbs 12:17, Proverbs 12:11, Proverbs 12:27

Literary context

The antithetic "but" pair is again the rule; the exceptions are verse 9, a "better than" ranking, verse 14, two parallel statements about mouth and hands, and verse 28, where the second line restates the first ("life", then "no death"). The chapter opens on loving instruction and knowledge and closes on life and "no death". Speech is the largest cluster: verses 6, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 25 concern words, lips, tongue or mouth, and the images are sharp, a sword's piercings against health, a lip established for ever against a tongue "but for a moment". A second cluster concerns work: tilling the land, the diligent hand, the slothful man who does not roast his game. The root image appears twice, "the root of the righteous shall not be moved" and "the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit", answering the wicked who are "overthrown, and are not". Verse 10 extends the righteous and wicked contrast to how each treats an animal. Verse 15 gives the fool's self-assessment, "right in his own eyes", a phrase the collection returns to at 14:12, 16:2 and 21:2. Verses 16 and 23 both praise concealment, of shame and of knowledge, against the fool whose wrath and folly are known at once.

Cited passages: Proverbs 12:9, Proverbs 12:14, Proverbs 12:28, Proverbs 12:1, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 12:19, Proverbs 12:11, Proverbs 12:27, Proverbs 12:3, Proverbs 12:12, Proverbs 12:7, Proverbs 12:10, Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:2, Proverbs 21:2, Proverbs 12:16, Proverbs 12:23

Key moments

1. Loving instruction (Proverbs 12:1). Loving instruction is equated with loving knowledge, and hating reproof is called brutish.
2. A virtuous woman (Proverbs 12:4). A virtuous woman is called a crown to her husband.
3. The life of his beast (Proverbs 12:10). A righteous man regards the life of his animal, while the wicked's mercies are cruel.
4. Right in his own eyes (Proverbs 12:15). The fool's way seems right to him, but the one who hears counsel is wise.
5. The piercings of a sword (Proverbs 12:18). Some speech pierces like a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health.
6. A good word (Proverbs 12:25). Heaviness makes the heart stoop and a good word makes it glad.
7. Life in the way (Proverbs 12:28). The chapter closes with life in the way of righteousness and no death in its path.

For reflection

Verse 16 says a prudent man covers shame, and verse 23 says a prudent man conceals knowledge, while verse 22 says the Lord delights in those who deal truly. Where in this chapter does keeping something hidden stop being prudence?