Proverbs 26:3

“A whip for the horse, etc.] One that is dull of going, or refractory and wants breaking; a bridle for the ass; not to curb and restrain it from going too fist, asses being generally dull; but to direct its way and turn it when necessary, it being stiffnecked and obstinate; though the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, render it a “spear” or “goad”, something to prick with, and excite it to motion; and so the Targum; or otherwise one would have thought the whip was fitter for the ass and the bridle for the horse; and a rod for the fool’s back; suggesting that the fool, or wicked man, is like the horse or the mule; though not without understanding of things natural, yet of things divine…”

“The rod is as much needed by fools and as well suited to them, as whips and bridles are for beasts.”

“26:3 A fool is like a dumb animal that can only be guided by brute force (see 10:13; 14:3).”

“According to our notions, we should rather say, a bridle for the horse, and a whip for the ass; but it should be considered, that the Eastern asses are not only much more beautiful, but better goers that ours; and being active and well broken, they need only a bridle to guide them; whereas their horses being scarce, and often caught wild, and badly broken, are much less manageable, and need the correction of the whip. Pro 10:13, Pro 17:10, Pro 19:25, Pro 27:22; Jdg 8:5-7; Psa 32:9; Co1 4:21; Co2 10:6; Co2 13:2 Proverbs 26:4”

“3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools. J. D. Michaelis supposes that the order should be reversed: a bridle for the horse, a whip for the ass; but Arnoldi has here discovered the figure of speech merismus (cf. Pro 10:1); and Hitzig, in the manner of the division, the rhythmical reason of the combination (cf. שׁם חם ויפת for שׁם יפת וחם): whip and bridle belong to both, for one whips a horse ( Neh 3:2) and also bridles him; one bridles an ass ( Psa 32:9) and also whips him ( Num 22:28.). As whip and bridle are both serviceable and necessary, so also serviceable and necessary is a rod, לגו כּסילים, Pro 10:13; Pro 19:29. Proverbs 26:4”