Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 1:11
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
11. for blood ] The shameless form of the proposal shows at once the insecurity and the low moral tone of society. The language is too strong and vivid to admit of a figurative interpretation: Let us rob them violently of their bread which is their life. Compare
“The bread of the needy is the life of the poor:
He that depriveth him thereof is a man of blood.”
Sir 34:21 .
without cause ] So A.V. and R.V., i.e. though (the reflection being that of the author, not of the speaker) he has done them no harm, given them no cause to injure him. So LXX. . Others, less probably, take the adverb with the word “innocent”: for them who are innocent in vain (who serve God for nought, Job 1:9, where the Heb. word is the same as here), because, as we will soon shew, his innocency will profit him nothing. “Contra insontem frustra,” Vulg. “Pio nullum pietatis prmium habituro,” Maur.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The temptation against which the teacher seeks to guard his disciple is that of joining a band of highway robbers. The vain men who gathered around Jephthah Jdg 11:3, the lawless or discontented who came to David in Adullam 1Sa 22:2, the bands of robbers who infested every part of the country in the period of the New Testament, and against whom every Roman governor had to wage incessant war, show how deeply rooted the evil was in Palestine. Compare the Psa 10:7, note; Psa 10:10 note.
Without cause – Better, in vain; most modern commentators join the words with innocent, and interpret them after Job 1:9. The evil-doers deride their victims as being righteous in vain. They get nothing by it. It does them no good.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. If they say, Come with us] From all accounts, this is precisely the way in which the workers of iniquity form their partisans, and constitute their marauding societies to the present day.
Let us lay wait for blood] Let us rob and murder.
Let us lurk privily] Let us lie in ambush for our prey.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Come with us; we are numerous, and strong, and sociable.
Let us lay wait for blood; to shed blood. He expresseth not their words, which would rather affright than inveigle a young novice; but the true nature and consequence of the action, and what lies at the bottom of their specious pretences.
Lurk privily; so we shall neither be prevented before, nor discovered and punished afterward.
The innocent; harmless travellers, who are more careless and secure, and unprovided for opposition, than such villains as themselves.
Without cause; though they have not provoked us, nor deserved this usage from us. This Solomon adds to discover their malignity and baseness, and so deter the young man from association with them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11-14. Murder and robbery aregiven as specific illustrations.
lay wait . . . lurkprivilyexpress an effort and hope for successful concealment.
swallow . . . graveutterlydestroy the victim and traces of the crime (Num 16:33;Psa 55:15). Abundant rewards ofvillainy are promised as the fruits of this easy and safe course.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
If they say, come with us,…. Leave your father’s house, and the business of life in which you are; make one of us, and become a member of our society, and go along with us upon the highway;
let us lay wait for blood; lie in ambush under some hedge or another, waiting till a rich traveller comes up and passes that way, and then rise and shed his blood in order to get his money; and the same word signifies both “blood” and “money”, and wait is laid for one for the sake of the other;
let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause; or “let us hide” q, the Vulgate Latin version adds “snares”; so Vatablus and others, as the fowler does for birds; or “let us hide ourselves” r; in some private place, waiting “for the innocent”, the harmless traveller, who has done no injury to any man’s person or property; thinks himself safe, and is not aware of any design upon him; going about his lawful business, and having done nothing to provoke such miscreants to attempt his life or take away his property: and which they do “without cause” as to him; “freely” s as to themselves; and “with impunity” t, as they promise themselves and one another; all which senses the word used will bear.
q “abscondamus”, Michaelis. r “Abscondamus nos”, Pagninus, Montanus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “abscondamus nosmetipsos”, Baynus. s “gratis”, Pagninus, Montanus, Michaelis, Schultens. t “Impune”, Junius & Tremellius, Amama.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of the number of wicked men who gain associates to their palliation and strengthening, they are adduced as an example whom covetousness leads to murder.
11 If they say, “Go with us, we will lurk for blood,
Lie in wait for the innocent without cause;
12 Like the pit we will swallow them alive
And in perfect soundness like them that go down to the grave.
13 We find all manner of precious treasure,
Fill our houses with spoil.
14 Thou shalt cast thy lot amongst us,
We all have only one purse.”
Pro 1:11 The verb signifies nectere , to bind fast (from , close, compact), (see under Isa 25:11), and particularly (but so that it bears in itself its object without ellipse) insidias nectere = insidiari . Regarding Fleischer remarks: “Either elliptically for (Jewish interp.), or, as the parallelism and the usage of the language of this book rather recommend, per synecd. for: for a man, with particular reference to his blood to be poured out (cf. our saying ‘ ein junges Blut ,’ a young blood = a youth, with the underlying conception of the blood giving colour to the body as shining through it, or giving to it life and strength), as Psa 94:21.” As in post-biblical Heb. (or inverted, , Heb 2:14), used of men as such, is not so used in the O.T., yet , like , is sometimes used synecdochically for the person, but never with reference to the blood as an essentially constituent part of corporealness, but always with reference to violent putting to death, which separates the blood from the body (cf. my System der bibl. Psychologie, p. 242). Here is explained by , with which it is interchanged, Mic 7:2: let us lurk for blood (to be poured out). The verb is never, like (to conceal), connected with , , , , – thus none of these words is here to be supplied; the idea of gaining over one expressed in the organic root (whence , diducendo obducere ) has passed over into that of restraining oneself, watching, lurking, hence (cog. Aram. ) in the sense of speculari, insidiari , interchanges with (to spy), (cf. Psa 10:8; Psa 56:7 with Psa 37:32). The adv. (an old accus. from ) properly means in a gracious manner, as a free gift ( , gratis = gratiis ), and accordingly, without reward, also without cause, which frequently = without guilt; but it never signifies sine effectu qui noceat , i.e., with impunity (Lwenst.). We have thus either to connect together “innocent in vain” (as , my enemies without a cause, Lam 3:52): his innocence helps him nothing whom God protects not against us notwithstanding his innocence (Schultens, Bertheau, Elster, and others); or connect with the verb (lie in wait for), for which Hitzig, after the lxx, Syr., Rashi,
(Note: Rashi, i.e., Rabbi Salomo Isaaki, of Troyes, died a.d. 1105. Ralbag, i.e., Rabbi Levi ben Gershon, usually referred to by Christian writers as Master Leo de Bannolis, or Gersonides, a native of Banolas near Gerona, died about 1342.)
Ralbag, Immanuel, rightly decides in view of 1Sa 19:5; 1Sa 25:31; cf. also Job 9:17, where the succession of the accents is the same ( Tarcha transmuted from Mugrash). Frequently there are combined together in his (cf. Isa 28:14.), that which the author thinks, and that which those whom he introduces as speaking think.
Pro 1:12 The first clause of this verse Hitzig translates: “as the pit (swallows) that which lives.” This is untenable, because with the force of a substantive (as instar , likeness) is regarded as a preposition, but not a conjunction (see at Psa 38:14.). (the living) is connected with , and is the accus. of the state ( hal , according to the terminology of the Arab. grammarians) in which they will, with impunity, swallow them up like the pit (the insatiable, Pro 27:20; Pro 30:16), namely, while these their sacrifices are in the state of life’s freshness,
(Note: Only in this sense is the existing accentuation of this verse (cf. the Targ.) to be justified.)
“the living,” – without doubt, like Psa 55:16; Psa 63:10; Psa 124:3, in fact and in expression an allusion to the fate of the company of Korah, Num 16:30, Num 16:33. If this is the meaning of , then as the parallel word means integros not in an ethical sense, in which it would be a synonym of of Pro 1:11 (cf. Pro 29:10 with Psa 19:14), but in a physical sense ( Graec. Venet. ; Parchon as Rashi, , vid., Bttcher, De Inferis, 293). This physical sense is claimed for , Job 21:23, for probably, Psa 73:4, and why should not , used in the law regarding sacrifices ( e.g., Exo 12:5, “without blemish”) of the faultlessness of the victim, also signify such an one (Isa 1:6)? In the midst of complete external health they will devour them like those that go down to the grave (cf. Psa 28:1; Psa 88:5, with Isa 14:19), i.e., like those under whose feet the earth is suddenly opened, so that, without leaving any trace behind, they sink into the grave and into Hades. The connection of the finite with the accus. of place, Psa 55:16, lies at the foundation of the genitive connection (with the tone thrown back): those that go down to the grave.
Pro 1:13-14 (Note: Here, in Pro 1:14, is to be written with Munach (not Metheg) in the second syllable; vid., Torath Emeth, p. 20. Accentuationssystem, vii. 2.)
To their invitation, bearing in itself its own condemnation, they add as a lure the splendid self-enriching treasures which in equal and just fellowship with them they may have the prospect of sharing. (from , levem , then facilem esse , tre ais, son aise ) means aisance , convenience, opulence, and concretely that by which life is made agreeable, thus money and possessions (Fleischer in Levy’s Chald. Wrterbuch, i. 423f.). With this with remarkable frequency in the Mishle (from , Arab. wakar , grave esse ) is connected in direct contrast, according to its primary signification; cf. Pro 12:27; Pro 24:4: heavy treasures which make life light. Yet it must not be maintained that, as Schultens has remarked, this oxymoron is intended, nor also that it is only consciously present in the language. has here its primitive appropriate signification of attaining, as Isa 10:14 of reaching. (from , to draw from, draw out, from , cf. , , Arab. salab , Comm. on Isa. p. 447) is that which is drawn away from the enemy, exuviae , and then the booty and spoil taken in war generally. , to fill with anything, make full, governs a double accusative, as the Kal (to become full of anything) governs only one. In Pro 1:14, the invitation shows how the prospect is to be realized. Interpreters have difficulty in conceiving what is here meant. Do not a share by lot and a common purse exclude one another? Will they truly, in the distribution of the booty by lot, have equal portions at length, equally much in their money-bags? Or is it meant that, apart from the portion of the booty which falls to every one by lot, they have a common purse which, when their business is ebbing, must supply the wants of the company, and on which the new companion can maintain himself beforehand? Or does it mean only that they will be as mutually helpful to one another, according to the principle ( amicorum omnia communia ), as if they had only one purse? The meaning is perfectly simple. The oneness of the purse consists in this, that the booty which each of them gets, belongs not wholly or chiefly to him, but to the whole together, and is disposed of by lot; so that, as far as possible, he who participated not at all in the affair in obtaining it, may yet draw the greatest prize. This view harmonizes the relation between 14b and 14a. The common Semitic is even used at the present day in Syria and elsewhere as the name of the Exchange (“ Brse ”) (plur. akjas ); here it is the purse (“ Kasse ”) ( , Procop.), which is made up of the profits of the business. This profit consists not merely in gold, but is here thought of in regard to its worth in gold. The apparent contradiction between distributing by lot and having a common purse disappears when the distribution by lot of the common property is so made, that the retaining of a stock-capital, or reserve fund, is not excluded.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(11) Without cause.To be taken with lurk. Though he has done us no harm.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. If they say The teacher here enlarges upon the subject of evil associations. He seems to have in his mind a marauding party, a band of plunderers and freebooters, who hesitate not to commit murder if needful to obtain booty. We are probably not to understand him as intending to quote the exact language of such cutthroats to a novice, but rather to present vividly to the mind of his pupil what is the real character of their operations, under whatever specious pretext they may be covered, such as patriotism, lawful war, opposition to unjust authority, punishment of public enemies, etc. Palestine has been from time immemorial infested with robbers and raiders Bedawin Arabs and others imitating their mode of life. His pupil must avoid the seductions which this nefarious kind of guerrilla warfare presented in consequence of the great wealth often suddenly acquired in it.
Without cause Without reason or justifiable cause, such as is supposed to exist when life is taken or property seized in regular warfare, or by legitimate authority “Him who in vain is innocent.” Miller. Compare Jdg 11:3; 1Sa 22:2.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 1:11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
Ver. 11. If they say. ] The dragon bites the elephant’s ear, and thence sucks his blood; because he knows that to be the only place that he cannot reach with his trunk to defend. So deal the red dragon and his angels: “with good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple” Rom 16:18 “With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.” Pro 7:21
Come with me.
a .
b .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
blood. Figure of speech Metalepsis (App-6), “blood” put for bloodshedding, and then bloodshedding put for the one whose blood was shed. See Isa 33:15.
the innocent = an innocent one (singular)
without cause. Compare Joh 15:25.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
let us lay: Pro 1:16, Pro 12:6, Pro 30:14, Psa 56:6, Psa 64:5, Psa 64:6, Jer 5:26, Mic 7:2, Act 23:15, Act 25:3
let us lurk: Pro 1:18, Psa 10:8-10, Psa 17:12, Psa 35:7, Jer 11:19, Jer 18:18-20, Mat 26:3, Mat 26:4, Joh 15:25
Reciprocal: Gen 11:3 – they said one to another Gen 37:20 – and let Gen 49:6 – come Exo 1:10 – Come on Exo 20:13 – General Exo 23:2 – follow Deu 27:25 – General Jdg 9:3 – spake Jdg 9:25 – General Jdg 9:32 – by night Jdg 9:48 – What ye Jdg 14:15 – Entice Job 31:31 – Oh Psa 71:10 – and they Psa 94:21 – gather Psa 119:110 – wicked Pro 6:17 – and hands Pro 13:2 – the soul Pro 13:20 – but Pro 24:1 – neither Pro 24:15 – Lay Pro 29:24 – partner Ecc 5:13 – riches Jer 5:27 – so are Eze 38:11 – go up Hos 6:9 – as troops Act 20:3 – the Jews
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for {k} blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
(k) He speaks not only of the shedding of blood with hand, but of all crafty practises which tend to the detriment of our neighbour.