PRO 11

Proverbs 11:31

WEB

Behold, the righteous shall be repaid on the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!

BSB

If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

KJV

Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

Matthew Henry

Verse 31

Proverbs 11:31

This, I think, is the only one of Solomon's proverbs that has that note of attention prefixed to it, Behold! which intimates that it contains not only an evident truth, which may be beheld, but an eminent truth, which must be considered. 1. Some understand both parts of a recompence in displeasure: The righteous, if they do amiss, shall be punished for their offences in this world; much more shall wicked people be punished for theirs, which are committed, not through infirmity, but with a high hand. If judgment begin at the house of God, what will become of the ungodly? Pe1 4:17, Pe1 4:18; Luk 23:31. 2. I rather understand it of a recompence of reward to the righteous and punishment to sinners. Let us behold providential retributions. There are some recompences in the earth, in this world, and in the things of this world, which prove that verily there is a God that judges in the earth (Psa 58:11); but they are not universal; many sins go unpunished in the earth, and services unrewarded, which indicates that there is a judgment to come, and that there will be more exact and full retributions in the future state. Many times the righteous are recompensed for their righteousness here in the earth, though that is not the principal, much less the only reward either intended for them or intended by them; but whatever the word of God has promised them, or the wisdom of God sees good for them, they shall have in the earth. The wicked also, and the sinner, are sometimes remarkably punished in this life, nations, families, particular persons. And if the righteous, who do not deserve the least reward, yet have part of their recompence here on earth, much more shall the wicked, who deserve the greatest punishment, have part of their punishment on earth, as an earnest of worse to come. Therefore stand in awe and sin not. If those have two heavens that merit none, much more shall those have two hells that merit both.

Cross-references: 1Pet 4:17 · 1Pet 4:18 · Luke 23:31 · Ps 58:11

Hebrew interlinear

H2005

הֵןhên/hane/

prt — lo!, if

Derivation: a primitive particle;

lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if

KJV: behold, if, lo, though.

הֵן

demonstr.adv — lo!

הֵן 100 demonstr.adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based

H6662

צַדִּיקtsaddîyq/tsad-deek'/

a — just

Derivation: from 6663;

just

KJV: just, lawful, righteous (man).

צַדִּיק

adj — just

צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous

H776

אֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/

n-f — earth, land

Derivation: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm;

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

KJV: × common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × natins, way, + wilderness, world.

אֶ֫רֶץ

n. f — earth

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

1.

a. earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

b. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

c. earth = inhabitants of earth

2. land =

a. country, territory

b. district, region

c. trial territory

d. piece of ground

e. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

f. = inhabitants of land

g. used even of Shᵉʼôl

3.

a. ground, surface of ground

b. soil, as productive

4. אֶרֶץ in phrases

a. people of the land

b. in measurements of distance

c. the country of the plain, level or plain country

d. land of the living

e. end(s) of the earth

5. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

H7999

שָׁלַםshâlam/shaw-lam'/

v — be safe, be, make, completed, be friendly, reciprocate

Derivation: a primitive root;

to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed; by implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate (in various applications)

KJV: make amends, (make an) end, finish, full, give again, make good, (re-) pay (again), (make) (to) (be at) peace(-able), that is perfect, perform, (make) prosper(-ous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution, restore, reward, × surely.

שָׁלֵם

vb — be complete

[שָׁלֵם] 103 vb. be complete, sound

Qal

1. be complete, finished, ended

2. be sound, uninjured

Pi.

1. complete, finish, temple

2. make safe

3. make whole or good, restore

4. make good, i.e. pay, vows

5. requite, recompense, reward

Pu.

1. be performed, of vow

2. be repaid, requited

Hiph.

1. complete, perform

2. make an end of

שָׁלַם

vb. denom — be in covenant of peace

[שָׁלַם] vb. denom. be in covenant of peace

Qal be at peace

Pu. Pt. one in covt. of peace

Hiph.

1. make peace with

2. cause to be at peace

Hoph. live at peace with

H637

אַףʼaph/af/

prt — accession, yea, though

Derivation: a primitive particle;

meaning accession (used as an adverb or conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though

KJV: also, + although, and (furthermore, yet), but, even, + how much less (more, rather than), moreover, with, yea.

אַף

conj — also

אַף conj. denoting addition, esp. of something greater, also, yea

H3588

כִּיkîy/kee/

conj — relative conjunction

Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

כִּי

conj — that

כִּי conj. that, for, when

1. that

2.

a. Of time, when, of the past

b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

3. Because, since

כִּי אם־

relative conjunction

כִּי אם־

1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

a. that if

b. for if

2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

a. limiting the prec. clause, except

b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

c. after an oath, surely

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

H7563

רָשָׁעrâshâʻ/raw-shaw'/

a — wrong, bad

Derivation: from 7561;

morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person

KJV: condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.

רָשָׁע

adj — wicked

רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal

H2398

חָטָאchâṭâʼ/khaw-taw'/

v — miss, sin, forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn

KJV: bear the blame, cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.

חָטָא

vb — miss

חָטָא 238 vb. miss (a goal or way), go wrong, sin

Qal

1. miss

2. sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty

3. incur guilt, penalty by sin, forfeit

Pi.

1. bear loss

2. make a sin offering

3. purify from sin

4. purify from uncleanness

Hiph.

1. miss the mark

2. induce or cause to sin

3. bring into guilt, condemnation, punishment

Hithp.

1. miss oneself, lose oneself, fig. for be bewildered, beside oneself

2. purify oneself from uncleanness

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