Commentary - Proverbs 28:28

Bird's-eye view

This proverb presents a sharp and practical piece of political science from a divine perspective. It establishes a direct correlation between the character of a nation's leadership and the health of its society. The verse is a chiasm of sorts, contrasting two opposing scenarios. First, when wicked men attain positions of power and influence, it creates a climate of fear and oppression, causing good and prudent men to go into hiding. They withdraw from public life for safety. Second, the converse is also true. When these wicked rulers are removed from their positions, when they "perish," the oppressive climate dissipates, and the righteous are free to emerge. Not only do they emerge, but they also increase, meaning they multiply in number and grow in public influence. This is a foundational principle of social health: righteousness flourishes in liberty, and tyranny drives it underground.

This is not a counsel of despair or a call for Christians to permanently withdraw from the public square. Rather, it is a sober assessment of cause and effect. It teaches us to be wise as serpents, recognizing the dangers of a hostile regime, while also reminding us that such regimes are temporary. God's promise is that the righteous will ultimately increase. The perishing of the wicked is not a matter of if, but when. This proverb therefore encourages a long-term, hopeful perspective, rooted in the sovereignty of God over the rise and fall of nations and their rulers.

Outline

Context In Proverbs

Proverbs consistently teaches that wisdom and folly, righteousness and wickedness, have tangible, real-world consequences, not just for the individual but for the entire community. This verse is part of a larger collection of sayings that function as divinely inspired political theory. For example, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan" (Prov 29:2). And, "Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over the poor people" (Prov 28:15). Proverbs 28:28 fits squarely within this theme, providing a diagnostic tool for assessing the health of a society. It is not an isolated piece of advice but part of a coherent worldview that insists on the Lordship of God over every aspect of life, including the civil realm. The book of Proverbs is intensely practical, and this includes its instruction on how societies function under God.

Key Issues

The Social Barometer

Every society has a barometer that indicates the prevailing spiritual and political weather. This proverb gives us one of the clearest readings on that barometer. Do you want to know what kind of leadership you have? Look at what good men are doing. Are they speaking boldly, building businesses, establishing churches, and engaging in public life with confidence? Or are they looking over their shoulders, whispering in private, and generally keeping their heads down? The condition of the righteous is a direct reflection of the condition of the leadership. This is because God has woven a moral order into the fabric of the universe, and that order extends to the realm of politics. A wicked ruler cannot help but create a wicked society, one where good men are forced to take cover. And a just ruler, or the removal of a wicked one, cannot help but create the conditions for righteousness to flourish. This is not karma; it is covenant.

Verse by Verse Commentary

28a When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;

The first clause describes the predictable effect of wicked leadership. The "wicked" here are not simply incompetent; they are men who rule without regard for God, His law, or His people. They are defined by their pride, their injustice, and their rebellion against the ultimate authority. When such men "rise," it means they ascend to places of power and cultural influence. They take over the magistracy, the academies, the guilds, the courts.

And what is the result? "Men hide themselves." The word for "men" here is the generic adam, but in context, it refers to good, ordinary, prudent men. This hiding is not necessarily cowardice. It is prudence. When a roaring lion is on the loose, you do not go for a stroll in the tall grass. When Jezebel is on the warpath, the prophet Obadiah hides a hundred prophets in caves (1 Kings 18:4). This is a strategic and wise retreat. Wicked rule creates an environment of fear, instability, and persecution. To speak the truth is to invite retribution. To conduct business honestly is to make yourself a target for extortion. To worship God faithfully is to risk suppression. In such a time, good men protect themselves, their families, and their resources, waiting for a more opportune moment. They go underground.

28b But when they perish, the righteous increase.

The contrast is stark and hopeful. The rule of the wicked is not permanent. The text says, "when they perish." This perishing can take many forms. It can be a literal death, a political overthrow, or simply the collapse of their corrupt system under its own weight. God in His sovereignty removes them from the scene. He is the one who puts down one and raises up another.

And what happens when the pressure is released? "The righteous increase." This is a beautiful promise. The word for "increase" means to become numerous, to multiply, to grow great. When the wicked are no longer in charge, the climate changes. The sun comes out. The righteous, who had been in hiding, can now emerge into public life. They can speak, work, build, and worship freely. This freedom creates the conditions for growth. Not only do the righteous who were already there become more visible and influential, but their way of life becomes attractive to others. Righteousness is vindicated, and so more people are drawn to it. The church grows, just institutions are built, and the culture begins to reflect the goodness of God. This is the pattern of gospel advance throughout history. The blood of the martyrs becomes the seed of the church, and after the tyrant perishes, the righteous increase.

Application

This proverb is a powerful tool for understanding our own times. When we see men being fired for stating biological facts, when pastors are arrested for holding church services, when speaking basic biblical truth is labeled as "hate speech," we know exactly what is happening. The wicked have risen, and good men are being pressured to hide. This verse diagnoses our cultural moment with perfect clarity.

But it does not leave us with the diagnosis. It also gives us the prognosis, which is a hopeful one. The wicked will perish. Their rule is temporary. Therefore, our "hiding" must be strategic and temporary, not a permanent retreat into a pietistic ghetto. We are to be wise as serpents, yes, but also bold as lions when the time is right. We should be praying for the perishing of wicked systems and rulers, which is to say, we should pray for their repentance or their removal.

And we must prepare for the increase. We must be ready for the moment when God grants a reprieve, so that we can come out of our caves and rebuild. The ultimate reason for our hope is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The wicked rose to their highest point at the cross, and the disciples all hid. But the ultimate wicked ruler, Satan, perished there, being disarmed and defeated by the Son of God. And because of that victory, the righteous have been increasing for two millennia. Our task is to remain faithful in our time, whether it is a time for hiding or a time for increasing, knowing that the Lord of history will ensure that the righteous will, in the end, fill the earth.