Proverbs 20:2
WEB
The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
BSB
The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
KJV
The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H5099
n-m — snarl
Derivation: from 5098;
a snarl
KJV: roaring.
n.[m.] — growling
נַ֫הַם n.[m.] growling of lion;—fig. of king’s wrath
H3715
n-m — village, young lion
Derivation: from 3722;
a village (as covered in by walls); also a young lion (perhaps as covered with a mane)
KJV: (young) lion, village. Compare 3723.
n.m — young lion
כְּפִיר n.m. young lion
H367
n-f — fright, idol
Derivation: or (shortened) אֵמָה; from the same as 366;
fright; concrete, an idol (as a bugbear)
KJV: dread, fear, horror, idol, terrible, terror.
n.f — terror
אֵימָה 17 n.f. terror, dread
H4428
n-m — king
Derivation: from 4427;
a king
KJV: king, royal.
n.m — king
מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king
H5674
v — cross, transition, cover
Derivation: a primitive root;
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
KJV: alienate, alter, × at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, shave, cause to (make) sound, × speedily, × sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.
vb — pass over
עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on
Qal
1. pass over
2. Pass beyond
3. Pass through, traverse
4.
a. pass along by
b. pass by
c. sweep by, of scourge
d. be past, over, of time
e. pass along (from hand to hand)
5. Pass on, go on
6. Pass away
Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded
Pi.
1. his bull impregnateth
a. cause one to cross river
b. cause something to pass over
c. make over to
d. devote children to (לְ) heathen god
e. pass along (from hand to hand)
2.
a. cause to pass through
b. let pass through
3.
a. cause to pass by
b. let pass by
c. cause arrow to pass beyond
d. cause to pass under rod, for counting
4. cause to pass away, take away
Hiph.
1. cause to pass over, bring over
2. he made to pass across with chains of gold
vb. denom — be arrogant
[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself
H2398
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.
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
H5315
n-f — breathing creature, animal, vitality
Derivation: from 5314;
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
KJV: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, × dead(-ly), desire, × (dis-) contented, × fish, ghost, greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, × jeopardy of) life (× in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, slay, soul, tablet, they, thing, (× she) will, × would have it.
n.f — soul
נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
1. = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
2. The נפשׁ becomes a living being
3. The נפשׁ is specif.
4. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
5. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
6. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
7. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
8. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
9. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
10. נ׳ in D
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Verse 2
Proverbs 20:2
See here, 1. How formidable kings are, and what a terror they strike upon those they are angry with. Their fear, with which (especially when they are absolute and their will is a law) they keep their subjects in awe, is as the roaring of a lion, which is very dreadful to the creatures he preys upon, and makes them tremble so that they cannot escape from him. Those princes that rule by wisdom and love rule like God himself, and bear his image; but those that rule merely by terror, and with a high hand, do but rule like a lion in the forest, with a brutal power. Oderint, dum metuant - Let them hate, provided they fear. 2. How unwise therefore those are that quarrel with them, that are angry at them, and so provoke them to anger. They sin against their own lives. Much more do those do so that provoke the King of kings to anger. Nemo me impune lacesset - No one shall provoke me with impunity.