The Meaning of Proverbs 29:4 Explained

Proverbs 29:4

KJV: The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

YLT: A king by judgment establisheth a land, And one receiving gifts throweth it down.

Darby: A king by just judgment establisheth the land; but he that taketh gifts overthroweth it.

ASV: The king by justice establisheth the land; But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The king  by judgment  establisheth  the land:  but he  that receiveth gifts  overthroweth  it. 

What does Proverbs 29:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 29

1  observations of public government
15  and of private
22  Of anger, pride, thievery, cowardice and corruption

What do the individual words in Proverbs 29:4 mean?

The king by justice establishes the land but the man who [receives] bribes overthrows it
מֶ֗לֶךְ בְּ֭מִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִ֣יד אָ֑רֶץ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּרוּמ֣וֹת יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽנָּה

מֶ֗לֶךְ  The  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בְּ֭מִשְׁפָּט  by  justice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
יַעֲמִ֣יד  establishes 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
אָ֑רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְאִ֖ישׁ  but  the  man 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
תְּרוּמ֣וֹת  who  [receives]  bribes 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: תְּרוּמָה  
Sense: contribution, offering.
יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽנָּה  overthrows  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: הָרַס  
Sense: to tear down, break down, overthrow, beat down, break, break through, destroy, pluck down, pull down, throw down, ruined, destroyer, utterly.