Proverbs 13:1 · Bible study
Proverbs 13:1 Commentary: The Contrast Between Wisdom and Scoffing
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why a wise son hears instruction but a scorner refuses rebuke. Hebrew word study, commentary insights, and application for today.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A wise son values and obeys his father’s instruction; a scoffer stubbornly refuses even sharp rebuke.
- Key words: ben chakham (wise son) vs. letz (scoffer/mocker); musar (discipline/instruction); shama (hear and obey); ge’arah (rebuke, strong reprimand).
- Main debate: Whether the first line originally lacked a verb (an ellipse) or the verb is implied from the second; the meaning is not affected.
- Theological theme: True wisdom is inseparable from humble teachability; pride is the root of scoffing and spiritual deafness.
- Best use: A tool for parents teaching children, for sermons on humility, and for self-examination regarding our own response to godly counsel.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
A wise son heeds his father’s discipline, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
WEB World English Bible 2000
A wise son listens to his father’s instruction, but a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke.
KJV King James Version 1769
A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
A wise sonhearethhis father’s instruction; But a scoffer heareth not rebuke.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
A wise son--the instruction of a father, And a scorner--he hath not heard rebuke.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
A wise son [heareth] his father's instruction; but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
A wise son heareth the doctrine of his father: but he that is a scorner, heareth not when he is reproved.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
EL hijo sabio toma el consejo del padre: mas el burlador no escucha las reprensiones.
O filho sábio ouve a correção do pai; mas o zombador não escuta a repreensão.
Un fils sage écoute l’ instruction de son père,
Ein weiser Sohn läßt sich vom Vater züchtigen; aber ein Spötter gehorcht der Strafe nicht.
Een wijs zoon hoort de tucht des vaders; maar een spotter hoort de bestraffing niet.
Il figliuol savio ascolta l’istruzione di suo padre, ma il beffardo non ascolta rimproveri.
Syn mądry przyjmuje ćwiczenie ojcowskie, ale naśmiewca nie słucha strofowania.
Мудрый сын слушает наставление отца, а буйный не слушает обличения.
智慧 子 聽父親 的教訓；褻慢人 不 聽 責備。
A wise son is a lover of teaching, but the ears of the haters of authority are shut to sharp words.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 13:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across the supplied sources agree on the basic contrast: a wise son is receptive to his father’s instruction, while a scoffer refuses even strong rebuke. John Gill notes that the wise son not only hears but “asks for” and “loves” correction, treating it as profitable. Adam Clarke roots this in upbringing, the child who has been properly nurtured will profit by counsel, while one left to self-will “jest at the reproofs of its parents.” Barnes’ Notes draws attention to the grammar: the verb “heareth” must be supplied from the second clause in the first, which places stress on the scorner’s deliberate refusal to hear. Matthew Henry captures the pastoral angle: there is great hope for those who value parental advice, and little hope for those who scorn rebuke. Keil and Delitzsch also wrestle with the elliptical first line, concluding that the wise son is himself the product of his father’s discipline (מוּסַר). The shared foundation is that true wisdom shows itself in a teachable spirit; scoffing pride closes the ear to correction.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse unmistakably contrasts a receptive, wise son with a scornful, unteachable son; the core lesson is that teachability is the mark of wisdom.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of the contrast | All commentators see a straightforward contrast between a teachable wise son and an unteachable scoffer. | Keil and Delitzsch spend significant effort on the grammar of the first line (whether the verb is omitted), but that does not affect the meaning. |
| The identity of the scoffer | The scoffer is a son (or by extension any person) who mocks at wisdom and correction. | None; the supplied sources agree the scoffer is a specific character in Proverbs, not just a general rebellious person. |
| The role of nurture vs. nature | Clarke emphasizes proper upbringing; Gill stresses the wise son’s active love for instruction. | Some commentators see the difference as caused by parenting (Clarke), others by the child’s own choices (Matthew Henry). Both views are present in the tradition. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Proverbs is a collection of sayings from Solomon and other sages, aimed primarily at training young men in moral and practical wisdom. The father’s instruction (מוּסַר) was the chief vehicle of education in ancient Israel, it included verbal teaching, discipline, and even corporal correction (see Proverbs 4:1, 4; 13:24). The word implies both a body of teaching and the chastening necessary to impart it. The home served as the first school of wisdom.
Into this setting steps the “scoffer” (לֵץ, letz), a recurring character in Proverbs. The scoffer mocks at sin and scoffs at religion (Gill), and he refuses not just instruction but the even stronger “rebuke” (גְּעָרָה, ge’arah, a stern, awakening word). Proverbs 9:7, 8 warns that correcting a mocker only brings insult; the wise, by contrast, love the one who reproves them. The scoffer’s resistance therefore is not a neutral stance but a hostile one, he treats correction as an attack rather than a gift.
Underlying this family scene is a theological axiom: “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). To reject a father’s instruction is, in the wisdom tradition, to reject God’s own order. Eli’s sons in 1 Samuel 2:25 are a sobering example: they “did not listen to the voice of their father,” and their hearts were hardened. The verse thus captures a life-or-death difference: humility that leads to life, or pride that refuses to hear.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Proverbs 13:1. Keil and Delitzsch discuss whether the first line originally lacked a verb (an ellipsis), with the verb “heareth” supplied from the second line. This is a grammatical feature rather than a variant. The LXX and Syriac follow the same sense, adding “heareth” in translation. The Masoretic Text is stable.
Reception History
Proverbs 13:1 has been consistently used across Christian history to teach the virtue of humility and the danger of pride in receiving correction. Early church fathers saw in the scoffer a type of those who reject God’s Word. The verse has been frequently cited in catechetical instruction on the Fourth Commandment (honoring parents). In the Reformation, commentators like Matthew Henry drew from it a pastoral distinction between hopeful children and those who harden themselves. Jewish tradition also emphasizes the verse in training young men to value the discipline of the Torah. It remains a foundational proof text for the principle that wisdom begins with listening.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Teachability marks the wise. The wise son doesn’t just hear words, he receives, loves, and obeys his father’s instruction. The Hebrew verb shama carries the weight of listening with attention and action.
- Pride deafens the scoffer. The scoffer won’t listen even to rebuke, a stronger form of correction. His problem is not a lack of information but a hardened will.
- Wisdom roots itself in the home. This proverb operates on a domestic stage, but the stakes are eternal. How we respond to earthly authority often mirrors our response to God. See Proverbs 4:20, 22 for the life-giving power of the father’s words.
Five-point outline
- The two sons. Within one family, two different responses to the same instruction (compare Proverbs 10:1).
- What the wise son does. He hears, the verb is supplied from the second line (Barnes). His hearing is active, not passive.
- What the scoffer refuses. He won’t hear even rebuke, the sharp, corrective word. The implication: he will only become worse.
- The cause of the difference. Nurture (Clarke), love for correction (Gill), or fear of God, the text points to heart posture.
- Where this leads. The wise son becomes wiser; the scoffer heads toward destruction (see Proverbs 5:11; 9:12).
Illustration hooks
- A driving instructor: A teenager learning to drive who snaps at every correction will never become a safe driver. The one who says “show me what I did wrong” improves quickly.
- Coach and athlete: The athlete who scoffs at criticism stays on the bench. The one who welcomes it becomes a starter.
- Software app updates: Ignoring updates leaves your device vulnerable. Receiving them (even when inconvenient) keeps you secure and functional.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I’m being truly teachable or just pretending to listen?
- What do I do when the person giving correction doesn’t have my best interests at heart?
- Is it ever right to ignore a parent’s instruction or rebuke, for example, if the parent is abusive or ungodly?
Leading a Discussion
This verse draws a line between two kinds of people: those who welcome correction and those who reject it. It forces us to examine our own hearts. Where do we find ourselves in this contrast? The small group setting is a safe place to ask that question honestly.
Discussion questions
- Read Proverbs 13:1 in at least two translations. What differences do you notice in how they render the first line (especially the missing verb)?
- The wise son “listens” or “hears” his father’s instruction. What does that word imply beyond just hearing sounds? (Use the supplied lexicon note on shama.)
- Why do you think the scoffer specifically refuses rebuke, a stronger word than instruction? What is he trying to protect?
- Cross-reference Proverbs 9:7, 8. What does that passage say about the scoffer’s character and how we should interact with him?
- In your own life, who has been a “father” figure of wisdom, someone whose instruction you needed to accept or reject? How did that turn out?
- The commentators note that the wise son asks for instruction (Gill). What would it look like to actively seek out correction this week?
- How does this proverb help you understand the difference between healthy humility and unhealthy pride in your relationship with God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 2:25 | If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them. |
| Proverbs 4:1 | Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding; |
| Proverbs 4:14 | Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men. |
| Proverbs 4:20 | My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings. |
| Proverbs 4:22 | For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body. |
| Proverbs 9:7 | One who corrects a mocker invites insult. One who reproves a wicked man invites abuse. |
| Proverbs 9:8 | Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you. Reprove a wise person, and he will love you. |
| Proverbs 10:1 | The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke traces the difference between a teachable child and a defiant one back to early upbringing. A child raised with proper discipline and nurture will benefit from a father's counsel, while a child left to follow its own will ends up mocking correction.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the verse's grammatical structure deliberately repeats the verb "heareth" to stress the scorner's stubbornness. The point is that the scorner refuses not only ordinary instruction but also the stronger, more forceful rebuke, showing an obstinate rejection of correction at any level.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that a wise person follows his father’s guidance while a person who mocks others ignores any correction. This distinction shows how attitude affects one’s response to advice.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that a wise son actively seeks, loves, and obeys his father's instruction, treating it as a cordial benefit from age and experience. This same dynamic applies spiritually: those who are wise in Christ eagerly receive the Gospel's teaching, while scorners refuse even the rebuke meant to correct them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws attention to the parallel between this verse and earlier proverbs about a wise son heeding his father's instruction while a scorner rejects reproof. By cross-referencing chapters 6 and 10, he shows how consistently Proverbs contrasts teachable humility with stubborn contempt.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that "a wise son is his father's correction" makes complete sense as written, needing no added verb. They reject the common theory that "listens" is implied from the second line, because Hebrew grammar allows no such ellipse here. Instead, the wise son himself is the living product of his father's discipline.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws a sharp line between a teachable child and one who scoffs at correction. A son who listens to his father's instruction shows he is already wise and likely to grow wiser. But those who refuse to hear rebuke have little hope of mending, since they treat faithful correction as an enemy.