Proverbs 26:10

10 The great[a] God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.

Proverbs 26:10 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 26:10

The great [God], that formed all [things]
That made the heavens, earth, and sea, and all that are in them; who is great in the perfections of his nature, and in the works of his hands, and greatly to be praised; both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors;
according to their works; every transgression of the law receiving its just recompence of reward, whether a man transgresses it ignorantly or wilfully; as his transgressions are, whether through error or presumption, so shall his punishment be; though some understand this, as Kimchi, of the Lord's doing good in a providential way, to the wise and unwise, the righteous and the wicked: the words are by some rendered to another sense, "a great one grieveth all, and he hireth the fool, and he hireth the transgressors" F25; that is, a great man, a tyrannical prince, grieves all his good subjects; or, as Hottinger F26, from the use of the word in the Arabic tongue, changes all things, inverts their order, or administers all at his will, that is, wrongly; when he hires fools and wicked men to do those bad things for him which others would not, to the great detriment of the commonwealth; and rewards them for it, putting them into posts of honour and trust, to the great grief and trouble of all his best subjects.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 So Mercerus, Piscator.
F26 Smegm. Oriental. l. 1. c. 2. p. 171.

Proverbs 26:10 In-Context

8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.
9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. The great...: or, A great man grieveth all, and he hireth the fool, he hireth also transgressors
The King James Version is in the public domain.