Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 5. They know not ] The judges are not acquainted with the law of God, on which all their decisions should be founded.
Neither will they understand ] They are ignorant and do not wish to be instructed. They will not learn; they cannot teach. Happy England! How different from Judea, even in the days of Jehoshaphat! All thy judges are learned, righteous, and impartial. Never did greater men in their profession dignify any land or country. - (1822.) All the foundations of the earth - "All the civil institutions of the land totter." Justice is at the head of all the institutions in a well regulated state: when that gets poisoned or perverted, every evil, political and domestic, must prevail; even religion itself ceases to have any influence.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Magistrates are the mighty in authority for the public good Magistrates are the ministers of God's providence, for keeping up orde and peace, and particularly in punishing evil-doers, and protectin those that do well. Good princes and good judges, who mean well, ar under Divine direction; and bad ones, who mean ill, are under Divin restraint. The authority of God is to be submitted to, in thos governors whom his providence places over us. But when justice i turned from what is right, no good can be expected. The evil actions of public persons are public mischiefs.
Original Hebrew לא3808 ידעו3045 ולא3808 יבינו995 בחשׁכה2825 יתהלכו1980 ימוטו4131 כל3605 מוסדי4144 ארץ׃776
