What is the meaning of Proverbs 17:23?

A wicked man

• The opening phrase identifies moral character before actions. Scripture consistently contrasts the “wicked” with the righteous (Proverbs 11:5; Psalm 1:6).

• Wickedness begins in the heart (Matthew 15:19) and then spills over into choices that oppose God’s ways.

• Proverbs depicts the wicked as self-centered, resistant to correction, and dangerous to community life (Proverbs 4:14-17; 12:6).

• Here, the term reminds us that the action that follows is rooted in an already corrupt nature—not a harmless mistake.

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Takes a covert bribe

• “Covert” highlights secrecy; the payoff is slipped “under the table,” hidden from accountability.

• God explicitly forbids bribery: “You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted” (Exodus 23:8; see also Deuteronomy 16:19).

• Proverbs links bribes to greed and family ruin: “He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household” (Proverbs 15:27).

• Isaiah exposed leaders who “love bribes and chase after gifts” (Isaiah 1:23), showing that corruption is never merely personal—leaders drag others into moral decay.

• The covert nature underscores deliberate intent: the wicked man knows the act is wrong, so he hides it (John 3:19-20).

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To subvert the course of justice

• The goal of the bribe is not generosity but manipulation—bending legal outcomes away from truth.

• Scripture insists that justice reflects God’s own character (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 89:14). Perverting justice is therefore an affront to Him.

• “Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD” (Proverbs 17:15).

• Prophets cried out against this same evil: “They oppress the righteous and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice” (Amos 5:12; see also Habakkuk 1:4).

• When justice is subverted, society unravels: trust erodes, the vulnerable suffer, and God’s judgment looms (Isaiah 5:23-24).

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summary

Proverbs 17:23 spotlights a heart already set on evil, reaching for secret wealth to twist justice out of shape. Bribery is never a victimless crime; it blinds eyes, silences truth, and mocks the Judge of all the earth. God calls His people to transparent integrity, resisting every covert shortcut, so that courts, workplaces, and homes reflect His righteous standard.