Proverbs 21:7 kjv

The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

Proverbs 21:7 nkjv

The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice.

Proverbs 21:7 niv

The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.

Proverbs 21:7 esv

The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.

Proverbs 21:7 nlt

The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.

Proverbs 21 verses

Proverbs 21 7 Meaning

Proverbs 21:7 teaches a profound truth regarding the wicked and their fate. It states that the very actions of violence and injustice perpetrated by the wicked will ultimately lead to their own destruction or downfall. The reason given for this inevitable consequence is their deliberate refusal to align their conduct with what is just and right according to God's divine standard. This verse underscores the principle of divine retribution and the inherent self-destructive nature of sin, highlighting that rebellion against righteousness brings about its own undoing, either through natural consequences or God's direct judgment.

Proverbs 21 7 Context

Proverbs 21, within the broader book of Proverbs, primarily deals with wisdom teachings contrasting the way of the righteous with the way of the wicked, and the consequences thereof. This chapter emphasizes the Lord's sovereignty over human affairs, even over the king's heart (v. 1). It highlights the importance of justice and righteousness over mere ritual (v. 3). Verses often appear as antithetical or synonymous parallels, focusing on themes such as integrity, diligence, humility, wealth, and particularly, the direct results of actions and character. Verse 7 specifically reinforces the idea that inherent self-destruction is often linked to one's actions, and importantly, one's conscious choices regarding moral behavior.

Historically and culturally, the ancient Israelite society, like other ancient Near Eastern societies, experienced issues of violence and injustice. Proverbs often acts as a counter-narrative to humanistic wisdom or to the perceived impunity of powerful oppressors. While surrounding cultures might attribute misfortune to capricious gods or fate, Israelite wisdom strongly connected consequences to moral conduct in relation to a just and holy God. The emphasis on "justice" (מִשְׁפָּט, mišpāṭ) reflects the covenantal law given by God, setting a high standard for communal and individual behavior that distinguished Israel. "Violence" (חָמָס, hāmās) was a pervasive social ill, often connected to exploitation of the vulnerable, which God consistently condemns. This proverb thus served as both a warning to evildoers and an assurance to the oppressed regarding God's moral order.

Proverbs 21 7 Word analysis

• The violence (חָמָס, hāmās): This Hebrew term refers to various forms of wrongdoing, encompassing physical violence, oppression, injustice, fraud, and lawlessness. It's an active, wrongful, and often cruel disregard for others' rights or well-being, reflecting a profound breach of ethical conduct. It can also imply moral chaos or ruin.
• of the wicked (רְשָׁעִים, rəšāʿîm): Plural of rāshāʿ, denoting those who are morally corrupt, guilty, impious, and estranged from God and His righteous ways. They are not merely those who err, but those whose character is characterized by an active antagonism or indifference towards God's standards and ethical conduct.
• will sweep them away (יִגֹּרֵם, yiggōrēm): Derived from the root גוּר (gūr), meaning to gather or sweep away, often implying an overwhelming, destructive force like a flood or torrent that carries something off. It suggests complete removal or destruction, implying that their own harmful deeds become the very means of their demise, carrying them away as refuse.
• because (כִּי, kî): This conjunction indicates a causal relationship, establishing that the destruction is not random misfortune but a direct consequence and judgment for their subsequent action. It firmly links their refusal to their doom.
• they refuse (מֵאֲנוּ, mêʾănû): From the verb מאן (māʾēn), meaning to refuse, decline, reject, or disregard. It conveys a strong, willful, and deliberate rejection, indicating that their failure to act justly is not due to ignorance or inability but to a conscious, stubborn choice to defy what is right.
• to do what is just (עֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט, ʿăśōṯ mišpāṭ): This phrase signifies the active practice of justice, righteousness, equity, and the upholding of proper moral and legal order. Mišpāṭ relates to God's divine standard of righteousness and the fair execution of judgment, extending to treating others with equity, defending the weak, and administering law without partiality.

• "The violence of the wicked will sweep them away": This phrase highlights a strong principle of retributive justice where the instrument of the wicked's own downfall is their very sin. It signifies that the nature of their wickedness – specifically their active wrongdoing and oppression – is the direct catalyst for their ruin. This can manifest through natural consequences (e.g., societal breakdown, loss of trust, rebellion against them) or through divine intervention that uses their actions to condemn them.
• "because they refuse to do what is just": This part clarifies the moral culpability of the wicked. Their destruction is not accidental but flows from a deliberate, willful decision to reject righteousness and actively choose injustice. It underscores intentional disobedience as the root cause, making their demise not a tragic accident, but a just consequence for their defiant stance against God's moral law.

Proverbs 21 7 Bonus section

The concept of hāmās (violence/lawlessness) in Proverbs 21:7 is strongly connected to the Noahic flood narrative (Gen 6:11, 13), where the earth became corrupt and "filled with violence" leading to divine judgment that "swept away" humanity. This linguistic and thematic link underscores the severe consequences of widespread unrighteousness and human rebellion against divine order. The proverb thus reflects a universal and ancient principle of God's justice. The phrase "sweeping away" (יִגֹּרֵם, yiggōrēm) carries this imagery of an overwhelming deluge or destruction, reinforcing the finality and force of the judgment. Furthermore, this verse also subtly suggests that the internal corrupting nature of refusing to do what is just eats away at the wicked person from within, eroding their own stability and setting them on a path to external collapse.

Proverbs 21 7 Commentary

Proverbs 21:7 presents a vivid picture of God's just order in the world, where wickedness is inherently self-destructive. It emphasizes that the very oppressive acts and injustices perpetuated by the wicked will inevitably turn back upon them, becoming the instrument of their own ruin. This is not arbitrary judgment, but a direct consequence stemming from their deliberate and stubborn refusal to embrace and practice justice. The verse teaches that rejecting God's standards of righteousness carries an inescapable penalty, leading to the "sweeping away" of the offender, highlighting the principle that those who live by violence often perish by it, either through divine judgment or the unraveling of their own lawless ways. It assures the righteous that divine justice will ultimately prevail, even if delayed.For practical usage, this verse calls believers to choose righteousness diligently, to not partake in wicked ways, and to trust in God's ultimate justice, even when it seems injustice is rampant.