Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Proverbs 14:33-3
The Eye Of YHWH Is On All, Whether Individual, Nation Or King's Servant And All Will Be Revealed As What They Are (Proverbs 14:33 to Proverbs 15:3).
The effect of wisdom, or false wisdom, is now considered in respect of individuals (verse Proverbs 14:33), nations (Proverbs 14:34) and royal servants (politicians and civil servants) (Proverbs 14:35), all of whom are seen to be under the watchful eye of YHWH (Proverbs 15:3). And that wisdom is seen as especially revealed, or otherwise, by the activity of the tongue (Proverbs 15:1).
This is presented chiastically as follows:
A Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, but what is in the inward part of fools is made known. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproof of peoples. The king's favour is towards a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath will be against him who causes shame (Proverbs 14:33).
B A tender answer turns away wrath, but a grievous word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1).
B The tongue of the wise utters knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools pours out folly (Proverbs 15:2).
A The eyes of YHWH are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3).
Note that in A wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, in contrast to the fool, in the nation that reveals itself as righteous, in contrast to the unrighteous nation, and in royal servants who deal wisely, in contrast to those who cause shame, and in the parallel all are overseen by the watchful eye of YHWH who keeps watch on the evil and the good. Centrally in B what the caring man says has good effects, whilst a grievous word has bad effects, and in the parallel the tongue of the wise has good effects, while the mouth of the fool pours out folly.
‘Wisdom rests (settles, is stored up) in the heart of him who has understanding,
But what is in the inward part of fools is made known.'
This proverb, along with those in Proverbs 14:34 form a combined picture of the activity of wisdom as revealed in individuals, nations, and the highest officials (royal servants/civil servants/politicians). All will then be seen as under the watchful eye of YHWH (Proverbs 15:3).
The word rendered ‘rests' indicates a kind of permanence. Wisdom settles permanently in the heart of the one who has understanding. It is stored up there. Once a man has truly responded to wisdom the effects are permanent. He walks on in true wisdom, ever growing more wise, with wisdom affecting his mind, will and emotions (his ‘inner heart'). Wisdom is at home in his heart.
In contrast is the so-called wisdom of the fool. That is in his inward parts and soon makes itself known. He is soon revealed as what he is, for it manifests itself in the way he lives. It is a spurious wisdom which is not true wisdom at all. It shouts out the truth about him.
We can compare here Jesus' parable about the sower. When he sowed his seed some fell on good ground (the wise), and it took root and flourished, and it produced thirtyfold, sixtyfold and a hundredfold. But other seed fell on other types of ground (the fools) and the quality of the ground was soon made known. The seed might appear to grow for a time but it soon died (Mark 4:4).
‘Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a reproach to any people.'
And what is true of the individual is also true of the nation. When a nation has wisdom resting in it, it behaves righteously. Justice prevails, honesty abounds, taxation is fair and reasonable, the people are as one. It becomes a just and fair society. And as a consequence it is exalted. It is lifted up in the eyes of those round about. It is admired and respected. People see it as an example. It produces a good and wholesome society.
But when sin takes over, and a society becomes unjust and unfair, and full of dissension, and taxation becomes a heavy burden, these things become a reproach and reproof to that society. It is no longer exalted in men's eyes, but looked down on and despised. What is in its inward parts is made known. It is seen for what it is.
‘The king's favour is toward a servant who deals wisely,
But his wrath will be against him who causes shame.'
The ‘servants' in mind here are the high officials in a land or an empire. They were called ‘the servants of the king', and many a jar handle has been discovered inscribed as ‘(person's name), servant of the king'. It is their jurisdiction, together with the response of the wise within that nation, which will determine the righteousness or otherwise of a nation. And the righteous king (or president, or prime minister) who rules by wisdom (Proverbs 8:15), and oversees the behaviour of his royal officials (politicians), will show favour to the royal official who deals wisely, and reveal his wrath against the royal official who causes shame.
In the parallel verse (Proverbs 15:3) we are reminded that YHWH also oversees individuals, nations, and His servants, ‘keeping watch on the evil and the good'. These proverbs bring to mind the parable of Jesus concerning the response of individuals and royal officials to the king (Luke 19:12).
Thus in all spheres, whether in the case of individuals (Proverbs 14:33), nations (Proverbs 14:34, or high royal officials/civil servants (Proverbs 14:35), response to wisdom will reveal itself and receive its consequences whether for good or ill.
‘A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a grievous word stirs up anger.'
Central to the wisdom, or otherwise, of individuals, nations and high royal officials is the use of the tongue. They can demonstrate their wisdom, or otherwise, by soft answers or grievous words. The soft answer will turn away wrath. It will cause the one to whom it is spoken, who is incensed and set on retaliation, to stop and consider matters again. It is an answer which, rather than giving like for like, seeks to appease and call for calm thought on the matter in question. It accepts that the other might have a point, and calls for a reasoned approach. It is gentle, not inflammatory.
But in contrast is the retaliatory ‘grievous word', the harsh reply. Pride demands that we respond in a retaliatory and inflammatory fashion. And thus our words stoke up the fires of anger, feeding them and making the anger grow until it has disastrous effects. This is well illustrated in the behaviour of Rehoboam, Solomon's son, who, when the people brought their grievances, retaliated in like fashion, and thus lost a large part of his kingdom (1 Kings 12:3). It is also illustrated in the story of David, Nabal and Abigail (1 Samuel 25:2) where Nabal's ‘grievous answer' to David nearly brought about the deaths of all his household, whilst the ‘soft answer' of Abigail preserved them.
‘The tongue of the wise utters knowledge aright,
But the mouth of fools pours out (gushes forth) folly.'
What is said in Proverbs 14:1 is now put in another way. The tongue of the wise speaks the truth, but it speaks it wisely. It ‘utters knowledge aright'. Or to translate more literally, ‘it adorns knowledge'. It makes it attractive and acceptable. The wise want what they say to be heeded and appreciated. Thus they present it in a way that will be convincing to the hearer. But in contrast the mouth of fools ‘pours out folly'. Folly ‘gushes forth' from it. It speaks without thinking, and its words, however wise they might appear to be, are contrary to God's wisdom.
‘The eyes of YHWH are in every place,
Keeping watch upon the evil and the good.'
Solomon now reminds us that the wisdom and knowledge that he is speaking of is God's wisdom and knowledge. It is not only the king who keeps watch over his royal servants and subjects, it is also YHWH. As Creator of the Universe (Proverbs 3:19; Proverbs 8:22) He has rooted true wisdom and knowledge in the world and calls on men to respond to it. ‘Out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding, He lays up sound wisdom for the upright' (Proverbs 2:6). And as Judge of all men His eyes are in every place observing men response to His wisdom. He keeps watch on all, both the evil and the good. All will be called to account. And the implication is that His favour too will be shown to those who deal wisely, whilst His wrath will be against him who causes shame (see Proverbs 14:35).