A Wicked Man Takes a Gift - Proverbs 17:23

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “a merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones”, and in chapter seventeen and verse twenty-three of Proverbs Solomon said, “a wicked man takes a gift” where we read,

A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

The verse begins, “a wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom” Solomon began with the words, “a wicked man” or “a criminal, guilty of crime, evil and hostile to God person whether male or female” “takes a gift” which means “fetches, lays hold of, seizes, receives and acquires a present or bribe” “out of the bosom” or “from the hollow, bottom and midst of a lap” for the following reason. Solomon said a person who is criminal and hostile to God receives a bribe from the lap for the following cause.

The verse continues, “... to pervert the ways of judgment.” Solomon added the words, “to pervert the ways” or “to stretch out, extend, bend and thrust aside the traveled roads, journey, path and manner” “of judgment” which means “pertaining to justice, ordinance, procedure, process and litigation”. Solomon said the reason an evil person receives a bribe is because they degenerate the path of justice and litigation.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon how people who are evil and hostile to God receive bribes to degrade the right and correct way of justice and righteousness. This is not God's desire. He wants us to avoid bribery because it tends to turn us away from correct and lawful practices. God loves us, and He is holy. The Bible says, “Be holy; for I am holy” (See Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:15, 16), and the only way for this to happen is for a person to yield their life to God's Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us by His Holy Spirit to be just and correct in “judgment” and never to receive gifts to alter our righteous decisions.

Next time Solomon says, “wisdom is before him that has understanding”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".