Mishle 13:21

21 Ra’ah (disaster) pursueth chatta’im (sinners), but tov is the reward of the tzaddikim.

Mishle 13:21 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 13:21

Evil pursueth sinners
They pursue the evil of sin, and the evil of punishment pursues them, and at last overtakes them; their damnation, though it may seem to slumber and linger, it does not; it is upon the full speed after them, and will quickly seize upon them. Some understand this of the evil of sin in the conscience, which pursues the sinner, and fills him with terror; but to the righteous good shall be repaid;
or, "he shall recompense the righteous with good" F21, or "good to the righteous"; that is, God shall do it; for all the good things they have done, from a right principle, and to a right end; which good works of theirs will pursue and follow them; and for all the ill things they have suffered for righteousness's sake, a reward of grace, though not of debt, will be given them; as they have had their evil things here, they shall have their good things hereafter; as well as are often recompensed in this life, either in themselves or in their posterity, as follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (bwj Mlvy Myqydu taw) "et justis reddet bonum", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "justes remunerabit Deus bono", Michaelis; "justis autem bonum rependet", Tigurine version, Piscator, so Cocceius.

Mishle 13:21 In-Context

19 The ta’avah (desire, longing) fulfilled is sweet to the nefesh, but it is to’evat kesilim (the abomination of fools) to depart from rah.
20 He that walketh with chachamim shall be wise, but a companion of kesilim (fools) shall come to harm.
21 Ra’ah (disaster) pursueth chatta’im (sinners), but tov is the reward of the tzaddikim.
22 A tov (good man) leaveth an inheritance to his bnei banim, and the wealth of the choteh (sinner) is laid up for the tzaddik.
23 Rav ochel (much food) is in the untilled ground of the poor, but for want of mishpat (justice) it is swept away.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.