Proverbs 19:8

He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) He that getteth wisdom.—Literally, heart. For that “wisdom,” or “knowledge,” that begins with the “fear of the Lord” (see above on Proverbs 1:7), and ends with loving Him, is not a matter of intellect only, but of the heart also—i.e., the will and affections.

Benson Commentary

Proverbs 19:8. He that getteth wisdom — That takes pains, and labours to get knowledge, grace, and acquaintance with God; loveth his own soul — Or, loveth himself, because he procures great and lasting, yea, everlasting good to himself, as sinners, on the contrary, are said to hate their souls, chap. 29:24, because they bring evil upon them; he that keepeth understanding — That observes, and carefully practises its precepts; shall find good — Shall have great benefit by it, both for his conduct in this life, and for his happiness in the next.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:3. Men run into troubles by their own folly, and then fret at the appointments of God. 4. Here we may see how strong is men's love of money. 5. Those that tell lies in discourse, are in a fair way to be guilty of bearing false-witness. 6. We are without excuse if we do not love God with all our hearts. His gifts to us are past number, and all the gifts of men to us are fruits of his bounty. 7. Christ was left by all his disciples; but the Father was with him. It encourages our faith that he had so large an experience of the sorrows of poverty. 8. Those only love their souls aright that get true wisdom. 9. Lying is a damning, destroying sin. 10. A man that has not wisdom and grace, has no right or title to true joy. It is very unseemly for one who is a servant to sin, to oppress God's free-men.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wisdom - literally, as in the margin, to gain a "heart," i. e., the higher faculties both of reason and feeling, is identical with gaining wisdom, i. e., the faculty which seeks and finds.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. (Compare Margin; Pr 15:32).

loveth … soul—or, "himself," which he evinces by regarding his best interests.

keepeth—or, "regards."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Loveth his own soul, or loveth himself, because he procures great good to his soul, or to himself, as it follows; as sinners, on the contrary, are said to hate their souls, Proverbs 29:24, because they bring mischief upon them. That keepeth understanding; that observeth and carefully practiseth its precepts, as that phrase is commonly used.

Shall find good; shall have great benefit by it, both for his conduct in this life, and for his happiness in the next.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul,.... Wisdom and knowledge in things natural and civil; and especially in things divine, spiritual, and evangelical; particularly he that gets Christ, the Wisdom of God, and a saving knowledge of him; see Proverbs 3:13. Or, "he that getteth a heart" (p); a good heart, as the Targum explains it; which is a new heart, and a new spirit; a clean heart and a right spirit; a heart of flesh, a soft, tender, and contrite one, in opposition to a hard heart, a heart of stone: a wise and understanding heart, such an one as Solomon had; a heart to know the Lord, and to fear him; in which his laws are written, the graces of his Spirit are implanted; and in which God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, dwell: he who is desirous of such a he art seeks after it, prays for it, and uses all means to obtain it; and who, through the grace of God; does possess it, as the word signifies; he by all this shows that he has a regard to the good and welfare of his immortal soul; when such, who indulge to ignorance and a wicked heart, wrong and hate their own souls; see Proverbs 29:24;

he that keepeth understanding shall find good; retains the wisdom he has got; holds fast instruction, and keeps it, which is committed to him; abides by the doctrines of the Gospel, and does not depart from them; keeps the ordinances of it, which it is his wisdom and understanding to do; see Deuteronomy 4:6; he finds his account in all this; he finds that which is good, good for him now and hereafter; he finds Christ, and life in him; peace, joy, and comfort in this world: and, in the world to come, glory, honour, and happiness.

(p) "cor", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Mercerus, &c.

Geneva Study Bible

He that getteth wisdom {b} loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

(b) He that is upright in judgment finds favour from God.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. wisdom] Heb., a heart. Comp. Proverbs 7:7, Proverbs 9:4; Job 12:3; Job 34:10; in all which places the Heb. word rendered understanding is the same as here.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul. "Wisdom" is, in the Hebrew, leb. "heart;" it is a matter, not of intellect only. but of will and affections (see on Proverbs 15:32). Septuagint, ἀγαπᾷ ἑαυτόν, "loveth himself." The contrary, "hateth his own soul," occurs in Proverbs 29:24. By striving to obtain wisdom a man shows that he has regard for the welfare of his soul and body. Hence St. Thomas Aquinas ('Sum. Theol.,' 1:2, qu. 25, art. 7, quoted by Corn. a Lapide) takes occasion to demonstrate that only good men are really lovers of themselves, while evil men are practically self-haters, proving his position by a reference to Arislotle's numeration of the characteristics of friendship, which the former exhibit, and none of which the latter can possess ('Eth. Nic.,' 9:4). He that keepeth understanding shall find good (Proverbs 16:20). A man must not only strive hard and use all available means to get wisdom and prudence, he must guard them like a precious treasure, not lose them for want of care or let them lie useless; and then he will find that they bring with themselves innumerable benefits. Proverbs 19:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

8 He that getteth understanding loveth his soul,

   And he that values reasonableness will acquire good;

or, more closely, since this would be the translation of ימצא טוב, Proverbs 16:20; Proverbs 17:20 : so it happens, or it comes to this, that he acquires good ( equals היה למצא); the inf. with ל is here, as at Proverbs 18:24, the expression of a fut. periphrasticum, as in the Lat. consecturus est. Regarding קנה־לּב, vid., Proverbs 15:32, and שׁמר תּבוּנה vol. i. p. 119. That the deportment of men is either care for the soul, or the contrary of that, is a thought which runs through the Book of Proverbs.