Proverbs 28:4-14

4 If you desert God's law, you're free to embrace depravity; if you love God's law, you fight for it tooth and nail.
5 Justice makes no sense to the evilminded; those who seek God know it inside and out.
6 It's better to be poor and direct than rich and crooked.
7 Practice God's law - get a reputation for wisdom; hang out with a loose crowd - embarrass your family.
8 Get as rich as you want through cheating and extortion, But eventually some friend of the poor is going to give it all back to them.
9 God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him.
10 Lead good people down a wrong path and you'll come to a bad end; do good and you'll be rewarded for it.
11 The rich think they know it all, but the poor can see right through them.
12 When good people are promoted, everything is great, but when the bad are in charge, watch out!
13 You can't whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them.
14 A tenderhearted person lives a blessed life; a hardhearted person lives a hard life.

Proverbs 28:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 15

In this chapter we have a short history of the reign of Abijam, 1Ki 15:1-8 and of Asa, 1Ki 14:9-24, both kings of Judah; and of the reigns of Nadab the son of Jeroboam, and of Baasha, who destroyed his family, both kings of Israel, 1Ki 15:25-34.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.