Proverbs 21:18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 21:18

This intimates, 1. What should be done by the justice of men: The wicked, that are the troublers of a land, ought to be punished, for the preventing and turning away of those national judgments which otherwise will be inflicted and in which even the righteous are many times involved. Thus when Achan was stoned he was a ransom for the camp of righteous Israel; and the seven sons of Saul, when they were hanged, were a ransom for the kingdom of righteous David. 2. What is often done by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:18

The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous ,.... Not to make satisfaction for them, as Christ is a ransom for his people; but as a ransom is in the room of another, so the wicked cometh in the stead of the righteous, and into the trouble he is delivered from; as Haman for Mordecai, which instance Jarchi mentions; see Proverbs 11:8 ; or when a body of people are threatened with divine vengeance; and this falls upon the wicked, whose sins caused it, and the righteous are delivered from... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 21:18

The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous - God often in his judgments cuts off the wicked, in order to prevent them from destroying the righteous. And in general, we find that the wicked fall into the traps and pits they have digged for the righteous. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:18

The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous. The same thought occurs in Proverbs 11:8 (where see note). כֹּפֶר ( kopher ) , "price of atonement," means of reconciliation. Delitzsch instances that the great movement which gathered the nations together for the destruction of Babylon put an end to Israel's exile; and that Cyrus, the scourge of so many heathen peoples, was the liberator of the Jews (comp. Isaiah 44:28 ). And the transgressor for the upright. The faithless takes... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 21:18-20

Alternatives presented to choice I. THE JUST AND UPRIGHT , THE FAITHLESS AND WICKED LIFE . ( Proverbs 21:18 .) It occurs in many cases that the Divine wrath in judgment turns aside from the just man to roll upon the head of the sinner. See this in a natural light in Isaiah 43:3 , and in the great Christian light of redemption ( 2 Corinthians 5:21 ; 1 Peter 3:18 ). Christ became as sin, or in the place of the sinner, for us. We must not, however, confuse the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 21:18

Proverbs 21:18. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous The wicked shall be brought into those troubles which were designed by wicked men against the righteous, and by that means, as by a ransom, the righteous shall be delivered; thus Haman was a ransom for Mordecai. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 21:1-31

God at work in people’s lives (21:1-31)As God directs the course along which a stream flows, so he guides the decisions of national rulers according to his plan (21:1). God knows people’s motives and he will not accept their sacrifices if their thoughts and actions are wrong (2-4). Prosperity that comes through diligence is a fitting reward, but prosperity that comes through greed, lying and violence is a deadly trap (5-8). Some people make life unpleasant for those who live in the same house,... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Proverbs 21:18

the righteous = a righteous one. transgressor = traitor. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 21:18

"The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; And the treacherous cometh instead of the upright."This is not clear; but the teaching seems to be that in the providence of God his punishments of mankind fall rather upon the wicked than upon the righteous. Delitzsch cited Haman's execution rather than that of Mordecai as an example of this;[16] and Deane pointed out that what happened in Egypt illustrates the second line. "The destroying angel spared the houses of the Israelites and executed the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 21:18

18. (Compare :-). By suffering what they had devised for the righteous, or brought on them, the wicked became their ransom, in the usual sense of substitutes (compare Joshua 7:26; Esther 7:9). read more

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