John Trapp on Proverbs 28:2

Verſ. 2. For the tranſgreſſion of a land, many are the Princes] Either many at once, or many ejecting and ſucceeding one another, to the great calamity and utter undoing of the People; as may be ſeen in the books of Judges and Kings, as in the Roman ſtate after Nero's death, by the ſucceſſion of Galba, Otho, and Vitellius. What a deal of trouble was here in the time of the Heptarchy? and in the diſſenſions of the two houſes of York and Lancaſter? cauſing the death of twice as many natives of England, Daniels hiſt. 249. as were loſt in the two conqueſts of France: beſides 80 Princes of the blood royal ſlain. And all this is ſaid to be for the tranſgreſſion of a land, thus chaſtiſed by the LORD. Elihu tells Job, that the hypocrite is ſet to reign for the peoples ſin, Job. 34. and Levit. 26. it is threatned as an heavy curſe: If yee ſtill treſpaſs againſt mee, I will ſet Princes over you that ſhall hate you; miſchievous, odious Princes, odious to God, malignant to the People. And Iſa. 3.4. I will give children to be their Princes, and babes ſhall rule over them. How many Kings had the ten Tribes after their defection from the houſe of David, and not one good one amongſt them all? And what got moſt of the Roman Ceſars by their haſty honours, niſi ut citius interficorentur (ſaith one) but to be ſlain the ſooner? Very few of them till Conſtantine, but died unnatural deaths. If ye do wickedly, ye ſhall periſh, both you and your King, 1 Sam. 12.25.

But by a man of underſtanding and knowledge] As one ſinner may deſtroy much good, Eccleſ. 9.18. ſo one excellently wiſe man (called here a man of underſtanding knowledge, there is no copulative in the Original) the ſtate may be prolonged, there may be a lengthening of its tranquillity, it may be delivered by the pureneſs of thine hands, Job 22.30. See 2 Sam. 20.16. &c. Eccleſ. 9.13. &c. Jer. 5.1. Religious and prudent Princes eſpecially, may do much in this caſe, 2 King. 22.20.