Proverbs 28:16

28:16 The prince who is a great oppressor lacks wisdom, ¹ 

but the one who hates ²  unjust gain will prolong his days.

Proverbs 29:4

29:4 A king brings stability ³  to a land ⁴  by justice,

but one who exacts tribute ⁵  tears it down.

Exodus 18:21

18:21 But you choose ⁶  from the people capable men, ⁷  God-fearing, ⁸  men of truth, ⁹  those who hate bribes, ¹⁰  and put them over the people ¹¹  as rulers ¹²  of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Exodus 23:8

23:8 “You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see ¹³  and subverts the words of the righteous.

Deuteronomy 16:19

16:19 You must not pervert justice or show favor. Do not take a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and distort ¹⁴  the words of the righteous. ¹⁵ 

Isaiah 33:15-16

33:15 The one who lives ¹⁶  uprightly ¹⁷ 

and speaks honestly;

the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures

and rejects a bribe; ¹⁸ 

the one who does not plot violent crimes ¹⁹ 

and does not seek to harm others ²⁰  –

33:16 This is the person who will live in a secure place; ²¹ 

he will find safety in the rocky, mountain strongholds; ²² 

he will have food

and a constant supply of water.

[28:16]  ¹ tn Heb “A prince lacking of understanding [is] also a great oppressor” (both KJV, ASV similar) The last clause, “and a great oppressor,” appears to modify “the prince.” There is little difference in meaning, only in emphasis. The LXX has “lacks income” (reading תְּבוּאוֹת [tÿvu’ot] instead of תְּבוּנוֹת [tÿvunot]). C. H. Toy (Proverbs [ICC], 501) suggests deleting the word for “prince” altogether, but this emendation is gratuitous.

[28:16]  ² tc This follows the Qere reading of the participle which is singular (as opposed to the plural). The implication is that this one is also a ruler, paralleling the first half. But since he “hates” (= rejects) unjust gain he will extend [his] days, meaning he will enjoy a long and happy life (cf. NIV, NRSV, CEV).

[29:4]  ³ tn The form is the Hiphil imperfect of the verb עָמַד (’amad, “to stand”), hence, “to cause to stand.” It means that the king makes the nation “stand firm,” with “standing firm” being a figure for strength, security, and stability. Cf. NCV “makes his country (the nation CEV) strong.”

[29:4]  ⁴ tn Or “country.” This term functions as a metonymy of subject for the people in the land.

[29:4]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew text reads אִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת (’ish tÿrumot, “a man of offerings”), which could refer to a man who “receives gifts” or “gives gifts.” Because of its destructive nature on the country, here the phrase must mean that he receives or “exacts” the money (cf. NRSV “makes heavy exactions”). This seems to go beyond the ordinary taxation for two reasons: (1) this ruler is a “man of offerings,” indicating that it is in his nature to do this, and (2) it tears down the country. The word “offerings” has been taken to refer to gifts or bribes (cf. NASB, NIV, CEV, NLT), but the word itself suggests more the idea of tribute or taxes that are demanded; this Hebrew word was used in Leviticus for offerings given to the priests, and in Ezek 45:16 for taxes. The point seems to be that this ruler or administrator is breaking the backs of the people with heavy taxes or tribute (e.g., 1 Sam 8:11-18), and this causes division and strife.

[18:21]  ⁶ tn The construction uses the independent pronoun for emphasis, and then the imperfect tense “see” (חָזָה, khazah) – “and you will see from all….” Both in Hebrew and Ugaritic expressions of “seeing” are used in the sense of choosing (Gen 41:33). See U. Cassuto, Exodus, 220.

[18:21]  ⁷ tn The expression is אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל (’anshe khayil, “capable men”). The attributive genitive is the word used in expressions like “mighty man of valor.” The word describes these men as respected, influential, powerful people, those looked up to by the community as leaders, and those who will have the needs of the community in mind.

[18:21]  ⁸ tn The description “fearers of God” uses an objective genitive. It describes them as devout, worshipful, obedient servants of God.

[18:21]  ⁹ tn The expression “men of truth” (אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת, ’anshe ’emet) indicates that these men must be seekers of truth, who know that the task of a judge is to give true judgment (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 220). The word “truth” includes the ideas of faithfulness or reliability, as well as factuality itself. It could be understood to mean “truthful men,” men whose word is reliable and true.

[18:21]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “haters of bribes.” Here is another objective genitive, one that refers to unjust gain. To hate unjust gain is to reject and refuse it. Their decisions will not be swayed by greed.

[18:21]  ¹¹ tn Heb “over them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:21]  ¹² sn It is not clear how this structure would work in a judicial setting. The language of “captains of thousands,” etc., is used more for military ranks. There must have been more detailed instruction involved here, for each Israelite would have come under four leaders with this arrangement, and perhaps difficult cases would be sent to the next level. But since the task of these men would also involve instruction and guidance, the breakdown would be very useful. Deut 1:9, 13 suggest that the choice of these people was not simply Moses’ alone.

[23:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “blinds the open-eyed.”

[16:19]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “twist, overturn”; NRSV “subverts the cause.”

[16:19]  ¹⁵ tn Or “innocent”; NRSV “those who are in the right”; NLT “the godly.”

[33:15]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “walks” (so NASB, NIV).

[33:15]  ¹⁷ tn Or, possibly, “justly”; NAB “who practices virtue.”

[33:15]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “[who] shakes off his hands from grabbing hold of a bribe.”

[33:15]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “[who] shuts his ear from listening to bloodshed.”

[33:15]  ²⁰ tn Heb “[who] closes his eyes from seeing evil.”

[33:16]  ²¹ tn Heb “he [in the] exalted places will live.”

[33:16]  ²² tn Heb “mountain strongholds, cliffs [will be] his elevated place.”