Proverbs 15:32

Pro 15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

Ver. 32. He that refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soul.] Is a sinner against his own soul, as Korah and his complices were, and sets as light by it as if it were not worth looking after. Oh! is it nothing to lose an immortal soul, to purchase an ever-living death? Wilt thou destroy that for which Christ died? {1Co 8:11} What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? There is no great matter in the earth but man, nothing great in man but his soul, said Faverinus. "Whose image and superscription is it" but God’s? "Give," therefore, "unto God the things that are God’s," by delivering it up to his discipline.

But he that heareth reproof, getteth understanding.] Heb., Possesseth his heart. This is like that sentence of our blessed Saviour, "In your patience possess ye your souls." {Luk 21:19} They have need of patience that must hear reproof; for man is a cross creature, and likes not to be controlled or contraried. "But suffer," saith that great apostle, "the words of exhortation"; suffer them in God’s name, sharp though they be, and set on with some more than ordinary earnestness. Better it is that the vine should bleed than die. Sinite virgam corripientem, ne sentitatis malleum conterentem. Certes, "when the Lord shall have done to you according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning you, and hath brought you to his kingdom, this shall be no grief unto you or offence of heart," as he said in a like case, {1Sa 25:30-31} that you have hearkened to instruction, and been bettered by reproof.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See here, 1. The folly of those that will not be taught, that refuse instruction, that will not heed it, but turn their backs upon it, or will not hear it, but turn their hearts against it. They refuse correction (margin); they will not take it, no, not from God himself, but kick against the pricks. Those that do so despise their own souls; they show that they have a low and mean opinion of them, and are in little care and concern about them, considered as rational and immortal, instruction being designed to cultivate reason and prepare for the immortal state. The fundamental error of sinners is undervaluing their own souls; therefore they neglect to provide for them, abuse them, expose them, prefer the body before the soul, and wrong the soul to please the body. 2. The wisdom of those that are willing, not only to be taught, but to be reproved: He that hears reproof, and amends the faults he is reproved for, gets understanding, by which his soul is secured from bad ways and directed in good ways, and thereby he both evidences the value he has for his own soul and puts true honour upon it.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

refuseth--or, "neglects," "passes by" (Pro 1:25; Pro 4:15).

despiseth . . . soul--so acts as if esteeming its interests of no value.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 32. Despiseth his own soul] That is constructively; for if the instruction lead to the preservation of life and soul, he that neglects or despises it throws all as much in the way of danger as if he actually hated himself.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

32. understanding] Lit. heart. Comp. void of wisdom (Lit. heart), Pro_15:21, above, and Pro_2:2, note.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that refuseth instruction,.... The instruction of parents, masters, ministers, and of God himself; or "correction" (y), instruction either by the word or by the rod; he that withdraws himself from it, will not be in the way of it, that shuns, neglects, and despises it, or carelessly and contemptuously attends it:

despiseth his own soul; shows that he makes no account of it, has no regard for it or care about it, when it is so precious a jewel, and the loss of it irreparable; not that a man can strictly and properly despise his soul, but comparatively, having a greater regard for his body, and especially for his carnal lusts and pleasures, than for that; or as a man diseased and refuses proper medicines may be said to despise his health;

but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding; or "a heart" (z); he gets understanding by listening to reproof, and behaving according to it; he better understands himself and his case, what he should shun and avoid, what he should receive, embrace, and do; instead of losing his soul, as the man that refuses correction does, he finds the life of it, and possesses it, and with it a large share of experience and spiritual wisdom.

(y) "correctionem", Pagninus, Vatablus; "qui abstrahit se a castigatione", Piscator. (z) "cor", Pagninus, Piscator, Schultens, Michaelis.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Despiseth his own soul; which hereby he exposeth to the danger of utter destruction, whereby he shows his folly.

Getteth understanding; whereby he saveth his soul. Heb. possesseth an heart, which the Hebrews make the seat of wisdom.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

32. Despiseth his own soul — Or, his life, or himself; meaning, acts as though he did, and does so in effect. Pro_8:36.

Getteth understanding — Hebrew, possesseth a heart; that is, intellect. As an illustration of the first clause, we give the following passage from Butler’s Analogy, chap. ii: “We may, by rashness, ungoverned passion, wilfulness, or even by negligence, make ourselves as miserable as we please. And many do make themselves extremely miserable; that is, they do what they know beforehand will render them so: they follow those ways, the fruit of which they know by instruction, example, and experience, will bring disgrace, poverty, sickness, and untimely death.” Comp. Pro_16:16; Pro_19:8.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This verse carries on and puts the climax to the lesson of the preceding. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul; "hateth himself," Septuagint; commits moral suicide, because he does not follow the path of life. He is like a sick man who thrusts away (apwyeitai , Septuagint) the wholesome medicine which is his only hope of cure. He that heareth (listeneth to) reproof getteth understanding; literally, possesseth a heart, and therefore does not despise his soul, but "loves it", (Pro_19:8) as the LXX renders.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Two proverbs with the catchword מוּסר:

32 He that refuseth correction lightly values his soul;

But he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

Regarding פּורע מוּסר, vid., Pro 13:18, cf. Pro 1:25, and מואס נפשׁו, Pro 8:36. נפשׁו contains more than the later expression עצמו, self; it is equivalent to חיּיו (Job 9:21), for the נפשׁ is the bond of union between the intellectual and the corporeal life. The despising of the soul is then the neglecting, endangering, exposing of the life; in a word, it is suicide (10b). Pro 19:8 is a variation derived from this distich: "He who gains understanding loves his soul," according to which the lxx translate here ἀγαπᾷ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ. לב the Midrash explains by חכמה שׁנתונה בלב; but the correct view is, that לב is not thought of as a formal power, but as operative and carried into effect in conformity with its destination.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

v. 32. He that refuseth instruction, trying to withdraw from correction, paying no heed to it, despiseth his own soul, valuing it but lightly, not knowing or caring that the true enjoyment of life depends upon his accepting reproof; but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding, and thereby shows that he regards his soul properly.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.