Provérbios 29

Provérbios 29:18

Wesley wrote that "no vision" means "No vision-No prophecy; no public preaching of God’s word. Henry Morris rightly explains that "the word vision does not refer to far-sighted imagination, as this verse is commonly applied, but rather to actual divine revelation." W A Criswell - "The word "revelation" (chazon, Heb. for "prophetic vision"- cf. 1Sa 9:9) refers to the experience of the prophets in receiving a word from God (see Dan. 4:5, note). The "law" (torah, Heb., may also mean "instruction") is not only the Mosaic Law but also the messages to the people from God via His messengers, the prophets. Happiness comes in obeying the word of God however it comes (cf. Isa. 8:16; Amos 8:11, 12). This word, "perish," means "open" or "exposed." When people today reject or ignore the revealed Word of God, they are open and helpless to resist the humanistic and occultic doctrines of men and devils. (Happy speaks of) True happiness, or blessing found only through "keeping"--that is, "guarding" God's Word, then obeying and proclaiming it. Pulpit Commentary on Pr 29:18 - The fatal effect of the absence of such revelation of God’s will is stated to be confusion, disorder, and rebellion; the people, uncontrolled, fall into grievous excesses, which nothing but high principles can restrain. We note the license of Eli’s time, when there was no open vision (1Sa 3:1,2); in Asa’s days, when Israel had long been without a teaching priest (2Chr 15:3); and when the impious Ahaz “made Judah naked” (2Chr 28:19); or when the people were destroyed by reason of lack of knowledge of Divine things (Hos 4:6, cp Is 1:3, 5:13, Je 8:7). (See Biblehub - multiple comments) Charles Bridges on Pr 29:18 - “Thus we may learn the necessity of preaching, and what inconvenience follows when it is not used. ‘Where preaching falls,’ says Solomon, ‘there people perish.’ Therefore, let everyone keep himself in God’s schoolhouse and learn his lesson diligently. For as the body is nourished with meat, so is the soul with the Word of God” (Bishop Pilkington). “The meanest village,” Luther was apt to say, “with a Christian pastor and flock is a palace of ebony.” The Complete Biblical Library – Divine revelation constrains its recipients. When it is, or seems to be, lacking, only those who understand the divine origin and authority of the Covenant will order their lives according to its standards. The proverb contrasts those who depend upon special acts of divine communication with the one who heeds the Covenant as already given, describing the response of the former and the consequences for the latter. The usual pattern is that the apparent lack of revelation leads to license. For example, in Exo. 32:25, the same verb describes the people’s sinful activity around the golden calf. Eli and his sons, who were as priests supposed to teach the Covenant, responded to the relative lack of divine revelation in their time (1 Sam. 3:1f) by failing to live up to the light that they already had (the laws of sacrifices; Lev. 1-7), even when corrected by the people (1 Sam 2:16). In contrast, stand Samuel’s continued faithfulness (1 Sam. 2:11, 18, 21, 26) and Josiah’s immediate response to the scroll found in the Temple (2 Ki. 22:11ff). Although references to revelation are rare in Proverbs (cf. 2:6), the theme of one’s response to the “law” is also found in 28:4, 7. (Complete Biblical Library) Cornerstone Biblical Commentary – When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. The Hebrew word khazon (divine guidance) is always a prophetic word (Isa 1:1), sometimes paired with revelatory dreams (Dan 1:17). Hence KJV, "Where there is no vision, the people perish," or RSV, "Where there is no prophecy the people cast off restraint," or NIV, "Where there is no revelation." The next line sets this ecstatic utterance parallel to "keeping torah." Torah [TH 8451, ZH 9368] = khazon [TH 2377, ZH 2606]; wisdom instructions are inspired oracles—see the oracle of Agur (30:1). Kings divine wisdom (see note on 16:10); Wisdom "prophesies" throughout the city (1:20; 8:4). Visionary language is engaged to assert that wisdom is inspired. (See context in Psalms, Proverbs) Sid Buzzell - The familiar KJV "where there is no vision" is misleading. The word "vision" is the revelation (ḥāzôn) a prophet receives. Also the KJV translation "the people perish" does not refer to unsaved people dying in sin. The verb pāraʿ means to cast off restraint. So the verse is stating that without God's Word people abandon themselves to their own sinful ways. On the other hand keeping (obeying) God's Law (cf. 28:4, 7) brings happiness. (See context in The Bible Knowledge Commentary) Vision of v. 18 is not visual, but a divine revelation. What the Bible Teaches – The "vision" referred to here is the same as that mentioned in 1 Samuel 3:1: "The word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision". God was not communicating with His people. Thus the vision of v. 18 is not visual, but a divine revelation. It is the same word used in Isaiah 1:1. It was at that time a message communicated by God to His prophets. It is, in our day, the revealed mind of God in the Scriptures. When there was no revelation, no word from God, there was nothing to restrain the wickedness of the human heart. "Perish" means to be unrestrained. It is used in Exodus 32:25 when the people were "naked" or unrestrained around the golden calf. It is from revelation that we get ethics. Any system of ethics outside of revelation is doomed to fail, being built on an arbitrary basis of what "the good" is. Morality ultimately depends on divine revelation. In countries where the Judeo-Christian heritage was honoured, the rule of law existed and men knew stability and security to a large extent. With the advent of multiculturalism and the worshiping of toleration in regard to morals, there has been the removal of moral standards and moral behaviour. Moral relativism, the offspring of this thinking, has led to the denial of any absolutes with "every man doing that which is right in his own eyes". The link with the previous verse may well be that the discipline of the family is dependent on the Word of God. The second part of the verse individualises the result of law-keeping: "... happy is he". When divine revelation, or vision, comes, then it is wisdom to observe that law. (What the Bible Teaches – Proverbs and Ecclesiastes) Holman Old Testament Commentary - The King James translation of "vision" here is often misunderstood. The Hebrew word consistently refers to the visions in which prophets receive a revelation from God (Dan. 8:13; Nah. 1:1). When people have no revealed word from God, they will cast off restraint, running wild as they please. The word means to let loose or to let one's hair down (Lev. 13:45) and was used to describe Israel's reveling with the golden calf (Exod. 32:25). In contrast, the person who keeps God's law will be blessed. (Proverbs - Holman Old Testament Commentary) Wilmington comments on Pr 29:18 - Needed: Leaders from the Lord. Without good spiritual leadership, people tend to fall deeply into sin (see Ex 32:25; Jdg. 21:25; 1Sa 3:1; Amos 8:11, 12; Mark 6:34; Heb 13:17). (See context Willmington's Bible Handbook) John MacArthur on no vision. This proverb looks both to the lack of the Word (i.e., 1Sa 3:1) and the lack of hearing the Word (Am 8:11, 12), which lead to lawless rebellion (cf. Ex 32:25; Lv 13:45; Nu 5:18). The proverb then contrasts the joy and glory of a lawful society (28:14; Mal 4:4). (See context in NKJV, The MacArthur Study Bible or borrow the MacArthur study Bible) Eric Lane - There is anarchy (Pr 29:18) Here is the final stage in the breakdown of justice – the people cast off restraint, or 'go wild', as when Aaron was left in charge of Israel and failed to prevent their idolatrous orgy (Exod. 32:25). The absence of revelation which permits this situation to arise refers to the lack of prophetic preaching (see 1 Sam. 3:1). The prophets expounded the law to the people, applied it to their lives and called on them to repent of their departure from it. Ideally they worked with the King whose main duty was to uphold the law. But when the Kings themselves flouted it they silenced the prophets (Hosea 9:7f) and the people got away with anything. When the King withdrew the prophets, God withdrew his blessing (Hosea 4:6), and only restored it when the people returned to the law. Although we are not in that system, governments are still appointed by God to keep people in order. Christians and their preachers can cooperate with them in this by proclaiming and living the moral law and preaching the gospel. (Proverbs Focus On The Bible Commentary Series) Life Application Study note - "Divine guidance" refers to words from God received by prophets. Where there is ignorance or rejection of God, crime and sin run rampant. Public morality depends on the knowledge of God, but it also depends on keeping God's laws. In order for nations and individuals to function well, people must know God's ways and keep his rules. Having God's Word means little if we are not obeying it (Life Application Study Bible) Matthew