Proverbs 29:4
New International Version
By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.

New Living Translation
A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.

English Standard Version
By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down.

Berean Standard Bible
By justice a king brings stability to the land, but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.

King James Bible
The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

New King James Version
The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

New American Standard Bible
The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a person who takes bribes ruins it.

NASB 1995
The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.

NASB 1977
The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.

Legacy Standard Bible
By justice the king causes the land to stand, But a man of bribes tears it down.

Amplified Bible
The king establishes (stabilizes) the land by justice, But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.

Christian Standard Bible
By justice a king brings stability to a land, but a person who demands “contributions” demolishes it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
By justice a king brings stability to a land, but a man who demands “contributions” demolishes it.

American Standard Version
The king by justice establisheth the land; But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The king by judgment establishes the land, and the evil one deprives it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A righteous king establishes a country: but a transgressor destroys it.

Contemporary English Version
An honest ruler makes the nation strong; a ruler who takes bribes will bring it to ruin.

Douay-Rheims Bible
A just king setteth up the land: a covetous man shall destroy it.

English Revised Version
The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
By means of justice, a king builds up a country, but a person who confiscates religious contributions tears it down.

Good News Translation
When the king is concerned with justice, the nation will be strong, but when he is only concerned with money, he will ruin his country.

International Standard Version
A king brings stability to a land through justice, but a man who takes bribes brings it to ruin.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The king by justice establisheth the land; But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

Literal Standard Version
A king establishes a land by judgment, | And one receiving gifts throws it down.

Majority Standard Bible
By justice a king brings stability to the land, but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.

New American Bible
By justice a king builds up the land; but one who raises taxes tears it down.

NET Bible
A king brings stability to a land by justice, but one who exacts tribute tears it down.

New Revised Standard Version
By justice a king gives stability to the land, but one who makes heavy exactions ruins it.

New Heart English Bible
The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.

Webster's Bible Translation
The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

World English Bible
The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.

Young's Literal Translation
A king by judgment establisheth a land, And one receiving gifts throweth it down.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Stiff-Necked will Be Destroyed
3A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. 4By justice a king brings stability to the land, but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it. 5A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.…

Cross References
2 Chronicles 9:8
Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, He has made you king over them to carry out justice and righteousness."

Job 11:6
and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.

Proverbs 8:15
By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;

Proverbs 29:14
A king who judges the poor with fairness--his throne will be established forever.


Treasury of Scripture

The king by judgment establishes the land: but he that receives gifts overthrows it.

king

Proverbs 29:14
The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

Proverbs 16:12
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

Proverbs 20:8
A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

he that receiveth gifts

2 Kings 15:18-20
And 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…

Jeremiah 22:13-17
Woe 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; …

Daniel 11:20
Then 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.

Jump to Previous
Bribes Country Desires Establisheth Exacteth Exacts Full Gifts Gives Greedy Judgment Justice Makes Overthroweth Overthrows Receiveth Receiving Right Ruins Rule Safe Stability Stable Tears Throweth Waste
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Bribes Country Desires Establisheth Exacteth Exacts Full Gifts Gives Greedy Judgment Justice Makes Overthroweth Overthrows Receiveth Receiving Right Ruins Rule Safe Stability Stable Tears Throweth Waste
Proverbs 29
1. observations of public government
15. and of private
22. Of anger, pride, thievery, cowardice and corruption














(4) By judgment.--Upright decisions.

He that receiveth gifts.--To pervert justice (Proverbs 15:27).

Verse 4. - Many of the proverbs in this chapter seem to suit the time of Jeroboam II. (see on Proverbs 28:3). The king by judgment establisheth the land. The king, the fountain of justice, by his equitable government brings his country into a healthy and settled condition (1 Kings 15:4; comp. Ver. 14; Proverbs 16:12; Proverbs 25:5). In the security of the throne the land and people participate. He that receiveth gifts overthroweth it. The expression, אִישׁ תְּרוּמות (ish terumoth), "man of offerings," "man of gifts," is ambiguous: it may mean "the taker of bribes," the unrighteous ruler who sells justice (Proverbs 15:27), or it may signify "the imposer of taxes" (Ezekiel 45:13, etc.) or forced benevolences. Aquila and Theodotion have ἀνὴρ ἀφαιρεμάτων, "man of heave offerings," and Wordsworth regards him as a man who claims and receives gifts, as if he were a deity on earth. Whichever sense we give to the phrase, the contrast lies between the inflexibly upright ruler and the iniquitous or extortionate prince. The Septuagint gives παράνομος, "a transgressor;" Vulgate, vir avarus.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
By justice
בְּ֭מִשְׁפָּט (bə·miš·pāṭ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

a king
מֶ֗לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

gives stability
יַעֲמִ֣יד (ya·‘ă·mîḏ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

to the land,
אָ֑רֶץ (’ā·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

but a man
וְאִ֖ישׁ (wə·’îš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

who exacts tribute
תְּרוּמ֣וֹת (tə·rū·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8641: Contribution, offering (for sacred uses)

demolishes it.
יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽנָּה׃ (ye·her·sen·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2040: To pull down, in pieces, break, & destroy


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 29:4 The king by justice makes the land (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 29:3
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