New King James Version
Proverbs 29:12
12If a ruler pays attention to lies, All his servants become wicked.
Proverbs 29:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
- New International Version (NIV)If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.
- New Living Translation (NLT)If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked.
Context of Proverbs 29:12
10The bloodthirsty hate the blameless, But the upright seek his well-being. 11A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back. If a ruler pays attention to lies, All his servants become wicked. 13The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives light to the eyes of both. 14The king who judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever.
Read all of Proverbs 29Proverbs 29:12 word by word
מֹ֭שֵׁל מַקְשִׁ֣יב עַל־דְּבַר־שָׁ֑קֶר כָּֽל־מְשָׁרְתָ֥יו רְשָׁעִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 29:12
- Proverbs 20:8A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes.
- Proverbs 25:23The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
- 1 Samuel 22:8All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.”
- 1 Samuel 23:19Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
- 2 Samuel 3:7And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”
- 2 Samuel 4:5Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who was lying on his bed at noon.
- 1 Kings 21:11So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them.
- 2 Kings 10:6Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying: If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow. Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.
- Psalms 52:2Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
- Psalms 101:5Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure.
Commentaries on Proverbs 29:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12If a ruler hearken to lies - Wherever the system of espionage is permitted to prevail, there the system of falsity is established; for he who is capable of being a spy and informer, is not only capable of telling and swearing lies, but also of cutting his king's or even his father's throat. I have seen cases, where the same spy received pay from both parties, and deceived both.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12All his servants are wicked - They know what will please, and they become informers and backbiters.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12Verse 12 One who loves flatterers, and hearkens to slanderers, causes his servants to become liars and false accusers.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. His servants imitate him.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 29:12
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries