The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.
Parallel Translations
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The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.
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The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
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The king by justice establisheth the land; but he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.
Cross-references (16)
Passages linked to Proverbs 29:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 29:14 The king who fairly judges the poor, his throne shall be established forever.
- Proverbs 20:8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
- Daniel 11:20 “Then one who will cause a tax collector to pass through the kingdom to maintain its glory will stand up in his place; but within few days he shall be destroyed, not in anger, and not in battle.
- Micah 7:3 Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
- 1 Samuel 13:13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.
- 2 Samuel 8:15 David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people.
- 1 Kings 2:12 Solomon sat on David his father’s throne; and his kingdom was firmly established.
- 2 Kings 15:18-20 He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. He didn’t depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul one thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. Menahem exacted the money from Israel, even from all the mighty men of wealth, from each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and didn’t stay there in the land.
- 2 Chronicles 9:8 Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God; because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”
- Psalms 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.
- Psalms 99:4 The King’s strength also loves justice. You establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob.
- Proverbs 8:15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
- Proverbs 16:12 It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, for the throne is established by righteousness.
- Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.
- Isaiah 49:8 Yahweh says, “I have answered you in an acceptable time. I have helped you in a day of salvation. I will preserve you and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage,
- Jeremiah 22:13-17 “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his rooms by injustice; who uses his neighbor’s service without wages, and doesn’t give him his hire; who says, ‘I will build myself a wide house and spacious rooms,’ and cuts out windows for himself; with a cedar ceiling, and painted with red. “Should you reign, because you strive to excel in cedar? Didn’t your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; so it was well, then. Wasn’t this to know me?” says Yahweh. But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness, for shedding innocent blood, for oppression, and for doing violence.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 29:4 The king by judgment establisheth the land:…
Pro 29:4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
Ver. 4. The king by judgment stablisheth the land.] This one piece of Solomon’s politics hath much more good advice in it than all Lypsius’s Beehive, or Machiavel’s Spider web.
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But he that receiveth gifts.] Heb., A man of oblations; that is, as some interpret it, a man that sacreligiously meddleth with things dedicated to pious uses, and makes a gain of them to himself. See Pro 20:25.
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 By judgment; by the free and impartial exercise of…
By judgment; by the free and impartial exercise of justice.
He that receiveth gifts, Heb. a man (for he would not vouchsafe to call him a king, as being unworthy of that name and office) of oblations or gifts, i.e. whose delight and common practice it is to take bribes, and sell justice.
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 Here is, 1. The happiness of a people under…
Here is, 1. The happiness of a people under a good government. The care and business of a prince should be to establish the land, to maintain its fundamental laws, to settle the minds of his subjects and make them easy, to secure their liberties and properties from hostilities and for posterity, and to set in order the things that are wanting; this he must do by judgment, by wise counsels, and by the steady administration of justice, without respect of persons, which will have these good effects. 2. The misery of a people under a bad government: A man of oblations (so it is in the margin) overthrows the land; a man that is either sacrilegious or superstitious, or that invades the priest's office, as Saul and Uzziah - or a man that aims at nothing but getting money, and will, for a good bribe, connive at the most guilty, and, in hope of one, persecute the innocent - such governors as these will ruin a country.
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 king by judgment establisheth the land,.... By executing,…
The king by judgment establisheth the land,.... By executing, judgment and justice among his subjects, he establishes the laws of the land, and the government of it; he secures its peace and prosperity, and preserves his people in the possession at their properties and privileges; and makes them rich and powerful, and the state stable and flourishing, so that it continues firm to posterity; such a king was Solomon, Ch2 9:8;
but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it; that, is, a king that does so; Gersom observes that he is not called a king, because such a man is not worthy of the name, who takes gifts and is bribed by them to pervert judgment and justice; whereby the laws of the nation are violated, and the persons and properties of his subjects become the prey of wicked men; and so the state is subverted and falls to ruin: it is in the original text, "a man of oblations" (k); the word is generally used of the sacred oblations or offerings under the law; hence some understand it of a sacrilegious prince who of his own arbitrary power converts sacred things to civil uses. The Targum, Septuagint, Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a wicked and ungodly man; and the Vulgate Latin version, a covetous man; as such a prince must be in whatsoever light he is seen, whether as a perverter of justice through bribes, or as a sacrilegious man; though it may be rendered, "a man of exactions" (l), for it is used of the oblation of a prince which he receives from his people, Eze 45:9; as Aben Ezra observes; and so it may be interpreted of a king that lays heavy taxes upon his people, and thereby brings them to distress and poverty, and the state to ruin.
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(k) "vir oblationam", Montanus, Baynus, Grotius, Gejerus, Schultens. (l) "Vir exactionum", Mercerus; "qui levat exactiones", Munster; "qui tributa imponit", so some in Vatablus; "qui tribbuta extorquet", Tigurine version.
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 Judgment - By the free and impartial exercise of…
Judgment - By the free and impartial exercise of justice. Gifts - Bribes.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 4. He that receiveth gifts] This was notoriously…
Verse 4. He that receiveth gifts] This was notoriously the case in this kingdom, before the passing of the Magna Charta, or great charter of liberties. Hence that article in it, Nulli vendemus justitiam; "We will not sell justice to any." I have met with cases in our ancient records where, in order to get his right, a man was obliged almost to ruin himself in presents to the king, queen, and their favourites, to get the case decided in his favour.
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 29:4. The king by judgment — By the…
Pro 29:4. The king by judgment — By the free and impartial exercise of justice; establisheth the land — Restores his kingdom to a firm and good state, though it might before be in great disorder; but he that receiveth gifts — Hebrew, אישׁ תרומות, a man of oblations, or gifts, whose delight and common practice it is to take bribes and sell justice; overthroweth it —
Subverts it utterly, though it might before be never so well settled.
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 Of what avail are the best laws, if they…
Of what avail are the best laws, if they be badly administered? Partiality and injustice absolutely make them null and void. And yet it requires great integrity and moral courage to withstand the temptations of worldly policy and self-interest. God’s own throne is built and established by judgment.†1 This then can be the only establishment of the land.†2 The compromise of it to some private ends provokes the anger of God to the chastisement, if not the overthrow, of the land. The article in our Magna Charta — ’We will sell justice to none’ — is but too plain evidence of the recklessness of all social principles, ere the great standard was erected among us.
Under the godly government of Samuel the land was established by judgment.†3 "But his sons walked not in his ways." They were men of oblations. They received gifts; and the Theocracy — the great palladium of the land — was overthrown.†4 The righteous administration of David "bore up the pillars" of the land, at a time of great national weakness.†5 The same principles in the godly successors were the source of strength and prosperity.†6 The want of uprightness in Saul shook the kingdom from his grasp;†7 and the covetousness of Johoiakim†8 destroyed its foundations, and buried him in its ruins. Let the same consistency pervade every grade of official responsibility. No respect will be paid to dignity, temporal or spiritual, except it be established with judgment. Let men of God be in our high places; and "righteousness will exalt a nation," and our Church will be "the joy and praise of the whole earth." (Pro 14:34 .)
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Footnotes:
†1 Psa 89:14; Psa 97:2 . Isa 9:7 .
†2 Pro 29:14; Pro 16:10-12 ; Pro 20:8, Pro 20:26 ; Pro 25:5 . 2Ch 9:8 .
†3 1Sa 7:3-12, 1Sa 7:15-17 .
†4 1Sa 8:2-7 .
†5 Psa 75:2-6, Psa 75:10 . 2Sa 8:15 .
†6 2Ch 1:1 ; 2Ch 14:2-7 ; 2Ch 19:6-7, with 2Ch 20:27-30 ; 2Ch 31:20-21 . Isa 32:1-2 .
†7 1Sa 13:13 .
†8 Jer 22:13-19.
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 by judgment--that is, righteous decisions, opposed to those procured…
by judgment--that is, righteous decisions, opposed to those procured by gifts (compare Pro 28:21), by which good government is perverted.
land--for nation.
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 4. By judgment — Administrative justice.
4. By judgment — Administrative justice.
He that receiveth gifts — “A man of exactions, or of oblations, exacts tribute.” — Conant. “Is fond of bribes.” — Zockler. The idea seems to be, that such a man sits upon the throne to receive oblations rather than to dispense justice — that he makes himself a god to be appeased by offerings, and sells favours to the highest bidder. Such, indeed, was and is the character of many of the eastern despots. Nor has this form of iniquity been confined to the East. Dr. Clarke says: “I have met with cases in our ancient records where, in order to get his right, a man was obliged almost to ruin himself in presents to the king, queen, and their favourites.” One of the articles of the Magna Charta is:
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Nulli vendemus justitiam; “We will sell justice to no one.” Under our system of government, and in our times, perhaps the most likely place to find the development of this evil is in the legislative department — national and local. Legislators who receive, directly or indirectly, a compensation for their votes, are acting on the principle condemned in this proverb, and are contributing their share to the ruin of their country. Compare Eze_45:9.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. receiveth] The R.V., exacteth, is scarcely an improvement,…
4. receiveth] The R.V., exacteth, is scarcely an improvement, for it is enough to “overthrow the land” that the king be open to receive gifts. The Heb., a man of offerings, will bear either sense. The rendering of R.V. marg., that imposeth tribute, sacrifices the contrast in the two members of the proverb, between the impartial administration of justice and the venality and corruption which are the curse of Oriental courts.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) By judgment.—Upright decisions.
(4) By judgment.—Upright decisions.
He that receiveth gifts.—To pervert justice (Pro_15:27).
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 Many of the proverbs in this chapter seem to…
Many of the proverbs in this chapter seem to suit the time of Jeroboam II. (see on Pro_28:3) The king by judgment establisheth the land. The king, the fountain of justice, by his equitable government brings his country into a healthy and settled condition. (1Ki_15:4; comp. Ver. 14; Pro_16:12 Pro_25:5) In the security of the throne the land and people participate. He that receiveth gifts overthroweth it. The expression, twOmWrT vyai (ish terumoth), "man of offerings," "man of gifts," is ambiguous: it may mean "the taker of bribes," the unrighteous ruler who sells justice, (Pro_15:27) or it may signify "the imposer of taxes" (Eze_45:13, etc.) or forced benevolences. Aquila and Theodotion have anhtwn , "man of heave offerings," and Wordsworth regards him as a man who claims and receives gifts, as if he were a deity on earth. Whichever sense we give to the phrase, the contrast lies between the inflexibly upright ruler and the iniquitous or extortionate prince. The Septuagint gives paranomov , "a transgressor;" Vulgate, vir avarus.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 29:4 A just king looks out for the rights…
29:4 A just king looks out for the rights of others; a ruler who accepts bribes uses his office for personal gain (see also 17:23; 22:16; 28:21).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.