Proverbs 25:26

“A righteous man falling dozen before the wicked, etc.] Either falling into calamity and distress by means of the wicked man, through his malice and cunning, and which be seeing, rejoices at; or crouching unto him, bowing before him, yielding to him, not daring to oppose or reprove him; or falling into sin in his presence, which he ever after reproaches him for, and openly exposes him, so that his usefulness is lost; and especially if he joins with the wicked man in his course of living; and particularly if a civil magistrate, and acts unrighteously in his office: he [is as] a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring; like a spring or fountain muddied with the feet of men or beasts; so that;…”

“From troubled fountains and corrupt springs no healthy water is to be had, so when the righteous are oppressed by the wicked, their power for good is lessened or destroyed.”

“Falling down before - i. e., Yielding and cringing. To see this instead of stedfastness, is as grievous as for the traveler to find the spring at which he hoped to quench his thirst turbid and defiled. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Falling - When righteous men are oppressed by the wicked, the state of that common - wealth is as deplorable, as if the publick fountains were corrupted. Proverbs 25:27”

“25:26 A spring or fountain that yields fresh water gives life. When godly people allow the wicked to dominate them, what was life-giving becomes deadly.”

“Gen 4:8; Sa1 22:14-18; Ch2 24:21, Ch2 24:22; Mat 23:34-37, Mat 26:69-74; Act 7:52; Th1 2:15; Rev 17:6 Proverbs 25:27”

“26 A troubled fountain and a ruined spring - A righteous man yielding to a godless man. For the most part, in מט one thinks of a yielding in consequence of being forced. Thus e.g., Fleischer: as a troubled ruined spring is a misfortune for the people who drink out of it, or draw from it, so is it a misfortune for the surrounding of the righteous, when he is driven from his dwelling or his possession by an unrighteous man. And it is true: the righteous can be compared to a well (מעין, well-spring, from עין, a well, as an eye of the earth, and מקור, fountain, from קוּר, R. קר, כר, to round out, to dig out), with reference to the blessing which flows from it to its surroundings (cf. Pro 10:11…”