Proverbs 28
Righteousness, Wickedness, and Governance 1–12
Confession, Integrity, and Fate 13–18
Diligence, Wealth, and Trust 19–28
Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain
Study Notes for Proverbs 28
Verse 1
flee when no man pursueth — Nus, to flee, set against radaph, to pursue (the verb of ‘followeth after’ in v.19). Psalm 53:5 shows the same fear: ‘There were they in great fear, where no fear was.’ ‘Bold’ is batach, to trust, the verb of v.25; the ‘lion’ is kephir, a young lion.
Verse 2
many are the princes — Many rulers mark a land in revolt: ‘transgression’ is pesha, rebellion, the word of vv.13 and 24. Israel’s brief reigns show it, as when Baasha ‘slay him, and reigned in his stead’ (1 Kings 15:28). ‘Prolonged’ is arak, to lengthen, the verb of ‘prolong his days’ in v.16.
Verse 5
understand all things — Bin, to discern, stands in both halves: evil men ‘understand not judgment’ (mishpat, right order), seekers ‘understand all things’. The key is seeking the LORD, as Christ says, ‘If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine’ (John 7:17); cf. 1 John 2:20.
Verse 7
companion of riotous men — ‘Riotous’ is zalal, to be worthless or prodigal, rendered ‘glutton’ elsewhere; Prov 23:20 warns against ‘riotous eaters of flesh’. The wise son ‘keepeth the law’ (torah); the prodigal of Luke 15:13 wasted ‘his substance with riotous living’. Compare Prov 29:3.
Verse 8
usury and unjust gain — Neshek is interest on a loan and tarbith is increase; the law forbade both toward a poor brother: ‘Take thou no usury of him, or increase’ (Lev 25:36). The gains pass to one who will ‘pity’ (chanan) the poor; cf. Prov 13:22, ‘the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.’
Verse 9
his prayer shall be abomination — Toebah, the word for what the LORD abhors. The one who ‘turneth away’ (sur) his ear from the torah has his prayer refused: ‘If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me’ (Ps 66:18); also Isa 1:15, ‘when ye make many prayers, I will not hear.’
Verse 11
wise in his own conceit — Literally ‘in his own eyes’ (ayin). The poor man with understanding (bin) ‘searcheth him out’ (chaqar, to probe), as Prov 18:17 says of the neighbour who ‘cometh and searcheth’ the first speaker. Compare Rom 12:16, ‘Be not wise in your own conceits.’
Verse 13
confesseth and forsaketh — Kasah, to cover, is set against yadah, to confess, and azab, to forsake (the verb of ‘forsake the law’ in v.4). ‘Mercy’ is racham, tender compassion. David shows the pattern: ‘I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid’ (Ps 32:5), after ‘I kept silence’ (Ps 32:3).
Verse 14
feareth alway — Pachad, to fear or stand in awe, with tamid, continually. It is the opposite of the ‘hardened’ heart (qashah, made stiff), warned against in Ps 95:8, ‘Harden not your heart’. Paul gives the same caution: ‘Be not highminded, but fear’ (Rom 11:20).
Verse 15
roaring lion, and a ranging bear — Naham, to growl or roar, and shaqaq, to course greedily like a beast of prey. The ‘wicked ruler’ has the lion’s terror: ‘The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion’ (Prov 20:2), but here it falls on the ‘poor people’ (dal, the weak).
Verse 17
flee to the pit — ‘Doeth violence’ is ashaq, to oppress, the verb of v.3; the ‘pit’ is bor, a cistern or grave. The shedder of blood is under the law of Gen 9:6: ‘Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.’ ‘Stay’ is tamak, to hold up: let none support him.
Verse 19
followeth after vain persons — The verb is radaph, the pursuing of v.1, here turned on reqim, empty fellows, so that he gets ‘poverty enough’ (resh). The first half repeats Prov 12:11, ‘He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread’; ‘tilleth’ is abad, to work or serve.
Verse 20
maketh haste to be rich — Emunah, faithfulness, brings blessings (berakah), while uts, to hurry, leads to guilt; ‘innocent’ is naqah, to be clean. Cf. Prov 13:11, ‘Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished’, and Prov 20:21, ‘the end thereof shall not be blessed.’ Christ says, ‘He that is faithful in that which is least…’ (Luke 16:10).
Verse 21
respect of persons — Literally to recognize faces (nakar, panim): partiality in judgment, as Prov 24:23 says, ‘It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.’ The man will ‘transgress’ (pasha, rebel) for ‘a piece of bread’; Ezek 13:19 likewise speaks of ‘handfuls of barley and… pieces of bread’.
Verse 23
afterwards… favour — Yakach, to reprove or set right; the flatterer’s tongue is chalaq, smooth. ‘Afterwards’ (achar) marks the delay before the rebuke is valued: ‘Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful’ (Prov 27:6); cf. Ps 141:5.
Verse 24
the companion of a destroyer — Gazal, to rob; the son’s excuse, ‘It is no transgression’ (pesha), is set against the commandment Christ cites, ‘Honour thy father and mother’ (Matt 15:4–6). ‘Companion’ is chaber, a partner; the destroyer is literally a man of ruin (shachath). Compare Prov 19:26.
Verse 25
proud heart… made fat — Literally wide of soul (rachab nephesh), the proud, who stirs up madon, strife. The one who trusts (batach, as in v.1) ‘shall be made fat’ (dashen): cf. Prov 11:25 and 13:4. The contrast recurs in Prov 29:25, ‘whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.’
Verse 27
shall not lack — Machsor, want or penury, is what the giver is spared; cf. Prov 19:17, ‘He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD.’ To ‘hide’ the eyes (alam, to veil from sight) brings ‘many a curse’ (meerah); compare Prov 11:24 on withholding more than is meet.
Verse 28
the wicked rise, men hide themselves — Its first line repeats v.12b with the verb changed: there ‘a man is hidden’ (chaphas), here men ‘hide’ (sathar). When the wicked ‘perish’ (abad), the righteous ‘increase’ (rabah). Compare Prov 29:2, ‘When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.’