The Nugget:
Proverbs 22:8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. (KJV)
My Comment:
This Bible proverb states a general truth. The truth of this proverb can be observed almost daily in the news reports of our time.
Proverbs 22:8 provides the basis for what I find to be a fascinating Bible study.
Just today I found it helpful to read this verse in other English translations of the Bible:
Pro 22:8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail. (ESV, English Standard Version)
Pro 22:8 He that soweth iniquity, shall reap evils, and with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed. (DRB, Douay-Rheims Bible)
Pro 22:8 He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully receive the punishment of his deeds. God loves a cheerful and liberal man; but a man shall fully prove the folly of his works. (LXX, Brenton translation)
Pro 22:8 Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end. (NLT, New Living Translation)
Reading Proverbs 22:8 from modern English translations alerted me to the presence of cause/effect relationships in this verse:
Pro 22:8 Those who spread trouble will harvest trouble. In the end, they will be destroyed for the trouble they caused. (ERV, Easy-to-Read Version)
“Those who spread trouble” = the cause
“will harvest trouble” = the effect
“they will be destroyed” = the effect
“for the trouble they caused” = the cause
I have listed many cause/effect relationship verses at Psalm 9:10 in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as well as in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible and in the Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury. I missed listing Proverbs 22:8 because the cause/effect relationship was not evident when I was working from the KJV. I conclude that many more such relationships may be found when studying the Bible using modern English translations.
I also discovered that the notes for Proverbs 22:8 in the NET Bible are excellent for this verse and shed light on even more instances of figures of speech in this verse:
Pro 22:8 The one who sows iniquity will reap trouble, and the rod of his fury will end. (NET Bible)
NET Bible Notes for Proverbs 22:8,
Proverbs 22:8
N21 sn The verse is making an implied comparison (a figure of speech known as hypocatastasis) between sowing and sinning. One who sins is like one who sows, for there will be a “harvest” or a return on the sin – trouble.
Proverbs 22:8
N22 tc There is a variant reading in the LXX; instead of “the rod of his wrath” it reads “the punishment of his deeds.” C. H. Toy wishes to emend שֵׁבֶט (shevet) to שֶׁבֶר (shever), “the produce of his work” (Proverbs [ICC], 416). But the Hebrew text is not obscure, and שֶׁבֶר does not exactly mean “produce.” The expression “rod of his wrath” may not follow the imagery of Pro 22:8 very closely, but it is nonetheless understandable. The “rod” is a symbol of power; “wrath” is a metonymy of cause indicating what wrath will do, and an objective genitive. The expression signifies that in reaping trouble for his sins this person will no longer be able to unleash his fury on others. The LXX adds: “A man who is cheerful and a giver God blesses” (e.g., 2Co 9:7).
To dig deeper into the whole of Scripture read the cross references from the Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury for Proverbs 22:8 as shared below:
Proverbs 22:8
that soweth iniquity. Heb. aval, trickery. Gen 27:6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17; Gen 27:41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, +*Job 4:8, Pro 6:14; %Pro 11:18, Hos 8:7; *Hos 10:12; *Hos 10:13, *Gal 6:7; *Gal 6:8.
reap vanity. +**Gen 6:13, Jdg 15:6, *Job 15:31, Psa 9:15, Pro 1:31; Pro 21:6; Pro 30:8, +**1Co 6:9; +**1Co 6:10.
the rod of his anger shall fail. or, with the rod of his anger he shall be consumed. *Pro 14:3; +Pro 21:30, Num 24:10, 1Ki 11:14; 1Ki 11:23; 1Ki 11:31; 1Ki 11:40, 2Ki 1:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 2Ch 32:21, Est 5:11, 12, 13; Est 7:10, Psa 125:3, Isa 9:4; Isa 10:5; Isa 14:29; Isa 30:31.
I trust that those who choose to read and study this article will learn more about how to do Real Bible Study! I have not posted as many articles this month because I have been taking time to carefully study the subject of what I hope will be a new post in the series “Everyone is wrong about something–including me!” In preparation, I have already read several whole books by other Bible scholars on the subject.