Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 19:18
18Discipline your son while there is hope; don’t set your heart on being the cause of his death.
Proverbs 19:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
- New International Version (NIV)Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
Context of Proverbs 19:18
16The one who keeps commands preserves himself; one who disregards his ways will die. 17Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and he will give a reward to the lender. Discipline your son while there is hope; don’t set your heart on being the cause of his death. 19A person with intense anger bears the penalty; if you rescue him, you’ll have to do it again. 20Listen to counsel and receive instruction so that you may be wise later in life.
Read all of Proverbs 19Proverbs 19:18 word by word
יַסֵּ֣ר בִּ֭נְךָ כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ תִּקְוָ֑ה וְאֶל־הֲ֝מִית֗וֹ אַל־תִּשָּׂ֥א נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 19:18
- Proverbs 13:24The one who will not use the rod hates his son, but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.
- Proverbs 22:15Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth; a rod of discipline will separate it from him.
- Proverbs 23:14Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his life from Sheol.
- Proverbs 29:15A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a youth left to himself is a disgrace to his mother.
- Hebrews 12:7Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?
Commentaries on Proverbs 19:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Let not thy soul spare for his crying - This is a hard precept for a parent. Nothing affects the heart of a parent so much as a child's cries and tears. But it is better that the child may be caused to cry, when the correction may be healthful to his soul, than that the parent should cry afterwards, when the child is grown to man's estate, and his evil habits are sealed for life.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18While there is hope - While he is still young, and capable of being reformed. Crying - Better, as in the margin, Do not set thy soul on his destruction; words which either counsel forbearance in the act of chastisement (compare Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21); or urge that a false clemency is a real cruelty. The latter sense is preferable. The father is warned that to forbear from chastising is virtually to expose the son who needs it to a far worse…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18Verse 18 When parents keep under foolish tenderness, they do their best to render children a comfort to them, and happy in themselves.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Gaining wisdom needs discipline for everyone, including children (see Proverbs 10:17; 13:1, 10; 15:31–32; 17:10). The short-term sadness from discipline is worth avoiding disaster.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. (Compare Pr 13:24; 23:13). let not ... spare--literally, "do not lift up thy soul" (Psa 24:4; 25:1), that is, do not desire to his death; a caution to passionate parents against angry chastisement.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 19:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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