King James Version
Proverbs 8:15
15By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Proverbs 8:15 in other versions
- New International Version (NIV)By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just;
- English Standard Version (ESV)By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;
- New King James Version (NKJV)By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees.
Context of Proverbs 8:15
13The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. 14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. 16By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. 17I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Read all of Proverbs 8Proverbs 8:15 word by word
בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Proverbs 8:15
- 1 Samuel 9:17And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
- 1 Samuel 16:1And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth–lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
- 1 Chronicles 28:5And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.
- Jeremiah 27:5I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
- Daniel 2:21And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
- Daniel 4:25That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
- Daniel 5:18O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
- Daniel 7:13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
- Matthew 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
- Romans 13:1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
- Revelation 19:16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
- 1 Kings 3:9Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
- 1 Kings 5:7And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
- 1 Kings 10:9Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.
- Psalms 72:1Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.
- Psalms 99:4The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
Commentaries on Proverbs 8:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15By me kings reign - Every wise and prudent king is such through the influence of Divine wisdom. And just laws and their righteous administration come from this source. In this and the following verse five degrees of civil power and authority are mentioned. מלכים melachim, Kings. רזנים rozenim, Consuls. שרים sarim, Princes, Chiefs of the people. נדיבים nedibim, Nobles. And שפטים shophetim, Judges or Civil Magistrates All orders of government are from God…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Not only the common life of common men, but the exercise of the highest sovereignty, must have this Wisdom as its ground. Compare with this passage Proverbs 8:15-21 the teaching of 1 Kings 3:5-14. The word rendered “princes” Proverbs 8:15 is different from that in Proverbs 8:16; the first might, perhaps, be rendered “rulers.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 Wisdom, here is Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it is Christ in the word, and Christ in the heart; not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ revealed in us. All prudence and skill are from the Lord. Through the redemption of Christ's precious blood, the riches of his grace abound in all wisdom and prudence. Man found out many inventions for ruin; God found one for our recovery. He hates pride and arrogance…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16The best rulers use wisdom to guide them (for example, 1 Kings 3:16–28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. of which a wisely conducted government is an example.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 8:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 8
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries