Proverbs 19:8

“He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul, etc.] 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 <200313>Proverbs 3:13). Or, “he that getteth a heart”f545; 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;…”

“(Compare Margin; Pro 15:32). loveth . . . soul--or, "himself," which he evinces by regarding his best interests. keepeth--or, "regards."”

“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. return to 'Top of Page'”

“19:8 It is in our self-interest to acquire wisdom because understanding helps us prosper.”

“wisdom: Heb. an heart, Pro 17:16; Eze 36:26 loveth: Pro 8:35, Pro 8:36; Joh 12:25; Pe1 3:10 he that keepeth: Pro 2:1-9, Pro 3:18, Pro 3:21, Pro 4:4, Pro 4:6, Pro 4:21, Pro 16:20, Pro 22:18; Psa 19:11; Joh 14:21 Proverbs 19:9”

“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, Pro 16:20; Pro 17:20 : so it happens, or it comes to this, that he acquires good (= היה למצא); the inf. with ל is here, as at Pro 18:24, the expression of a fut. periphrasticum, as in the Lat. consecturus est. Regarding קנה־לּב, vid., Pro 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. Proverbs 19:9”