Proverbs 8:15

Kings reign by means of me, and potentates ¹  decree ²  righteousness;

1Sa 9:17; 1Sa 16:1; 1Ki 3:9,28; 1Ki 5:7; 1Ki 10:9; 1Ch 28:5; Ps 72:1-4; Ps 99:4; Isa 1:26; Isa 32:1,2; Jer 27:5-7; Jer 33:15; Da 2:21; Da 4:25,32; Da 5:18-31; Da 7:13,14; Mt 28:18; Ro 13:1; Re 19:11; Re 19:16

¹ tn The verb רָזַן (razan) means “to be weighty; to be judicious; to be commanding.” It only occurs in the Qal active participle in the plural as a substantive, meaning “potentates; rulers” (e.g., Ps 1:1-3). Cf. KJV, ASV “princes”; NAB “lawgivers.”

² sn This verb יְחֹקְקוּ (yÿkhoqqu) is related to the noun חֹק (khoq), which is a “statute; decree.” The verb is defined as “to cut in; to inscribe; to decree” (BDB 349 s.v. חָקַק). The point the verse is making is that when these potentates decree righteousness, it is by wisdom. History records all too often that these rulers acted as fools and opposed righteousness (cf. Ps 2:1-3). But people in power need wisdom to govern the earth (e.g., Isa 11:1-4 which predicts how Messiah will use wisdom to do this very thing). The point is underscored with the paronomasia in v. 15 with “kings” and “will reign” from the same root, and then in v. 16 with both “princes” and “rule” being cognate. The repetition of sounds and meanings strengthens the statements.