Proverbs 22:10 · Bible study
Proverbs 22:10 Commentary: Cast Out the Scorner, End Strife
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Proverbs 22:10: the command to drive out the mocker, its practical meaning for community peace, and how it relates to Christian forgiveness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Expelling a contemptuous person ends quarrels and public shame, restoring peace to the group.
- Key words: Gārash (drive out), lēts (mocker/scorner), qālōn (shame/disgrace).
- Main debate: Whether this refers to literal excommunication, expulsion from family, or figurative removal of a mocking influence.
- Theological theme: Wisdom’s concern for preserving the honor and peace of God’s community.
- Best use: A foundation for church discipline discussions and for teaching that peace sometimes requires painful boundaries.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
KJV King James Version 1769
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out; Yea, strife and ignominy will cease.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Cast out a scorner--and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Cast out the scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Cast out the scoffer, and contention shall go out with him, and quarrels and reproaches shall cease.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Echa fuera al escarnecedor, y saldrá la contienda, y cesará el pleito y la afrenta.
Expulsa ao zombador, e a briga terminará; cessará a disputa e a vergonha.
Chasse le moqueur, et la querelle prendra fin;
Treibe den Spötter aus, so geht der Zank weg, so hört auf Hader und Schmähung.
Drijf den spotter uit, en het gekijf zal weggaan, en het geschil met de schande zal ophouden.
Caccia via il beffardo, se n’andranno le contese, e cesseran le liti e gli oltraggi.
Wyrzuć naśmiewcę, a ustanie zwada; owszem uspokoi się swar i pohańbienie.
Прогони кощунника, и удалится раздор, и прекратятся ссора и брань.
趕出 褻慢人，爭端 就消除；紛爭 和羞辱 也必止息。
Send away the man of pride, and argument will go out; truly fighting and shame will come to an end.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 22:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this proverb describes a decisive act of removal that restores peace. The verb gārash (drive out) carries force, Gill says it means expulsion from “all company and conversation,” whether family or church. Matthew Henry connects it to Ishmael’s expulsion from Abraham’s household when he mocked Isaac (Genesis 21:9-10). Keil and Delitzsch note that the mocker ( lēts ) treats serious things frivolously, and when he is “chased away,” conflict and disgrace stop together. The LXX adds “out of the assembly,” which Cambridge Bible explains as removing him from the group so mutual abuse ceases. All point to a single practical outcome: the mocker’s presence guarantees strife; his removal permits peace.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal church discipline: Cross-references like Genesis 21:10 and Nehemiah 13:28 show actual expulsion; New Testament parallels (Matthew 18) are often invoked, though not supplied here.
- Figurative / internal removal: Jarchi’s interpretation of the evil inclination; the verse as a metaphor for putting away a scornful attitude.
- Sociological wisdom: The proverb reads as observation: when you remove the source of conflict, conflict ceases. No sanction or command necessarily implied.
What is clear: A mocking person brings strife, and their removal leads to peace—regardless of whether the act is physical expulsion or psychological distance.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the mocker | The mocker is one who scoffs at what is serious and holy, provoking strife. | Some commentators see it as a specific type of person in the community (Gill, Matthew Henry); others, like Jarchi (as cited by Gill), interpret it as the evil inclination inside a person. |
| Scope of 'drive out' | Removal from the immediate community is necessary to restore peace. | Is the removal literal excommunication from a church or synagogue, or is it a more general social avoidance? The cross-reference to Ishmael (Genesis 21:10) supports family expulsion; Nehemiah 13:28 supports official exclusion. |
| Application for Christians today | The verse teaches that persistent mockers should not be allowed to destroy community harmony. | Traditions differ on how this relates to church discipline and forgiveness. Some see it as parallel to Matthew 18:17; others emphasize that the church must always be ready to welcome the repentant. |
| Literary function in Proverbs | The verse gives practical wisdom for maintaining peace in any social group. | Some read it as a legal-like command; others as a wise observation that automatically follows from cause and effect. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The lēts (mocker, scorner) appears repeatedly in Proverbs as a distinct type, proud, arrogant, and derisive toward both God and people (Proverbs 21:24). In ancient Israel, community honor was fragile; a mocker’s words brought public shame (qālōn) upon individuals and the whole group. The surrounding sayings in Proverbs 22 reinforce communal order: training children (v.6), generosity (v.9), purity and grace (v.11). Verse 10 fits among these practical instructions for maintaining a healthy society.
The cross-reference to Sarah expelling Ishmael (Genesis 21:9-10) gives a concrete narrative precedent: mockery could lead to expulsion from even the most intimate community, the family. Nehemiah’s expulsion of a priest’s son who allied with Sanballat (Nehemiah 13:28) shows the same pattern operating in post-exilic Jerusalem. The command thus belongs to the wisdom tradition of creating and protecting space where reverence for God can flourish. The second line’s progression, “strife,” then “quarrels and insults,” then they “cease”, underscores the cascade of trouble the mocker generates and the completeness of peace when he is gone.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentators note no significant Hebrew textual variants for Proverbs 22:10. The LXX adds the phrase “out of the assembly” (ἐκ συνεδρίου), which Cambridge Bible observes “illustrates the meaning” by specifying the context, an organized group, not merely casual company.
Reception History
Jewish tradition, as represented by Jarchi, often interpreted the “scorner” as the evil inclination ( yetzer hara ), urging internal removal of pride. Early Christian commentators used the verse to support excommunication of the unrepentant. Augustine and others cited it when discussing church discipline for those who mock the faith. The Reformation saw it as a warrant for ecclesiastical censure; the Geneva Bible’s note simply restates the verse without allegory. Modern readings tend to stress the social wisdom: healthy groups must sometimes exclude divisive voices to survive. Throughout, the verse has been a touchstone for the painful but necessary boundary between mercy and order.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The mocker’s role: He sows discord through disrespect. Proverbs 21:24 defines him as proud and arrogant. His words invite strife (Proverbs 18:6).
- The action required: “Drive out” is not optional but necessary. The verb gārash implies force, like removing a corrupting element from a family or congregation (Genesis 21:10).
- The promised result: Strife, quarrels and insults cease. Peace is not passive; it is guarded by wisdom.
Five-point outline
- Identify the mocker: Not every disagreeable person, but one who habitually scoffs at what is sacred (Proverbs 21:24).
- Assess the damage: Mocking breeds contention, slander, and public shame. Matthew Henry says the scorner “sows discord and makes mischief wherever he comes.”
- Act decisively: The command “cast out” echoes church discipline patterns (cf. Matthew 18:15, 17, though not in supplied references).
- Trust the outcome: When the source of division is removed, peace naturally follows, just as removing a thorn stops the wound from festering.
- Guard the community: After removal, maintain a culture where purity of heart and gracious speech are valued (Proverbs 22:11).
Illustration hooks
- A church small group struggles with a member who constantly makes cutting jokes about prayer, Scripture, and the pastor. Leaders wonder if the command to “drive out” applies.
- A manager has a team member who belittles coworkers’ ideas in meetings. Conflict spreads; morale drops. The proverb suggests removal may be the only lasting solution.
- In a family, a relative mocks the faith of other members during gatherings. Tension builds. The proverb invites a difficult but necessary conversation.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if someone is a mocker or just struggling honestly with doubt?
- Does “drive out” mean I have to cut off relationship completely, or can I still pray for them?
- How does this verse fit with Jesus’ command to forgive seventy-seven times?
Leading a Discussion
Proverbs 22:10 presents a clear principle: the habitual mocker must be removed for peace to prevail. But in a Christian community called to forgive and restore, how do we apply this? The following questions help groups wrestle with the tension.
Discussion questions
- Read Proverbs 22:10 aloud. What pictures come to mind when you hear “drive out the mocker”?
- From the surrounding verses (Proverbs 22:6, 16), what kind of community is this proverb meant to protect?
- The Hebrew word lēts describes someone who scoffs at serious things. How would you distinguish a mocker from someone who simply has a critical perspective?
- When Sarah drove out Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 21:9, 10), it was painful. Does that story help or complicate your understanding of this verse?
- What would it look like today to “drive out” a mocker from a church? From a family? From a workplace?
- How does this command interact with Jesus’ call to forgive repeatedly (Matthew 18:21, 22) and to restore the one who sins against you (Matthew 18:15, 17)?
- What is one small step you could take this week to reduce conflict in your community by addressing a pattern of mocking?
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)
| Genesis 21:9 | Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. |
| Genesis 21:10 | Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this servant and her son! For the son of this servant will not be heir with my son, Isaac.” |
| Nehemiah 4:1 | But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and was very indignant, and mocked the Jews. |
| Nehemiah 4:3 | Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.” |
| Nehemiah 13:28 | One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me. |
| Psalms 101:5 | I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor. I won’t tolerate one who is arrogant and conceited. |
| Proverbs 18:6 | A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings. |
| Proverbs 21:24 | The proud and arrogant man—“Scoffer” is his name— he works in the arrogance of pride. |
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.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the Greek word for cast out means drive away from the group. It explains that keeping such a person in the group causes constant insults and mutual blame.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws a sharp practical point: removing one scornful troublemaker from a community ends the quarrels they stir up and also puts an end to the public shame that comes with constant conflict. The cure for chronic strife is not more argument but decisive removal.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the scorner, who mocks religion and ridicules godly people, must be removed from family, church, and society to end conflict and reproach. He rejects the rabbinic view that this refers to the inner corruption of human nature, since that cannot be fully expelled during life. Only when the scorner is cast out does peace and love take hold.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Christians who hold this view point to Proverbs 22:10, while others emphasize verses about speaking truth in love. Both seek to be faithful to Scripture.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch focuses on the scoffer's frivolous treatment of serious religious and moral questions, which provokes constant conflict. Banishing him stops the strife and removes the disgrace that his presence brings on the entire community. They define this disgrace as shame experienced by the group, not personal insults exchanged.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats the entire passage as a single, unified teaching on the supreme value of a good name. He reads every verse after the opening as either naming the means to gain such a name—prudence, humility, fear of God, charity, purity of heart—or identifying the hinderances that threaten it: scoffing, sloth, licentiousness, and unrighteous dealing.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry identifies the scorner as an "evil interpreter" who twists everything into the worst possible meaning and delights in mocking others. The only remedy for lasting peace is to expel such a person from the community entirely, just as Ishmael was sent away from Abraham's household.