The Book of Proverbs: School of Wisdom - 12

Proverbs 12:1-28 (NIV)

Proverbs 12

¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

² A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a crafty man.

³ A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

⁴ A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

⁵ The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

⁶ The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

⁷ Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.

⁸ A man is praised according to his wisdom, but men with warped minds are despised.

⁹ Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

¹⁰ A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹ He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

¹² The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.

¹³ An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble.

¹⁴ From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

¹⁵ The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

¹⁶ A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

¹⁷ A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.

¹⁸ Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

²⁰ There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.

²¹ No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

²² The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.

²³ A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.

²⁴ Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

²⁵ An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

²⁶ A righteous man is cautious in friendship, ^a]">[a] but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷ The lazy man does not roast ^b]">[b] his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.

²⁸ In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 12:26 Or man is a guide to his neighbor
2. Proverbs 12:27 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

6 examples of wicked counselors:

1. Korah and company (Numbers 10)
2. Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:28)
3. Sanballat (Nehemiah 6:2)
4. Haman (Esther 3:5-8)
5. Herod (Matthew 2:8, 16)
6. Judas (John 12:4-6)

3 examples - wicked being overthrown:

1. Pre-Adamites (Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 14:12-14; Jeremiah 4:23-26; 2 Peter 3:5-8)
2. Ante-diluvians (Genesis 6-8)
3. Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19)

3 examples - righteous houses standing:

1. Abraham (Genesis 17:19; Luke 1:70-73)
2. David (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89:3-4)
3. Jacob (Luke 1:32-33)

4 examples of commending wisdom:

1. Joseph (Genesis 41:39)
2. David (2 Samuel 14:17-20)
3. Daniel (Daniel 5:16)
4. Paul (2 Peter 3:15-16)

3 examples of being despised:

1. Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 1:3 - 2:30)
2. Nabal (1 Samuel 25:2, 17)
3. The prodigal son (Luke 15:15-16)

2 examples of tilling:

1. Isaac (Genesis 26:12)
2. Jacob (Genesis 30:14; Proverbs 28:19)

2 examples of following vain persons:

1. Abimelech (Judges 9; Proverbs 24:21)
2. Theudas (Acts 5:36-37)

5 examples of being snared by own lips:

1. Korah (Numbers 16:1-3, 31-35; Psalm 64:8)
2. The Amalekite (2 Samuel 1:2-6)
3. Adonijah (1 Kings 2:23)
4. Daniel's accusers (Daniel 6:24)
5. Jews (Matthew 27:25)

3 examples of deliverance:

1. Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:10, 24, 30)
2. Esther and her people (Esther 7:3-9:25)
3. Peter (Acts 11:2-18; 12:3-18)

4 examples of a fool's wrath:

1. Jehoram (2 Kings 6:31)
2. Jezebel (1 Kings 19:1-2)
3. Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:19)
4. Jews at Nazareth (Luke 14:28)

4 examples of prudence:

1. Gideon (Judges 8:2-3)
2. Saul (1 Samuel 10:27)
3. David (1 Samuel 17:29-30)
4. Hezekiah (Isaiah 36:21)

4 uses of the tongue:

1. Speaking truth (v 17; John 14:6)
2. Speaking lies (v 17; 1 Timothy 4:1-2)
3. Speaking cutting things (v 18; James 3)
4. Speaking blessing (v 19; Matthew 8:8)

4 examples of lying tongue judged:

1. Ahab (1 Kings 22:30, 37)
2. Hananiah (Jeremiah 28:2, 11)
3. Gehazi (2 Kings 5:22-27)
4. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10)

7 things God delights in:

1. Men that deal truthfully (v 22)
2. Just weights (Proverbs 11:1)
3. Men upright in their ways (Proverbs 11:20)
4. Prayers of the upright (Proverbs 15:8)
5. Lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth (Jeremiah 9:24)
6. The Messiah (Isaiah 42:1)
7. Israel (Isaiah 62:4)

3 examples of diligent bearing rule:

1. Eleazar (Genesis 24:2, 10)
2. Joseph (Genesis 39:4, 22)
3. Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:28)

4 examples of sorrow prostrating men:

1. Ezra (Ezra 9:3-10:3)
2. Nehemiah (Heemiah 1:4)
3. David (Psalm 40:12; 2 Samuel 18:33)
4. Jeremiah (Jeremiah 8:18; 9:1)

3 examples of good news making glad:

1. Jacob (Genesis 45:27)
2. Darius (Daniel 6:18-23)
3. Disciples (Matthew 28:5-8; Luke 24:32)

2 things in the path of righteousness:

1. Eternal life (v 28; Matthew 7:14)
2. Immortality (v 28; 1 Peter 3:4)