Proverbs 16:10

10. A divine sentence Or, decision. קסם , ( kesem,) an oracle.

The king מלךְ , ( melekh,) so often used in the following verses, means a sovereign ruler, by whatever name called, whether king, emperor, president, governor, judge, supreme commander, or any other title. The president of the United States, and the governors of the several States, are as truly melakhim, in the scriptural sense, as any sovereign or supreme ruler in the world. The idea implied in the root is that of sovereign authority or rulership. Wherever this is in civil affairs there is, in the Bible sense, a melekh. The word ruler would, indeed, more nearly express the sense of the original than “king,” which by usage is applied to the sovereign of a particular form of government a monarchy.

His mouth transgresseth not in judgment Does not swerve or decline from justice. This proverb is spoken of kings as they ought to be ideal representatives of Jehovah and is equivalent to saying, that such should be the word of a ruler that his mouth should not prevaricate or speak deceptively in his official acts. Much official lying is sometimes done in high places. All this is condemned. It is the opinion of some that kesem refers to what might be called supernatural sagacity, bestowed upon good rulers, by which they are able to detect fraud and false pretences, unravel the intricacies and difficulties of a case brought before them. “God,” says Bishop Patrick, “is present in a singular manner with a pious king, inspiring his mind to divine sagaciously in dubious and obscure things, that his resolutions and decrees may be received like oracles, and all causes may be decided by him so justly and exactly that no man may be wronged in his judgment which he passes.” Comp. 2Sa 14:17 ; 1 Kings 3:16-28; Psalms 82:6; Romans 13:12.