New English Translation
Proverbs 8:15
15Kings reign by means of me, and potentates decree righteousness;
Proverbs 8:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
- 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.
Context of Proverbs 8:15
13The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride and the evil way and perverse utterances. 14Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me; I possess understanding and might. Kings reign by means of me, and potentates decree righteousness; 16by me princes rule, as well as nobles and all righteous judges. 17I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
Read all of Proverbs 8Proverbs 8:15 word by word
בִּ֭י מְלָכִ֣ים יִמְלֹ֑כוּ וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים יְחֹ֣קְקוּ צֶֽדֶק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 8:15
- 1 Samuel 9:17When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “Here is the man that I told you about! He will rule over my people.”
- 1 Samuel 16:1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with olive oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.”
- 1 Chronicles 28:5From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel.
- Jeremiah 27:5“I made the earth and the people and animals on it by my mighty power and great strength, and I give it to whomever I see fit.
- Daniel 2:21He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding;
- Daniel 4:25You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.
- Daniel 5:18As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty.
- Daniel 7:13I was watching in the night visions, “And with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him.
- Matthew 28:18Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
- Romans 13:1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.
- Revelation 19:16He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
- 1 Kings 3:9So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”
- 1 Kings 5:7When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was very happy. He said, “The Lord is worthy of praise today because he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”
- 1 Kings 10:9May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on the throne of Israel! Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions.”
- Psalms 72:1O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions! Grant the king’s son the ability to make fair decisions!
- Psalms 99:4The king is strong; he loves justice. You ensure that legal decisions will be made fairly; you promote justice and equity 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
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Commentaries