Proverbs 16:14

Pro 16:14 The wrath of a king [is as] messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.

Ver. 14. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death.] In the plural number, the better to set forth the danger of a king’s displeasure. {a} "Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech." {1Sa 22:16} "Adonijah shall be put to death this day." {1Ki 2:24} "Hang Haman on the tree that is fifty cubits high," &c. Hunc pugionem tibi mittit senatus, &c. Queen Elizabeth was so reserved, that all about her stood in a reverent awe of her very presence and aspect, but much more of her least frown or check; wherewith some of them, who thought they might best presume of her favour, have been so suddenly daunted and planet stricken that they could not lay down the grief thereof but in their grave. {b} One of these was Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor, who died of a flux of urine and grief of mind. Neither could the queen, having once cast him down with a word, raise him up again, though she visited and comforted him. {c}

But a wise man will pacify it.] Either by some prudent speech or political device, as Abigail did David, and David Saul; as Benhadad’s servants did Ahab, and as our King Edward I’s servant did him. {d} For this king venturing his life, by spurring his horse into a deep river, only to be revenged on his servant that had incensed him by a saucy answer, was soon pacified when once he saw him on his bended knees, exposing his neck to the blow of the drawn sword, wherewith the king pursued him.

{a} Omne trahit secum Caesaris ira malum. - Ovid.

{b} Speed.

{c} Camden’s Elisab., 406.

{d} Acts and Mon.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16:14-15 The king is powerful, so people are wise to avoid his anger and gain his favor.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That is, he findeth out many means to execute his wrath.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

These two verses show the power of kings, which is every where great, but was especially so in those eastern countries, where they were absolute and arbitrary. Whom they would they slew and whom they would they kept alive. Their will was a law. We have reason to bless God for the happy constitution of the government we live under, which maintains the prerogative of the prince without any injury to the liberty of the subject. But here it is intimated, 1. How formidable the wrath of a king is: It is as messengers of death; the wrath of Ahasuerus was so to Haman. An angry word from an incensed prince has been to many a messenger of death, and has struck so great a terror upon some as if a sentence of death had been pronounced upon them. He must be a very wise man that knows how to pacify the wrath of a king with a word fitly spoken, as Jonathan once pacified his father's rage against David, Sa1 19:6. A prudent subject may sometimes suggest that to an angry prince which will cool his resentments. 2. How valuable and desirable the king's favour is to those that have incurred his displeasure; it is life from the dead if the king be reconciled to them. To others it is as a cloud of the latter rain, very refreshing to the ground. Solomon put his subjects in mind of this, that they might not do any thing to incur his wrath, but be careful to recommend themselves to his favour. We ought by it to be put in mind how much we are concerned to escape the wrath and obtain the favour of the King of kings. His frowns are worse than death, and his favour is better than life; and therefore those are fools who to escape the wrath, and obtain the favour, of an earthly prince, will throw themselves out of God's favour, and make themselves obnoxious to his wrath.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This wrath, so terrible and certain, like messengers of death (Kg1 2:25), can be appeased by the wise.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

14. messengers of death] The reckless fury of the Eastern despot (1Sa_22:16-18; Est_7:7-10; Dan_2:5) is but the abuse of the awful justice of the Archetypal King (Mat_22:7; Luk_19:27).

will pacify it] See Psa_2:10-12.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The wrath of a king is as messengers of death,.... Or, "angels of death", as the Targum. As the wrath of Ahasuerus was to Haman; when it is either discovered in the countenance of a king, or expressed by his words, or signified by a messenger; it sometimes has been immediate death to a person, and often as terrible as if a messenger brought the sentence of death; yea, it is as if one messenger after another was sent on such an errand, and therefore the word is in the plural number. How terrible is the wrath of the King of kings; and even to kings themselves, who are represented as flying to rocks and mountains to hide them from it! Rev 6:15;

but a wise man will pacify it; by a proper acknowledgment of the offence committed; or by a prudent representation of his case, or the case of his friends; by soft answers and strong arguments, as Jonathan pacified the wrath of King Saul his father against David. He is a wise man that believes in Christ, and pleads his propitiatory sacrifice for the expiation of his sin, at the same time frankly acknowledging it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

While Pro 16:13 depicts the king as he ought to be, this verse reminds us of the terrible rapidity with which, in the despotic monarchies of the East, punishment, even death, follows royal displeasure.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Is as messengers of death; is as terrible as if many messengers were sent to denounce the sentence of death, and to execute it.

Will pacify it; will use all prudent and lawful means to pacify it.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death — His wrath soon finds executioners. Under the despotic governments of the East there are frequently no forms of trial. A man may not know that he is condemned, or even accused, until the executioner, the “messenger of death,” comes to take his head off; perhaps in his own house, in the midst of his family, or wherever he meets him. The Hebrew is more emphatic than our version.

But a wise man will pacify it — Cover or atone “the wrath.” It is the same word as in Pro_16:6 is rendered “purged.” The wise man may be the offender himself; but, knowing how, he skilfully reconciles his sovereign, or, it may be a virtuous and prudent courtier or counsellor who appeases the king’s anger. Illustrations of this proverb in the Bible are numerous. Comp. Pro_19:12; Pro_20:2; 1Ki_2:25, et seq.; Mat_14:10. On second clause, see 1Sa_19:1-6; 1Sa_25:24, et seq.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The wrath of a king is as messengers of death. In a despotic monarchy the death of an offender follows quickly on the offence. Anger the king, and punishment is at hand; instruments are always ready who will carry out the sentence, and that before time is given for reconsideration. The murder of Thomas a Becket will occur as an illustration. (comp. Est_7:8, etc) The LXX translates, "The king"s wrath is a messenger of death," taking the plural as put by enallage for the singular; but possibly the plural may intimate the many agents who are prepared to perform the ruler"s behests, and the various means which he possesses for punishing offenders. This first clause implies, without expressly saying, that, such being the case, none but a fool will excite the monarch"s resentment; (comp. Ecc_8:4) then the second clause comes in naturally. But a wise man will pacify it. He will take care not to provoke that anger which gluts its resentment so quickly and so fatally. (Pro_19:12 Pro_20:2) Septuagint, "A wise man will appease him," the king; as Jacob propitiated Esau by the present which he sent forward. (Gen_32:20, Gen_32:21)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14 The wrath of the king is like messengers of death;

But a wise man appeaseth him.

The clause: the wrath of the king is many messengers of death, can be regarded as the attribution of the effect, but it falls under the point of view of likeness, instead of comparison: if the king is angry, it is as if a troop of messengers or angels of death went forth to visit with death him against whom the anger is kindled; the plur. serves for the strengthening of the figure: not one messenger of death, but at the same time several, the wrinkled brow, the flaming eye, the threatening voice of the king sends forth (Fleischer). But if he against whom the wrath of the king has thus broken forth is a wise man, or one near the king who knows that ὀργὴ ἀνδρὸς δικαιοσύνην Θεοῦ οὐ κατεργάζεται (Jam 1:20), he will seek to discover the means (and not without success) to cover or to propitiate, i.e., to mitigate and appease, the king's anger. The Scripture never uses כּפּר, so that God is the object (expiare Deum), because, as is shown in the Comm. zum Hebrerbrief, that were to say, contrary to the decorum divinum, that God's holiness or wrath is covered, or its energy bound, by the offering up of sacrifices or of things in which there is no inherent virtue of atonement, and which are made the means of reconciliation only by the accommodative arrangement of God. On the contrary, כּפּר is used here and at Gen 32:21 of covering = reconciling (propitiating) the wrath of a man.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

The vast power of a King is here developed in a graphic picture of Eastern despotism. Life and death is in his hands. His will is law. (Ecc 8:4 .) Every sign of his wrath — even the frown of his face, or the word out of his mouth — is a messenger of death. (Est 7:7-10 .) The despot issues his order, and the executioner performs his warrant without delay or resistance.†1 No common wisdom was needed to pacify his wrath. Jonathan appeased his father’s wrath.†2 Daniel pacified the outrageous autocrat of Babylon.†3 What a blessing, in contrast with this tyranny, is our own constitution! Such an admirable counterpoise between the power of the people and the caprice of the Sovereign! The just authority of the crown is preserved, without invading the due liberty of the subject.

The king’s favour marks the same absolute power. The restoration of Pharaoh’s butler to his place was as "life from the dead."†4 The captive monarch found renewed life in the light of his Master’s countenance;†5 Nehemiah’s depression was cheered by his Sovereign’s kind manners and still kinder indulgence.†6 And was not the golden sceptre, held out to Esther,†7 as the reviving cloud of the latter rain — the security of "the joy of harvest"?†8

But think of the King of Kings, before whom the mightiest Monarch is as dust. (Isa 40:22 .) How much more is his wrath to be dreaded as a messenger of death!†9 The Kings themselves will fly to the rocks in vain for a shelter from its fury.†10 Wise indeed is the man who pacifies it. What owe we to that blood, which speaks our peace?†11 Sinner — ere it be too late — listen to the pleading call — "Be ye reconciled unto God."†12 And then whose wrath need he fear, who knows that God is propitious to him?

For truly, if in the light of the earthly King’s countenance, much more "in his favour is life." (Psa 30:5 .) One smile scatters the thickest cloud, and brings "gladness" infinitely more than all the treasures of earth;†13 refreshing as the latter rain.†14 ’Christ liveth’ — said the noble Luther — ’else I would not desire to live one moment.’ Yea — Christian! — bitter and deep as thy sorrow may be, dread above all thy troubles the clouding of thy Lord’s countenance. Watch every interval to obtain a glimpse of it. Seize every leisure to exchange a word or a look. Count every moment of separation irksome to thee. Above all — look and hasten to that time, when thou shalt walk up and down in the unclouded light. Oh, my Lord! ’let the splendour of that day irradiate my soul, even at this distance from it, and leave no space void of its light and comfort. Yea — let it eclipse all other joys, and by its glistening beauty cause the small contentment of this world to be so many glow-worms, which shine only in the night. Impress on my heart such a lively sense of thee, and of thy glory, that I may sooner forget myself, than thee and thine appearing.’†15

Footnotes:

†1 1Sa 22:16-21 . 1Ki 2:24-25, 1Ki 2:46 . 2Ki 6:31-33 . Mat 14:10 . Compare Paxton’s Sacr. Geogr. 405.

†2 1Sa 19:4-6 .

†3 Dan 2:15-16. Compare Act 12:20-22 .

†4 Gen 40:20-21.

†5 2Ki 25:27-30 .

†6 Neh 2:1-8.

†7 Est 5:2-3, with Est 4:16 .

†8 Deu 11:14. Job 29:23 . Joe 2:23 . Zec 10:1 . Jas 5:7 . As the Jews began their civil year after the Autumnal Equinox, the latter rain fell in the spring; ’and the more wet the spring’ — says Dr. Russel — ’the later the harvest, and the more abundant the crop.’ Harmer’s Observ. i. 71.

†9 Mat 22:13. Luk 12:5 .

†10 Rev 6:15.

†11 Col 1:20. Heb 12:24 .

†12 2Co 5:20 ; 2Co 6:2 .

†13 Psa 4:6-7; Psa 21:6 .

†14 Psa 72:6. Hos 6:3 .

†15 Bishop Patrick’s Glorious Epiphany, pp. 110, 114.

Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs (1846) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

v. 14. The wrath of a king is as messengers of death, if he becomes enraged, he has many means and instruments at his disposal to carry out his sentence of death; but a wise man will pacify it, he will quietly offer such arguments as will allay and soothe the wrath of the king.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The king’s wrath is like messengers of death, like messengers of death [but not angels of death].

will pacify it Will placate it.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.