Proverbs 28:15
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse doesn't just compare a wicked ruler to dangerous animals; it highlights the reason for their ferocity: the poverty of their people. Their cruelty is amplified because their subjects are weak, making them easy prey for exploitation, which in turn likely exacerbates their poverty.
This verse appears in a section of Proverbs contrasting the righteous and the wicked, often using vivid imagery to make its points memorable. It follows a series of statements highlighting the instability and downfall of wicked rulers, emphasizing that their corrupt actions ultimately lead to ruin. The immediate context sets up this proverb as a stark warning about the destructive nature of unjust leadership, especially when it preys on the vulnerable.
Why does the Bible compare a wicked ruler to a roaring lion and a ranging bear? It’s a stark image of danger and destruction.
A Threat to Life
When the Bible uses the imagery of a roaring lion and a ranging bear, it’s painting a picture of extreme danger. These aren't just any animals; they are predators on the hunt.
A wicked ruler over a poor people is compared to these animals because their actions are predatory. Instead of protecting and caring for their people, they exploit and oppress them. They act out of selfish need and cruelty, much like a starving animal hunting for its next meal. The people, being poor and vulnerable, are defenseless against such a ruler.
Why does Proverbs specifically mention a ruler over 'poor people'? The vulnerability of the subjects is key to understanding the ruler's wickedness.
The Cruelty of Oppression
The verse doesn't just describe a powerful, wicked ruler; it specifies that this ruler is over "a poor people." This detail is crucial for understanding the depth of their sin.
Why the Poor?
Understand the original words
moshel · Hebrew Noun
One who exercises authority, specifically in a context where power is used oppressively rather than to protect the vulnerable.
This passage directly echoes the imagery of Proverbs 28:15, describing the destruction brought by an invading army with the comparison of a lion that has emerged from its thicket, highlighting how rulers can bring devastating ruin.
Ezekiel 19:6Here, a king is depicted as a lion cub learning to catch prey, and his subsequent actions are described with similar predatory language, illustrating the dangerous, destructive nature of a tyrannical ruler who preys on the vulnerable.
Psalm 10:2This psalm describes the wicked in their arrogance and the way they trap the poor, aligning with the idea of a ruler who oppresses the vulnerable, though it uses the imagery of entrapment rather than direct predation.
1 Peter 5:8Peter warns believers to be alert because 'your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.' This connects the imagery of the predatory lion to a spiritual enemy, suggesting that oppressive rulers can sometimes embody a similar destructive force.
pooleProverbs 28:15: "As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people."
The lion and bear are always cruel and greedy in their natures, and especially when they are hungry and want prey, in which case the lions roar, Psalm 104:21 Isaiah 31:4 , and bears range about for it. So is a wicked ruler; instead of being a nursing father, and a faithful and tender shepherd, as he ought to be, he is a cruel and insatiable oppressor and devourer of them: Over the poor people; wh…
pulpitProverbs 28:15: "As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people."
Verse 15. - A wicked ruler over the poor people; a people weak and resourceless. To such a powerful tyrant is as fatal as a roaring lion or a hungry bear prowling in quest of food. The prophets compare evil rulers to ravenous lions (see Jeremiah 4:7; Ezekiel 19:6). They are like lions in strength and cruelty, like bears in craft and ferocity. Septuagint, "A hungry lion and a thirsty wolf is he, w…
The verse doesn't just compare a wicked ruler to dangerous animals; it highlights the reason for their ferocity: the poverty of their people. Their cruelty is amplified because their subjects are weak, making them easy prey for exploitation, which in turn likely exacerbates their poverty.
This verse appears in a section of Proverbs contrasting the righteous and the wicked, often using vivid imagery to make its points memorable. It follows a series of statements highlighting the instability and downfall of wicked rulers, emphasizing that their corrupt actions ultimately lead to ruin. The immediate context sets up this proverb as a stark warning about the destructive nature of unjust leadership, especially when it preys on the vulnerable.
This verse appears in a section of Proverbs contrasting the righteous and the wicked, often using vivid imagery to make its points memorable. It follows a series of statements highlighting the instability and downfall of wicked rulers, emphasizing that their corrupt actions ultimately lead to ruin. The immediate context sets up this proverb as a stark warning about the destructive nature of unjust leadership, especially when it preys on the vulnerable.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Proverbs 28:15 is available in the Sola app.
This specific focus highlights that the ruler's wickedness is amplified when directed at those least able to defend themselves. It's a sin not just of power, but of exploiting weakness.
"Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people." — The verse doesn't just compare a wicked ruler to dangerous animals; it highlights the reason for their ferocity: the poverty of their people. Their cruelty is amplified because their subjects are w…
