10. A divine sentence (Diviniation,† marg.) is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment. 11. A just weight and balance are the LORD'S: all the weights of the bag are his work. {the weights: Heb. the stones} 12. It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. 13.  Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

Footnote:

Not Divination — strictly so called, which was absolutely forbidden (Deuteronomy 18:10); but penetration in discovering truth. See Parkhurst.

 

 

Deuteronomy 18:10

10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

2 Samuel 23:3, 4

3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. {He...: or, Be thou ruler, etc} 4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

Ecclesiastes 8:9.

9 ¶ All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

Judges 9:20

20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

Footnote:

Chapter 25:2. 1 Kings 3:9. 2 Samuel 14:17.

 

 

Proverbs 25:2

2 ¶ It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

 

1 Kings 3:9

9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? {understanding: Heb. hearing}

 

2 Samuel 14:17

17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee. {comfortable: Heb. for rest} {to discern: Heb. to hear}

Footnote:

1 Kings 3:26-28. ‘Who would have expected to have found in this Proverb a proof of the Pope's infallibility?' ‘If Kings are infallible, much more Popes.' ‘Arguments must be extremely scarce, when such are alleged.' — Scott.

 

 

1 Kings 3:26-28

26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. {yearned: Heb. were hot} 27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof. 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. {in him: Heb. in the midst of him}

Footnote:

Deuteronomy 24:15, 16. Ezekiel 45:10. The Jews used to keep their weights in bags. Micah 6:11.

 

 

Deuteronomy 24:15, 16

15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee. {setteth...: Heb. lifteth his soul unto it} 16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

 

Ezekiel 45:10

10 Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.

 

Micah 6:11

11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? {count...: or, be pure with, etc}

Footnote:

Chapter 20:8, 26, contrast 29:12.

 

 

Proverbs 20:8, 26

8 ¶ A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes. 26 ¶ A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

 

Proverbs 29:12

12 ¶ If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

Footnote:

Chapter 22:11. Psalm 101:6, 7. Daniel 3:28-30; 6:24-28. Constantius, the father of Constantine, tested the character of his Christian servants, by the imperative command to offer sacrifices to his gods. Some sunk under the trial. Those, who had really “bought the truth,” would sell it for no price. (Chapter 23:23.) They were inflexible. He banished the base compliants from his service. The true confessors he entrusted with the care of his own person. ‘These men' — said he — ‘I can trust. I value them more than all my treasures.' This was sound judgment. For who are so likely to be faithful to their king, as those that have proved themselves faithful to their God?

 

 

Proverbs 22:11

11 ¶ He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. {for...: or, and hath grace in his lips}

 

Psalm 101:6, 7

6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. {in a...: or, perfect in the way} 7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. {shall not tarry: Heb. shall not be established}

 

Daniel 3:28-30

28 ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. {I make...: Chaldee, a decree is made by me} {any...: Chaldee, error} {cut...: Chaldee, made pieces} 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. {promoted: Chaldee, made to prosper}

 

Daniel 6:24-28

24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. 25 ¶ Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. {power: Chaldee, hand} 28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

 

Proverbs 23:23

23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Footnote:

1 Samuel 3:15-18. Contrast 1 Kings 22:8; 2 Chronicles 15:7-10; 25:15, 16; Mark 6:17, 18. Clarendon perhaps was the finest example in modern times of unbending rectitude, boldly reproving his flagitious master, and beseeching him ‘not to believe, that he had a prerogative to declare vice to be virtue.' Well had it been for Charles, had these righteous lips been his delight.

 

 

1 Samuel 3:15-18

15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. 17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. {more also: Heb. so add} {thing: or, word} 18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good. {every...: Heb. all the things, or, words}

 

Compare

1 Kings 22:8;

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

 

2 Chronicles 15:7-10

7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 8 ¶ And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD. {abominable...: Heb. abominations} 9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. 10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

 

2 Chronicles 25:15, 16

15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? 16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel. {determined: Heb. counselled}

 

Mark 6:17, 18

17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. 18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Footnote:

1 Kings 2:3. 2 Chronicles 32:22, 23. Jeremiah 22:13-20.

 

 

1 Kings 2:3

3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: {prosper: or, do wisely}

 

2 Chronicles 32:22, 23

22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth. {presents: Heb. precious things}

 

Jeremiah 22:13-20

13 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; 14 That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. {large: Heb. through-aired} {windows: or, my windows} 15 Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? 16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD. 17 But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it. {violence: or, incursion} 18 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory! 19 He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem. 20 ¶ Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed.

Footnote:

Hooker, Eccl. Pol. B. v. c. i. 2. Chapter 14:34.

 

 

Proverbs 14:34

34 ¶ Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. {to any...: Heb. to nations}

Footnote:

Psalm 75:3.

 

 

Psalm 75:3

3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

Footnote:

1 Kings 10:19, 20.

 

 

1 Kings 10:19, 20

19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. {behind: Heb. on the hinder part thereof} {stays: Heb. hands} 20 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. {the like: Heb. so}

 

1 Timothy 2:1, 2

1 ¶ I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; {exhort: or, desire} 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. {authority: or, eminent place}

 

Psalm 72:1

1 ¶ {A Psalm for Solomon.} Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. {for: or, of}

Matthew 22:15-46

15 ¶ Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. {penny: in value seven pence halfpenny} 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? {superscription: or, inscription} 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. 22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. 23 ¶ The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. {seventh: Gr. seven} 27 And last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. 31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. 33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. 34 ¶ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 41 ¶ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

Footnote:

Psalm 45:6, 7. Isaiah 11:3, 4; 32:1.

 

 

Psalm 45:6, 7

6 ¶ Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 

Isaiah 11:3, 4

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: {quick...: Heb. scent or, smell} 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. {reprove: or, argue}

 

Isaiah 32:1

1 ¶ Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

Footnote:

Isaiah 9:7. Jeremiah 23:5.

 

 

Isaiah 9:7

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

Jeremiah 23:5

5 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous {1} Branch, and he shall reign as king and {2} deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. {1) Or Shoot; Or Bud 2) Or prosper} 5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

Footnote:

Chapter 11:1; 12:22; Psalm 15:1, 2; 24:3-5.

 

 

Proverbs 11:1

1 ¶ A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. {A false...: Heb. Balances of deceit} {just...: Heb. perfect stone}

 

Proverbs 12:22

22 ¶ Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

 

Psalm 15:1, 2

1 ¶ {A Psalm of David.} LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? {abide: Heb. sojourn} 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

 

Psalm 24:3-5

3 ¶ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. {He...: Heb. The clean of hands} 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.