Proverbs 13

General context

A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scorner does not hear rebuke. He that keeps his mouth keeps his life, and he that opens wide his lips shall have destruction. The soul of the sluggard desires and has nothing, the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. A righteous man hates lying. There is one that makes himself rich yet has nothing, and one that makes himself poor yet has great riches; the ransom of a man's life are his riches, but the poor does not hear rebuke. The light of the righteous rejoices, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. Only by pride comes contention. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathers by labour shall increase. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes it is a tree of life. Whoever despises the word shall be destroyed; the law of the wise is a fountain of life. The way of transgressors is hard. A wicked messenger falls into mischief, a faithful ambassador is health. Poverty and shame come to him that refuses instruction, honour to him that regards reproof. The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul. He that walks with wise men shall be wise, a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Evil pursues sinners; a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. Much food is in the tillage of the poor. He that spares his rod hates his son, he that loves him chastens him early. The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the wicked shall want.

Cited passages: Proverbs 13:1, Proverbs 13:2, Proverbs 13:3, Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 13:5, Proverbs 13:6, Proverbs 13:7, Proverbs 13:8, Proverbs 13:9, Proverbs 13:10, Proverbs 13:11, Proverbs 13:12, Proverbs 13:13, Proverbs 13:14, Proverbs 13:15, Proverbs 13:17, Proverbs 13:18, Proverbs 13:19, Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 13:21, Proverbs 13:22, Proverbs 13:23, Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 13:25

Proverbs 13 (KJV)

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Historical context

No heading opens the chapter, and no person is named. Unlike the chapters around it, this chapter does not name the Lord at all; its sayings about reward and destruction are stated as outcomes without naming who brings them, for example "Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed". "The word" and "the commandment" in verse 13 are not identified, and the text does not say whose word is meant. The father of verse 1 and the son of verse 24 are types; the rod of verse 24 is the only instrument of correction mentioned, and the saying gives no case or age. The claim that "the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just" is stated as a result, and the chapter does not say how it comes about. The tree of life in verse 12 is an image the book has used for wisdom (3:18) and for the fruit of the righteous (11:30); here it is attached to a fulfilled desire. Verse 14, on "the law of the wise", is repeated at 14:27 with "The fear of the Lord" in its place, which is the only way this chapter's language is joined to the Lord by the next.

Cited passages: Proverbs 13:21, Proverbs 13:13, Proverbs 13:1, Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 13:22, Proverbs 13:12, Proverbs 3:18, Proverbs 11:30, Proverbs 13:14, Proverbs 14:27

Literary context

Most verses are antithetic pairs on "but"; verse 14 is a single statement with a purpose clause, and verse 7 sets two paradoxes side by side, the rich man with nothing and the poor man with great riches. Money is the largest theme: verses 7, 8, 11, 18, 22, 23 and 25 concern riches, poverty, wealth, inheritance, food and want, and they pull in different directions, riches as a ransom for life in one verse and wealth by vanity diminished in another. Desire is a second thread: the sluggard's soul that desires and has nothing (verse 4), hope deferred and desire come (verse 12), desire accomplished as sweet (verse 19). Instruction and reproof frame the chapter, from the wise son who hears in verse 1 through the word and commandment of verse 13 and the reproof of verse 18 to the rod of verse 24. Light and lamp stand for the two lives in verse 9. The chapter opens with a son hearing and closes with a body fed or wanting, so the sayings move from the ear to the belly. Verse 20 states the effect of company in the plainest form the collection has used, walking with the wise or keeping company with fools.

Cited passages: Proverbs 13:14, Proverbs 13:7, Proverbs 13:8, Proverbs 13:11, Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 13:12, Proverbs 13:19, Proverbs 13:1, Proverbs 13:18, Proverbs 13:9, Proverbs 13:25, Proverbs 13:20

Key moments

1. A wise son heareth (Proverbs 13:1). A wise son hears his father's instruction; a scorner does not hear rebuke.
2. The sluggard's desire (Proverbs 13:4). The sluggard desires and has nothing, while the diligent is made fat.
3. Rich with nothing (Proverbs 13:7). One makes himself rich yet has nothing; another makes himself poor yet has great riches.
4. Hope deferred (Proverbs 13:12). Hope deferred sickens the heart, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
5. Walking with wise men (Proverbs 13:20). Walking with the wise makes one wise; a companion of fools is destroyed.
6. An inheritance (Proverbs 13:22). A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children.
7. Sparing the rod (Proverbs 13:24). Sparing the rod is called hating a son; loving him means early chastening.

For reflection

Verse 4 says the sluggard's soul desires and has nothing, and verse 12 says a desire that comes is a tree of life. Does the chapter place the difference in the wanting itself, or in what is done between the wanting and the having?