Postings on Proverbs 12:12

“Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers,

but the root of the righteous bears fruit” (ESV)

I thought this version made more sense than the NASB, my translation of choice for almost 20 years.

Observation: What does this verse say?

Parallelism?  Antithetic

Who?  The Wicked vs. The Righteous

What?  Covets vs. Bears Fruit

Where and When?  Anywhere and Anytime

Why?  Because of what they are, wicked or righteous

How?  Not sure

Word Studies?  Covets, spoil, root

This is a heart issue (“covets”) that manifests itself in actions that aren’t described here. “Root” is a metaphor, but of what?  Maybe, the source of one’s actions – maybe, because coveting is internal?

The first line is more specific than the second line (covets…evildoers vs. “bears fruit”), but how is line 1 a parallel with line 2?

“Bears fruit” seems like an almost universal statement of the good that comes out of God’s people.

“Whoever” is a sweeping statement, but does this verse say this is a characteristic of all wicked people, or that if someone “covets the spoil of evildoers” it’s a sure sign someone is wicked?  It seems like option 2 gives a skill for recognizing what kind of person I’m interacting with, meaning it gives insight into a person’s character without knowing him, saying that if you come across a person that covets the spoil of evildoers that you’ve got someone you should probably stay away from.

Interpretation: What does this verse mean?

Well, the Hebrew text and exactly what words were meant to be in the text is not clearly known (Longman 274), which makes what Solomon actually said quite difficult to determine.

The word the ESV translates “covets” means desires or craves (Waltke 529) and “spoil,” a rare and complicated word, can mean anything from net, snare, plunder, stronghold or fortification (Waltke 516, 529) so Waltke translates this verse “The wicked person desires the stronghold of evil people, but the root of righteous people endures.”

He prefers this translation because of the parallel ideas of security, that the wicked “covet the defense obtained illegally” (529) while the security of the righteous is rooted in their character.

Application: How does this verse help me?

A wicked person, someone who lacks character – dishonest, antisocial, taking advantage of others – is unstable.  He’s paranoid.  He’s watching his back.  He’s sleeping with one eye open.  Inside, he may be waiting for the truth to come out.  He knows “What goes around, comes around” so he’s waiting for all his wickedness to boomerang back on him.

Therefore, he craves security, even the security that some have obtained through wicked deeds (mob bosses, dictators, and money launderers comes to my mind) to try and calm his instability.  However, the righteous are grounded, rooted, stable.  They have no need to be paranoid.  They don’t worry about the boomerang. They are safe because their character keeps them from present and future trouble.

This proverb helps you evaluate yourself.  Has your sin made you unstable?  Paranoid?  Anxious?  Is your character keeping you safe?  Character is the real treasure.  The boomerang is real.  “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Gal 6:7).