12:7

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

7a
The wicked are overthrown and perish,

7b but the house of the righteous will stand.

12:7a

The wicked are overthrown and perish: The meaning of this line is that wicked people will be completely destroyed and will cease to exist. The word overthrown can also mean “overturned” or “destroyed.” It implies that this destruction is sudden or unexpected. In connection with the following phrase and perish, it clearly refers to death.

are overthrown: This is a passive verb. The proverb does not specify who overthrows the wicked or how they are overthrown. They may be destroyed by a natural disaster, by other people, or by the LORD. In some languages, it may not be natural to use a passive verb here. Some other ways to translate this line are:

• Use an active verb. For example:

The wicked experience disaster and disappear

• Use an active verb and supply the LORD as the subject. For example:

⌊The LORD⌋ destroys people who are wicked. They die and cease to exist.

and perish: The Hebrew expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and perish is literally “and they are not.” Because of the contrast with the “house of the righteous” in 12:7b, some English versions understand this to mean that “the wicked” perish with their entire families. For example:

and leave no descendants (Good News Translation)
-or-
—no one is left! (The Voice)

However, it is probably better in 12:7a to refer to the fate of the wicked themselves rather than that of their descendants.

12:7b

the house of the righteous: In Hebrew, the word house can refer to a person’s home, his family, and his descendants. Here it probably includes the literal house and property of the righteous person as well as his family. (See the note on 3:33a–b. That note discusses the literal and figurative meanings of house.)

In some languages, it may be awkward to include both the ideas of a literal house and the family that lives in it. If that is true in your language, it is recommended that you use an expression such as “family” or “household.” For example:

the families of the righteous (Good News Translation)

will stand: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will stand indicates here that the house and family of the righteous person will continue to survive. They will not be destroyed in the storms of life. Another way to translate this idea is:

the families of the righteous live on (Good News Translation)
-or-
a good person’s family continues (New Century Version)

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