Proverbs 15:12
A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 15:12
A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse suggests a scoffer not only dislikes being corrected but also actively avoids the wise, implying they recognize that true wisdom inherently leads to confrontation with their own flawed ways. This isn't just about someone being a bit grumpy; it highlights a deep-seated aversion to anything that challenges their arrogance and self-deception.
This verse sits within a section of Proverbs contrasting the wise and the foolish, often highlighting the scoffer as the epitome of willful ignorance. It follows discussions about seeking wisdom and understanding, and precedes further warnings about the path of the wicked. The author is painting a picture of the closed-off heart that actively rejects any attempts at correction or guidance, preferring instead the comfort of its own misguided ways.
Ever met someone who just won't hear it, no matter how true or kind the advice? Proverbs calls them 'scoffers.' It's more than just disagreement; it's a fundamental rejection.
The word used for 'scoffer' here points to someone arrogant and self-opinionated, someone who treats spiritual things and wise counsel with contempt. They don't just dislike being corrected; they actively hate it.
More Than Discomfort
This isn't about a minor offense or a simple preference. For the scoffer, reproof is an affront to their pride. They don't just avoid correction; they recoil from it, often speaking ill of those who dare to offer it. Their rejection isn't just a passive avoidance; it's an active animosity towards anyone who challenges their worldview or behavior.
If advice is offered and rejected, where does the scoffer go? They steer clear of the very places and people who could bring them life and truth.
The scoffer's aversion to reproof leads them to actively avoid the wise. They won't seek out conversations or environments where they might be challenged or guided. This isn't an accidental consequence; it's a deliberate choice to remain in their own echo chamber.
A Closed Circuit
This means they won't 'go to the wise' – not for counsel, not for instruction, and certainly not for correction. They recognize that wise people, particularly godly ones, will inevitably speak truth that might sting. So, to protect their pride and maintain their comfortable lifestyle, they withdraw from these potentially life-altering encounters. It's a self-imposed exile from wisdom, ensuring their ignorance and arrogance can continue unchecked.
Understand the original words
letz · Hebrew Noun
One who mocks, derides, or treats divine wisdom and correction with contempt, refusing to submit to the instruction of the wise.
tokhehah · Hebrew Noun
The act of correcting, rebuking, or disciplining; in biblical wisdom literature, it is a necessary process for turning a person toward righteousness and truth.
chakam · Hebrew Noun
One who possesses practical, moral, and spiritual wisdom; specifically, one who fears the LORD and orders their life according to His Word.
This passage directly parallels Proverbs 15:12, warning that if you correct a scoffer, they will hate you, highlighting the consistent theme of the scoffer's aversion to correction.
Luke 10:16Jesus states that rejecting His messengers is like rejecting Him, showing that the scoffer's rejection of wise counsel is a rejection of God's own wisdom and authority.
John 3:20This verse explains that people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil, directly illustrating why a scoffer avoids the wise (light) who would expose their sinful ways.
Amos 5:10This prophetic passage shows that those who speak truth and correction are hated in the city gate, demonstrating the historical and spiritual reality of the scoffer's hostility towards reproof.
Proverbs 1:22This verse describes scorners as loving their scorn and hating knowledge, reinforcing the idea that their nature itself rebels against the very wisdom and correction they desperately need.
pulpitProverbs 15:12: "A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise."
Verse 12. - A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him (Proverbs 9:8; Amos 5:10). For "scorner" the Vulgate has pestilens, and the Septuagint ἀπαίδευτος, "undisciplined." "Scorners" are spoken of elsewhere, as Proverbs 1:22 (where see note); they are conceited, arrogant persons, free-thinkers, indifferent to or sceptical of religion, and too self-opinionated to be open to advice or reproof. Neither…
pooleProverbs 15:12: "A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise."
Loveth not, i.e. hateth and avoideth it; for more is here understood than is expressed, as it is Proverbs 11:21 12:3 , and elsewhere. Neither will he go unto, seek their company and conversation, as his duty and interest obligeth him, the wise, i.e. the godly, because he knows they who are so indeed will make conscience of reproving him.
The verse suggests a scoffer not only dislikes being corrected but also actively avoids the wise, implying they recognize that true wisdom inherently leads to confrontation with their own flawed ways. This isn't just about someone being a bit grumpy; it highlights a deep-seated aversion to anything that challenges their arrogance and self-deception.
This verse sits within a section of Proverbs contrasting the wise and the foolish, often highlighting the scoffer as the epitome of willful ignorance. It follows discussions about seeking wisdom and understanding, and precedes further warnings about the path of the wicked. The author is painting a picture of the closed-off heart that actively rejects any attempts at correction or guidance, preferring instead the comfort of its own misguided ways.
This verse sits within a section of Proverbs contrasting the wise and the foolish, often highlighting the scoffer as the epitome of willful ignorance. It follows discussions about seeking wisdom and understanding, and precedes further warnings about the path of the wicked. The author is painting a picture of the closed-off heart that actively rejects any attempts at correction or guidance, preferring instead the comfort of its own misguided ways.
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"A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise." — The verse suggests a scoffer not only dislikes being corrected but also actively avoids the wise, implying they recognize that true wisdom inherently leads to confrontation with their own flawed ways…