Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 28:16
The prince that wanteth understanding [is] also a great oppressor: [but] he that hateth covetousness shall prolong [his] days.
16. The prince &c.] Lit. A prince that lacketh understanding and a great oppressor! i.e. the two are identical. There is no particle of connection or contrast between the two clauses of the verse, and R.V. marg. adopts the view that the whole verse is a continuous address or admonition: O prince that lackest understanding and art a great oppressor, he that, &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 16. The prince that wanteth understanding] A weak prince will generally have wicked ministers, for his weakness prevents him from making a proper choice; and he is apt to prefer them who flatter him, and minister most to his pleasures. The quantum of the king’s intellect may be always appreciated by the mildness or oppressiveness of his government. He who plunges his people into expensive wars, to support which they are burdened with taxes, is a prince without understanding. He does not know his own interest, and does not regard that of his people. But these things, though general truths, apply more particularly to those despotic governments which prevail in Asiatic countries.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The tyranny or oppression of a prince, though by some accounted wisdom, is in truth a manifest act and sign of great folly, because it alienateth from him the hearts of his people, in which his honour, and safety, and riches consist, and ofttimes causeth the shortening of his days, either from God, who cuts him off by some sudden judgment, or from men, who are injured by him, and exasperated against him.
Covetousness is the chief cause of all oppressions and unjust practices.
Shall prolong his days, by Gods favour, the peace and satisfaction of his own mind, and the hearty love of his people, which makes them careful to preserve his life by their fervent prayers to God for him, by willingly hazarding their own estates and lives for him, when occasion requires it, and by all other possible means.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. The prince . . .understandingthat is, He does not perceive that oppressionjeopards his success. Covetousness often produces oppression, hencethe contrast.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The prince that wanteth understanding [is] also a great oppressor,…. Or, “much in oppressions” o; he multiplies them, and abounds in them; he distresses his subjects in a variety of ways and methods he uses to extort money from them by which he shows his want of understanding: he is a wise prince that uses gentle methods, and gains the affections of his people, and who cheerfully supports his crown and government with honour and glory; but he is a foolish prince that uses them with rigour. It may be rendered, “and a prince that wanteth understanding, and is much”, or “abounds, in oppressions”; in laying heavy burdens and taxes on his people, in an arbitrary manner; “shall shorten, and not prolong his days” p, as it may be supplied from the next clause; either his subjects will rise up against him, and dethrone him, and destroy him; or God, in mercy to them, and in judgment to him, will remove him by death;
[but] he that hateth covetousness shall prolong [his] days; to hate covetousness is a good qualification of a civil magistrate, prince, or ruler, Ex 18:21. This sin is the cause of a wicked prince oppressing his subjects; but where it is hated, which is seen by moderation in government, and easing of the people as much as possible; such a prince, as he has the hearts of his subjects, is well pleasing to God, by whom he reigns; and such an one, through the prayers of the people for him, and the goodness of God unto him, lives long, and reigns prosperously; and dies, as David, in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour.
o “multus oppressionibus”, Montanus, Junius & Tremeilius, Piscator, Mercerus, Baynus, Michaelis, Schultens. p So Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus, and some Jewish writers in Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Another proverb of the king:
O prince devoid of understanding and rich in oppression!
He that hateth unrighteous gain continueth long.
The old interpreters from the lxx interpret as pred. (as also Fleischer: princeps qui intelligentiae habet parum idem oppressionis exercet multum ); but why did not the author use the word or instead of this ambiguous inconvenient ? Hitzig regards the first term as a nominative absolute, which does not assume a suffix in the second line. But examples such as 27a, Pro 27:7, are altogether of a different sort; there occurs a reference that is in reality latent, and only finds not expression; the clause following the nominative is related to it as its natural predicate, but here 15b is an independent clause standing outside of any syntactical relation to 15a. Heidenheim has acknowledged that here there lies before us a proverb not in the form of a mere declaration, but of a warning address, and thus also it is understood by Ewald, Bertheau, Elster, and Zckler. The accentuation seems to proceed on the same supposition. It is the only passage in the Book of Proverbs where , of the supreme ruler of the people, and where the plur. , occur; it is not therefore at all strange if the proverb also has something strange in its formation. Often enough, proverbs are in the form of an address to a son, and generally to their reader; why not also one at least to the king? It is a proverb as when I say: Oh thou reckless, merry fellow! he who laughs much will sometimes weep long. Thus here the address is directed to the prince who is devoid of all wisdom and intelligence, which are necessary for a prince; but on this account the more earnest in exhortation to say to him that only one who hates defrauding the people attains an old age; thus that a prince who plunders the people wantonly shortens his life as a man, and his position as a ruler (cf. , Pro 24:22). The Ker has the tone thrown back on the penult., as the Chethb would also have it, cf. , Pro 8:9. The relation of a plur. subj. to a sing. pred. is as at Pro 27:16. Regarding , vid., under Pro 1:19. A confirmation of this proverb directing itself to princes if found in Jer 22:13-19, the woe pronounced upon Jehoiakim. And a glance at the woe pronounced in Hab 2:12, shows how easily Pro 28:17 presents itself in connection.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
16 The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
Two things are here intimated to be the causes of the mal-administration of princes:– 1. The love of money, that root of all evil; for hating covetousness here stands opposed to oppression, according to Moses’s character of good magistrates, men fearing God and hating covetousness (Exod. xviii. 21), not only not being covetous, but hating it, and shaking the hands from the holding of bribes. A ruler that is covetous will neither do justly nor love mercy, but the people under him shall be bought and sold. 2. Want of consideration: He that hates covetousness shall prolong his government and peace, shall be happy in the affections of his people and the blessing of his God. It is as much the interest as the duty of princes to reign in righteousness. Oppressors therefore and tyrants are the greatest fools in the world; they want understanding; they do not consult their own honour, ease, and safety, but sacrifice all to their ambition of an absolute and arbitrary power. They might be much happier in the hearts of their subjects than in their necks or estates.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Authority With and Without Understanding
Verse 16 declares that princes or persons in authority who lack understanding are also great oppressors (Ecc 10:16 and Isa 3:12); but he who hates schemes for dishonest gain (because he has understanding) shall enjoy prolonged life, Pro 3:13-16; Pro 4:10; Pro 9:11; Pro 10:27.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(16) A prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor.Thereby losing the love of his people, and at the same time impoverishing them; thus killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. He also by his misdeeds draws down upon himself Gods anger in the shape of an early death. Comp. the woe pronounced upon Jehoiakim (Jer. 22:13, sqq.).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Prince that wanteth understanding It is not a wicked ruler only that oppresses his people, but a weak one also; one who is himself both incapable of governing well and of selecting good advisers. He will probably prefer weak men, like himself, or wicked men, who flatter him and give him evil counsel. Witness the case of Rehoboam, given in 1 Kings.
Hateth covetousness shall prolong his days The ruler that is a hater of rapine and plunder shall prolong the days of his reign, and probably also of his life.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 28:16 The prince that wanteth understanding [is] also a great oppressor: [but] he that hateth covetousness shall prolong [his] days.
Ver. 16. The prince that wanteth understanding. ] As every tyrant doth, Psa 14:4 though they think they deal wisely, as Pharaoh, Exo 1:10 for they usually come to untimely ends, a as most of the Caesars till Constantine, and as our Richard III and Queen Mary, whose reigns are the shortest of all the kings since the Conquest. “Bloody and deceitful men live not half their days,” or if they do, it is for a further evil unto them. Isa 65:20
But he that hateth covetousness.
a Ad generum Cereris sine caede, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
oppressor, &c. Supply the Relative Ellipsis, “oppressor [and shall cut short his days]: but”, &c, or, it may be the Figure of speech Aposiopesis; and = [what of him].
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 28:16
Pro 28:16
“The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor; But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.”
The antithesis in the second line carries the implication that the oppressive prince or “ruler is a covetous person greedy for wealth. There is also the implication that, “Such a ruler will not be tolerated very long. Covetousness is idolatry (Col 3:5). “Neither the possession of wealth nor the acquisition of it is sinful, but the eager haste of covetousness.
Pro 28:16. Greedy tyrants (like Hitler) want more and more territory, and they become great oppressors (such as he did of Poland, France, England, Russia, and others). This verse says such a ruler lacks understanding: he does not have the welfare of his people at heart as many of them fall in his battles, and he finally bites off more than he can handle and is finally defeated (as Hitler was). Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days (Psa 55:23). In contrast the ruler who is not greedy (hateth covetousness) shall prolong his days. The contrast of this verse is reflected in Psalms 37 : Evildoers shall be cut off; But those that wait for Jehovah, they shall inherit the land. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and he shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the land, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace…The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bows shall be broken…I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil. But one passed by, and, lo, he was not (Pro 28:9-28).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
prince: 1Ki 12:10, 1Ki 12:14, Neh 5:15, Ecc 4:1, Isa 3:12, Amo 4:1
he that: Exo 18:21, Isa 33:15, Isa 33:16, Jer 22:15-17
Reciprocal: Lev 25:14 – General Pro 15:27 – but Pro 26:1 – so Pro 29:14 – king Ecc 4:13 – is a poor Isa 33:6 – wisdom Jer 17:11 – he that Eze 19:7 – and the land Eze 45:8 – and my princes Luk 12:15 – Take Eph 5:3 – covetousness
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 28:16. The prince that wanteth understanding, &c. The tyranny or oppression of a prince is a manifest sign of great folly, because it alienates from him the hearts of his people, in possessing which his honour, safety, and riches consist; and often causes the shortening of his days, either through Gods cutting him off by some sudden stroke, or through the violence of men who have been injured by him, and are exasperated against him. But he that hateth covetousness Which is the chief cause of all oppression and unjust practices; shall prolong his days By Gods favour, the peace and satisfaction of his own mind, and the hearty love of his people, which induces them to pray fervently to God to preserve his life, and makes them willing to hazard their estates and lives in his defence.