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Selected Verse: Proverbs 29:1 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Pr 29:1 |
King James |
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
(Pro. 29:1-27)
hardeneth . . . neck--obstinately refuses counsel (Kg2 17:14; Neh 9:16).
destroyed--literally, "shivered" or "utterly broken to pieces."
without remedy--literally, "without healing" or repairing. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Shall be destroyed - literally, "shall be broken" Pro 6:15. Stress is laid on the suddenness in such a case of the long-delayed retribution. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
A general ethical proverb here follows:
A man often corrected who hardeneth his neck,
Shall suddenly go to ruin without remedy.
Line second = Pro 6:15. The connection אישׁ תּוכחות must make the nearest impression on a reader of the Book of Proverbs that they mean a censurer (reprehender), but which is set aside by what follows, for the genit. after אישׁ is, Pro 16:29; Pro 26:21; Pro 29:10; Pro 13:20, the designation of that which proceeds from the subject treated. And since תּוכחות, Psa 37:15; Job 23:4, denotes counter evidence, and generally rejoinders, thus in the first line a reasoner is designated who lets nothing be said to him, and nothing be shown to him, but contradicts all and every one. Thus e.g., Fleischer: vir qui correptus contradicit et cervicem obdurat. But this interpolated correptus gives involuntary testimony of this, that the nearest lying impression of the 'אישׁ תו suffers a change by מקשׁה ערף: if we read הקשׁה (לב) ערף with 'תו, the latter then designates the correptio, over against which is placed obstinate boldness (Syr., Targ., Jerome, Luther), and 'תו shows itself thus to be gen. objecti, and we have to compare the gen. connection of אישׁ, as at Pro 18:23; Pro 21:17, or rather at Kg1 20:42 and Jer 15:10. But it is unnecessary, with Hitzig, to limit 'תו to divine infliction of punishment, and after Hos 5:9; Isa 37:3, to read תוכחות [punishment], which occurs, Psa 149:7, in the sense of punishment inflicted by man.
(Note: Vid., Zunz, "Regarding the Idea and the Use of Tokhecha," in Steinschneider's Heb. Bibliographia, entitled המחכיר, 1871, p. 70f.)
Besides, we must think first not of actual punishment, but of chastening, reproving words; and the man to whom are spoken the reproving words is one whose conduct merits more and more severe censure, and continually receives correction from those who are concerned for his welfare. Hitzig regards the first line as a conditional clause: "Is a man of punishment stiff-necked?".... This is syntactically impossible. Only מקשׁה ערף could have such force: a man of punishment, if he.... But why then did not the author rather write the words והוא מקשׁה ערף? Why then could not מקשׁה ערף be a co-ordinated further description of the man? Cf. e.g., Ex. 17:21. The door of penitence, to which earnest, well-meant admonition calls a man, does not always remain open. He who with stiff-necked persistence in sin and in self-delusion sets himself in opposition to all endeavours to save his soul, shall one day suddenly, and without the prospect and possibility of restoration (cf. Jer 19:11), become a wreck. Audi doctrinam si vis vitare ruinam. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Hardeneth his neck - Becomes stubborn and obstinate. |
16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.
7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.
10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.
42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.