Proverbs 28:1-12 WEB

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 28:12

Note, 1. The comfort of the people of God is the honour of the nation in which they live. There is a great glory dwelling in the land when the righteous do rejoice, when they have their liberty, the free exercise of their religion, and are not persecuted, when the government countenances them and speaks comfortably to them, when they prosper and grow rich, and, much more, when they are preferred and employed and have power put into their hands. 2. The advancement of the wicked is the eclipsing... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth ,.... Through the terrors of a guilty conscience, as in Cain and others; who fear where no immediate cause of fear is, are frightened with their own shadows; and as Gaal was with the shadow of the mountains, he took for an army of men, as his friend told him, Judges 9:36 ; they are chased with the sound of a shaken leaf, and fancy men are at their heels to destroy them, and therefore with all haste flee to some place of safety; see Leviticus 26:17 ; ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:2

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof ,.... Either together; that is, reigning princes, such as lay claim to the crown, and usurp it; otherwise it is a happiness to a nation to have many princes of the blood, to inherit in succession, to support the crown in their family, and defend a nation, and study the good of it; but it is a judgment to a nation when many rise up as competitors for rule, or do rule, as at Athens, where thirty tyrants sprung up at once; by which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:3

A poor man that oppresseth the poor ,.... Either one that is poor at the time he oppresses another like himself, either by secret fraud or open injury; from whom the oppressed can get no redress, as sometimes he may and does from a rich man: or rather one that has been poor, but now become rich, and got into some place of authority and profit, who should remember what he had been; and it might be expected that such an one would put on bowels of compassion towards the poor, as knowing what it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:4

They that forsake the law praise the wicked ,.... Who are like them; who forsake and transgress the law, as they do; every like loves its like; wicked men delight in sin, the transgression of the law, and in those that do it. One covetous man will bless and praise another, whom the Lord abhors, and commend his covetousness as frugality and good husbandry: one proud man will call another happy, and praise him as a man of spirit, that will not debase himself, but keep up his authority, rank,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:5

Evil men understand not judgment ,.... Or, "men of wickedness" F2 אנשי רע "viri mali, (in genitivo casu)", Mercerus; "vel malitiae", Baynus, Gejerus. ; that are under the governing power of it; who are given up and give up themselves unto it; who, like Ahab, sell themselves to work wickedness: these know not what is just and right between man and man, at least not to do it; they know it not practically; they are wise to do evil, but to do good have no knowledge, Jeremiah 4:22 ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:6

Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness ,.... See Gill on Proverbs 19:1 ; than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich ; or, "in his two ways" F3 דרכים Heb. "duabus viis", Piscator, Cocceius; "pervertens duas vias", Baynus; "duplici via", Michaelis; "gemina via", Schultens, so Ben Melech. : that halts between two ways, or makes use of both; sometimes turns to the one, to the right hand, and sometimes to the other, to the left hand; or that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:7

Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son ,.... That observes the law of God; for, though he cannot perfectly keep it, yet he delights in it after the inward man; and with his spirit serves it, from a principle of love, in faith, and with a view to the glory of God, without mercenary and sinister ends. Such a man enjoys peace, and has a reward "in" though not "for" keeping the commands of it; so that it is his wisdom to observe it; and he may be truly called a wise man, Deuteronomy 4:6 ; Or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:8

He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance ,.... By biting and oppressing the poor; letting him have money at an exorbitant interest, and goods at an exorbitant price, and so increases his substance in this scandalous manner; hence usury is in Leviticus 25:36 , called "increase", and by the Greeks τοκος , a "birth", because money is the birth of money, as Aristotle F5 Politic. l. 1. c. 10. observes; and so by the Latins "foenus", as if it was "foetus" F6 A. Gell.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:9

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law ,.... Not merely the moral law, but the word of God in general, and any and every doctrine of it; though the law is to be heard and attended to, what it commands and forbids, its precepts, menaces, and curses: indeed the Spirit of God is not received by the hearing of the law, nor does faith come by that; but by hearing the word of God, particularly the Gospel; which yet then turn away their ears from, and are turned to fables, and choose to... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 28:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 28:9

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