Proverbs 28:9

Pro 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination.

Ver. 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing, &c.] Heb., That causeth his ear to decline the law, that wilfully slights the opportunities of hearing, and frames excuse, trusting to his good prayers, as they call it, and conceits that he can better bestow his time at home; this man prays for a curse, and shall have it, as Saul had - he would not hear Samuel, God will not hear nor answer him in his distress. This was, as the Hebrews call it, Mensuram contra mensuram, to pay him home in his own coin. "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways." {Pro 14:14} {See Trapp on "Pro 1:28"}

Even his prayer shall be abomination.] See Pro 15:8.

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.

Pro_28:9

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.

The prayer of the disobedient

The duty of rendering his best obedience to the Divine precepts is one which man has perpetually been called to recognise, under both dispensations. Man, as a fallen being, with alienated affections, debased tendencies, and distorted views, required precise directions as to his future course. The Divine claims to obedience were in no way relaxed; but the power of exhibiting that obedience, and even an adequate knowledge of its requirements, were wanting. If we are dependent creatures--unable to support ourselves, it is manifestly the part of wisdom to secure the continual support of Him who has promised that the rays of His favour shall evermore be reflected on His followers. Be careful to take a sufficiently comprehensive view of the demands thus made upon you. You are not to imagine that by scrupulous attention to one department of Christian duty you may obtain a virtual absolution for the neglect of another. It is not through the regular use of words of supplication or thanksgiving that everything can be accomplished. In what spirit have they prostrated themselves before the Divine footstool? Has it been with the sincere resolution of striving, in all time to come, to do the will of their Father which is in heaven? Has it been with the determination of henceforward applying themselves with all diligence to ascertain and observe His sacred statutes? The reason for not receiving gracious answers to prayer may be that the heart has never been surrendered to God; there has been a lamentable and utter absence of true faith and love. The object of the inspired writer, in our text, is to set forth, in the most striking point of view, the heinousness and dire consequences of neglecting practically to honour the Divine statutes. There are those who, while with their lips they show forth Gods praise, are yet statedly and deliberately neglecting some duty, indulging in some sin, pursuing some course of which the end is death. If you would profit by His clemency, you must strive to obey His laws. If you would obtain His blessings, you must zealously and perseveringly devote yourselves to His service. (Hugh B. Moffat, M.A.)

Conditions of communion with God

1. It is by the Word of God and prayer that our communion with God is kept up. God speaks to us by His law, and expects we should hear Him and heed Him; we speak to Him by prayer, to which we wait for an answer of peace.

2. If Gods Word be not regarded by us, our prayers shall not only not be acceptable to God, but they shall be an abomination to Him; not only our sacrifices, which were ceremonial appointments, but even our prayers, which are moral duties, and which, when they are put up by the upright, are so much His delight. The sinner whose prayers God is thus angry at is one who wilfully and obstinately refuses to obey Gods commandments, who will not so much as give them the hearing, but causes his ear to decline the law, and refuses when God calls. God will therefore justly refuse him when he calls. (Matthew Henry.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 28:9. He that turneth away his ear, &c. — That obstinately refuses to yield obedience to God’s commands; even his prayer shall be abomination — To God, whose law he despises. God will abhor and reject his person and all his services. “He,” says Lord Clarendon, “who will not hearken to what God directs, nor do what he enjoins, hath no reason to pretend to ask any thing of him. If we live like heathens, or infidels, our Christian prayers do but affront his majesty, and our praises depress his glory.” Reader, mark this!

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28:9 A person who ignores the law shows no fear of the Lord (1:7), the lawgiver. That person’s prayers are hypocritical—why should God listen to them?

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Because it is not of faith which is grounded of God’s word or Law, which the wicked contemn.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Note, 1. It is by the word and prayer that our communion with God is kept up. God speaks to us by his law, and expects we should hear him and heed him; we speak to him by prayer, to which we wait for an answer of peace. How reverent and serious should we be, whenever we are hearing from and speaking to the Lord of glory! 2. If God's word be not regarded by us, our prayers shall not only not be accepted of God, but they shall be an abomination to him, not only our sacrifices, which were ceremonial appointments, but even our prayers, which are moral duties, and which, when they are put up by the upright, are so much his delight. See Isa 1:11, Isa 1:15. The sinner whose prayers God is thus angry at is one who wilfully and obstinately refuses to obey God's commandments, who will not so much as give them the hearing, but causes his ear to decline the law, and refuses when God calls; God will therefore justly refuse him when he calls. See Pro 1:24, Pro 1:28.

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

(Compare Pro 15:8; Pro 21:27).

hearing--that is, obeying. God requires sincere worshippers (Psa 66:18; Joh 4:24).

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 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law] Many suppose, if they do not know their duty, they shall not be accountable for their transgressions; and therefore avoid every thing that is calculated to enlighten them. They will not read the Bible, lest they should know the will of Good; and they will not attend Divine ordinances for the same reason. But this pretense will avail them nothing; as he that might have known his master's will, but would not, shall be treated as he shall be who did know it, and disobeyed it. Even the prayers of such a person as this are reputed sin before God.

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

(9) Even his prayer shall be abomination.—See above on Pro_15:8.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. abomination] Comp. ch. Pro_15:8.

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 turneth away his ear from hearing the law,.... Not merely the moral law, but the word of God in general, and any and every doctrine of it; though the law is to be heard and attended to, what it commands and forbids, its precepts, menaces, and curses: indeed the Spirit of God is not received by the hearing of the law, nor does faith come by that; but by hearing the word of God, particularly the Gospel; which yet then turn away their ears from, and are turned to fables, and choose to hearken to anything rather than that; and, like the deaf adder, stop their ears to the voice of the charmer, charming ever so wisely; the folly and sad effects of which will be seen when too late;

even his prayer shall be abomination; that is, to God; not only his ungodly actions, but even his outward exercises of religion, which carry in them some show of goodness and holiness; and particularly his prayer to God, which in upright persons is the delight of the Lord; yet in such an one it will be abhorred by him; when he is in distress, and shall pray to the Lord, he will not only turn a deaf ear to him, as he has to his law or word, but he will despise and abhor him and his prayer; because he has set at nought his counsel, and despised his reproof, Pro 1:24.

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

His. Septuagint, "he rendereth his prayer abominable."

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, that obstinately refuseth to yield audience or obedience to God’s commands, even his prayer shall be abomination to God, whose law he despised. God will abhor and reject his person, and all his services.

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

9. Turneth away… from… the law — Neither prayer nor any other devotional act can atone for the violation of the law, or become a substitute for obedience. While we neglect the golden rule our devotions are mockery. Compare Pro_15:8; Isa_13:15.

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

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law. He who refuses to hearken to and to practise the dictates of the Divine law. (comp Pro_1:20) Even his prayer shall be abomination. (comp. Pro_15:8, and note there) "God heareth not sinners". (Joh_9:31) Such a man"s prayer, if he does pray, is not hearty and sincere, and therefore, lacks the element which alone can make it acceptable. He will not resolve to forsake his favourite sin, even while paying outward worship to the God whoso Law he breaks: what wonder that the prophet so sternly denounces such offenders, (Isa_1:11. etc.) and the psalmist cries with terrible rigour, "When he shall be judged, let him be condemned; and let his prayer become sin"? (Psa_109:7) St. Gregory ("Moral.," 10:27), "Our heart blames us in offering up our prayers, when it calls to mind that it is set in opposition to the precepts of him whom it implores, and the prayer becomes abomination, when there is a "turning away" from the control of the Law; in that wirily it is meet that a man should be a stranger to the favours of him to whose bidding he will not be subject." And again (ibid., 18:9, 10), "If that which he bids we do, that which we ask we shall obtain. For with God both these two do of necessity match with one another exactly, that practice should be sustained by prayer, and prayer by practice" (Oxford transl.).

The prayer that is an abomination.

God does not hear all prayer. There are even prayers that he rejects with wrath. The broken words of the penitent, the simple cry of the little child, and the ungrammatical sentences of the ignorant person may be all acceptable to God, while prayers faultless in form and impressive in utterance are flung back as insults to the Divine majesty. The first consideration is not as to the nature of the prayer, but as to the character of the supposed worshipper. The prayer that is an abomination is one which, however perfect it may appear to be in itself, comes from contaminated lips. We need to examine ourselves rather than to weigh our phrases.

I THE CONDUCT THAT MAKES THE PRAYER AN ABOMINATION. This is the conduct of one "that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law." Such conduct carries with it two, evil things.

1. Wilful error. The heathen who do not know the Law may well be dealt with leniently when they blunder into superstition, and even confuse their consciences with degraded forms of religion, for their error is involuntary. But when a man has an opportunity of coming to a knowledge of the truth, but rejects it in indolence or aversion, he is to blame for the wrong notions which would have been corrected but for his voluntary acceptance of darkness rather than light Devotion ought to be enlightened by instruction. The Bible should be read in public worship. Scripture truth is needed as a guide to prayer.

2. Deliberate disobedience. The turning aside from hearing the Law is not likely to spring from a mere reluctance to learn its doctrines. Behind this there lies a dislike to obeying its precepts, which reveals a stubborn self-will in opposition to the will of God. Now, such an evil state of the heart precludes all favour from Heaven.

II THE REASON WHY THE PRAYER IS AN ABOMINATION. This may be looked for in two directions. It may lie in the prayer itself, or it may be found in the man who utters it.

1. A bad prayer is offered. If the worshipper is wilfully ignorant, he is to blame for asking for things which he would refrain from seeking when in a more enlightened condition. If he is self-willed and disobedient, he is guilty of asking amiss for what he may spend on his own lusts, (Jam_4:3) instead of seeking what is in accordance with the will of God.

2. A prayer proceeds from sinful lips. There are moments of distress when the most undevout man would be glad of heavenly aid, if only it would come like the help given by Homer"s gods and goddesses to his heroes in their times of danger. There is no spiritual religion in the cry for help under such circumstances. If the soul is alienated from God, and there is no sign of penitence, the prayer for deliverance, though genuine and heartfelt, may well be rejected. But worse than this is the mock worship of one who would have the honour of being religious together with the profit of being sinful. There can be no true religion without right conduct. God looks to the behaviour of the life more than to the language of the prayer. He cares nothing for reverence in the temple if he sees wickedness in the market place.

See homily on Pro_15:8. C.

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

9 He who turneth away his ear not to hear of the law,

Even his prayer is an abomination.

Cf. Pro 15:8 and the argument Sa1 15:22. Not only the evil which such an one does, but also the apparent good is an abomination, an abomination to God, and eo ipso also in itself: morally hollow and corrupt; for it is not truth and sincerity, for the whole soul, the whole will of the suppliant, is not present: he is not that for which he gives himself out in his prayer, and does not earnestly seek that which he presents and expresses a wish for in prayer.

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.)

This does not mark the frailty, infirmity, or temptation, that too often interrupts the hearing of the law, and damps the attentive interest; or even the occasional rebellion against the divine commands. The case described is that habitual and obstinate rejection of God, that despises his ordinances, and refuses the instruction of his Ministry. Awful indeed is it, that there should be such a rebel. Yet thus do "the ungodly, while they take God’s covenant into their mouth, hate instruction, and cast his words behind them." (Psa 50:16-17 .) Nay, even in his church will "they come before him as the people come, and sit before him as his people; they hear his words, but they will not do them." (Eze 33:31-32 .) If the subject thus turneth away his ear from the law of his Sovereign, every prayer that he may present in time of distress his Lord will regard as an abomination. (Pro 1:28-29 . Zec 7:11-13 .) A fearful thought, that, however speciously and smoothly fashioned, in order to impose upon man, it is no less in the sight of God than a blessing judiciously cursed. Justly is the door of audience closed against the presumptuous hypocrite. ’Great reason that God shall refuse to hear him, who refuseth to hear God.’†1 And what if his language now — "Depart from me" — should be taken out of his mouth at the great day, as the seal of his everlasting doom! (Job 21:14 ; Job 22:17, with Mat 25:41 .)

A strange contradiction, that this open rejection of God should be connected with any form or semblance of religion! And yet often would the self-deceiver compensate for the disobedience of a plain command by the performance of some external duty. Israel presented "the multitude of sacrifices" as a price for the neglect of practical obligations. "Vain oblations! Incense that was abomination!" (Isa 1:11-15 . Psa 66:18 .) Often now praying at home is an excuse for turning away from hearing the law in God’s own house. Such prayer is solemnly declared to be abomination. Often also is the law of charity and even of bounden duty evaded, to maintain a profession of godliness, hateful in his eyes, who will bring to open shame every hypocritical service. (Mat 15:8 .) Does God trifle with man? Assuredly he will not suffer man thus to trifle with him.

Be it ever remembered, that godliness is God’s whole service; that "the wisdom from above is without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (Jas 3:17 ); that to extol one ordinance at the expense of another; to decry preaching for the sake of commending prayer; is proof alike of a false judgment and an unsound heart. To reject any divine ordinance is proud will-worship; a plain proof, that the privilege has never been enjoyed. For no beggar would slight the door, where he had been used to receive his blessing. Oh my God! let me lie in thine own bosom, or at thy feet, that my will may be lost in thine, and my happiness found in a whole-hearted devotedness to thyself!

Footnotes:

†1 Bishop Reynolds on Hos 14:8 .

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If one

"If a person"

turns away his ear from hearing the law

This represents the whole person turning away from and rejecting God's law. AT: "turns away from hearing and obeying the law" (See: Synecdoche)

even his prayer is detestable

"even his prayer is offensive to God." This can be written in active form. AT: "God detests even his prayer" (See: Active or Passive)

detestable

See how you translated this in Proverbs 3:32.

Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way

This is a metaphor for leading upright people in an evil direction. AT: "Whoever causes the upright to go in an evil direction" (See: Metaphor)

Whoever misleads ... evil way will fall

"If anyone misleads ... evil way, he will fall"

the upright

This refers to upright persons in general. AT: "upright persons" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

will fall into his own pit

"will fall into the trap that he has dug." This is a metaphor for ending up in the same bad place as others had been led toward. AT: "will end up in the same evil place toward which he guided other people" (See: Metaphor)

the blameless

This refers to blameless persons in general. AT: "blameless persons" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

will have a good inheritance

"will inherit what is good"

translationWords

law, laws

pray

righteous

evil

pit

blameless

inherit

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.