(The Lord speaking is red text)
The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
The righteous will never be moved, but the wicked will not remain in the land.
The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not inhabit the land.
The righteous shall never be removed; But the wicked shall not dwell in the land.
The righteous{H6662} shall never{H5769} be removed{H4131}: but the wicked{H7563} shall not inhabit{H7931} the earth{H776}.
Proverbs 10:30, "The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth," is a verse that encapsulates a central theme in the Wisdom Literature of the Hebrew Bible: the contrast between the righteous and the wicked, and the respective fates that await them. This proverb reflects the belief that righteousness is a stable foundation for life, suggesting that those who live according to divine principles are secure and enduring, while the wicked, by contrast, are transient and their downfall is certain.
The historical context of this verse is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition, where righteousness was understood as living in accordance with the norms and laws of the community, which were seen as divinely ordained. The idea that the righteous would be protected and sustained, while the wicked would be uprooted, was a common motif in this tradition, serving both as a moral compass and as a theological assertion about the nature of God and the moral order of the universe.
In the broader context of the Book of Proverbs, this verse is part of a collection of teachings that aim to impart wisdom and moral guidance. The teachings were likely compiled over centuries and reflect various authors' insights. They were used for educational purposes, to instruct the young and to guide the decision-making of the community, reinforcing the idea that righteous living leads to stability and prosperity, while wickedness leads to ruin.
Theologically, Proverbs 10:30 speaks to the concept of divine justice, where righteousness is rewarded with security and wickedness is punished with displacement or destruction. It assures the reader that, in the end, virtue will prevail and evil will not have a lasting place in the world. This assurance served as a source of hope and encouragement for the faithful, promising that their adherence to ethical living would have enduring consequences, both in this life and in the life to come, according to the beliefs of the ancient Israelites.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)