Proverbs 21:7

Posted by on January 30, 2018 · Leave a Comment 

The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.
– Proverbs 21:7

The word for robbery means violence, or destruction. It refers to the various schemes by which they oppress, extort, and steal from others (Proverbs 1:11-14). The word for judgment means a verdict, or sentence. It can be used in a legal sense to refer to the work of a judge or magistrate. We find just such a usage in Ecclesiastes 12:14. In a more general way, the word can refer to a person’s rights, i.e., property ownership, civil and criminal redress, due process of law, etc. By doing violence to a person, you are disregarding their rights and violating their just claims. The proverb means that those who do such violence and refuse justice will be destroyed. Wisdom teaches they shall be ensnared by their own ways (Proverbs 1:18-19; 10:6; 22:22-23).

Listen to the Proverbs sermon series

Filed under 21, Proverbs, Short Comments · Tagged with , , , , ,

Proverbs 13:2

Posted by on April 23, 2017 · Leave a Comment 

A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.
– Proverbs 13:2

This proverb relies on the general principle of sowing and reaping. In this case, words are the seed sown and either good or violence is reaped. The first phrase deals with wise words and their return of good (Proverbs 12:14; 18:20). The word for transgressors means traitors. It indicates acting deceitfully. Such men use their words deceitfully to fulfill their plans (Proverbs 1:11-13). Their love and pursuit of violence through their speech brings it back on their own heads eventually (Proverbs 1:31).

Listen to the Proverbs sermon series

Filed under 13, Proverbs, Short Comments · Tagged with , , , ,