Proverbs 28:16
in Proverbs 28A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor, but he who hates dishonest profit will prolong his days.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor; But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
KJV
The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
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This verse in Proverbs 28
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThe prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor,.... Or, "much in oppressions" (o); he multiplies them, and abounds in them; he distresses his subjects in a variety of ways and methods he uses to extort money from them by which he shows his want of understanding: he is a wise prince that uses gentle methods, and gains the affections of his people, and who cheerfully supports his crown and government with honour and glory; but he is a foolish prince that uses them with rigour.
This site's exposition
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
on Proverbs 28:15-17
"Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people" gives the chapter's harshest figure for bad government. Verse 16 ties a ruler's greed to his people's suffering. Verse 17 warns that a man burdened by bloodguilt flees into the Pit.
This site's exposition
A leader who lacks judgment
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown read the lack of judgment as blindness to the danger oppression brings on the ruler himself. Covetousness breeds oppression, they note, hence the contrast with hating dishonest profit. John Gill calls the gentle prince the wise one.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The prince . . . understanding--that is, He does not perceive that oppression jeopards his success. Covetousness often produces oppression, hence the contrast.
The prince that wanteth understanding - A weak prince will generally have wicked ministers, for his weakness prevents him from making a proper choice; and he is apt to prefer them who flatter him, and minister most to his pleasures. The quantum of the king’s intellect may be always appreciated by the mildness or oppressiveness of his government. He who plunges his people into expensive wars, to support which they are burdened with taxes, is a prince without understanding. He does not know his own interest, and does not regard that of his people.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| נָגִ֗יד | nagid | a ruler | H5057 → | |
| חֲסַ֣ר | chasar | lacking of | H2638 → | 17 times |
| תְּ֭בוּנוֹת | tevunot | understanding<s> | H8394 → | 42 times |
| וְרַ֥ב | verav | and great of | H7227 → | 454 times |
| מַעֲשַׁקּ֑וֹת | maashakot | extortion<s> | H4642 → | |
| שֹׂ֥נֵא | soneei' | [one who] hates | H8130 → | 146 times |
| בֶ֝֗צַע | vetza' | <of> unjust gain | H1215 → | 23 times |
| יַאֲרִ֥יךְ | yaarikh | he will prolong | H748 → | 34 times |
| יָמִֽים׃ פ | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
נָגִ֗ידa ruler
nagidH5057 →
חֲסַ֣רlacking of
chasarH2638 →17 times
תְּ֭בוּנוֹתunderstanding<s>
tevunotH8394 →42 times
וְרַ֥בand great of
veravH7227 →454 times
מַעֲשַׁקּ֑וֹתextortion<s>
maashakotH4642 →
שֹׂ֥נֵא[one who] hates
soneei'H8130 →146 times
בֶ֝֗צַע<of> unjust gain
vetza'H1215 →23 times
יַאֲרִ֥יךְhe will prolong
yaarikhH748 →34 times
יָמִֽים׃ פdays
yamimH3117 →2304 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
Exodus 18:21Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
it leads to
- Acts 6:3
Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint this responsibility to them
- 2 Chronicles 19:5–10
He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.
- Deuteronomy 1:13–17
Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”
- Deuteronomy 16:18–19
You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
- 2 Samuel 23:3
The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
- Acts 6:3
Through
1 Kings 12:14and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge…
it leads to
- Exodus 5:16–18
No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
- Exodus 5:5–9
Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.”
- 1 Kings 12:10–11
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’…
- Exodus 5:16–18
Where this verse is studied
About Proverbs
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament.