John Gill Commentary Proverbs 29:4

"The king by justice establisheth the land; But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it." — Proverbs 29:4 (ASV)

The king by judgment establishes the land By executing, judgment and justice among his subjects, he establishes the laws of the land, and the government of it; he secures its peace and prosperity, and preserves his people in the possession at their properties and privileges; and makes them rich and powerful, and the state stable and flourishing, so that it continues firm to posterity; such a king was Solomon, (2 Chronicles 9:8).

but he that receives gifts overthrows it ; that is, a king that does so; Gersom observes that such a man is not called a king, because such a man is not worthy of the name, who takes gifts and is bribed by them to pervert judgment and justice; whereby the laws of the nation are violated, and the persons and properties of his subjects become the prey of wicked men; and so the state is subverted and falls to ruin.

It is in the original text, "a man of oblations" ^F11 ; the word is generally used of the sacred oblations or offerings under the law; hence some understand it of a sacrilegious prince who of his own arbitrary power converts sacred things to civil uses. The Targum, Septuagint, Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a wicked and ungodly man; and the Vulgate Latin version, a covetous man; as such a prince must be in whatever light he is seen, whether as a perverter of justice through bribes, or as a sacrilegious man.

Though it may be rendered, "a man of exactions" ^F12 , for it is used of the oblation of a prince which he receives from his people, (Ezekiel 45:9Ezekiel 45:13) ; as Aben Ezra observes; and so it may be interpreted of a king that lays heavy taxes upon his people, and thereby brings them to distress and poverty, and the state to ruin.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F11: (twmwrx vya) "vir oblationam", Montanus, Baynus, Grotius, Gejerus, Schultens.
• F12: "Vir exactionum", Mercerus; "qui levat exactiones", Munster; "qui tributa imponit", so some in Vatablus; "qui tribbuta extorquet", Tigurine version.