Proverbs 28:1

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. THE WICKED FLEE (SINGULAR NOUN WITH PLURAL VERB: THEY ALL FLEE AS ONE MAN) WHEN NO MAN PURSUETH - through the stings of conscience, so that "the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them" (; ; ; ). BUT THE RIGHTEOUS ARE (PLURAL NOUN WITH SINGULAR VERB, THEY ARE EACH INDIVIDUALLY) BOLD AS A LION - even when many men assail them, through a good conscience and trust in the Lord (Psalms 125:1)....

CHAPTER XXVIII _The timidity of the wicked. Quick succession in the government_ _of a country is a punishment to the land. Of the poor who_ _oppress the poor. The upright poor man is preferable to the_ _wicked rich man. The unprofitable conduct of the usurer. The_ _prosperity of the righteous a cause of rejoicing. He is_ _blessed who fears always. A wicked ruler a curse. The murderer_ _generally execrated. The faithful man. The corrupt judge. The_ _foolishness of trusting in one's own heart. The charitable man._ _When the wicked are elevated, it is a public evil._

EXPOSITION This chapter is still part of the Hezekiah collection, and not a new series by another author. It may be regarded as describing the various destinies of the powerful and the weak, the sinner and the righteous. PROVERBS 28:1 THE WICKED FLEE WHEN NO MAN PURSUETH. The unreasoning terror of the sinner arises partly from his uneasy conscience, which will not permit him to transgress without warning of consequences, and partly from the judgment of God, according to the threats denounced in Leviticus 26:36, Leviticus 26:37. A terrible picture of this instinctive fear is drawn in...

THE WICKED FLEE WHEN NO MAN PURSUETH,.... Through the terrors of a guilty conscience, as in Cain and others; who fear where no immediate cause of fear is, are frightened with their own shadows; and as Gaal was with the shadow of the mountains, he took for an army of men, as his friend told him, Judges 9:36; they are chased with the sound of a shaken leaf, and fancy men are at their heels to destroy them, and therefore with all haste flee to some place of safety; see Leviticus 26:17; BUT THE RIGHTEOUS ARE BOLD AS A LION; which turns not away from any creature it meets with, nor mends its pace when it is pursued, but walks on intrepidly, and oftentimes lies down and sleeps in open places, and as securely as in woods and dens, being devoid of all fear; hence the heart of a valiant man is s

CHAPTER 28 WARNINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS CONTINUED The wicked is a coward; the righteous man, because he trusteth in the Lord and knows the Lord is on his side, is as bold as a lion. It is the conscience which makes a coward of the wicked man. This chapter has many sharp contrasts and important warnings and exhortations. We point out a few. Those who forsake the law, turn their backs upon the revelation of God, refuse obedience to Him, praise the wicked, they make common cause with them. Those who keep the law, obey God's Word, are contenders for the faith Proverbs 28:4. Evil men are blind, but with seeking the Lord comes understanding, the blind eyes are opened Proverbs 28:5. A wise son is he who keepeth the law; such was Solomon till he plunged into apostasy and darkness...

SECOND DIVISION, PROVERBS 28 F. In general character this division resembles Section II., consisting chiefly of antithetic couplets. PROVERBS 28:2 B. The text is uncertain, and various renderings are possible. The translation state is very doubtful. If MT be retained, connect the word for state with the preceding, and translate by men of understanding who know what is right it is prolonged. LXX reads Through the sin of the ungodly disputes arise, but a prudent man quenches them, possibly the original text. Proverbs 28:3. A needy man: so MT, but the thought is not in keeping with the conception of the poor in Pr. or in the OT. We should probably read a wicked man who, etc. (LXX), or possibly a rich man who, etc. The simile seems to be that of a heavy unseasonable rain which flood

THE WICKED FLEE, &C.. A lawIess one flees. Illustrations: Adam (Genesis 3:8); Joseph's brethren (Genesis 50:15); the Jews (Leviticus 26:36); Ahab (1 Kings 21:20); Herod Antipas (Matthew 14:2. Compare Proverbs 20:27); Felix (Acts 24:25). Compare Ephesians 2:13. THE WICKED. a lawle

CHAPTER 28 TEXT Proverbs 28:1-9 1. The wicked flee when no man pursueth; But the righteous are bold as a lion. 2. For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof; But by men of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged. 3. A needy man that oppresseth the poor Is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food. 4. They that forsake the law praise the wicked; But such as keep the law contend with them. 5. Evil men understand not justice; But they that seek Jehovah understand all things. 6. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, Than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. 7. Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son; But he that is a companion of gluttons shameth his father. 8. He that augmenteth his substa

OBSERVATIONS RELATING CHIEFLY TO SOCIAL LIFE 2. Cp. the many changes of rulers during the unsatisfactory period described in 2K15....

A wicked man has a bad conscience. And he does not trust God. So a wicked man has no hope for the future. And he is afraid of many things. But the good man has a good conscience. He trusts God. The good man is not afraid that he might lose his money. He knows that God will provide. The good man is not even afraid of death. God will take the good man to heaven when the good man dies. So the good man has courage. See Daniel 3 and Matthew 6:25-34....