Proverbs 12 - The Righteous explores his neighbor so he knows what will edify - Walter Cummins

The righteous person will study his neighbor. He will explore his neighbor to see what would bless and help that neighbor. Whereas the wicked will lead his neighbor astray. He leads him astray. This idea is not foreign to the Book of Proverbs nor to other scriptures in the Word. Matter of fact you read the same idea in many other places, that the righteous explores his neighbor or tries to find out what would help and bless that individual, instead of just spilling his mouth; instead of having the run of the mouth where he just tears him up. He explores him in order to help and to bless him. He has tremendous insight into an individual. He’s empathetic. Whereas the wicked simply misleads or tears down that neighbor. This righteous man has insight in order to bless his neighbor. He’s empathetic with him.

In Proverbs 15, you have a similar idea in verse 28. Where it says, “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer:…”; 15:28.

Proverbs 15:28a: The heart of the righteous studieth [or meditates] to answer:

In other words, he doesn’t just flip an answer off the top of his head, but he studies his neighbor, or he studies a situation before he answers.