Proverbs 17:23 (GNV)

Passage

A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of iudgement.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:21 He that begetteth a foole, getteth himselfe sorow, and the father of a foole can haue no ioy.

Proverbs 17:22 A ioyfull heart causeth good health: but a sorowfull minde dryeth the bones.

Proverbs 17:23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of iudgement.

Proverbs 17:24 Wisdome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding: but the eyes of a foole are in the corners of the world.

Proverbs 17:25 A foolish sonne is a griefe vnto his father, and a heauines to her that bare him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wicked", "taketh", "gift", "bosome", "wrest", "wayes", and "iudgement". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wicked" and "taketh", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "A ioyfull heart causeth good health but..." into verse 24's "Wisdome is in the face of him...", so "wicked" and "taketh" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "wicked" and "taketh" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.