John Gill Commentary Proverbs 10:8

"The wise in heart will receive commandments; But a prating fool shall fall." — Proverbs 10:8 (ASV)

The wise in heart will receive commandments
Such who have true wisdom in the hidden part of the heart, of which the fear of the Lord is the beginning: these will not only, as good subjects, honour their king, and attend to his lawful commands; and, as dutiful children, regard those of their parents; and, as faithful servants, hearken to those of their masters;

but, as such that fear the Lord, will receive and cheerfully obey the commandments of God and Christ;

but a prating fool shall fall ;
like Diotrephes, that prated against the Apostle John and other saints. Or, "a fool of lips" ^F2 ; whose folly is proclaimed and made known by his lips; who, out of the abundance of it in his heart, speaks and pours it out by his lips: such a one falls into sin and into mischief; he falls into disgrace in this world, and into hell in the next. The Targum is,

``the fool by his lips shall be taken;" as in a snare.`

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FOOTNOTES:

• F2: Mytpv lywa ) "stultus labiis", Montanus