Proverbs 23:12-23

12 Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge.

13 ¹Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14 You shall strike him with the rod and ²rescue his soul from Sheol

15 My son, if your heart is ³wise, My own heart also will be glad;

16 And my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak ⁴what is right.

17 ⁵Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the ⁶fear of the LORD always *.

18 Surely * there is a ⁷future, And your ⁸hope will not be cut off.

19 Listen, my son, and ⁹be wise, And ¹⁰direct your heart in the way

20 Do not be with ¹¹heavy drinkers of wine, Or with ¹²gluttonous eaters of meat;

21 For the ¹³heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And ¹⁴drowsiness will clothe one with rags

22 ¹⁵Listen to your father who begot you, And ¹⁶do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 ¹⁷Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Proverbs 23:12-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 11

This chapter relates the false steps Solomon took, notwithstanding all his wisdom, in marrying strange wives, and worshipping other gods, 1Ki 11:1-8 upon which the Lord threatens him to rend the kingdom in his son's time, 1Ki 11:9-13 and he raised up adversaries against him, Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam, 1Ki 11:14-26 of which last an account is given, and of his being assured by Ahijah the prophet of his having ten of the tribes of Israel given to him; which Solomon having notice of sought to slay him, 1Ki 11:27-40 and the chapter is concluded with an account of Solomon's death and burial, 1Ki 11:41-43.

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 19:18
• 2. 1 Corinthians 5:5
• 3. Proverbs 23:24; Proverbs 27:11; Proverbs 29:3
• 4. Proverbs 8:6
• 5. Psalms 37:1; Proverbs 24:1, 19
• 6. Proverbs 28:14
• 7. Psalms 19:11; Psalms 58:11; Proverbs 24:14
• 8. Psalms 9:18
• 9. Proverbs 6:6
• 10. Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 9:6
• 11. Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 23:29, 30; Isaiah 5:22; Matthew 24:49; Luke 21:34; Romans 13:13; Ephesians 5:18
• 12. Deuteronomy 21:20; Proverbs 28:7
• 13. Proverbs 21:17
• 14. Proverbs 6:10, 11
• 15. Proverbs 1:8; Ephesians 6:1
• 16. Proverbs 15:20; Proverbs 30:17
• 17. Proverbs 4:7; Proverbs 18:15; Matthew 13:44

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "smite"
• [b]. Lit "smite"
• [c]. Lit "kidneys"
• [d]. Or "reverence"
• [e]. Lit "all the day"
• [f]. Lit "latter end"