Proverbs 29:14

29:11. He is a fool who tells every thing he knows, and can keep no counsel. 12. One who loves flatterers, and hearkens to slanderers, causes his servants to become liars and false accusers. 13. Some are poor, others have a great deal of deceitful riches. They meet in the business of this world; the Lord gives to both the comforts of this life. To some of both sorts he gives his grace. 14. The rich will look to themselves, but the poor and needy the prince must defend and plead for. 15. Parents must consider the benefit of due correction, and the mischief of undue indulgence. 16. Let not the righteous have their faith and hope shocked by the increase of sin and sinners, but let them wait with patience. 17. Children must not be suffered to go without rebuke when they do amiss. 18. How bare does a place look without Bibles and ministers! and what an easy prey is it to the enemy of souls! That gospel is an open vision, which holds forth Christ, which humbles the sinner and exalts the Saviour, which promotes holiness in the life and conversation: and these are precious truths to keep the soul alive, and prevent it from perishing.

The king that faithfully judgeth the poor,.... That truly executes justice and judgment among all his subjects, particularly the poor, who are too often neglected, because they cannot afford persons to plead their cause: such a king was Solomon; and especially the Messiah, of whom he was a type, Psalm 72:1 ; his throne shall be established for ever; be secure to him as long as he lives, and to his posterity after; justice to all men, and mercy to the poor, are the support of a prince's throne; see Proverbs 20:28.

Verse 14. - The king that faithfully judgeth the poor (comp. Proverbs 16:12 ; Proverbs 20:28 ; Proverbs 25:5 ). Inflexible fidelity to duty is intended - that perfect impartiality, which dispenses justice alike to rich and poor, uninfluenced By personal or social considerations. His throne shall be established forever. Being founded on righteousness, it shall pass on to his descendants for many generations (comp. Jeremiah 22:3 , etc.). The LXX., pointing differently, have, "His throne shall be established for a testimony" ( lahed , instead of lahad ). Proverbs 29:14

14 A king who judgeth the poor with truth, His throne shall stand for ever. בּאמת, as at Isaiah 16:5 (synon. באמונה, במישׁרים, במישׁור), is equivalent to fidelity to duty, or a complete, full accomplishment of his duty as a ruler with reference to the dispensing of justice; in other words: after the norm of actual fact, and of the law, and of his duty proceeding from both together. מלך has in Codd., e.g., Jaman., and in the Venetian 1517, 21, rightly Rebia. In that which follows, שׁופט באמת are more closely related than באמת דלים, for of two conjunctives standing together the first always connects more than the second. מלך שׁופט באמת דלים is the truest representation of the logical grammatical relation. To 14b compare the proverb of the king, Proverbs 16:12; Proverbs 25:5.

## Proverbs 29:14 Judgeth the poor, and the rich too; but he names ## the poor, because these are most oppressed and injured by others, and least regarded by princes, and yet committed to their more special care by the King of kings. ## Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof; correction and instruction going together. ## Left to himself; suffered to follow his own will or lusts without restraint and chastening. His mother , and father too; but he names only the mother , either because her indulgence oft spoils the child, or because children commonly stand in least awe of their mothers, and abuse the weakness of their sex, and tenderness of their natures. ## Proverbs 29:16 Are multiplied; or rather, are advanced, because this is opposed to their ## falling in the next clause; and so this Hebrew word is taken above, Pro_29:2. ## Transgression increaseth; sin and sinners abound and grow impudent by impunity, and the example and encouragement of such rulers. ## Their fall; the destruction of such transgressors in due time. ## Proverbs 29:17 Rest; satisfaction to thy mind, and comfort in his amendment. ## Proverbs 29:18 No vision, i.e. no prophecy, for the prophets were anciently called seers, 1Sa_9:9, i.e. no public preaching of God’s law or word, (as appears by the opposite clause,) which is called prophecy , Rom_12:6 1Co_14:1, &c., where the people are destitute of the means of instruction. ## The people perish, because they want the only means of salvation.

n hide themselves; men, i.e. righteous men, as appears from the following clause, are ashamed and afraid to appear publicly; of which See Poole " Pro_28:12 " . ## The righteous increase; they who were righteous do now again appear in public, and being advanced to that power which the wicked rulers have lost, they use their authority to encourage and promote righteousness, and to punish unrighteousness, whereby the number of wicked men is diminished, and the righteous are multiplied. ## Proverbs 29:1 PROVERBS CHAPTER 29 The excellency of wisdom, with rules for government, Pro_29:1- 14. The parents’ duty to correct their children, Pro_29:15-17. The misery of them that know not God’s law, Pro_29:18. Of anger, pride, thieving, cowardice, and corruption, Pro_29:19-26. The godly and wicked an abomination to each other, Pro_29:27. ## Hardeneth his neck; is incorrigible, and obstinately persists in those sins for which he is reproved. ## Without remedy, utterly and irrecoverably . ## Proverbs 29:2 In authority; which interpretation is confirmed from the opposite clause. The Hebrew word signifies to increase either in number, or in dignity and power. ## The people rejoice, for the blessed effects of their good government. ## The people mourn, both for the oppressions and mischiefs which they feel, and for the dreadful judgments of God which they justly fear. ## Proverbs 29:3 Loveth wisdom; and therefore hateth and escheweth all folly and wickedness.