Proverbs 28:5
in Proverbs 28Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD comprehend fully.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Evil men understand not justice; But they that seek Jehovah understand all things.
KJV
Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things.
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This verse in Proverbs 28
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The deep interdependence of morality and intellect. We have a right judgment in all things in proportion as our hearts seek to know God. Compare Jas 1:23-24.
This site's exposition
Evil men do not understand justice
on Proverbs 28:5-7
"Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD comprehend fully" ties moral perception to seeking God. Verse 6 ranks integrity above wealth: "Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse." Verse 7 applies the ranking to a household.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Evil men do not understand judgment, etc. The elect observe everything, that is, both the future distinction of universal judgment and by what deeds rest or eternal punishment will be repaid.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Evil men understand not judgment,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
They that seek the Lord understand all things - They are wise unto salvation; they “have the unction from the Holy One, and they know all things,” 1Jn 2:20, every thing that is essentially needful for them to know, in reference to both worlds.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַנְשֵׁי־ | ʾanshei- | people of | H582 → | 566 times |
| רָ֭ע | ra' | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָבִ֣ינוּ | yavinu | they understand | H995 → | 170 times |
| מִשְׁפָּ֑ט | mishpat | justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י | umevakshei | and [those who] seek | H1245 → | 225 times |
| יְ֝הוָ֗ה | yahweh | <of> Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| יָבִ֥ינוּ | yavinu | they understand | H995 → | 170 times |
| כֹֽל׃ | khol | everything | H3605 → | 5413 times |
אַנְשֵׁי־people of
ʾanshei-H582 →566 times
רָ֭עevil
ra'H7451 →662 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָבִ֣ינוּthey understand
yavinuH995 →170 times
מִשְׁפָּ֑טjustice
mishpatH4941 →422 times
וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥יand [those who] seek
umevaksheiH1245 →225 times
יְ֝הוָ֗ה<of> Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
יָבִ֥ינוּthey understand
yavinuH995 →170 times
כֹֽל׃everything
kholH3605 →5413 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
James 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
it leads to
- Proverbs 2:3–6
if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Proverbs 3:5–7
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- 1 John 5:14–15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- Proverbs 2:3–6
Through
1 John 2:27And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all…
it leads to
- John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 31:33–34
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 2:20–21
You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
- John 14:26
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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
