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Selected Verse: Proverbs 17:26 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Pr 17:26	Strong Concordance	Also to punish [06064] the just [06662] is not good [02896], nor to strike [05221] princes [05081] for equity [03476].
	King James	Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Also--that is, Equally to be avoided are other sins: punishing good subjects, or resisting good rulers.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Also--that is, Equally to be avoided are other sins: punishing good subjects, or resisting good rulers.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Nor to strike ... - Better, and to strike the noble (in character rather than in rank) is against right. Compare Joh 18:28.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
26 Also to inflict punishment on the righteous is not good; This, that one overthrows the noble on account of his rectitude. Does the גּם [also] refer to a connection from which the proverb is separated? or is it tacitly supposed that there are many kinds of worthless men in the world, and that one from among them is brought forward? or is it meant, that to lay upon the righteous a pecuniary punishment is also not good? None of all these. The proverb must have a meaning complete in itself; and if pecuniary punishment and corporeal punishment were regarded as opposed to one another, 26b would then have begun with אף כּי (quanto magis percutere ingenuos). Here it is with גם as at Pro 20:11, and as with אך at 11a, and רק at Pro 13:10 : according to the sense, it belongs not to the word next following, but to לצּדּיק; and ענשׁ (whence inf. ענושׁ, as Pro 21:11, with the ǎ in ע, cf. also עבד, Pro 11:10, for אבד) means here not specially to inflict a pecuniary fine, but generally to punish, for, as in mulctare, the meaning is generalized, elsewhere with the accus., Deu 22:19, here to give to any one to undergo punishment. The ruler is the servant of God, who has to preserve rectitude, εἰς ὀργὴν τῷ τὸ κακὸν πράσσοντι (Rom 13:14). It is not good when he makes his power to punish to be felt by the innocent as well as by the guilty. In 26b, instead of הכּות, the proverb is continued with להכּות; לא־טוב, which is to be supplied, takes the inf. alone when it precedes, and the inf. with ל when it follows, Pro 18:5; Pro 28:21; Pro 21:9 (but cf. Pro 21:19). הכּות is the usual word for punishment by scourging, Deu 25:1-3, cf. Co2 11:24, N.T. μαστιγοῦν, δίρειν, Rabb. מכּות, strokes, or מלקוּת from לקה, vapulare, to receive stripes. נדיבים are here those noble in disposition. The idea of נדיב fluctuates between generosus in an outward and in a moral sense, wherefore על־ישׁר, or rather עלי־ישׁר, is added; for the old editions, correct MSS, and e.g., also Soncin. 1488, present עלי (vid., Norzi). Hitzig incorrectly explains this, "against what is due" (ישׁר, as Pro 11:24); also Psa 94:20, עלי־חק does not mean κατὰ προστάγματος (Symmachus), but ἐπὶ προστάγματι (lxx and Theod.), on the ground of right = praetextu juris (Vatabl.). Thus עלי־ישׁר means here neither against nor beyond what is due, but: on the ground of honourable conduct, making this (of course mistakenly) a lawful title to punishment; Aquila, ἐπὶ εὐθύτητι, cf. Mat 5:10, ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης. Besides, for על after הכּה, the causal signification lies nearest Num 22:32, cf. Isa 1:5 (על־מה, on account of anything). If the power of punishment is abused to the punishing of the righteous, yea, even to the corporeal chastisement of the noble, and their straight, i.e., conscientious, firm, open conduct, is made a crime against them, that is not good - it is perversion of the idea of justice, and an iniquity which challenges the penal rectitude of the Most High (Ecc 5:7 [8]).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

26 Also to inflict punishment on the righteous is not good;

This, that one overthrows the noble on account of his rectitude.

Does the גּם [also] refer to a connection from which the proverb is separated? or is it tacitly supposed that there are many kinds of worthless men in the world, and that one from among them is brought forward? or is it meant, that to lay upon the righteous a pecuniary punishment is also not good? None of all these. The proverb must have a meaning complete in itself; and if pecuniary punishment and corporeal punishment were regarded as opposed to one another, 26b would then have begun with אף כּי (quanto magis percutere ingenuos). Here it is with גם as at Pro 20:11, and as with אך at 11a, and רק at Pro 13:10 : according to the sense, it belongs not to the word next following, but to לצּדּיק; and ענשׁ (whence inf. ענושׁ, as Pro 21:11, with the ǎ in ע, cf. also עבד, Pro 11:10, for אבד) means here not specially to inflict a pecuniary fine, but generally to punish, for, as in mulctare, the meaning is generalized, elsewhere with the accus., Deu 22:19, here to give to any one to undergo punishment. The ruler is the servant of God, who has to preserve rectitude, εἰς ὀργὴν τῷ τὸ κακὸν πράσσοντι (Rom 13:14). It is not good when he makes his power to punish to be felt by the innocent as well as by the guilty.

In 26b, instead of הכּות, the proverb is continued with להכּות; לא־טוב, which is to be supplied, takes the inf. alone when it precedes, and the inf. with ל when it follows, Pro 18:5; Pro 28:21; Pro 21:9 (but cf. Pro 21:19). הכּות is the usual word for punishment by scourging, Deu 25:1-3, cf. Co2 11:24, N.T. μαστιγοῦν, δίρειν, Rabb. מכּות, strokes, or מלקוּת from לקה, vapulare, to receive stripes. נדיבים are here those noble in disposition. The idea of נדיב fluctuates between generosus in an outward and in a moral sense, wherefore על־ישׁר, or rather עלי־ישׁר, is added; for the old editions, correct MSS, and e.g., also Soncin. 1488, present עלי (vid., Norzi). Hitzig incorrectly explains this, "against what is due" (ישׁר, as Pro 11:24); also Psa 94:20, עלי־חק does not mean κατὰ προστάγματος (Symmachus), but ἐπὶ προστάγματι (lxx and Theod.), on the ground of right = praetextu juris (Vatabl.). Thus עלי־ישׁר means here neither against nor beyond what is due, but: on the ground of honourable conduct, making this (of course mistakenly) a lawful title to punishment; Aquila, ἐπὶ εὐθύτητι, cf. Mat 5:10, ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης. Besides, for על after הכּה, the causal signification lies nearest Num 22:32, cf. Isa 1:5 (על־מה, on account of anything). If the power of punishment is abused to the punishing of the righteous, yea, even to the corporeal chastisement of the noble, and their straight, i.e., conscientious, firm, open conduct, is made a crime against them, that is not good - it is perversion of the idea of justice, and an iniquity which challenges the penal rectitude of the Most High (Ecc 5:7 [8]).

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
To strike - Nor to smite magistrates, either with the hand or tongue, for the execution of justice.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Nor to strike princes for equity - To fall out with the ruler of the people, and to take off his head under pretense of his not being a just or equitable governor, is unjust. To kill a king on the ground of justice is a most dreadful omen to any land. Where was it ever done, that it promoted the public prosperity? No experiment of this kind has ever yet succeeded, howsoever worthless the king might be.

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²⁸ Then [3767] led they [71] Jesus [2424] from [575] Caiaphas [2533] unto [1519] the hall of judgment [4232]: and [1161] it was [2258] early [4405]; and [2532] they themselves [846] went [1525] not [3756] into [1519] the judgment hall [4232], lest [3363] they should be defiled [3392]; but [235] that [2443] they might eat [5315] the passover [3957].

⁷ For in the multitude [07230] of dreams [02472] and many [07235] words [01697] there are also divers vanities [01892]: but fear [03372] thou God [0430].

⁵ Why should ye be stricken [05221] any more? ye will revolt [05627] more and more [03254]: the whole head [07218] is sick [02483], and the whole heart [03824] faint [01742].

³² And the angel [04397] of the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten [05221] thine ass [0860] these three [07969] times [07272]? behold, I went out [03318] to withstand [07854] thee, because thy way [01870] is perverse [03399] before me:

¹⁰ Blessed [3107] are they which are persecuted [1377] for [1752] righteousness' sake [1343]: for [3754] theirs [846] is [2076] the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772].

²⁰ Shall the throne [03678] of iniquity [01942] have fellowship [02266] with thee, which frameth [03335] mischief [05999] by a law [02706]?

²⁴ There is [03426] that scattereth [06340], and yet increaseth [03254]; and there is that withholdeth [02820] more than is meet [03476], but it tendeth to poverty [04270].

²⁴ Of [5259] the Jews [2453] five times [3999] received I [2983] forty [5062] stripes save [3844] one [3391].

¹ If there be a controversy [07379] between men [0582], and they come [05066] unto judgment [04941], that the judges may judge [08199] them; then they shall justify [06663] the righteous [06662], and condemn [07561] the wicked [07563].
² And it shall be, if the wicked man [07563] be worthy [01121] to be beaten [05221], that the judge [08199] shall cause him to lie down [05307], and to be beaten [05221] before his face [06440], according [01767] to his fault [07564], by a certain number [04557].
³ Forty [0705] stripes [05221] he may give him, and not exceed [03254]: lest, if he should exceed [03254], and beat [05221] him above these with many [07227] stripes [04347], then thy brother [0251] should seem vile [07034] [05869] unto thee.

¹⁹ It is better [02896] to dwell [03427] in the wilderness [0776] [04057], than with a contentious [04079] [04066] and an angry [03708] woman [0802].

⁹ It is better [02896] to dwell [03427] in a corner [06438] of the housetop [01406], than with a brawling [04079] [04066] woman [0802] in a wide [02267] house [01004].

²¹ To have respect [05234] of persons [06440] is not good [02896]: for for a piece [06595] of bread [03899] that man [01397] will transgress [06586].

⁵ It is not good [02896] to accept [05375] the person [06440] of the wicked [07563], to overthrow [05186] the righteous [06662] in judgment [04941].

¹⁴ But [235] put ye on [1746] the Lord [2962] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], and [2532] make [4160] not [3361] provision [4307] for [1519] the flesh [4561], to fulfil the lusts [1939] thereof.

¹⁹ And they shall amerce [06064] him in an hundred [03967] shekels of silver [03701], and give [05414] them unto the father [01] of the damsel [05291], because he hath brought up [03318] an evil [07451] name [08034] upon a virgin [01330] of Israel [03478]: and she shall be his wife [0802]; he may [03201] not put her away [07971] all his days [03117].

¹⁰ When it goeth well [02898] with the righteous [06662], the city [07151] rejoiceth [05970]: and when the wicked [07563] perish [06], there is shouting [07440].

¹¹ When the scorner [03887] is punished [06064], the simple [06612] is made wise [02449]: and when the wise [02450] is instructed [07919], he receiveth [03947] knowledge [01847].

¹⁰ Only by pride [02087] cometh [05414] contention [04683]: but with the well advised [03289] is wisdom [02451].

¹¹ Even a child [05288] is known [05234] by his doings [04611], whether his work [06467] be pure [02134], and whether it be right [03477].