Proverbs 1:29-30
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The verse highlights that rejecting wisdom isn't just a passive forgetting; it's an active "hating" of knowledge and a deliberate refusal to "choose" the awe of God. This emphasizes that their ruin is a consequence of their own willful choices, not an arbitrary punishment.
Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Wisdom has been calling out in the streets, offering instruction and warnings, but the people have rejected her calls. This verse explains why their pleas for help in a time of disaster will be ignored: they actively hated learning and refused to embrace reverence for the Lord. Their rejection of wisdom's guidance, both intellectual and moral, is the direct cause of her refusal to answer them when their destruction finally comes.
Why would anyone hate knowledge? This verse points to a deep-seated rebellion that makes us recoil from truth, even when it could save us.
Hating the Light
The verse states, "they hated knowledge." This isn't just a casual dislike; it's an active aversion. When God's wisdom, presented in Scripture and through godly counsel, shines a light on our wrong paths, our first instinct might be to shield our eyes.
What does it mean to 'choose' the fear of the Lord? It's more than just not being scared; it's a fundamental orientation of the heart.
The Heart's Deepest Choice
The phrase "did not choose the fear of the LORD" highlights a critical decision point. The original language suggests not only a selection but also a deep affection for what is chosen.
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Understand the original words
daʿaṯ · Hebrew Noun
The capacity for discernment and moral understanding based on the revelation of God. It is not merely intellectual data but an active relationship with truth.
yirʾâ · Hebrew Noun
A reverential, awe-filled respect for the majesty, holiness, and authority of Yahweh. It is the beginning of wisdom and the foundational posture of a righteous life.
ʿēṣâ · Hebrew Noun
Advice, purpose, or a plan. Biblically, it refers to the guidance or instruction offered to lead a person in the way of righteousness and life.
tôkēḥâ · Hebrew Noun
A formal correction, rebuke, or discipline meant to turn someone away from folly and toward righteousness. It is an expression of God's grace in calling the sinner back to obedience.
This passage directly connects hating knowledge with loving darkness, echoing Proverbs' idea that rejecting God's wisdom stems from a love of one's own wicked ways.
Romans 8:7The idea that the 'mind of the flesh' is hostile to God and does not submit to His law perfectly captures the essence of 'hating knowledge' and refusing 'the fear of the LORD' described in Proverbs.
Hebrews 12:5This verse speaks about not despising the discipline of the Lord, which parallels the concept in Proverbs of rejecting wisdom and counsel, highlighting the danger of dismissing God's guidance.
Matthew 23:13Jesus' rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees for shutting the kingdom of heaven in people's faces illustrates how a rejection of true knowledge and the fear of the Lord can actively prevent others from seeking God.
bensonProverbs 1:29: "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:"
Proverbs 1:29-32 . For that they hated knowledge — Hated the light of divine truth, because it discovered to them the evil of their ways, John 3:20 ; or, hated the practical knowledge of God, and of their duty to him, and did not choose — That is, heartily approve of and love, the fear of the Lord — But chose to walk in the way of their own heart, and in the sight of their own eyes. They would none of my co…
clarkeProverbs 1:29: "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:"
They hated knowledge - This argues the deepest degree of intellectual and moral depravity.
The verse highlights that rejecting wisdom isn't just a passive forgetting; it's an active "hating" of knowledge and a deliberate refusal to "choose" the awe of God. This emphasizes that their ruin is a consequence of their own willful choices, not an arbitrary punishment.
Wisdom has been calling out in the streets, offering instruction and warnings, but the people have rejected her calls. This verse explains why their pleas for help in a time of disaster will be ignored: they actively hated learning and refused to embrace reverence for the Lord. Their rejection of wisdom's guidance, both intellectual and moral, is the direct cause of her refusal to answer them when their destruction finally comes.
Wisdom has been calling out in the streets, offering instruction and warnings, but the people have rejected her calls. This verse explains why their pleas for help in a time of disaster will be ignored: they actively hated learning and refused to embrace reverence for the Lord. Their rejection of wisdom's guidance, both intellectual and moral, is the direct cause of her refusal to answer them when their destruction finally comes.
"Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof," — The verse highlights that rejecting wisdom isn't just a passive forgetting; it's an active "hating" of knowledge and a deliberate refusal to "choose" the awe of God. This emphasizes that their ruin i…
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Last reviewed October 2026
