Albert Barnes Commentary Proverbs 17:12

"Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly." — Proverbs 17:12 (ASV)

The large brown bear of Syria, in her rage at the loss of her whelps, was to the Israelites the strongest type of brute ferocity. Compare (2 Samuel 17:8); (2 Kings 2:24).