Proverbs Chapter 28

Updated: September 14, 2025

The Righteous are as Bold as a Lion

1The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

2For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

3A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

4They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

5Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

6Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

7Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.

8He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

9He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

10Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.

11The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

12When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

13He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

14Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

15As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

16The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

17A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

18Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

19He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

20A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

21To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

22He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

23He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

24Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.

25He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

26He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

27He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

28When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

King James Bible

Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

The Boldness of the Righteous

1 The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

2 In rebellion, a land has many rulers, but order is maintained by a man of understanding and knowledge.

3 A needy man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no crops.

4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked; but those who keep the law contend with them.

5 Evil men don’t understand justice; but those who seek Yahweh understand it fully.

6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.

7 Whoever keeps the law is a wise son; but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

8 He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.

9 He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

10 Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he will fall into his own trap; but the blameless will inherit good.

11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.

12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory; but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

13 He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

14 Blessed is the man who always fears; but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

15 As a roaring lion or a charging bear, so is a wicked ruler over helpless people.

16 A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.

17 A man who is tormented by life blood will be a fugitive until death; no one will support him.

18 Whoever walks blamelessly is kept safe; but one with perverse ways will fall suddenly.

19 One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

20 A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

21 To show partiality is not good; yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

22 A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn’t know that poverty waits for him.

23 One who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than one who flatters with the tongue.

24 Whoever robs his father or his mother, and says, “It’s not wrong.” He is a partner with a destroyer.

25 One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in Yahweh will prosper.

26 One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

27 One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.

28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous thrive.

The Boldness of the Righteous

1 The wicked flee when no one pursues,

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

2 A land in rebellion has many rulers,

but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.

3 A destitute leader who oppresses the poor

is like a driving rain that leaves no food.

4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,

but those who keep the law resist them.

5 Evil men do not understand justice,

but those who seek the LORD comprehend fully.

6 Better a poor man who walks with integrity

than a rich man whose ways are perverse.

7 A discerning son keeps the law,

but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

8 He who increases his wealth by interest and usury

lays it up for one who is kind to the poor.

9 Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law,

even his prayer is detestable.

10 He who leads the upright along the path of evil will fall into his own pit,

but the blameless will inherit what is good.

11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes,

but a poor man with discernment sees through him.

12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

13 He who conceals his sins will not prosper,

but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.

14 Blessed is the man who is always reverent, a

but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear

is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

16 A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor,

but he who hates dishonest profit will prolong his days.

17 A man burdened by bloodguilt will flee into the Pit; b

let no one support him.

18 He who walks with integrity will be kept safe,

but whoever is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

19 The one who works his land will have plenty of food,

but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,

but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

21 To show partiality is not good,

yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

22 A stingy man c hastens after wealth

and does not know that poverty awaits him.

23 He who rebukes a man will later find more favor

than one who flatters with his tongue.

24 He who robs his father or mother, saying, “It is not wrong,”

is a companion to the man who destroys.

25 A greedy man stirs up strife,

but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.

26 He who trusts in himself is a fool,

but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.

27 Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need,

but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.

28 When the wicked come to power, people hide themselves;

but when they perish, the righteous flourish.

Footnotes:

14 a Or always fears the LORD ; Hebrew does not include the LORD .
17 b Or will be a fugitive until death
22 c Hebrew A man whose eye is evil

The Righteous are as Bold as a Lion

1The wicked have fled and there is no pursuer. And the righteous as a young lion is confident.

2By the transgression of a land many are its heads. And by an intelligent man, Who knoweth right -- it is prolonged.

3A man -- poor and oppressing the weak, Is a sweeping rain, and there is no bread.

4Those forsaking the law praise the wicked, Those keeping the law plead against them.

5Evil men understand not judgment, And those seeking Jehovah understand all.

6Better is the poor walking in his integrity, Than the perverse of ways who is rich.

7Whoso is keeping the law is an intelligent son, And a friend of gluttons, Doth cause his father to blush.

8Whoso is multiplying his wealth by biting and usury, For one favouring the poor doth gather it.

9Whoso is turning his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

10Whoso is causing the upright to err in an evil way, Into his own pit he doth fall, And the perfect do inherit good.

11A rich man is wise in his own eyes, And the intelligent poor searcheth him.

12In the exulting of the righteous the glory is abundant, And in the rising of the wicked man is apprehensive.

13Whoso is covering his transgressions prospereth not, And he who is confessing and forsaking hath mercy.

14O the happiness of a man fearing continually, And whoso is hardening his heart falleth into evil.

15A growling lion, and a ranging bear, Is the wicked ruler over a poor people.

16A leader lacking understanding multiplieth oppressions, Whoso is hating dishonest gain prolongeth days.

17A man oppressed with the blood of a soul, Unto the pit fleeth, none taketh hold on him.

18Whoso is walking uprightly is saved, And the perverted of ways falleth at once.

19Whoso is tilling his ground is satisfied with bread, And whoso is pursuing vanity, Is filled with poverty.

20A stedfast man hath multiplied blessings, And whoso is hasting to be rich is not acquitted.

21To discern faces is not good, And for a piece of bread doth a man transgress.

22Troubled for wealth is the man with an evil eye, And he knoweth not that want doth meet him.

23Whoso is reproving a man afterwards findeth grace, More than a flatterer with the tongue.

24Whoso is robbing his father, or his mother, And is saying, 'It is not transgression,' A companion he is to a destroyer.

25Whoso is proud in soul stirreth up contention, And whoso is trusting on Jehovah is made fat.

26Whoso is trusting in his heart is a fool, And whoso is walking in wisdom is delivered.

27Whoso is giving to the poor hath no lack, And whoso is hiding his eyes multiplied curses.

28In the rising of the wicked a man is hidden, And in their destruction the righteous multiply!

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The F.O.G Commentary

When Wisdom Meets the Real World

What’s Proverbs 28 about?

This chapter is where Solomon’s wisdom collides head-on with messy, real-world politics and economics. It’s packed with hard truths about leadership, justice, and what happens when good people stay silent while corruption runs wild.

The Full Context

Proverbs 28 sits right in the thick of what scholars call the “second collection” of Solomon’s proverbs, compiled centuries after his death during King Hezekiah’s reign around 700 BC. This wasn’t just an academic exercise – Hezekiah was in the middle of massive religious and political reforms, cleaning house after decades of corrupt leadership. The timing matters because these weren’t theoretical musings about good government; they were urgent reminders of what godly leadership actually looked like.

The chapter opens with one of the most politically charged verses in all of Proverbs: “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” This sets the tone for everything that follows – a sustained meditation on courage, justice, and the kind of leadership that actually serves people rather than exploiting them. What makes this chapter so fascinating is how it weaves together personal character and public policy, showing that you can’t really separate private morality from political responsibility.

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The Hebrew word rasha (wicked) appears more times in this single chapter than almost anywhere else in Proverbs. But here’s what’s interesting – it’s not talking about cartoon villains twirling mustaches. The rasha in Proverbs 28 are people in positions of power who’ve forgotten that authority exists to serve others, not themselves.

Grammar Geeks

The verb “flee” in verse 1 uses the Hebrew nas, which doesn’t just mean running away – it’s the same word used for metals fleeing impurities in a furnace. The wicked don’t just run; they’re being purged out of their positions by their own guilt.

When verse 2 talks about a land having “many rulers,” the Hebrew word sarim literally means “princes” or “officials.” But the genius of this proverb is in what it doesn’t say – it doesn’t blame the people for being ungovernable. It puts the responsibility squarely on leadership that’s either absent, incompetent, or corrupt.

The word understanding (binah) in the same verse is crucial. This isn’t book smarts – it’s the ability to discern between right and wrong, to see through deception, and to make decisions that actually benefit the community. It’s the kind of wisdom that takes time to develop and can’t be faked.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

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What is the F.O.G?

Picture yourself as a merchant in Jerusalem around 700 BC. You’ve watched kings come and go, seen officials get rich while ordinary people struggle, and experienced the chaos that comes when no one knows who’s really in charge. When you hear Proverbs 28:2 – “When a land transgresses, it has many rulers” – you’re not thinking about abstract political theory. You’re nodding your head because you’ve lived it.

The original audience would have immediately understood verse 3 about “a poor man who oppresses the poor” as a sweeping rain that leaves no food. This wasn’t a hypothetical scenario – they’d seen it happen when desperate people got small amounts of power and used it to climb over others just as desperate. The image of a destructive rainstorm would have been visceral for people whose livelihood depended on the right kind of rain at the right time.

Did You Know?

Archaeological evidence from 8th-century BC Jerusalem shows a massive gap between the wealthy and poor quarters of the city. The rich lived in houses with multiple rooms and private toilets, while the poor crowded into single-room hovels. These proverbs weren’t written in ivory towers – they came from observing real inequality.

When they heard about people who “forsake the law” in verse 4, they weren’t thinking about breaking traffic regulations. The torah was their constitution, their social contract, their guarantee that justice wasn’t just for the wealthy. Abandoning it meant abandoning the very idea that society should be fair.

But Wait… Why Did They…?

Here’s something that might puzzle modern readers: why does verse 5 say that “evil people do not understand justice”? Surely they know what justice is – they just choose to ignore it, right?

Actually, the Hebrew suggests something more unsettling. The word yabiyn (understand) implies not just intellectual knowledge but the ability to recognize and respond appropriately to moral reality. The proverb is saying that injustice literally damages your ability to see clearly. It’s not that wicked people choose to ignore justice – they gradually lose the capacity to recognize it.

Wait, That’s Strange…

Verse 6 creates an apparent paradox: “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” But why would this need to be stated? Wouldn’t everyone prefer integrity? The Hebrew suggests that wealth has a way of making crooked paths look straight – that prosperity can literally distort moral vision.

This connects to something profound in Hebrew thought: sin doesn’t just break rules, it breaks the sinner. Each compromise makes the next one easier, each injustice makes justice seem less important, until eventually you can’t tell the difference between right and wrong anymore.

Wrestling with the Text

The heart of Proverbs 28 forces us to wrestle with uncomfortable questions about power and responsibility. Take verse 12: “When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.” This isn’t just about individual morality – it’s about the ripple effects of leadership.

The Hebrew word for “hide” (chapash) is the same word used to describe searching for something precious. When corrupt people gain power, decent people don’t just disappear – they have to go underground, become harder to find. It’s a picture of good people being driven into hiding by bad leadership.

But here’s where it gets personal: verse 13 shifts the focus from public corruption to private honesty. “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” The word “prosper” (tsalach) doesn’t just mean getting rich – it means succeeding at being human, flourishing as the kind of person you were created to be.

“Justice isn’t something we do occasionally when we feel like being good people – it’s the foundation that makes all other relationships possible.”

The brilliant thing about this chapter is how it shows the connection between personal integrity and social health. You can’t build a just society out of dishonest individuals, but you also can’t maintain personal integrity while ignoring systemic injustice.

How This Changes Everything

Proverbs 28 doesn’t let us off the hook with easy answers. It presents a vision of society where justice flows from character, where good leadership creates space for human flourishing, and where ordinary people have both the responsibility and the power to make things better.

Look at verse 28: “When the wicked rise, people hide, but when they perish, the righteous multiply.” This isn’t celebrating anyone’s death – it’s observing that corrupt systems eventually collapse under their own weight, and when they do, people who’ve been maintaining their integrity in small ways suddenly find themselves in positions to make big differences.

The chapter’s final movement brings everything together: personal honesty creates the foundation for public trust, public trust makes just leadership possible, and just leadership creates conditions where everyone can thrive. It’s a vision that starts with individual choices but doesn’t stop there.

What changes everything is realizing that justice isn’t something we do occasionally when we feel like being good people – it’s the foundation that makes all other relationships possible. Without it, families fall apart, communities fragment, and nations tear themselves to pieces.

Key Takeaway

True leadership isn’t about having power over people – it’s about creating conditions where everyone can flourish. And that kind of leadership starts with the daily choice to tell the truth, especially when it costs you something.

Proverbs Chapter 28

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