Bridges on Proverbs 21:18
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 21:18
 
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18.  The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
 
The ransom is here spoken of only in a popular sense, as equivalent to a substitute. (Psalm 49:7, 8.) God sometimes, for wise reasons, involves the righteous in the same judgment with the wicked. Sometimes the punishment of the wicked is the ordained means of averting calamity from a righteous nation. (Joshua 7:24-26.) Often, in the LORD's retributive justice, the wicked are brought into the very trouble, which they designed for the righteous.† Thus, suffering in their stead, they are as it were a ransom for them. God may seem in trouble to “sell his people for nought” (Psalm 44:12); yet “so precious are they in his sight,” that a whole nation shall, if needful for their preservation, be given to ruin. Egypt and Ethiopia were thus a ransom for Jerusalem, when God turned Sennacherib's fury against them, and warded off the threatened strokes from the sacred city,† just as a bait thrown to a beast of prey, would give opportunity to the devoted victim to escape. Often does God turn the enemies of the church to fight among themselves, so that the destined scourge for his church is turned to another quarter, as if the crushed nation was a ransom, a victim in the stead of the innocent. However lowering the prospects of the church may be, yet there is no ground for faintness or trembling for the ark of God. His promises to his church are not empty sounds, but “the munitions of rocks.” “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye.” (Isaiah 54:17. Zechariah 2:8.) The night may be dark; but the morn will look forth gloriously.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 49:7, 8
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: 8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
 
 
Joshua 7:24-26
24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. {Achor: that is, Trouble}
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 11:8, and references. See also the first-born of Egypt given for the deliverance of Israel. Exodus 11:4-8; 12:29-36.
 
 
Proverbs 11:8, and references.
8 ¶ The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
 
See also the first-born of Egypt given for the deliverance of Israel.
Exodus 11:4-8
4 ¶ And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. {that follow...: Heb. that is at thy feet} {a great...: Heb. heat of anger}
 
Exodus 12:29-36
29 ¶ And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. {dungeon: Heb. house of the pit} 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. 33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. 34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. {kneadingtroughs: or, dough} 35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: 36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 44:12
12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price. {for...: Heb. without riches}
 
 
Footnote:
Isaiah 43:3, 4. Ransom, the same word in the original. Compare 2 Ki. 19:7-9.
 
 
Isaiah 43:3, 4
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. {life: or, person}
 
2 Kings 19:7-9
7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. 8 ¶ So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9 And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
 
 
Isaiah 54:17
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
 
Zechariah 2:8
8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.