Pro 10:10 | KingComments | STEP | “The wise of heart will receive commands” that his father or anyone above him holds out to him ( ). He does so because he is aware of his need for them and their value. In himself, he has no strength to say ‘no’ to sin within himself and to the temptations of the world around him. Therefore, the wise of heart longs for commands that he can keep in his heart to be guided by them in his life ( ). He wants to be taught to become even wiser. The fool is constantly babbling himself with babble that makes no sense. As a result, he is unable to listen to the commands presented to him that are for life. You can try to point out to him that he needs wisdom, but he talks right over it with verbose nonsense. Thus he evades confrontation with his real need, for he does not want to see it. A person “walks in integrity” when he walks with God and not before the eyes of men ( ; ). Then he “walks securely”. Security goes hand in hand with integrity. Joseph went his way in integrity and thereupon enjoyed the protection of God. “But he who perverts his ways”, that is, sinful ways, does not go unnoticed. God sees all his ways and will confront him with them. That discovery, that being “found out” brings punishment ( ). Peter went a perverted way when he denied his Christian position for fear of the Jews. He did not walk straightforward about the truth of the gospel. Paul noticed this and admonished him sternly about it ( ). There are those who cause suffering to others by secret communications ( ; cf. ; ). Saying something with a wink of the eye has the meaning that what is said is not true. A “babbling fool” will be ruined. Here the second line of verse is not a comparison with the first line of verse, nor is it a contradiction, but an addition to it, which is represented by the word “and” at the beginning of the second line of verse.

‏ Proverbs 10:10

Be Ruined or Walking Securely

“The wise of heart will receive commands” that his father or anyone above him holds out to him (Pro 10:8). He does so because he is aware of his need for them and their value. In himself, he has no strength to say ‘no’ to sin within himself and to the temptations of the world around him. Therefore, the wise of heart longs for commands that he can keep in his heart to be guided by them in his life (Pro 4:23). He wants to be taught to become even wiser.

The fool is constantly babbling himself with babble that makes no sense. As a result, he is unable to listen to the commands presented to him that are for life. You can try to point out to him that he needs wisdom, but he talks right over it with verbose nonsense. Thus he evades confrontation with his real need, for he does not want to see it.

A person “walks in integrity” when he walks with God and not before the eyes of men (Pro 10:9; Gen 17:1). Then he “walks securely”. Security goes hand in hand with integrity. Joseph went his way in integrity and thereupon enjoyed the protection of God. “But he who perverts his ways”, that is, sinful ways, does not go unnoticed. God sees all his ways and will confront him with them. That discovery, that being “found out” brings punishment (Psa 125:5).

Peter went a perverted way when he denied his Christian position for fear of the Jews. He did not walk straightforward about the truth of the gospel. Paul noticed this and admonished him sternly about it (Gal 2:11-14).

There are those who cause suffering to others by secret communications (Pro 10:10; cf. Pro 6:12-14; Psa 35:19). Saying something with a wink of the eye has the meaning that what is said is not true. A “babbling fool” will be ruined. Here the second line of verse is not a comparison with the first line of verse, nor is it a contradiction, but an addition to it, which is represented by the word “and” at the beginning of the second line of verse.