Proverbs 28:12-16

PROVERBS 28:12

The proverb is structured in parallel:

In the triumph of the righteous

Much glory

But in the rising of the wicked

Hide men.

“Triumph” doesn’t quite capture the force of the Hebrew verb ‘alatz .  It is used only a handful of times in the Hebrew Bible.  Hannah “exults” in Yahweh because the Lord has vindicated her by giving her a son, vindicated her against her rival wife; she exults because the Lord has raised up her horn (1 Samuel 2:1).  1 Chronicles 16:32 calls on the fields to “exult” before the Lord.  Exultation is connected with victory (Psalm 5:8-12 [v. 11]; 9:2, with the context of verses 3f.; 25:2; 68:1-3), but the word doesn’t refer to the victory itself so much as the praise and emotional high that comes with victory.  “Boast” would not be a bad translation, and that brings Proverbs 28:12 directly into contact with Paul’s repeated references to the “boasting” of the righteous (Romans 15:17; 1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 10:17; Galatians 6:14).

When the righteous exult in victory, the proverb says, there is glory.  This particular word for glory is first used with reference to the “beauty” of priestly garments (Exodus 28:2, 40; cf. Psalm 96:6), and can mean not only physical, external beauty but the “glory” or honor that we pay to God in our praise (Psalm 71:8).  In context, the glory that accompanies the exaltation of the righteous is contrasted with men going into hiding when the wicked arise.  That implies that glory refers to something visible, evident.  When the righteous are victorious, it is safe to bring glory, talent, gifts, treasures out in the open.

When the wicked achieve primacy (are raised up on high, as stars in the heavens), then it is dangerous for glory to be seen.  Men go into hiding.  This is an important dynamic of political history.  Wicked rulers suppress talent and energy by pushing men into hiding.  They may hope to achieve glory, but they achieve the opposite – a drain of glory.

The Proverbs specifically says that adam hides when the wicked rise up, and that takes us back right to Genesis 3.  Adam went into hiding when he gave way to the serpent’s temptation.  The serpent, the wicked one, was raised up above him, and instead of exulting over the serpent, he hid from God.  Throughout the old covenant, the wicked are continuously rising and the righteous are hidden.  In Jesus, however, the righteous one finally exults in triumph over all His enemies.  He is raised up, and Adam comes from hiding to share in the glory of the Last Adam.

PROVERBS 28:13

Again, the proverb is structured in parallel:

Whoever hides his rebellion

Succeeds not

But whoever makes known and forsakes

Finds compassion.

Another proverb about hiding, though using a different verb.  The word for “transgression” means “rebellion” or trespass, and describes not inadvertent sins but willful trespasses against others.  Hiding a rebellion might take several forms: It might be that one rebels, and then tries to cover up the rebellion; or, one might promote covert rebellion, hiding the rebellion even as the rebellion is taking place; or, one might hide rebellion within, in the heart, while making a hypocritical show of deference and submission.  Any sort of hiding, though, is counter-productive.  God sees the heart, and He sees the secret things; everything is open and laid bare before Him, and so we can never hide rebellion.

And the Lord frustrates rebels: They do not succeed.  Perhaps for a time, perhaps for what appears to be a long time.  Even when they look like trees, they are grass and will fade away.

Importantly, the contrast in the verse is not between rebels and non-rebels.  Like a good Calvinist, Solomon assumes that everyone is a rebel.  The only difference is what one does with the rebellion.  And, paradoxically, the way to success is uncovering the rebellion.  It seems that the best way to escape the consequences of rebellion is to keep it in hiding forever.  Solomon says, “Cause it to be known.”

Confession and making-known is important, but Solomon adds “forsake.”  It’s the word used of a man leaving home for his wife (Genesis 2:24) and it’s used of physical bonds and burdens.  Making rebellion known is the first step.  Cutting ties is the second.

This proverb rings changes on the paradoxes of concealment, covering, and unveiling that are at the heart of the sacrificial system.  When Adam sinned, he went into hiding, seeking to conceal his rebellion and shame.  To be redeemed, he had to come out of hiding, and had to strip off the fig leaves that covered him.  Only then did he receive a proper covering, an “atonement” covering of garments, which were also garments of glory and beauty.

Those who confess and forsake rebellion find “compassion.”  In the structure of the verse, that is the counterpoint to “no success.”  They don’t seem to be opposites; in fact, they don’t even seem to be within the same realm of discourse.  What hath prosperity to do with compassion?  But of course, what ensures that our way succeeds (in the proper sense) is that our way is overshadowed by the compassion of God.

PROVERBS 28:14

Fear is not always a blessing.  The curse of the covenant is that Israel will be in continuous dread (Deuteronomy 28:66-67), and Job (4:14; 23:15) dreads God.  When Yahweh comes to the wicked, He strikes fear into them (Psalm 14:5), but if the wicked are fearful before His face, the righteous are secure and rejoice.  If the Lord is with us, whom shall we dread (Psalm 27:1).  But the proverb tells us there is a kind of fear that is healthy, and a kind of fear that should be permanent.  Blessing comes to the fearful in this sense, and the implied object of fear is Yahweh.  Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom; continuous fear of Yahweh is the beginning of blessing.

It’s the adam who fears here.  The word for man in each of these three verses is adam , and that suggests that they are all reflections, in one fashion or another, on the first man in the garden.  Adam was cursed precisely because he failed to fear always, but the Last Adam is the truly blessed man, who fears and obeys His Father.

The “Blessed is he” form reminds us of Psalm 1 and Psalm 32.  The man who fears is likewise the man whose transgression is forgiven, and the man who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night.  “Continuously” in Proverbs 28:14 translates tamid , used originally for the various “continuous” rites and institutions of the tabernacle worship: Showbread is continuously before the Lord, the lampstands continuous burn, Aaron wears a memorial on his heart and on his forehead continually before Yahweh, incense ascends perpetually, and the fire of the altar is to be kept burning.  The tamid offerings are the daily, continuous ascension offerings.  That one fears continuously thus hints at continuous sacrifice: The one is blessed who fears and continuously offers himself as a living sacrifice.

Pharaoh, we might said, is the counterpoint.  He has no fear of Yahweh.  “Who is Yahweh?” he asks, and then hardens his heart (Exodus 7:3).  Israel often enough acts like Pharaoh, hardening their necks instead of receiving the easy yoke of Yahweh (2 Kings 17:14).  The histories of Pharaoh and of Israel are, as Paul indicates (Romans 9-11), cautionary tales for the nations
.  Their histories are summed up by this proverb: hard-hearted men and nations are destined for a fall into “evil.”

PROVERBS 28:15

Rulers are supposed to be protective of their people.  They are shepherds.  Rulers are also compared to powerful predators: David’s Son is the “lion” of the tribe of Judah.  When righteous rulers are compared to lions, it is because they are a terror to the enemies of their people.  Yahweh Himself is a lion who is roused to roar against and defend Israel.  Rulers are not to prey on the flock.  Proverbs 28:15 describes wicked rulers as predators who are revved up for attack.  Roaring is a prelude to the kill, as Isaiah says about the “distant nation” that the Lord is raising up against His unfaithful people (Isaiah 5:29-10).  The bear in the proverb rushes around like an army scurrying over a defeated city (Isaiah 33:4; Joel 2:9; Nahum 2:4).

The threat of uncontrolled, wicked rulers falls especially on a poor people.  They are defenseless against the predatory rulers, and have no recourse to bride him or hire protection.  They are entirely vulnerable before the roaring lion and rushing bear.

The word for ruler, mashal , describes the government of the stars over the night (Genesis 1:18) and other forms and types of government.  It is, however, also a pun on the word for proverb or parable (Number 21:27; Proverbs 1:1, 6; 10:1; Ezekiel 12:23).  The wicked ruler is somehow being associated with the wisdom of the proverbs themselves.  Perhaps this indicates that the ruler is sly and cunning, operating by a wicked form of wisdom.

Jesus is the poor one, who is oppressed by bulls of Bashan who open their mouths like lions against Him (Psalm 22).  He is the Lamb led to slaughter, who gives Himself to be torn in pieces like a kid.

PROVERBS 28:16

Yet another proverb about rule.  Here, the word for ruler is not mashal but nagid , derived from nagad , “announced one.”  In technical terms, the nagid is the crown prince.  The syntax of the Hebrew is different from that the NASB translation.  Instead of “the prince who is a great oppressor lack understanding” the relation is reversed, “the prince lacks understanding and increases oppression.”  The lack of understanding seems to be the root and cause of the oppression, rather than being an inference from the oppression.

“Understanding” is among the gifts of the Spirit given, along with wisdom, to Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 31:3; 35:31; cf. 1 Kings 7:14).

Just as a craftsman must have understanding of his materials, tools, and goals in order to produce a beautiful object, so there is a craft to rule – state-craft.  That is what the oppressor lacks.  He doesn’t understand the materials that he is manipulating (that is, people), doesn’t understand how to use the tools without ripping the materials apart, doesn’t know what’s he’s trying to accomplish.  Lacking this understanding, he will end up being oppressive and abusive to his people.

“Oppression” seems to be more precisely “unjust gain” or “extortion.”  Extortion from the people reveals a lack of understanding of rule.  Rulers who extort from their people – whether they extort through high taxes, through conscription, through other means – are enriching themselves, so they think.  They believe they will enhance their rule by squeezing more from their people.  The result is the opposite.  They don’t understand that the glory of the kingdom comes from the flourishing of the people.  They don’t understand their material or their tools.

A good ruler is full of hate – hate for rape and predatory confiscation from his people.  The word for “unjust gain” in the second half of the proverb means plunder from enemies (Judges 5:19; Micah 4:13).  The ruler lacking understanding treats his people like enemies, plundering them as if he has defeated them in battle.  A ruler who renounces extortion, and suppresses unjust gain within his kingdom, is prolonging his days.  He will rule for a long time, and will live a long life.