The Triumph Of Righteousness And The Sad End Of Unrighteousness (Proverbs 11:4-8).
These next five verses lay great emphasis on the advantages of righteousness (obedience to YHWH's requirements). Righteousness delivers from death and judgment (Proverbs 11:4), it directs men in the right way (Proverbs 11:5), and it delivers them out of trouble (Proverbs 11:6). In contrast the unrighteous face the day of wrath (Proverbs 11:4), will fall by their own evildoing (Proverbs 11:5), will be taken captive by covetousness (Proverbs 11:6), and will discover that their expectations are groundless (Proverbs 11:7) They will experience the day of trouble.
The subsection is closely connected with the previous one (note the upright in 3a, 6a, and the treacherous in 3b, 6b), and focuses on being ‘delivered, snatched away' (natsal) from death (4b, 6b). It is also connected with the following subsection by reference to ‘deliverance' (chalats) in Proverbs 11:8 a, Proverbs 11:9 b.
The subsection can be presented chiastically:
A Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death (Proverbs 11:4)
B The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness (Proverbs 11:5).
B The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the treacherous will be captured by covetousness (Proverbs 11:6).
A When a wicked man dies, his expectation perish, and the expectation arising from strength perishes (Proverbs 11:7).
Note that in A the righteous man is delivered from death, but riches do not profit in the day of wrath, whilst in the parallel the expectation of the unrighteous proves useless and perishes. In B the righteousness of the blameless will direct his way, whilst the unrighteous will fall as a result of their own evildoing, whilst in the parallel the righteousness of the upright will deliver them, whilst the treacherous will be enslaved by covetousness and will take the place of the righteous, presumably in death.
‘Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But righteousness delivers from death.'
This verse puts Proverbs 10:15 into perspective. ‘Riches do not profit in the day of wrath.' It is thus not the wealth of the wise man which is his fortress city, it is his righteousness. It is the fact that he walks in accordance with God's wisdom. In Proverbs 10:15 his wealth was simply a sign that he had so responded to God's wisdom.
It will be noted that the riches mentioned here are more general. They apply both to the unrighteous (Proverbs 1:13 where they are hoped for riches; Proverbs 6:31) and the righteous (Proverbs 8:18). Such riches are of no profit to anyone on the day of wrath, the day when troubles come on men from YHWH as illustrated in Proverbs 1:26-31; Proverbs 2:22; Proverbs 3:25; Proverbs 6:15; Proverbs 7:22-23; Proverbs 7:26-27; Proverbs 8:36 b; personalised in Proverbs 6:34. In that day wealth will be of no value. Men's expectations will die with them (Proverbs 11:7). The only thing that will matter in that day will be the protection of YHWH. For the assumption is being made that YHWH will watch over the righteous and deliver them from death.
Solomon thus puts riches into perspective. There are the riches which abound to the righteous because they walk wisely with God, which are a by-product of their righteousness, and there are the riches which are obtained by wresting them from others (Proverbs 1:11-19) or by using false balances (Proverbs 11:1). In the latter case they are their main aim in life, not simply a by-product of living wisely. But in neither case will those riches benefit them in the day of wrath. God will then look at their hearts and see if they have walked with Him. It was this paradox that caused the disciples such problems in the case of the rich young ruler (Mark 10:23-31).
‘The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way,
But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.'
The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the treacherous will be captured by covetousness.'
These two parallel verses describe the two different kinds of people who will face the day of wrath, and explains why each will be treated in the way they are. The blameless and upright will be guided by their righteousness in the right way and will be delivered, not by their riches, but by the One Who upholds the righteous. In contrast the evildoer (wicked) and the treacherous will fall as a result of their own evildoing. They have nothing by which to direct their way and find themselves stumbling and falling in the by-paths in which they find themselves (compare Proverbs 7:26; Proverbs 3:23; Proverbs 4:12; Proverbs 4:19; Proverbs 2:13-15). Furthermore they will be taken captive as a consequence of their own greed and covetousness (compare Proverbs 1:11-19; Proverbs 11:1). Their greed has taken them over, and they will have brought the wrath upon themselves.
‘When a wicked man dies, his expectation perish,
And the expectation arising from strength perishes.'
The unrighteous (‘wicked') man is now brought into the foreground. He lives in expectation of good things, and especially so if he is strong and wealthy, but he will die and his expectations will perish, whatever prompts them. In that day all his vaunted strength will be of no avail. His riches will do him no good (Proverbs 11:4).