EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Proverbs 29:4
4A king who rules with justice makes his country strong. But a king who takes lots of taxes destroys his country.
Proverbs 29:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
- New International Version (NIV)By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.
- English Standard Version (ESV)By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
Context of Proverbs 29:4
2When righteous people are doing well, everyone is happy. But when wicked people rule, everyone is sad. 3A man who loves wisdom makes his father happy. But anyone who is a friend of prostitutes is wasting his father's money. A king who rules with justice makes his country strong. But a king who takes lots of taxes destroys his country. 5If you always praise your friends with sweet words, that will be a trap that you walk into yourself. 6The sin of an evil person becomes a trap that catches him. But a righteous person sings with joy.
Read all of Proverbs 29Proverbs 29:4 word by word
מֶ֗לֶךְ בְּ֭מִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִ֣יד אָ֑רֶץ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּרוּמ֣וֹת יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 29:4
- Proverbs 29:14If a king judges poor people in a true way, he will always have the power to rule.
- Proverbs 16:12Kings hate all wicked acts, because justice makes their government strong.
- Proverbs 20:8When a king sits on his throne as judge, he sees what is evil and he removes it.
- 1 Samuel 13:13Samuel said, ‘You have done a foolish thing. You have not obeyed the command of the Lord your God. If you had obeyed the Lord, he would have let you and your family rule Israel for ever.
- 2 Samuel 8:15David ruled over all Israel. He did everything that was right and fair for all his people.
- 1 Kings 2:12So Solomon ruled as king on the throne of his father David. His kingdom became strong.
- Psalms 89:14As King, you rule with justice, and you always do what is right. You show your faithful love and you are faithful.
- Psalms 99:4You are a strong king who loves justice. You have made fair rules, so that people in Israel do what is right.
- Isaiah 9:7His authority to rule will be very great. The peace that he brings will never have an end. He will rule as king over David's kingdom. He will make it strong and safe, because he will do what is right and fair. He will rule like that now and for ever. The Lord Almighty will make those things happen, because he loves his people.
- Isaiah 49:8This is what the Lord says: ‘I will answer your prayers at the time that I have chosen to help you. Yes, I will come to save you on that day. I will keep you safe, so that I can make a covenant with people through you. You will make the land safe again. People will return to live there, in places that had become empty.
- 2 Kings 15:18Menahem did things that the Lord said were evil. He did not turn away from the bad things that Nebat's son Jeroboam had done. Jeroboam had caused many people in Israel to do those sins.
- Jeremiah 22:13The Lord says, ‘Terrible trouble will happen to this man! He cheats people so that he can build a beautiful palace for himself. He does not do what is right and fair. He does not pay the people who work for him. His own men have to work for nothing.
- Daniel 11:20Then another king will rule in the north. He will try to make his kingdom even greater. He will send out a cruel man to take taxes from people. But that king will soon die. This will not happen in a battle or because people are angry with him.
- Micah 7:3They know very well how to work together to do bad things. Rulers demand gifts and judges ask for money. Powerful bad people always get what they want. All these people work together to do what is bad.
Commentaries on Proverbs 29:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4He that receiveth gifts - This was notoriously the case in this kingdom, before the passing of the Magna Charta, or great charter of liberties. Hence that article in it, Nulli vendemus justitiam; "We will not sell justice to any." I have met with cases in our ancient records where, in order to get his right, a man was obliged almost to ruin himself in presents to the king, queen, and their favourites, to get the case decided in his favor.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4Verse 4 The Lord Jesus is the King who will minister true judgment to the people.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4A fair king protects the rights of others. A ruler who takes bribes uses his position for personal benefit (see also Proverbs 17:23; 22:16; 28:21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. by judgment--that is, righteous decisions, opposed to those procured by gifts (compare Pr 28:21), by which good government is perverted. land--for nation.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 29:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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