Proverbs 20:26

26 A wise king winnows the wicked, and drives the wheel over them.

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 All our steps are ordered by the Lord; how then can we understand our own ways?
25 It is a snare for one to say rashly, "It is holy," and begin to reflect only after making a vow.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked, and drives the wheel over them.
27 The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord, searching every inmost part.
28 Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by righteousness.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.