The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
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The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
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The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
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The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (16)
Passages linked to Proverbs 14:19 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 42:6 Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.
- Malachi 4:3 You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make,” says Yahweh of Armies.
- Exodus 8:8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.”
- Genesis 43:28 They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
- Exodus 9:27-28 Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Pray to Yahweh; for there has been enough of mighty thunderings and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”
- Exodus 11:8 All these servants of yours will come down to me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, “Get out, with all the people who follow you;” and after that I will go out.’ ” He went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.
- 1 Samuel 2:36 It will happen that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, “Please put me into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.” ’ ”
- 2 Kings 3:12 Jehoshaphat said, “Yahweh’s word is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
- Isaiah 60:14 The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you; and all those who despised you will bow themselves down at the soles of your feet. They will call you Yahweh’s City, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
- Micah 7:16-17 The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf. They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.
- Psalms 49:14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.
- Proverbs 11:29 He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind. The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.
- Micah 7:9-10 I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness. Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, where is Yahweh your God? Then my enemy will see me and will cover her shame. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.
- Revelation 3:9 Behold, I give some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
- Esther 7:7-8 The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
- Acts 16:39 and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.
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Explain this verse (16 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain If this come not daily to pass, we must…
If this come not daily to pass, we must consider that it is because of our sins, which let God’s working.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 14:19 The evil bow before the good; and…
Pro 14:19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Ver. 19. The evil bow before the good.] Here they do so many times, as Joseph’s brethren before him in his greatness, as Saul before Samuel, Belshazzar before Daniel, the persecuting tyrants before Constantine the Great; {a} yea, one of them, viz., Maximinus Galerius, being visited with grievous sickness, not only proclaimed liberty to the poor persecuted Christians, but also commanded their churches to be re-edified, and public prayers to be made for his recovery {b} So Ezr 6:10, "Pray for the king’s life, and for his sons’," some of which had died in their minority; for the rest, therefore, prayer must be made by the Church. That place is well known, {Isa 49:23} "Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their faces toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet." The prophet seems to allude to the manner of the Persians, who, when they were to speak to their king, did first kiss the pavement whereon he trod. {c} Howsoever, natural consciences cannot but do homage to the image of God, stamped upon the natures and practices of the righteous, as is aforenoted; and the worst cannot but think well of such, and honour them in their hearts. In the life to come these things shall have their full accomplishment; and at the last day, when the saints shall judge the world, and Christ shall have put all things under his feet, so that they shall have "power over the nations." {Rev 2:26}
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{a} Euseb.
{b} Ctesius.
{c} Pictorum solea basiare regum. - Martial.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Bow before the good; giving honour to them, and…
Bow before the good; giving honour to them, and supplicating their favour and help, either for supply of their wants, as being brought low for their sins, or for counsel or comfort, or for their prayers to God for them.
At the gates; as clients, and petitioners, and beggars use to wait at the doors and houses of great and potent men. The sense is, Good men shall have the pre-eminency over the wicked, ofttimes in this life, when God sees it expedient, but assuredly in the next life.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain That is, 1. The wicked are oftentimes impoverished and…
That is, 1. The wicked are oftentimes impoverished and brought low, so that they are forced to beg, their wickedness having reduced them to straits; while good men, by the blessing of God, are enriched, and enabled to give, and do give, even to the evil; for where God grants life we must not deny a livelihood. 2. Sometimes God extorts, even from bad men, an acknowledgement of the excellency of God's people. The evil ought always to bow before the good, and sometimes they are made to do it and to know that God has loved them, Rev 3:9. They desire their favour (Est 7:7), their prayers, Kg2 3:12. 3. There is a day coming when the upright shall have the dominion (Psa 49:14), when the foolish virgins shall come begging to the wise for oil, and shall knock in vain at that gate of the Lord at which the righteous entered.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain The evil bow before the good,.... Wicked men before…
The evil bow before the good,.... Wicked men before good men. This, as Jarchi observes, respects future time; even the latter day glory, or the spiritual times of the Messiah, when the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the saints of the most High: for though there may have been some few instances of this kind, as Haman bowing before Mordecai, and the Heathen emperors before Constantine; and there may be some now, in some cases where obligation requires; yet this is far from being general, as it will be in the spiritual reign of Christ; when the sons of those that afflicted the church will come bending to her, and they that have despised her shall bow themselves down at the soles of her feet; and even great personages too shall bow down and lick the dust of her feet; the kings of the earth, who before have been in confederacy with antichrist, and have persecuted the saints, now shall hate the whore, and honour the true church of Christ: this will be in the Philadelphian state, which is the same with the spiritual reign of Christ; such who called themselves Jews, and are not, shall come and worship before the feet of the church, and own that she and her members are the favourites of heaven, Dan 7:27, Isa 49:23;
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous; or, "come to the gates of the righteous", as the Syriac version supplies it; they come and knock there, stand and wait, or lay themselves down; become prostrate and humble supplicants for relief and protection, as beggars do. This may also respect their attendance at Wisdom's gates, at the gates of Zion, on public ordinances, for counsel and instruction, which before they despised, Pro 8:34. The Septuagint version is, "shall serve thy gates"; that is, at them; see Isa 60:11.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain The evil - Good men shall have the pre-eminency…
The evil - Good men shall have the pre-eminency over the wicked.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 19. The evil bow before the good] They…
Verse 19. The evil bow before the good] They are almost constrained to show them respect; and the wicked, who have wasted their substance with riotous living, bow before the gates of the righteous-of benevolent men-begging a morsel of bread.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Pro 14:19. The evil bow before the good —…
Pro 14:19. The evil bow before the good — Giving honour to them, and supplicating their favour and help; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous — As clients and petitioners are wont to wait at the houses of the great and powerful, or beggars at the doors of such as they expect will relieve their wants. The sense is, good men will have the pre-eminence over the wicked often in this life, when God sees it expedient, but assuredly in the life to come.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles Bridges 1846 · Public Domain This is not the general rule of the present…
This is not the general rule of the present dispensation. Righteous Lazarus bowed at the wicked man’s gate. (Luk 16:20 .) Thus faith is tried (Psa 73:12 ), and the foundations of our heavenly hopes more deeply grounded. (2Co 4:17-18 .) And yet often has the very letter of the proverb been verified. The Egyptians and Joseph’s brethren bowed before Joseph;†1 the proud Pharaoh and his people before Moses;†2 Saul to David;†3 Jehoram and Naaman before Elisha;†4 Haman before Esther;†5 the magistrates before the apostles.†6 More often still is the spirit of this proverb illustrated in the constrained testimony of the wicked to the pre-eminence of the righteous. (Rev 3:9 .) The millennial era will exhibit a more glorious fulfillment. (Isa 49:23 ; Isa 60:14 . Rev 20:4 .) The grand consummation will set all things right, and shed a Divine splendour over this profound aphorism. "The upright shall have dominion over the wicked in the morning." (Psa 49:14 . Mal 4:1-3 .) "The saints shall judge the world." (1Co 6:2 .) They shall there appear in their suitable rank, exalted with their glorious Head over the whole creation. (Rev 2:26 .) Oh! let the sunshine of this glory irradiate every clouded morn. If this be not enough to counter-balance the scorn of the ungodly, where is our faith? Had we a clear apprehension of this glory, should we have an eye for anything else? Would not all besides, except as it had a reference to this day, be an utter impertinence?
Footnotes:
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†1 Gen 41:43; Gen 42:6 .
†2 Exo 8:8; Exo 9:27-28 ; Exo 11:8 .
†3 1Sa 24:16-21 ; 1Sa 26:21 .
†4 2Ki 3:12 ; 2Ki 5:9 .
†5 Est 7:7.
†6 Act 16:39.
Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Describes the humbling of the wicked by the punishment…
Describes the humbling of the wicked by the punishment their sins incur.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 19. At the gates — That is, bow at…
19. At the gates — That is, bow at “the gates” as beggars, supplicating favour and relief. Evil and wicked are only different words descriptive of the same class of persons. The proverb does not imply that this is always the case in this world, but that often, in the retributions of Providence, the wicked who oppressed and persecuted the righteous are made to humble themselves before them, and even to beg their bread from them. Compare Pro_13:9; Pro_13:22; Psa_37:25, seq.; Gen_43:26; Gen_50:18; Est_3:2; Est_6:11; Rev_3:9; Luk_16:24.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (19) The evil bow before the good.—(Comp. 1Sa_2:36.) That…
(19) The evil bow before the good.—(Comp. 1Sa_2:36.) That this final retribution is certain is implied by the tense employed, though it may be long delayed till the “awakening” (Psa_73:20) of God and man to judgment. (Comp. Wis_5:1, sqq.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The evil bow before the good; and the wicked…
The evil bow before the good; and the wicked stand at the gates of the righteous. (Pro_8:34) The final victory of good over evil is here set forth. However triumphant for a time and apparently prosperous the wicked may be, their success is not lasting; they shall in the end succumb to the righteous, even as the Canaanite kings crouched before Joshua"s captains, (Jos_10:24) and, hurled from their high estate, they shall stand humbly at the good man"s door, begging for bread to support their life. (1Sa_2:36) The contrast here indicated is seen in our Lord"s parable of Dives and Lazarus, when the beggar is comforted and the rich man is tormented, and when the latter urgently sues for the help of the once despised outcast to mitigate the agony which he is suffering. (comp. RAPC Wis 5)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro_14:19
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Pro_14:19
A LEVELLING LAW
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I. This law is now manifest to the inner life of the wicked. If a wicked man has any sense of right and wrong, he is conscious of the superiority of the good man. There is an inward bowing down of the evil to the good which is as real, although invisible, as any outward bending of the person of one man before another. Indeed it is far more real than much outward homage. There are many outward and visible bendings and bowings which are mere matters of form, which are only made to keep up appearances. But the involuntary bowing of the evil man’s soul in the presence of the good man is a real act of homage, although there is in it an element of unwillingness. There is a compulsory consent, so to speak, of the man himself against himself. But this genuflexion of soul is no mere pretence.
II. The good man is also conscious of it. He knows that it is so because in the constitution of the universe good is made to rule evil, because the head of the one kingdom—the kingdom of evil—is compelled to acknowledge the authority of the head of the kingdom of good. His own moral consciousness tells him that it must be so, and he has the declaration of God to confirm it. “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord” (Isa_54:17).
III. What has been occasionally manifested in the outward life, and what is always the inner experience, will one day be universally visible to all the universe. The revelation of God tells us that there will be a universally visible manifestation of the submission of the evil to the good. And our sense of justice demands that it should be so. A day will come when, at the name of Incarnate Goodness, “every knee shall bow” (Php_2:10), and the servants will have a portion of like reverence. “The sons also of them that afflicted Thee shall come bending unto Thee; and all they that despised Thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of Thy feet” (Isa_60:14).—See also Rev_20:4. It is also revealed to us when this visible manifestation shall take place. “In the end of this world,” at the close of the present dispensation, “the Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity … then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Mat_13:40-43). “For this manifestation of the sons of God” they wait with “earnest expectation;” “creation groans” for it; Christ Himself awaits it at “the right hand of God” (Heb_10:12-13; Rom_8:19-22).
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
At one time or other, in one respect or other, the ungodly serve and crouch to the godly. Sometimes they that fear the Lord are lifted up to honour, and then the evil men bow themselves before them. Sometimes, again, the righteous wax rich through God’s blessing on their labours, and then come the wicked to their gates for alms and relief. Not only the poor ones, but the great ones, who yet are wicked ones, seek and sue now and then with all submission to the godly for their counsel and help. And I cannot tell how, but such a majesty there is in the godly oftentimes, that most desperately wicked men reverence their faces, and are silent or courteous in their presence.—Muffet.
This is not the general rule in the present dispensation. Righteous Lazarus bowed at the rich man’s gate (Luk_16:20).… But “the upright shall have dominion over the wicked in the morning” (Psa_49:14; Mal_4:1-3). “The saints shall judge the world” (1Co_6:2).—Bridges.
There have been instances in which this proverb was verified in a very remarkable manner. The Egyptians bowed down before Joseph, and Moses, and the Israelites. The proud king of Babylon almost worshipped the captive Daniel, and Elisha’s favour was solicited by three kings, one or two of whom were bad men.—Lawson.
The wicked serve the righteous; and whether they do it knowingly, they do it wholly, and through eternal ages.—Miller.
In times of worldly prosperity, and while the wicked flourish, there is none more lifted up in pride and bravery of outward shows than they are; there is none, then, less esteemed, and more despised, than the good and righteous are. They shall give long attendance before the gates give way to them, and when they are entered a proud eye shall mightily overlook them, a scornful language shall throw them down at their feet. Wherefore Augustine calleth riches wings, by which men in pride fly not only above others, but themselves also. But if the time alter, and either some storm of common calamity beat upon them, or else the hand of God privately seize on them, then none are more dejected than the wicked, none then more esteemed than the righteous are by them. Then their ways are to the gates of the righteous, and much bowing there is to entreat their prayers unto God, and to obtain help and comfort from them. Then Dives, but fearing hell only, already sees Lazarus in heaven, and fain would come unto him.—Jermin.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain v. 19. The evil bow before the good, humbling…
v. 19. The evil bow before the good, humbling themselves as a result of the punishment which they incurred for their sins, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous, like beggars humbly praying for some gift of charity.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 bow down
bow down
This means to bend over to humbly express respect and submission toward someone. (See: Symbolic Action)
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at the gates of the righteous
The word "gates" represents an entrance to meet with another. This means the wicked will have to wait for the righteous person and beg to enter his presence. AT: "to meet with the righteous person" (See: Metonymy)
The poor person is hated even by his own companions
This can be stated in active form. AT: "Everyone hates the poor person even his own neighbors" (See: Active or Passive)
translationWords
evil
bow
gate
companion
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.