Proverbs 28:6 - Exposition

This is almost the same as Proverbs 19:1 , but varies a little in the second hemistich: than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. The Hebrew literally is, perverse of two ways ; i . e . who, going one way, pretends to go another; the "two ways" being the evil which he really pursues, and the good which he feigns to follow. Delitzsch calls him "a double-going deceiver." So Siracides imprecates, "Woe to the sinner that goeth two ways" ( Ecclesiastes 2:12 ). "A double-minded man," says St James ( James 1:8 ), "is unstable in all his ways." It is not the endeavouring to serve God and mammon at the same time that is meant, but putting on the appearance of religion to mask wicked designs—in the present case in order to gain wealth. Septuagint, "A poor man walking in truth is better than a rich liar."