Proverbs 21:7
New International Version
The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.

New Living Translation
The violence of the wicked sweeps them away, because they refuse to do what is just.

English Standard Version
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.

Berean Standard Bible
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just.

King James Bible
The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

New King James Version
The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice.

New American Standard Bible
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, Because they refuse to act with justice.

NASB 1995
The violence of the wicked will drag them away, Because they refuse to act with justice.

NASB 1977
The violence of the wicked will drag them away, Because they refuse to act with justice.

Legacy Standard Bible
The destruction of the wicked will drag them away, Because they refuse to do justice.

Amplified Bible
The violence of the wicked will [return to them and] drag them away [like fish caught in a net], Because they refuse to act with justice.

Christian Standard Bible
The violence of the wicked sweeps them away because they refuse to act justly.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The violence of the wicked sweeps them away because they refuse to act justly.

American Standard Version
The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away, Because they refuse to do justice.

Contemporary English Version
You destroy yourself by being cruel and violent and refusing to live right.

English Revised Version
The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away; because they refuse to do judgment.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The violence of wicked people will drag them away since they refuse to do what is just.

Good News Translation
The wicked are doomed by their own violence; they refuse to do what is right.

International Standard Version
Devastation caused by the wicked will drag them away because they refuse to do what is just.

Majority Standard Bible
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just.

NET Bible
The violence done by the wicked will drag them away because they refuse to do what is right.

New Heart English Bible
The violence of the wicked will drive them away, because they refuse to do what is right.

Webster's Bible Translation
The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

World English Bible
The violence of the wicked will drive them away, because they refuse to do what is right.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The spoil of the wicked catches them, "" Because they have refused to do judgment.

Young's Literal Translation
The spoil of the wicked catcheth them, Because they have refused to do judgment.

Smith's Literal Translation
The violence of the unjust shall sweep them away, for they refuse to do judgment.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The robberies of the wicked shall be their downfall, because they would not do judgment.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The robberies of the impious will drag them down, because they were not willing to do judgment.

New American Bible
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is right.

New Revised Standard Version
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The destruction of the wicked shall come upon them because they refused to do justice.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The shipwreck of the evil will come upon them, because they did not choose to do justice.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The violence of the wicked shall drag them away; Because they refuse to do justly.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Destruction shall lodge with the ungodly; for they refuse to do justly.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The King's Heart
6Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit. 7The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just. 8The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.…

Cross References
Psalm 37:9
For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Isaiah 3:11
Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.

Micah 2:1-3
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands. / They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance. / Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I am planning against this nation a disaster from which you cannot free your necks. Then you will not walk so proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.

Job 4:8
As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.

Isaiah 59:6-8
Their cobwebs cannot be made into clothing, and they cannot cover themselves with their works. Their deeds are sinful deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands. / Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake. / The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have turned them into crooked paths; no one who treads on them will know peace.

Jeremiah 21:12
O house of David, this is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of their evil deeds.

Ezekiel 18:10-13
Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, / though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife. / He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations. ...

Hosea 10:13
You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your mighty men,

Amos 3:10
“For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”

Habakkuk 2:9-10
Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster! / You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life.

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ...

Luke 6:43-45
No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. / For each tree is known by its own fruit. Indeed, figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor grapes from brambles. / The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Romans 1:18-32
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. / For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. / For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. ...

Romans 2:8-9
But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger. / There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek;

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.


Treasury of Scripture

The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

robbery

Proverbs 1:18,19
And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives…

Proverbs 10:6
Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

Proverbs 22:22,23
Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: …

destroy them

Zechariah 5:3,4
Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it…

because

Proverbs 21:21
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

Ezekiel 18:18
As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

Ephesians 5:6
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

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Act Acts Catcheth Desire Destroy Devastation Drag Drive Evil-Doers Judgment Justice Justly Pulled Refuse Refused Right Robbery Spoil Sweep Sweepeth Violence Violent Wicked
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Act Acts Catcheth Desire Destroy Devastation Drag Drive Evil-Doers Judgment Justice Justly Pulled Refuse Refused Right Robbery Spoil Sweep Sweepeth Violence Violent Wicked
Proverbs 21
1. The king's heart in the hand of the Lord














The violence of the wicked will sweep them away
This phrase highlights the self-destructive nature of wickedness. In biblical context, violence is often associated with chaos and disorder, which are contrary to God's order and justice. The imagery of being "swept away" suggests a sudden and overwhelming judgment, akin to the flood in Genesis 6-9, where the wickedness of humanity led to their destruction. This reflects the principle of sowing and reaping found in Galatians 6:7-8, where those who sow to please their sinful nature will reap destruction. The phrase also echoes the fate of the wicked in Psalm 1:4, where they are compared to chaff blown away by the wind, emphasizing the transient and unstable nature of a life built on violence and injustice.

because they refuse to do what is just
This part of the verse underscores the moral choice and responsibility of individuals. The refusal to do what is just indicates a deliberate rejection of God's commandments and a willful ignorance of His standards of righteousness. In the historical and cultural context of ancient Israel, justice was a central tenet of the law given to Moses, as seen in Deuteronomy 16:20, which commands the pursuit of justice. The prophets, such as Isaiah and Amos, frequently called out Israel for their failure to uphold justice, linking it to the nation's downfall. This refusal is not merely passive but an active choice against God's will, aligning with the broader biblical narrative that emphasizes obedience to God's law as a path to life and blessing, as seen in Deuteronomy 30:19-20. The ultimate fulfillment of justice is found in Jesus Christ, who embodies perfect justice and calls His followers to live justly, as seen in Matthew 23:23.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Wicked
This term refers to individuals who act in opposition to God's laws and principles. In the context of Proverbs, the wicked are often contrasted with the righteous, highlighting their moral and ethical failures.

2. Violence
This is not just physical harm but encompasses any form of injustice or wrongdoing that the wicked perpetrate. It is both a tool and a consequence of their actions.

3. Justice
A central theme in Proverbs, justice represents the moral and ethical standards set by God. It is what the wicked refuse to uphold, leading to their downfall.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Wickedness
Wickedness is self-destructive. The violence and injustice perpetrated by the wicked ultimately lead to their own ruin.

The Importance of Justice
Upholding justice is a divine mandate. Refusing to do what is just aligns one with the wicked and leads to negative consequences.

Moral Responsibility
Believers are called to live justly and righteously, avoiding the path of the wicked. This involves making choices that align with God's standards.

The Inevitable Downfall of the Wicked
The Bible consistently teaches that wickedness will not prevail. God's justice ensures that the wicked will face the consequences of their actions.

Encouragement for the Righteous
While the wicked may seem to prosper temporarily, their end is assured. The righteous can take comfort in God's ultimate justice.(7) The robbery of the wicked.--Or, their violence. See above on Proverbs 1:19. (Comp. Psalm 9:15.)

Verse 7. - The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; Vulgate, rapinae impiorum detrahenteos; Revised Version, "The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away," like chaff before the wind. The violence with which they treat others shall rebound on themselves, shall bring its own punishment; they shall sink in the pit that they made, and their foot shall be taken in the net which they hid (Psalm 9:15; comp. Proverbs 1:18, 19). Septuagint, "Destruction shall sojourn as guest (ἐπιξενωθήσεται) with the ungodly." The reason of this fate is given in the concluding hemistich: Because they refuse to do judgment. This is a judicial retribution on them for wilfully declining (ver. 25) to do what is right.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The violence
שֹׁד־ (šōḏ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7701: Violence, havoc, devastation, ruin

of the wicked
רְשָׁעִ֥ים (rə·šā·‘îm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

will sweep them away
יְגוֹרֵ֑ם (yə·ḡō·w·rêm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1641: To drag off roughly, to bring up the cud, to saw

because
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they refuse
מֵ֝אֲנ֗וּ (mê·’ă·nū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3985: To refuse

to do
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

what is just.
מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (miš·pāṭ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 21:7 The violence of the wicked will drive (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 21:6
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