Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 20:8
A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
8. scattereth ] or winnoweth, R.V. marg., as the same Heb. word is rendered (as suggested by the parallelism) in Pro 20:26.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment] Kings should see to the administration of the laws, as well as of the state transactions, of their kingdom. In the British constitution there is a court for the king, called the King’s Bench, where he should sit, and where he is always supposed to be sitting. The eyes – the presence, of the monarch in such a place, scatter evil – he sees into the case himself, and gives right judgment, for he can have no self-interest. Corrupt judges, and falsifying counsellors, cannot stand before him; and the villain is too deeply struck with the majesty and state of the monarch, to face out iniquity before him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment; that makes it his great care and business to execute judgment and justice among his people, especially if he do this in his own person, as was usual in ancient times, and sees things with his own eyes. As for the phrase, the sign or gesture is here put for the thing signified by it.
Scattereth away all evil, effectually punisheth and suppresseth all wickedness, with his eyes; with his very looks, or by his diligent inspection into affairs.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. As in Pro 14:35;Pro 16:10; Pro 16:15,this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment,…. That executes judgment himself, as David and Solomon did; who ascends the throne, and sits personally there, and hears and tries causes himself, and not by his servants:
scattereth away all evil with his eyes; all evil men, as the Targum; everyone that is evil, as Aben Ezra: he will easily and quickly discern who is evil, or who is in a bad cause before him, and will pass sentence on him, and drive him away from him with shame and disgrace, and to receive deserved punishment; or he will terrify persons from coming before him with false witness against their neighbour, or with a wrong cause. This may be applied to Christ, the King of kings, and Judge of all; whose eyes are as a flame of fire; who will clearly see into all hearts and actions, when he shall sit on his throne of judgment; and shall pass the righteous and definitive sentence, and shall drive the wicked into hell, into everlasting punishment.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The following group begins with a royal proverb, which expresses what a king does with his eyes. Two proverbs, of the seeing eye and the necessary opening of the eyes, close it.
8 A king sitting on the seat of justice,
Scattereth asunder all evil with his eyes.
Excellently the Venet. , for is the name of the seat of rectitude (the tribunal), as the “throne of grace,” Heb. 4:17, is the name of the capporeth as the seat of mercy; the seat of the judge is merely called ; on the other hand, is the contrast of fo , Psa 94:20: the seat from which the decision that is in conformity with what is right (cf. e.g., Jer 5:28) goes forth, and where it is sought. As little here as at Pro 20:26 is there need for a characterizing adj. to melek ; but the lxx hits the meaning for it, understands such to : . By the “eyes” are we then to understand those of the mind: he sifts, dignoscit , with the eyes of the mind all that is evil, i.e., distinguishes it subjectively from that which is not evil? Thus Hitzig by a comparison of Psa 11:4; Psa 139:3 (where Jerome has eventilasti , the Vulg. investigasti ). Scarcely correctly, for it lies nearer to think on the eyes in the king’s head ( vid., Pro 16:15); in that case: to winnow (to sift) means to separate the good and the bad, but first mediately: to exclude the bad; finally, Pro 20:26 leads to the conclusion that is to be understood, not of a subjective, but of an actual scattering, or separating, or driving away. Thus the penetrating, fear-inspiring eyes of the king are meant, as Immanuel explains: . But in this explanation the personal rendering of is incorrect; for mezareh , meant of the driving asunder of persons, requires as its object a plur. (cf. 26a). Col – ra is understood as neut. like Pro 5:14. Before the look of a king to whom it belongs to execute righteousness and justice (Isa 16:5), nothing evil stands; criminal acts and devices seen through, and so also judged by these eyes, are broken up and scattered to all the winds, along with the danger that thereby threatened the community. It is the command: “put away the evil” (Deu 13:6 [5]), which the king carries into effect by the powerful influence of his look. With col – ra there is connected the thought that in the presence of the heavenly King no one is wholly free from sin.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Here is, 1. The character of a good governor: He is a king that deserves to be called so who sits in the throne, not as a throne of honour, to take his ease, and take state upon him, and oblige men to keep their distance, but as a throne of judgment, that he may do justice, give redress to the injured and punish the injurious, who makes his business his delight and loves no pleasure comparably to it, who does not devolve the whole care and trouble upon others, but takes cognizance of affairs himself and sees with his own eyes as much as may be, 1 Kings x. 9. 2. The happy effect of a good government. The presence of the prince goes far towards the putting of wickedness out of countenance; if he inspect his affairs himself, those that are employed under him will be kept in awe and restrained from doing wrong. If great men be good men, and will use their power as they may and ought, what good may they do and what evil may they prevent!
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
The Sifting of the Wicked
Verses 8, and verses 26, 28 refer to a king, one whose authority in that day was absolute, sitting on a throne of judgment to sift people as grain is sifted to separate the chaff.
Vs. 8 declares that the scattering away of all evil is accomplished with the eyes of the king. This suggests the judge of all forecast in 1Sa 2:10; Psa 96:10-13; Rom 2:16; Act 17:31. There is an eye that misses nothing; the wicked need to take note and seek forgiveness, Rom 4:1-8.
Vs. 26 identifies the action as sifting the wicked by using as an illustration the threshing terms: scattereth (winnoweth) and wheel (rough cart used in winnowing).
Vs. 28 suggests that mercy (loving kindness) and truth sustain the true king and his throne. All who have by faith claimed His covenant blessings can rejoice that their sins are forgiven, Rom 4:1-8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(8) A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment . . .See note on Pro. 16:12.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. A king scattereth Searches, or winnows out. Meaning, probably, that the ruler who does his duty in his office; who acts justly, impartially, faithfully and energetically, not trusting too much to others, but as far as possible looking to the careful administration of the laws by his subordinates will scatter iniquity as with the flash of his eye. Compare Pro 16:10; Isa 11:4 where the same thing is predicated of a wise king.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
v. 8. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Pro 20:8. A king, &c. The wise man excites monarchs to hear causes in person, as the best means of preventing abuses, and acquiring a true state of their nation. Agreeably to this, we find Herodotus asserting, that kings were originally constituted for this very purpose. This also was Cicero’s opinion, and was long before asserted by Hesiod. See Grotius and Calmet.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 20:8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Ver. 8. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment, &c. ] Kings in their own persons should sit and judge causes sometimes, to take knowledge, at least, what is done by their officers of justice: I have seen the king of Persia many times to alight from his horse, saith a late traveller, a only to do justice to a poor body. He punisheth theft and manslaughter so severely, that in an age a man shall hardly hear either of the one or of the other.
a The Preacher’s Travels, by John Cartwright.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
evil. Hebrew. ra’a’. App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 20:8
Pro 20:8
“A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.”
The truth of this proverb hinges upon the character of the king. What is said here is true only of a wise and righteous monarch. “When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.
Pro 20:8. Not just any king, for some kings (like Ahab) have been the source and the multiplication of evil. But a good king is one who rules with a righteous sceptre, and his government praises the good and punishes the evil (1Pe 2:13-14; Rom 13:3).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Pro 20:26, Pro 16:12, Pro 29:14, 1Sa 23:3, 1Sa 23:4, 2Sa 23:4, Psa 72:4, Psa 92:9, Psa 99:4, Psa 101:6-8, Isa 32:1
Reciprocal: 2Sa 3:39 – I am 1Ki 2:36 – Shimei 1Ki 7:7 – of judgment Neh 13:28 – I chased Job 29:8 – young men Psa 101:8 – early Pro 14:35 – king’s Pro 25:5 – away Pro 29:4 – king Pro 29:12 – General Pro 31:9 – General Isa 28:6 – for a spirit Rom 13:4 – be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 20:8. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment That makes it his great care and business to execute justice and judgment among his people, especially if he do this in his own person, as it was usual for kings to do in ancient times, and see things with his own eyes; scattereth away all evil Effectually suppresses, or removes, all wickedness; with his eyes With his very looks, or by his diligent inspection.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
20:8 A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment {d} scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
(d) Where righteous judgment is executed, there sin ceases, and vice dare not appear.