Proverbs 12:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved.

NIV: No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

NASB: A person will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be moved.

CSB: No one can be made secure by wickedness, but the root of the righteous is immovable.

NLT: Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.

KJV: A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

NKJV: A man is not established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.

This verse teaches that evil behavior, by its own nature, can never bring a person to a place of stability and peace. It cannot "establish" anything but the expectation of judgment. The book of Proverbs makes multiple references to the ultimate fate of those who defy God (Proverbs 9:13–18; 11:7), in contrast to those who follow Him (Proverbs 1:7).

Likely, Solomon had in mind the Israelites' occupation of the Promised Land. The Lord had promised to keep them in the Promised Land if they obeyed Him. However, He assured them they would be uprooted if they worshiped false gods and refused to obey His commandments (Deuteronomy 31:15–20). Unfortunately, the people of Israel failed to worship and obey the Lord. Centuries later, after failing to observe the Sabbath years and to worship only the Lord, they were exiled by the cruel Babylonians, and spent 70 years in Babylon.

A modern application of this statement is assurance. Believers may be discouraged under persecution, or when seeing evil people enjoying temporary prosperity (Psalm 73:2–3). Followers of Christ can take comfort in knowing that blessing comes to the righteous, whereas punishment comes to the wicked (Hebrews 4:13; Revelation 20:11–15). Believers are secure in the Lord's hands.

Proverbs 12 contains a series of contrasts between lifestyles, comparing those who honor God to those who reject His wisdom. The results of those decisions are also compared. This repeats several common themes from the book of Proverbs, such as the self-destructive nature of sin and God's distaste for those who lie.

Proverbs 12 continues Solomon's wise sayings. A large portion of the book of Proverbs includes these short, common sense pieces of advice. After a series of introductions and lessons in chapters 1—9, chapter 10 began a long list of individual statements. In this chapter he continues to contrast the righteous and the wicked, showing that the life of the righteous is far better than the life of the wicked. This pattern will continue, covering the same basic theme, through chapter 15.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.