Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 28:15
What does Proverbs 28:15 mean?
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Proverbs 28:15
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The imagery highlights that the wicked ruler's cruelty isn't just about power, but a deep, gnawing hunger – like a lion roaring or a bear ranging for prey. This makes the suffering of the poor not only a consequence of his rule, but the very fuel that drives his oppressive nature. He's not just mismanaging them; he's devouring them.
Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears amidst a series of sharp contrasts in Proverbs 28, contrasting the righteous and the wicked. It follows discussions about rulers who seek justice versus those who are greedy, and immediately precedes a section on the consequences for rulers and the overall nation. The image here highlights the devastating impact a cruel leader has specifically on those who are already vulnerable and unable to defend themselves.
Why does the proverb compare a wicked ruler to a lion and a bear? It's not just about being scary; it's about their intent and their desperate need.
The Hunter's Drive
This verse uses two powerful images: a 'roaring lion' and a 'ranging bear.'
These aren't just random wild animals; they represent a primal, consuming force focused on satisfying its own desperate needs, regardless of the cost to others.
Why specifically focus on a ruler over 'poor people'? What does the vulnerability of the subjects reveal about the ruler's wickedness?
The Cruelty of Preying on the Weak
The proverb's sting comes from the target: 'a poor people.'
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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, describing the destruction of Judah by a 'lion' that has come from its thicket, representing an invading force or wicked ruler oppressing God's people.
Ezekiel 19:6Here, the princes of Israel are depicted as lions, hunting and devouring people, powerfully illustrating the same theme of predatory rulers who act like savage beasts against their own.
1 Peter 5:8This New Testament verse warns believers to be alert because 'your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour,' connecting the predatory nature of evil to spiritual oppression.
Psalm 10:9This Psalm describes the wicked as lying in wait like a lion in his lair, ready to snatch up the poor and helpless, reinforcing the predatory image of those who exploit the vulnerable.
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 imagery highlights that the wicked ruler's cruelty isn't just about power, but a deep, gnawing hunger – like a lion roaring or a bear ranging for prey. This makes the suffering of the poor not only a consequence of his rule, but the very fuel that drives his oppressive nature. He's not just mismanaging them; he's devouring them.
This verse appears amidst a series of sharp contrasts in Proverbs 28, contrasting the righteous and the wicked. It follows discussions about rulers who seek justice versus those who are greedy, and immediately precedes a section on the consequences for rulers and the overall nation. The image here highlights the devastating impact a cruel leader has specifically on those who are already vulnerable and unable to defend themselves.
This verse appears amidst a series of sharp contrasts in Proverbs 28, contrasting the righteous and the wicked. It follows discussions about rulers who seek justice versus those who are greedy, and immediately precedes a section on the consequences for rulers and the overall nation. The image here highlights the devastating impact a cruel leader has specifically on those who are already vulnerable and unable to defend themselves.
"Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people." — The imagery highlights that the wicked ruler's cruelty isn't just about power, but a deep, gnawing hunger – like a lion roaring or a bear ranging for prey. This makes the suffering of the poor not on…
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Last reviewed October 2026