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THE MESSAGE
Proverbs 28:15
Lions roar and bears charge— and the wicked lord it over the poor.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
A wicked ruler over a helpless peopleis like a roaring lion or a charging bear.
A wicked ruler over a helpless peopleis like a roaring lion or a charging bear.
Hebrew Names Version
As a roaring lion or a charging bear, So is a wicked ruler over helpless people.
As a roaring lion or a charging bear, So is a wicked ruler over helpless people.
King James Version
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.
English Standard Version
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
New American Standard Bible
Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
New Century Version
A wicked ruler is as dangerous to poor people as a roaring lion or a charging bear.
A wicked ruler is as dangerous to poor people as a roaring lion or a charging bear.
Amplified Bible
Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
World English Bible
As a roaring lion or a charging bear, So is a wicked ruler over helpless people.
As a roaring lion or a charging bear, So is a wicked ruler over helpless people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
As a roaring lyon, and an hungry beare, so is a wicked ruler ouer the poore people.
As a roaring lyon, and an hungry beare, so is a wicked ruler ouer the poore people.
Legacy Standard Bible
Like a roaring lion and a rushing bearIs a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion and a rushing bearIs a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Berean Standard Bible
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
Contemporary English Version
A ruler who mistreats the poor is like a roaring lion or a bear hunting for food.
A ruler who mistreats the poor is like a roaring lion or a bear hunting for food.
Complete Jewish Bible
Like a roaring lion or a bear prowling for food is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion or a bear prowling for food is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Darby Translation
A roaring lion, and a ranging bear, is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
A roaring lion, and a ranging bear, is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Easy-to-Read Version
An evil ruler over those who are helpless is like an angry lion or a charging bear.
An evil ruler over those who are helpless is like an angry lion or a charging bear.
George Lamsa Translation
As a roaring lion and a raging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor.
As a roaring lion and a raging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor.
Good News Translation
Poor people are helpless against a wicked ruler; he is as dangerous as a growling lion or a prowling bear.
Poor people are helpless against a wicked ruler; he is as dangerous as a growling lion or a prowling bear.
Lexham English Bible
Like a roaring lion and a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion and a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Literal Translation
The wicked ruler is a roaring lion and a ranging bear over a poor people.
The wicked ruler is a roaring lion and a ranging bear over a poor people.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Like as a roaringe lyon and an hongrie beer, euen so is an vngodly prynce ouer the poore people.
Like as a roaringe lyon and an hongrie beer, euen so is an vngodly prynce ouer the poore people.
American Standard Version
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear, So is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear, So is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Bible in Basic English
Like a loud-voiced lion and a wandering bear, is an evil ruler over a poor people.
Like a loud-voiced lion and a wandering bear, is an evil ruler over a poor people.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
As a roaring lion, and a ravenous bear; so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
As a roaring lion, and a ravenous bear; so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
King James Version (1611)
As a roaring lyon and a ranging beare: so is a wicked ruler ouer the poore people.
As a roaring lyon and a ranging beare: so is a wicked ruler ouer the poore people.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
As a roaring Lion and an hungrye Beare, so is an vngodly prince ouer the poore people.
As a roaring Lion and an hungrye Beare, so is an vngodly prince ouer the poore people.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
English Revised Version
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A rorynge lioun, and an hungry bere, is a wickid prince on a pore puple.
A rorynge lioun, and an hungry bere, is a wickid prince on a pore puple.
Update Bible Version
[As] a roaring lion, and a ranging bear, [So is] a wicked ruler over a poor people.
[As] a roaring lion, and a ranging bear, [So is] a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Webster's Bible Translation
[As] a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; [so is] a wicked ruler over the poor people.
[As] a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; [so is] a wicked ruler over the poor people.
New English Translation
Like a roaring lion or a roving bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion or a roving bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
New King James Version
Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
New Living Translation
A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor as a roaring lion or an attacking bear.
A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor as a roaring lion or an attacking bear.
New Life Bible
A sinful ruler over poor people is like a lion making noise or a bear running to fight.
A sinful ruler over poor people is like a lion making noise or a bear running to fight.
New Revised Standard
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A growling lion, and a ranging bear, is a lawless ruler, over a poor people.
A growling lion, and a ranging bear, is a lawless ruler, over a poor people.
Douay-Rheims Bible
As a roaring lion, and a hungry bear, so is a wicked prince over the poor people.
As a roaring lion, and a hungry bear, so is a wicked prince over the poor people.
Revised Standard Version
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Young's Literal Translation
A growling lion, and a ranging bear, [Is] the wicked ruler over a poor people.
A growling lion, and a ranging bear, [Is] the wicked ruler over a poor people.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Contextual Overview
15 Lions roar and bears charge— and the wicked lord it over the poor.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
a roaring: Proverbs 20:2, Hosea 5:11, 1 Peter 5:8
a ranging: Proverbs 17:12, 2 Kings 2:24, Hosea 13:8
so: Exodus 1:14-16, Exodus 1:22, 1 Samuel 22:17-19, 2 Kings 15:16, 2 Kings 21:16, Esther 3:6-10, Matthew 2:16
Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 22:16 - Thou shalt 1 Samuel 23:10 - destroy the city 2 Samuel 17:8 - as a bear Psalms 10:9 - when Psalms 57:4 - among Proverbs 19:12 - king's Ecclesiastes 4:1 - and considered Ecclesiastes 4:13 - is a poor Isaiah 33:6 - wisdom Ezekiel 19:7 - and the land Ezekiel 32:2 - Thou art like Daniel 2:13 - the decree Zephaniah 3:3 - princes 2 Timothy 4:17 - and I Revelation 13:2 - and his feet
Cross-References
Genesis 28:5
So Isaac sent Jacob off. He went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.
So Isaac sent Jacob off. He went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.
Genesis 28:6
Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan Aram to get a wife there, and while blessing him commanded, "Don't marry a Canaanite woman," and that Jacob had obeyed his parents and gone to Paddan Aram. When Esau realized how deeply his father Isaac disliked the Canaanite women, he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son. This was in addition to the wives he already had.
Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan Aram to get a wife there, and while blessing him commanded, "Don't marry a Canaanite woman," and that Jacob had obeyed his parents and gone to Paddan Aram. When Esau realized how deeply his father Isaac disliked the Canaanite women, he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son. This was in addition to the wives he already had.
Genesis 28:16
Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, " God is in this place—truly. And I didn't even know it!" He was terrified. He whispered in awe, "Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God's House. This is the Gate of Heaven."
Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, " God is in this place—truly. And I didn't even know it!" He was terrified. He whispered in awe, "Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God's House. This is the Gate of Heaven."
Genesis 28:20
Jacob vowed a vow: "If God stands by me and protects me on this journey on which I'm setting out, keeps me in food and clothing, and brings me back in one piece to my father's house, this God will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I'll return a tenth to you."
Jacob vowed a vow: "If God stands by me and protects me on this journey on which I'm setting out, keeps me in food and clothing, and brings me back in one piece to my father's house, this God will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I'll return a tenth to you."
Genesis 31:3
That's when God said to Jacob, "Go back home where you were born. I'll go with you."
That's when God said to Jacob, "Go back home where you were born. I'll go with you."
Genesis 32:9
And then Jacob prayed, "God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, God who told me, ‘Go back to your parents' homeland and I'll treat you well.' I don't deserve all the love and loyalty you've shown me. When I left here and crossed the Jordan I only had the clothes on my back, and now look at me—two camps! Save me, please, from the violence of my brother, my angry brother! I'm afraid he'll come and attack us all, me, the mothers and the children. You yourself said, ‘I will treat you well; I'll make your descendants like the sands of the sea, far too many to count.'"
And then Jacob prayed, "God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, God who told me, ‘Go back to your parents' homeland and I'll treat you well.' I don't deserve all the love and loyalty you've shown me. When I left here and crossed the Jordan I only had the clothes on my back, and now look at me—two camps! Save me, please, from the violence of my brother, my angry brother! I'm afraid he'll come and attack us all, me, the mothers and the children. You yourself said, ‘I will treat you well; I'll make your descendants like the sands of the sea, far too many to count.'"
Genesis 39:2
As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day. Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master's wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, "Sleep with me." He wouldn't do it. He said to his master's wife, "Look, with me here, my master doesn't give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he's put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn't turned over to me is you. You're his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?" She pestered him day after day after day, but he stood his ground. He refused to go to bed with her. On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. She grabbed him by his cloak, saying, "Sleep with me!" He left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. When she realized that he had left his coat in her hand and run outside, she called to her house servants: "Look—this Hebrew shows up and before you know it he's trying to seduce us. He tried to make love to me but I yelled as loud as I could. With all my yelling and screaming, he left his coat beside me here and ran outside." She kept his coat right there until his master came home. She told him the same story. She said, "The Hebrew slave, the one you brought to us, came after me and tried to use me for his plaything. When I yelled and screamed, he left his coat with me and ran outside." When his master heard his wife's story, telling him, "These are the things your slave did to me," he was furious. Joseph's master took him and threw him into the jail where the king's prisoners were locked up. But there in jail God was still with Joseph: He reached out in kindness to him; he put him on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners—he ended up managing the whole operation. The head jailer gave Joseph free rein, never even checked on him, because God was with him; whatever he did God made sure it worked out for the best.
As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day. Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master's wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, "Sleep with me." He wouldn't do it. He said to his master's wife, "Look, with me here, my master doesn't give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he's put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn't turned over to me is you. You're his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?" She pestered him day after day after day, but he stood his ground. He refused to go to bed with her. On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. She grabbed him by his cloak, saying, "Sleep with me!" He left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house. When she realized that he had left his coat in her hand and run outside, she called to her house servants: "Look—this Hebrew shows up and before you know it he's trying to seduce us. He tried to make love to me but I yelled as loud as I could. With all my yelling and screaming, he left his coat beside me here and ran outside." She kept his coat right there until his master came home. She told him the same story. She said, "The Hebrew slave, the one you brought to us, came after me and tried to use me for his plaything. When I yelled and screamed, he left his coat with me and ran outside." When his master heard his wife's story, telling him, "These are the things your slave did to me," he was furious. Joseph's master took him and threw him into the jail where the king's prisoners were locked up. But there in jail God was still with Joseph: He reached out in kindness to him; he put him on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners—he ended up managing the whole operation. The head jailer gave Joseph free rein, never even checked on him, because God was with him; whatever he did God made sure it worked out for the best.
Genesis 48:21
Israel then said to Joseph, "I'm about to die. God be with you and give you safe passage back to the land of your fathers. As for me, I'm presenting you, as the first among your brothers, the ridge of land I took from Amorites with my sword and bow."
Israel then said to Joseph, "I'm about to die. God be with you and give you safe passage back to the land of your fathers. As for me, I'm presenting you, as the first among your brothers, the ridge of land I took from Amorites with my sword and bow."
Exodus 3:12
"I'll be with you," God said. "And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship God right here at this very mountain."
"I'll be with you," God said. "And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship God right here at this very mountain."
Judges 6:16
God said to him, "I'll be with you. Believe me, you'll defeat Midian as one man."
God said to him, "I'll be with you. Believe me, you'll defeat Midian as one man."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
[As] a roaring lion, and a ranging bear,.... Which are both terrible; the lion that roars for want of food, or when it is over its prey; and the hear, when it runs from place to place in quest of provision, being "hungry [and very] desirous" of food, has a keen appetite, as some think the word l signifies. The Targum and Jarchi take it to be expressive of the cry and roaring it makes at such a time, as well as the lion; see Isaiah 59:11; so the Tigurine version. "Roaring" is the proper epithet of a lion, and is frequently given it in Scripture, and in other writers m; and the bear, it is to have its name, in the Oriental language, from the growling and murmuring noise it makes when hungry; hence that of Horace n;
[so is] a wicked ruler over the poor people; one that rules over them in a tyrannical manner, sadly oppresses them, takes away the little from them they have, which is very cruel and barbarous; when he ought to protect and defend them, against whom they cannot stand, and whom they dare not resist; and who therefore must be as terrible to them, being as cruel and voracious as the above animals. Tyrants are frequently compared to lions, Jeremiah 4:7; and the man of sin, the wicked ruler and great oppressor of God's poor people, is compared to both; his feet are as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion, Revelation 13:2.
l שוקק "avidus", Pagninus, Montanus; "famelicus", Castalio, Schultens; "esuriens", V. L. Vatablus, Mercerus, Gejerus, Bochart; "adpetens", Michaelis. m "Leo fremit", Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 16. "Spumat aper, fluit unda, fremit leo, sibilat anguis"; Licentius de Protheo. n "Nec vespertinus circumgemit ursus ovile", Epod. Ode 16. v. 51.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The form of political wretchedness, when the poverty of the oppressed subjects not only embitters their sufferings, but exasperates the brutal ferocity of the ruler.
