22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
An expression of trust, that in the long run the anomalies of the world are rendered even (compare the marginal references). The heaped up treasures of the wicked find their way at last into the hands of better men.
A good man leaveth an inheritance - He files many a prayer in heaven in their behalf, and his good example and advices are remembered and quoted from generation to generation. Besides, whatever property he left was honestly acquired, and well-gotten goods are permanent. The general experience of men shows this to be a common case; and that property ill-gotten seldom reaches to the third generation. This even the heathens observed. Hence:
De male quaesitis non gaudet tertius haeres.
"The third generation shall not possess the goods that have been unjustly acquired."
A good [man] leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the (k) wealth of the sinner [is] laid up for the just.
(k) Read (Job 27:16-17).
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children,.... He not only has a sufficiency for the present support of himself and family; but is so prospered and succeeded, as to leave an inheritance after him; and which is continued to and enjoyed, not only by his immediate offspring, but theirs also; for being got honestly, it wears well; see Proverbs 13:11;
and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just; the riches which wicked men get are laid up in the purposes of God for good men; and in his providence they are translated from the one to the other: so the riches of the Egyptians were designed for the Israelites, and by the providence of God were put into their hands; see Job 27:16.
The servant of God who is not anxious about riches, takes the best method of providing for his children.
wealth . . . just--While good men's estates remain in their families, God so orders that the gains of sinners enure to the just (compare Proverbs 28:8; Psalm 37:18, Psalm 37:22, Psalm 37:26, &c.).
22 The good man leaveth behind him for his children's children,
And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
As a commencing word, טוב signifies in the Mishle for the most part bonum (prae); but here, as at Proverbs 12:2, cf. Proverbs 22:9; Proverbs 14:4, it signifies bonus. As the expression that God is טוב (Psalm 25:8, etc.) of the O.T. is equivalent to the N.T. that He is ἀγάπη, so that man who in his relation to others is determined by unselfish love is טוב for the good man [der Gtige], i.e., the man who is willing to communicate all good is truly good, because the essence of צדקה, righteousness of life, is love. Such an one suffers no loss by his liberality, but, according to the law, Proverbs 11:25, by which a dispenser of blessings is at the same time also a recipient of blessings, he has only gain, so that he makes his children's children to inherit, i.e., leaves behind him an inheritance extending even to his grandchildren (vid., regarding הנחיל, p. 182; here trans. as containing its object in itself, as at Deuteronomy 32:8 : to make to inherit, to place in possession of an inheritance). The sinner, on the contrary (חוטא sing. to חטּאים, ἁμαρτωλοί), loses his wealth, it is already destined to pass over to the righteous who is worthy of it, and makes use (cf. Job 27:17) of that which he possesses in accordance with the will and appointment of God - a revelation of justice appertaining to time, the exceptions to which the old limited doctrine of requital takes no notice of. חיל, strength, then like our "Vermgen" (cf. opes, facultates), that by means of which one is placed in circumstances to accomplish much (Fl.); cf. regarding the fundamental idea contorquere, compingere, p. 226, also regarding צפן, properly condensare, then condere, p. 61.
*More commentary available at chapter level.