Matthew Henry on Proverbs 24:23-26
Here are lessons for wise men, that is, judges and princes. As subjects must do their duty, and be obedient to magistrates, so magistrates must do their duty in administering justice to their subjects, both in pleas of the crown and causes between party and party. These are lessons for them. 1. They must always weigh the merits of a cause, and not be swayed by any regard, one way or other, to the parties concerned: It is not good in itself, nor can it ever do well, to have respect of persons in judgment; the consequences of it cannot but be the perverting of justice and doing wrong under colour of law and equity. A good judge will know the truth, not know faces, so as to countenance a friend…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 24:24
of which an example is justifying the wicked, to which is opposed, rebuking him, which has a blessing.
John Gill on Proverbs 24:25
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight,.... That is, such that rebuke in the gate, or openly, in a court of judicature; that reprove delinquents, such as are found guilty of malpractices, and punish them as they ought to be, according to the laws of God and man; they shall have delight in themselves, peace and pleasure in their own minds; or the people shall delight in them, and speak well of them, and think themselves happy under such a just administration; or the Lord shall delight in them, the beauty or sweetness of the Lord shall come unto them, as Aben Ezra explains it; the Lord shall be sweet and delightful to them, and they shall have pleasure in him;
and a good blessing shall…
Read the whole note in the consoleKeil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 24:23-25
The curse of partiality and the blessing of impartiality:
Respect of persons in judgment is by no means good:
24 He that saith to the guilty, "Thou art in the right,"
Him the people curse, nations detest.
25 But to them who rightly decide, it is well,
And upon them cometh blessing with good.
Partiality is either called שׂאת פנים, Pro 18:5, respect to the person, for the partisan looks with pleasure on the פני, the countenance, appearance, personality of one, by way of preference; or הכּר־פּנים, as here and at Pro 28:21, for he places one person before another in his sight, or, as we say, has a regard to him; the latter expression is found in Deu 1:17; Deu 16:19. הכּיר (vid., Pro 20:11) means…
