Proverbs 20:26

26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.

Proverbs 20:26 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 20:26

A wise king scattereth the wicked
Or "fans [them] away" {i}; separates them from his good counsellors, courtiers, and subjects; scatters them from his presence and court, and breaks their counsels and confederacies one with another; he discovers, discountenances, and discourages them; (See Gill on Proverbs 20:8); and bringeth the wheel over them;
alluding to the custom of the eastern nations turning a cart wheel over the grain in threshing it out, and agreeably to the metaphor in the preceding clause; see ( Isaiah 28:27 Isaiah 28:28 ) . Though some think it refers to a sort of punishment inflicted on malefactors in those times and countries, by putting them under harrows drawn on wheels, as breaking upon the wheel has been since used; see ( 2 Samuel 12:31 ) . The Arabic version understands it of exile. Jarchi interprets the wise king of the Lord, and the wicked of Pharaoh and his host, on whom he brought the wheel, or gave measure for measure, and punished in a way of retaliation; and to this sense it is by some F11 interpreted,

``as the wheel turns over, just in the same place, so as the wicked hath done, it shall be done to them.''
It may be applied to Christ, the wise King, who scatters all his and our enemies; whose fan is in his hand, and he wilt thoroughly purge his floor, ( Matthew 3:12 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F9 (hrzm) "ventilat", Junius & Tremellius, Schultens.
F11 Vid. Schindler. Lexic. col. 109. & Weemse's Christ. Synagog. l. 1. c. 6. s. 8. p. 187.

Proverbs 20:26 In-Context

24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man -- how understandeth he his way?
25 A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.