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21 Fear the Lord, my child,[a] as well as the king,
and do not associate[b] with rebels,[c]
22 for suddenly their destruction will overtake them,[d]
and who knows the ruinous judgment both the Lord and the king can bring?[e]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:21 tn Heb “my son,” but there is no indication in the immediate context that this should be limited only to male children.
  2. Proverbs 24:21 tn Heb “do not get mixed up with”; cf. TEV “Have nothing to do with”; NIV “do not join with.” The verb עָרַב (ʿarav) is used elsewhere meaning “to exchange; to take on pledge.” In the Hitpael stem it means “to have fellowship; to share; to associate with.” Some English versions (e.g., KJV) interpret as “to meddle” in this context, because “to have fellowship” is certainly not what is meant.
  3. Proverbs 24:21 tn The form rendered “rebels” is difficult; it appears to be the Qal active participle, plural, from שָׁנָה (shanah), “to change”—“those who change.” The RV might have thought of the idea of “change” when they rendered it “political agitators.” The Syriac and Tg. Prov 24:21 have “fools,” the Latin has “detractors,” and the LXX reads, “do not disobey either of them,” referring to God and the king in the first line. Accordingly the ruin predicted in the next line would be the ruin that God and the king can inflict. If the idea of “changers” is retained, it would have to mean people who at one time feared God and the king but no longer do.
  4. Proverbs 24:22 tn Heb “will rise” (so NASB).
  5. Proverbs 24:22 tn Heb “the ruin of the two of them.” Judgment is sent on the rebels both by God and the king. The term פִּיד (pid, “ruin; disaster”) is a metonymy of effect, the cause being the sentence of judgment (= “ruinous judgment” in the translation; cf. NLT “punishment”). The word “two of them” is a subjective genitive—they two bring the disaster on the rebels. The referents (the Lord and the king) have been specified in the translation for clarity.sn The reward for living in peace under God in this world is that those who do will escape the calamities that will fall on the rebellious. Verse 21a is used in 1 Peter 2:17, and v. 22 is used in Romans 13:1-7 (v. 4). This is the thirtieth and last of this collection.

Saying 30

21 Fear the Lord and the king,(A) my son,
    and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction(B) on them,
    and who knows what calamities they can bring?

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It is the glory of God[a] to conceal[b] a matter,

and it is the glory of a king to search out a matter.
As the heaven is high[c] and the earth is deep
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:2 sn The proverb provides a contrast between God and the king, and therein is the clue to the range of application involved. The interest of the king is ruling or administering his government; and so the subject matter is a contrast to the way God rules his kingdom.
  2. Proverbs 25:2 sn The two infinitives form the heart of the contrast—“to conceal a matter” and “to search out a matter.” God’s government of the universe is beyond human understanding—humans cannot begin to fathom the intentions and operations of it. But it is the glory of kings to search out matters and make them intelligible to the people. Human government cannot claim divine secrecy; kings have to study and investigate everything before making a decision, even divine government as far as possible. But kings who rule as God’s representatives must also try to represent his will in human affairs—they must even inquire after God to find his will. This is their glorious nature and responsibility. For more general information on vv. 2-27, see G. E. Bryce, “Another Wisdom ‘Book’ in Proverbs,” JBL 91 (1972): 145-57.
  3. Proverbs 25:3 tn Heb “heavens for height and earth for depth.” The proverb is clearly intending the first line to be an illustration of the second—it is almost emblematic parallelism.
  4. Proverbs 25:3 sn The proverb is affirming a simple fact: The king’s plans and decisions are beyond the comprehension of the common people. While the king would make many things clear to the people, there are other things that are “above their heads” or “too deep for them.” They are unsearchable because of his superior wisdom, his caprice, or his need for secrecy. Inscrutability is sometimes necessary to keep a firm grip on power.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
    to search out a matter is the glory of kings.(A)
As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
    so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

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Remove the dross from the silver,
and material[a] for the silversmith will emerge;
remove the wicked from before the king,[b]
and his throne[c] will be established in righteousness.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:4 tn The Hebrew כֶּלִי (keli) means “vessel; utensil” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). But purging dross from silver does not produce a “vessel” for the silversmith. Some versions therefore render it “material” (e.g., NIV, NRSV). The LXX says “that it will be entirely pure.” So D. W. Thomas reads כָּלִיל (kalil) and translates it “purified completely” (“Notes on Some Passages in the Book of Proverbs,” VT 15 [1965]: 271-79; cf. NAB). W. McKane simply rearranges the line to say that the smith can produce a work of art (Proverbs [OTL], 580; cf. TEV “a thing of beauty”). The easiest explanation is that “vessel” is a metonymy of effect, “vessel” put for the material that goes into making it (such metonymies occur fairly often in Psalms and Proverbs).
  2. Proverbs 25:5 sn These two verses present first an illustration and then the point (so it is emblematic parallelism). The passage uses imperatives to teach that the wicked must be purged from the kingdom.
  3. Proverbs 25:5 sn “Throne” is a metonymy of subject (or adjunct); it is the symbol of the government over which the king presides (cf. NCV, TEV).
  4. Proverbs 25:5 sn When the king purges the wicked from his court he will be left with righteous counselors and his government therefore will be “established in righteousness”—it will endure through righteousness (cf. NLT “made secure by justice”). But as J. H. Greenstone says, “The king may have perfect ideals and his conduct may be irreproachable, but he may be misled by unscrupulous courtiers” (Proverbs, 264).

Remove the dross from the silver,
    and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,(A)
    and his throne will be established(B) through righteousness.(C)

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Do not honor yourself before the king,
and do not stand in the place of great men;
for it is better for him[a] to say to you, “Come up here,”[b]
than to put you lower[c] before a prince,
whom your eyes have seen.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:7 tn The phrase “for him” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
  2. Proverbs 25:7 sn This proverb, covering the two verses, is teaching that it is wiser to be promoted than to risk demotion by self-promotion. The point is clear: Trying to promote oneself could bring on public humiliation, but it would be an honor to have everyone in court hear the promotion by the king.
  3. Proverbs 25:7 tn The two infinitives construct form the contrast in this “better” sayings; each serves as the subject of its respective clause.
  4. Proverbs 25:7 tc Most modern commentators either omit this last line or attach it to the next verse. But it is in the text of the MT as well as the LXX, Syriac, Vulgate, and most modern English versions (although some of them do connect it to the following verse, e.g., NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”(A)
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes

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A king brings stability to[a] a land[b] by justice,
but one who exacts tribute[c] tears it down.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:4 tn The form is the Hiphil imperfect of the verb עָמַד (ʿamad, “to stand”), hence, “to cause to stand.” It means that the king makes the nation “stand firm,” with “standing firm” being a figure for strength, security, and stability. Cf. NCV “makes his country (the nation CEV) strong.”
  2. Proverbs 29:4 tn Or “country.” This term functions as a metonymy of subject for the people in the land.
  3. Proverbs 29:4 tn The Hebrew text reads אִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת (ʾish terumot, “a man of offerings”), which could refer to a man who “receives gifts” or “gives gifts.” Because of its destructive nature on the country, here the phrase must mean that he receives or “exacts” the money (cf. NRSV “makes heavy exactions”). This seems to go beyond the ordinary taxation for two reasons: (1) this ruler is a “man of offerings,” indicating that it is in his nature to do this, and (2) it tears down the country. The word “offerings” has been taken to refer to gifts or bribes (cf. NASB, NIV, CEV, NLT), but the word itself suggests more the idea of tribute or taxes that are demanded; this Hebrew word was used in Leviticus for offerings given to the priests, and in Ezek 45:16 for taxes. The point seems to be that this ruler or administrator is breaking the backs of the people with heavy taxes or tribute (e.g., 1 Sam 8:11-18), and this causes division and strife.

By justice a king gives a country stability,(A)
    but those who are greedy for[a] bribes tear it down.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:4 Or who give

14 If a king judges the poor in truth,[a]
his throne[b] will be established forever.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:14 tn The king must judge “in truth” (בֶּאֱמֶת, beʾemet). Some have interpreted this to mean “faithfully” (KJV, ASV) but that is somewhat unclear. The idea is that the poor must be treated fairly and justly (cf. NIV “with fairness”; NRSV “with equity”); “truth” is that which corresponds to the standard of the law revealed by God. There must be no miscarriage of justice for these people simply because they are poor.
  2. Proverbs 29:14 sn The term “throne” is a metonymy of subject; it represents the dynasty, the reign of this particular king and his descendants. The qualification of the enduring administration is its moral character. The language of this proverb reflects the promise of the Davidic Covenant (e.g., Prov 16:12; 20:28; 25:5; 31:5).

14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
    his throne will be established forever.(A)

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It is not for kings,[a] O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,[b]
or for rulers to crave strong drink,[c]
lest they drink and forget what is decreed,
and remove[d] from all the poor[e] their legal rights.[f]
Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,[g]
and wine to those who are bitterly distressed;[h]
let them[i] drink and forget[j] their poverty,
and remember their misery no more.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:4 tn Heb “[It is] not for kings.”
  2. Proverbs 31:4 sn This second warning for kings concerns the use of alcohol. If this passage is meant to prohibit any use of alcohol by kings, it would be unheard of in any ancient royal court. What is probably meant is an excessive and unwarranted use of alcohol, or a troubling need for it, so that the meaning is “to drink wine in excess” (cf. NLT “to guzzle wine”; CEV “should not get drunk”). The danger, of course, would be that excessive use of alcohol would cloud the mind and deprive a king of true administrative ability and justice.
  3. Proverbs 31:4 tn The MT has אֵו (ʾev), a Kethib/Qere reading. The Kethib is אוֹ (ʾo) but the Qere is אֵי (ʾe). Some follow the Qere and take the word as a shortened form of וַֹיֵּה, “where?” This would mean the ruler would be always asking for drink (cf. ASV). Others reconstruct to אַוֵּה (ʾavveh, “to desire; to crave”). In either case, the verse would be saying that a king is not to be wanting/seeking alcohol.tn Here “strong drink” probably refers to barley beer (cf. NIV, NCV “beer”).
  4. Proverbs 31:5 tn The verb means “change,” perhaps expressed in reversing decisions or removing rights.
  5. Proverbs 31:5 tn Heb “all the children of poverty.” This expression refers to the poor by nature. Cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV “the afflicted”; NIV “oppressed.”
  6. Proverbs 31:5 sn The word is דִּין (din, “judgment”; so KJV). In this passage it refers to the cause or the plea for justice, i.e., the “legal rights.”
  7. Proverbs 31:6 sn Wine and beer should be given to those distressed and dying in order to ease their suffering and help them forget.
  8. Proverbs 31:6 tn Heb “to the bitter of soul.” The phrase לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ (lemare nafesh) has been translated “of heavy hearts” (KJV); “in anguish” (NIV); “in misery” (TEV); “in bitter distress” (NRSV); “sorely depressed” (NAB); “in deep depression (NLT); “have lost all hope” (CEV). The word “bitter” (מַר, mar) describes the physical and mental/spiritual suffering as a result of affliction, grief, or suffering—these people are in emotional pain. So the idea of “bitterly distressed” works as well as any other translation.
  9. Proverbs 31:7 tn The subjects and suffixes are singular (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). Most other English versions render this as plural for stylistic reasons, in light of the preceding context.
  10. Proverbs 31:7 tn The king was not to “drink and forget”; the suffering are to “drink and forget.”

It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,(A)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
lest they drink(B) and forget what has been decreed,(C)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine(D) for those who are in anguish!
Let them drink(E) and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

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