Proverbs 28:12
in Proverbs 28When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When the righteous triumph, there is great glory; But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.
KJV
When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
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This verse in Proverbs 28
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWhen righteous men do rejoice - When true religion is no longer persecuted, and the word of God duly esteemed, there is great glory; for the word of the Lord has then free course, runs, and is glorified: but when the wicked rise - when they are elevated to places of trust, and put at the head of civil affairs, then the righteous man is obliged to hide himself; the word of the Lord becomes scarce, and there is no open vision.
This site's exposition
He who leads the upright along the path of evil
on Proverbs 28:10-12
He who leads the upright astray "will fall into his own pit," the trap-for-the-trapper principle the Psalms use of the wicked. Verse 11 sets a poor man's discernment above a rich man's self-estimate. Verse 12 closes on the public mood rulers set, for "when the wicked rise, men hide themselves."
This site's exposition
When the righteous triumph, there is great glory
Clarke sees great glory when the righteous triumph and God's word runs freely. When the wicked rise to places of trust, the righteous hide themselves. Verse 28 returns to the same contrast.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
When the wicked rule, the people fall. Just as many begin to give glory to God when they see the righteous rejoicing in the progress of virtues, so whenever the wicked hold power, they expose many as accomplices in their infidelity. Which can rightly be …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory,....
When bad men are disgraced, degraded, and their power taken from them, then that which is good revives again, then the righteous increase; for, when they perish, good men will be put in their room, who will, by their example and interest, countenance religion and righteousness.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
great glory--or, cause for it to a people, for the righteous rejoice in good, and righteousness exalts a nation (Pr 14:34). a man . . . hidden--that is, the good retire, or all kinds try to escape a wicked rule.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
There is great glory - Men array themselves in festive apparel, and show their joy conspicuously. A man is hidden - Better, men hide themselves, they shrink and cower for fear, and yet are hunted out.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
person will be searched out He will be searched out with all kinds of false accusations.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
A rich man..but a discerning poor man Scripture speaks about a teacher and a pupil, that the pupil searches out [the understanding of the subject matter,] and through him, the teacher gains wisdom.
but he who confesses and abandons He confesses his sins and abandons them, never to return to them.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בַּעֲלֹ֣ץ | baalotz | when rejoice | H5970 → | |
| צַ֭דִּיקִים | tzadikim | righteous [people] | H6662 → | 206 times |
| רַבָּ֣ה | rabah | great | H7227 → | 454 times |
| תִפְאָ֑רֶת | tifaret | glory | H8597 → | 51 times |
| וּבְק֥וּם | uvekum | and when arise | H6965 → | 628 times |
| רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים | reshaim | wicked [people] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| יְחֻפַּ֥שׂ | yechupas | he is searched for | H2664 → | 23 times |
| אָדָֽם׃ | ʾadam | everyone | H120 → | 551 times |
בַּעֲלֹ֣ץwhen rejoice
baalotzH5970 →
צַ֭דִּיקִיםrighteous [people]
tzadikimH6662 →206 times
רַבָּ֣הgreat
rabahH7227 →454 times
תִפְאָ֑רֶתglory
tifaretH8597 →51 times
וּבְק֥וּםand when arise
uvekumH6965 →628 times
רְ֝שָׁעִ֗יםwicked [people]
reshaimH7563 →263 times
יְחֻפַּ֥שׂhe is searched for
yechupasH2664 →23 times
אָדָֽם׃everyone
ʾadamH120 →551 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 29:2When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:28
When the wicked come to power, people hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous flourish.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 11:10
When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
- Esther 8:15
Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted…
- Ecclesiastes 10:5
There is an evil I have seen under the sun—an error that proceeds from the ruler:
- Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
- Proverbs 28:28
Through
Proverbs 28:28When the wicked come to power, people hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous flourish.
it leads to
- Proverbs 29:2
When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
- Job 24:4
They push the needy off the road and force all the poor of the land into hiding.
- Acts 12:23–24
Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
- Proverbs 29:2
Where this verse is studied
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.