Proverbs 28:15

¶ [As] a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; [so is] a wicked ruler over the poor people.

As a roaring {H5098} lion {H738}, and a ranging {H8264} bear {H1677}; so is a wicked {H7563} ruler {H4910} over the poor {H1800} people {H5971}.

Like a roaring lion or a bear prowling for food is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

Asa roaring lion, and a ranging bear, So isa wicked ruler over a poor people.

Proverbs 28:15 vividly portrays the destructive nature of oppressive leadership, comparing a wicked ruler to the most feared predators of the ancient world: a roaring lion and a ranging bear. This verse underscores the severe consequences for the vulnerable when power is abused.

Context

This verse is part of the book of Proverbs, which is wisdom literature offering practical guidance for righteous living and understanding the consequences of moral choices. Chapter 28, in particular, frequently contrasts the righteous and the wicked, highlighting how their actions affect society. The book often addresses themes of justice, governance, and the treatment of the poor and needy, reflecting societal concerns in the ancient Near East where rulers held significant power. The imagery used would have been immediately recognizable to its original audience as symbols of uncontrolled, violent force.

Key Themes

  • The Peril of Abusive Power: The verse warns against leaders who wield authority for personal gain or through intimidation, rather than for the good of their people.
  • Oppression of the Vulnerable: The primary victims of such wicked rule are the "poor people" ('am dal), emphasizing God's concern for the marginalized and defenseless. This aligns with other biblical calls for justice, such as not oppressing the poor.
  • Destructive Leadership: Just as a lion or bear devastates its prey and surroundings, a wicked ruler brings ruin, fear, and instability to the nation or community they govern.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms used create powerful imagery:

  • "Roaring lion" ('aryeh sho'eg): A common biblical symbol of strength and ferocity, often associated with kingship (e.g., Judah as a lion's whelp in Genesis 49:9). Here, it signifies a ruler who uses power to intimidate and devour, rather than to protect.
  • "Ranging bear" (dov shoqeq): A bear on the prowl, restless and dangerous, known for its destructive foraging and fierce protectiveness. This adds to the picture of a ruler who is unpredictable, relentless, and destructive.
  • "Wicked ruler" (moshel rasha): This phrase directly labels the leader's moral character, indicating that their actions stem from an inherently corrupt nature, not merely from error or weakness.

Practical Application

Proverbs 28:15 serves as a timeless warning and a call to action:

  • Ethical Leadership: It highlights the critical importance of integrity and justice in all forms of leadership, from national governments to community organizations and even within families. Leaders are called to be shepherds, not predators.
  • Protection of the Vulnerable: The verse reminds us of our responsibility to advocate for and protect those who are most susceptible to exploitation and oppression. God consistently demonstrates a heart for the poor and marginalized (Psalm 10:14).
  • Accountability: It implicitly calls for systems and principles that hold leaders accountable, preventing the unrestrained exercise of power that leads to tyranny and suffering. A righteous king, by contrast, establishes the land by justice.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 2:16

    ¶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

  • Proverbs 20:2

    ¶ The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.

  • 1 Peter 5:8

    ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

  • Proverbs 19:12

    ¶ The king's wrath [is] as the roaring of a lion; but his favour [is] as dew upon the grass.

  • Exodus 1:14

    And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, [was] with rigour.

  • Exodus 1:16

    And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see [them] upon the stools; if it [be] a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it [be] a daughter, then she shall live.

  • 1 Samuel 22:17

    And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also [is] with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

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