Which other Proverbs reinforce the message of Proverbs 10:23? Setting the Scene with the Anchor Verse Proverbs 10:23: “The fool delights in shameful conduct, but a man of understanding has wisdom.” Other Proverbs That Spotlight a Fool’s Pleasure in Wickedness • Proverbs 1:22 – “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?” • Proverbs 14:9 – “Fools mock the guilt offering, but among the upright there is favor.” • Proverbs 14:16 – “A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.” • Proverbs 15:21 – “Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding walks a straight path.” • Proverbs 24:9 – “A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.” • Proverbs 26:11 – “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” Proverbs That Emphasize the Path and Delight of the Wise • Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” • Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.” • Proverbs 13:16 – “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool displays his folly.” • Proverbs 17:24 – “Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.” • Proverbs 28:26 – “He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom is safe.” Key Themes That Surface Repeatedly • A fool treats sin like entertainment and repeats it without shame. • The wise treat evil as deadly serious and steer clear of it. • True wisdom grows from revering the LORD, receiving counsel, and acting with knowledge. • The contrast is moral as well as intellectual: delight in wrongdoing versus delight in understanding. Drawing the Threads Together The reinforcing proverbs above keep pressing the same truth as Proverbs 10:23: sin is pleasurable only to the foolish, while wisdom is the treasure of the discerning. Scripture repeats this contrast so believers recognize folly for what it is, cherish wisdom, and walk a straight path empowered by the fear of the LORD. |
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