Proverbs 17:26 (WEB)

Passage

Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.

Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.

Proverbs 17:26 Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.

Proverbs 17:27 He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.

Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "punish", "righteous", "good", "flog", "officials", and "integrity". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "punish" and "righteous", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 25's "A foolish son brings grief to his..." into verse 27's "He who spares his words has knowledge...", so "punish" and "righteous" 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 "punish" and "righteous" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.