The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
Parallel translations
- WEB The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.
- BSB By justice a king brings stability to the land, but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.
- NKJV The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
- NASB The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a person who takes bribes ruins it.
- NLT A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A just king brings stability to a nation, but a corrupt one tears it down. It links righteous, incorruptible leadership to national well-being.
Overview
The proverb teaches that justice establishes a land while bribery and corruption ruin it. The integrity of those in authority directly affects the security of the people. It anticipates the perfectly just rule of Christ, who cannot be bribed and whose righteous kingdom will stand forever (Psalm 45:6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Prov 29:14The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.
- Prov 20:8A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
- Dan 11:20Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.
- Mic 7:3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
- 1 Sam 13:13And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
- Jer 22:13–17Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;
- Ps 89:14Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
- Ps 99:4The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
- Prov 8:15By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
- 2 Chr 9:8Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.
- Isa 9:7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
- 1 Kgs 2:12Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
- 2 Sam 8:15And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
- 2 Kgs 15:18–20And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
- Isa 49:8Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
- Prov 16:12It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 29:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.