Proverbs 17:15

“He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, etc.] That absolves and clears the guilty, and pronounces him righteous in open court, where he stands arraigned, accused, and the fact proved; and that adjudges an innocent man to condemnation; or passes the sentence of it upon him, when it is a clear case he is not guilty; even they both [are] abomination to the Lord: being contrary to law and justice, to the declared will of God, and the orders and instructions given by him to judges, (<052501>Deuteronomy 25:1); such an abominable action were the Jews guilty of in desiring Barabbas, a wicked man, to be released, and Christ, the just One, to be condemned; and Pilate in…”

“abomination . . . Lord--as reversing His method of acting (Pro 3:32; Pro 12:2).”

“People need to be warned against an unjust acquittal, no less than against unjust condemnation. The word “justifieth” has its forensic sense, “to declare righteous,” to acquit. return to 'Top of Page'”

“that justifieth: Pro 24:23, Pro 24:24; Exo 23:7; Kg1 21:13; Isa 5:23, Isa 55:8, Isa 55:9; Eze 22:27-29; Amo 5:7, Amo 5:12, Amo 6:12; Luk 23:18-25; Rom 4:5; Jam 5:6 abomination: Pro 6:16, Pro 11:1, Pro 15:8 Proverbs 17:16”

“15 He that acquitteth the guilty and condemneth the righteous - An abomination to Jahve are they both. The proverb is against the partisan judge who is open to bribery, like Pro 24:24, cf. Isa 5:23, where, with reference to such, the announcement of punishment is emphatically made. רשׁע and צדּיק, in a forensic sense, are equivalent to sons (reus) and insons. גּם (cf. the Arab. jmy'na, altogether, but particularly the Pers. ham and the Turkish dkhy standing wholly thus in the numeral) is here, as at Gen 27:45, equivalent to יחדּיו, Jer 46:12 (in its unions = united). Whoever pronounces sentence of justification on the guilty, appears as if he must be judged more mildly than he who condemns…”