A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them.
See here, 1. What is the business of magistrates. They are to be a terror to evil-doers. They must scatter the wicked, who are linked in confederacies to assist and embolden one another in doing mischief; and there is no doing this but by bringing the wheel over them, that is, putting the laws in execution against them, crushing their power and quashing their projects.
A wise king scattereth the wicked,.... Or "fans them away" (i); separates them from his good counsellors, courtiers, and subjects; scatters them from his presence and court, and breaks their counsels and confederacies one with another; he discovers, discountenances, and discourages them; See Gill on Pro 20:8; and bringeth the wheel over them; alluding to the custom of the eastern nations turning a cart wheel...
(Compare Pro 20:8). bringeth . . . over them--The wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity (compare Amo 1:3).