Proverbs 12:3-13

3 No one is established by wickedness, but the root of ¹the righteous will never be moved.

4 ²An excellent wife is ³the crown of her husband, but she who ⁴brings shame is like ⁵rottenness in his bones.

5 ⁶The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

6 The words of the wicked ⁷lie in wait for blood, but ⁸the mouth of the upright delivers them.

7 ⁹The wicked are ¹⁰overthrown and are no more, ¹¹but the house of the righteous will stand.

8 A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is ¹²despised.

9 Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread.

10 ¹³Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

11 ¹⁴Whoever works his land ¹⁵will have plenty of bread, ¹⁶but he who follows ¹⁷worthless pursuits lacks sense.

12 Whoever is wicked covets ¹⁸the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit.

13 An evil man is ensnared ¹⁹by the transgression of his lips, ²⁰but the righteous escapes from trouble.

Proverbs 12:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KING 2

This chapter gives an account of the charge David gave to his son Solomon, a little before his death, to walk in the ways of the Lord, 1Ki 2:1-4; and of some instructions delivered to him concerning some particular persons he should either show favour to, or execute justice on, 1Ki 2:5-9; and the next account in it is concerning his death and burial, and the years of his reign, 1Ki 2:10,11; after which it relates an address of Bathsheba to Solomon in favour of Adonijah, which was refused, and the issue of it was his death, 1Ki 2:12-25; and the deposition of Abiathar from the priesthood, 1Ki 2:26,27; and the putting of Joab to death for his treason and murders, 1Ki 2:28-34; in whose post Benaiah was put, as Zadok was in the place of Abiathar, 1Ki 2:35; and lastly the confinement of Shimei in Jerusalem, who had cursed David, 1Ki 2:36-38; who upon transgressing the orders given him was put to death, 1Ki 2:39-46.

Cross References

• 1. See Proverbs 10:25
• 2. See Proverbs 31:10
• 3. Song of Songs 3:11
• 4. Proverbs 10:5
• 5. Proverbs 14:30
• 6. [Matthew 12:35]
• 7. See Proverbs 1:11
• 8. Proverbs 14:3
• 9. See Proverbs 11:21
• 10. Job 34:25
• 11. [Proverbs 10:25, 30]
• 12. [1 Samuel 20:30]
• 13. [Deuteronomy 25:4]
• 14. Proverbs 28:19
• 15. Proverbs 20:13
• 16. Proverbs 28:19
• 17. Judges 9:4
• 18. [Psalms 10:9]
• 19. Proverbs 18:7; [Psalms 64:8; Matthew 12:37]
• 20. Proverbs 21:23