Proverbs 17:26

Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity. ALSO TO PUNISH THE JUST IS NOT GOOD, (NOR) TO STRIKE PRINCES FOR (LITERALLY, UPON) EQUITY. The "also" expresses, Besides other evils, also to punish the just is not good (). The Septuagint and Maurer, instead of "for equity," translate, 'transgresses equity.' I prefer the English version. With the Chaldaic, Syriac, and Vulgate, "to strike" refers to judicial inflictions. It is awful perversion of right to punish those who deserve reward, and commendation. "Princes," or 'the noble:' Hebrew, nedibim....

Verse Proverbs 17:26. NOR _TO STRIKE PRINCES FOR EQUITY._] To fall out with the ruler of the people, and to take off his head under pretence of his not being a _just_ or _equitable governor_, is _unjust_. To kill a king on the ground of justice is a most dreadful omen to any land. Where was it ever done, that it promoted the _public_ _prosperity_? No experiment of this kind has ever yet succeeded, howsoever worthless the king might be....

NOR TO STRIKE ... - Better, and to strike the noble (in character rather than in rank) is against right. Compare John 18:28....

EXPOSITION PROVERBS 17:1 (Comp, Proverbs 15:16, Proverbs 15:17; Proverbs 16:8.) BETTER (sweeter) IS A DRY MORSEL, AND QUIETNESS THEREWITH. Dry bread was soaked in wine or water before it was eaten. Thus Boaz bid Ruth "dip her morsel in the vinegar" (Ruth 2:14); thus Jesus gave the sop to Judas when he had dipped it (John 13:26). The Septuagint is pleonastic, "Better is a morsel with joy in peace." Ab

ALSO TO PUNISH THE JUST [IS] NOT GOOD,.... It is evil, and an abomination to the Lord, Proverbs 17:15. Evildoers indeed should be punished; but to punish the righteous also, as well as them, is far from being commendable; [NOR] TO STRIKE PRINCES FOR EQUITY: to strike princes, judges, civil magistrates, for doing the duty of their place and office, for doing that which is just and equitable among men, is very criminal, who ought to be encouraged and supported therein. Or it may be rendered, nor "that princes should strike for [that which is] right" b or cause men to be stricken, scourged, and whipped for doing well. The Targum is, "nor to smite the righteous, who say right things;'' and so the Syriac version renders it, "righteous ones"; and the word signifies ingenuous liberal persons, good men, such as princes are or ought to be; and who sho

CHAPTER 17 DIVERSE PROVERBS Of the twenty-eight proverbs found in this chapter we point out but a few. “The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold; but the LORD trieth the hearts” (Proverbs 17:3). Man may try silver and gold, but God only the hearts. And He tries the hearts by the refining process, trials and afflictions, the process which rests in His own hands. (See Psalms 66:10; Malachi 3:3; 1 Peter 1:7 .) “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love, but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends” (Proverbs 17:9). To

PROVERBS 17. Fresh points are the rise of the able and clever slave to a place in the family (Proverbs 17:2), the practice of bribes (Proverbs 17:8; Proverbs 17:23), the value of adversity as a test of friendship (Proverbs 17:17): also the subject of suretyship, dealt with in Proverbs 6:1, is resumed (Proverbs 17:18). PROVERBS 17:1. For the connexion betwee

_Also_ beside other things that are "not good"; as "also" is used in Proverbs 19:2. _punish_ Lit. MULCT, or (as R.V. marg.) FINE. _strike_ i.e. inflict the severer punishment of scourging. Deuteronomy 25:1-3. _princes_ Rather, THE NOBLE, R.V. The Heb. word properly denotes _character_, liberal, free-handed (Gesen. _Lex_. s.v.), and so comes to be applied to rank or office. See Proverbs 19:6, where the same word is rendered the _prince_, A.V., but, in keeping with the parallelism, _the liberal man_, R.V. text. For illustration of the proverb comp. John 18:23.

ALSO TO PUNISH THE JUST, &C.— _It is not right to oppress the just; not even when the prince hath declined from equity:_ Houbigant; who observes, that Solomon means to say, "It is dangerous to oppress the just, even when unjust princes favour oppressors." See Chap. Proverbs 18:5. Schultens renders it, _Also to punish the just is not good; it is to strike the ingenuous for their equity._ According to the common interpretation, Solomon condemns here the temerity of those who do injury to the just, and who attack the prince, the magistrate, the judge, because they are too exact and equitable in the exercise of justice....

TEXT Proverbs 17:20-28 20. He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. 21. He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy. 22. A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones. 23. A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice. 24. Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. 25. A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him. 26. Also to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to smite the noble for their uprightness. 27. He that spareth his words hath knowledge; And he that is of a cool