John Gill Commentary Proverbs 24:20

"For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out." — Proverbs 24:20 (ASV)

For there shall be no reward to the evil [man] No reward of good things, such as is for the righteous in a way of grace; but he shall have a reward of evil things, a just recompence of reward for his sins: of "no end"^F18; there will be an end of his life in this world, and there will be an end of his prosperity; but, as the Targum is, there will be no "good end" to him; his end will not be like that of the perfect and upright man, for it will be cut off, (Psalms 37:37Psalms 37:38); or, as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the wicked have no hope of future things"; no good hope of everlasting happiness; they have their good things now, and their evil things hereafter; and therefore are not to be fretted at and envied.

Aben Ezra interprets it, they shall have no offspring or issue, son or nephew; the word is sometimes used for posterity;

the candle of the wicked shall be put out; meaning not the dim light of nature in them, nor the light of life before their time, so Aben Ezra; but their prosperity, riches, splendour, and glory, which candle is often put out while they live, and always at death; after which they have no more light, honour, and happiness; even not so much as the light of a candle, to which their prosperity in this life is compared, it being at best but small, and of a short continuance; see (Job 18:5Job 18:6) (21:17); and therefore should not be the object of the envy of good men, who are in a more happy and stable condition than they.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F18: (tyrxa) "finis", Pagninus, Vatablus, Baynus, Junius & Tremellius, Mercerus, Gejerus.