Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 24:12

If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider [it]? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth [not] he know [it]? and shall [not] he render to [every] man according to his works?

12. knew it not ] Lit. knew not this ( thing, or man).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

As Pro 24:11 warned men against acquiescing in an unrighteous tyranny, so this denounces the tendency to hush up a wrong with the false plea of ignorance. Compare Ecc 5:8. Pro 24:10-12 thus forms a complete and connected whole.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

We knew it not; I was ignorant either of his innocency, or of his extreme danger, or of my power to relieve him.

Consider it; that this is only a frivolous excuse, and that the true reason of thy neglect was thy want of true love to thy brother, whose life thou wast by the law of God and of nature obliged to preserve, and thy sinful self-love, and a carnal fear of some mischief or trouble which might befall thee in the discharge of thy duty.

He that keepeth thy soul; God, who is the preserver of men, Job 7:20, who daily doth, and who only can, keep thee both in and from the greatest dangers. And this favour of God may be here mentioned, partly, as a strong obligation upon him to preserve him who is made after Gods image, and whom God hath commanded him to love and preserve; partly, as an encouragement to the performance of his duty herein from the consideration of Gods special care and watchfulness over those that do their duty; and partly, to intimate to them the danger of the neglect of this duty, whereby they will forfeit Gods protection over themselves, and expose themselves to manifold dangers and calamities. Or, as others render it, and as the Hebrew verb is frequently used, he that observeth thy soul, that seeth all the secret thoughts and inward motions of the heart; which exposition is favoured both by the following words, doth not he know it? which agrees better to Gods observing than to his preserving a mans soul; and by the former clause, to which this translation doth more exactly answer, the same thing being here repeated in other words, after the manner of these sacred writers.

Shall not he render to every man according to his works? God will certainly deal with thee as thou hast dealt with him, either rewarding thy performance of this duty, or punishing thy neglect of it.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not,…. The danger the person was in; or the innocency of his cause; or what method to take to deliver him; or that it was in our power to do anything for him; so the Vulgate Latin version, “if thou sayest, strength is not sufficient”: or “we knew him not” k, who he was or what he was; had no knowledge of him, or acquaintance with him, and so did not think ourselves under any obligation to regard his case; such excuses will not do;

doth not he that pondereth the heart consider [it]? he that searches the heart and tries it, and weighs every thought of it, and excuse it makes, considers and understands whether it is a mere excuse or not; though such excuses may appear plausible to men, yet to God that knows the heart they are of no avail; for he knows it to be a mere shift, and that it was unwillingness to help the distressed, and a neglect of their case; and that all that is said on their own behalf is a vain pretence;

and he that keepeth thy soul, doth [not] he know [it]? he that upholds it in life, and whose visitation preserves it, and therefore should be careful of the life of another; and if not, may justly fear the Lord will withdraw his care and preservation of them; he knows perfectly well what regard a man has to the welfare of another, or to the preservation of another man’s life when in danger; and whether what he says on his own behalf is well founded: or “he that observeth thy soul” l; all the inward motions of it, the thoughts, affections, purposes, and inclinations; he knows whether what is said is true or not;

and shall [not] he render to [every] man according to his works? and behave towards him according to the law of retaliation; the same measure he measures to others, he will measure to him again; and who having shown no mercy in saving the lives of others, when he could have done it, shall have judgment executed on him without mercy, when he is in distress.

k , , Sept. “non noverimus istum”, Gejerus; “non novimus hunc”, Pagninus, Montanus, Michaelis. l “et qui observat animam tuam”, Michaelis, Schultens; “observator animae tuae”, Tigurine version, Gejerus.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(12) If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not.Man being too much inclined to answer after the manner of Cain (Gen. 4:9), Am I my brothers keeper? when he might give aid to those who need it.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

v. 12. if thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, the one addressed trying to salve his conscience with a poor excuse, doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, familiar with the innermost thoughts of the mind, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works? The last is a direct statement: He will requite man according to his deeds, His retributive justice cannot be avoided by a profession of ignorance. cf Proverbs 31:8. 9.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Pro 24:12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider [it]? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth [not] he know [it]? and shall [not] he render to [every] man according to his works?

Ver. 12. If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, &c. ] As no wool is so coarse but will take some colour; so there is no sin so foul but will admit some excuse. Ignorance is commonly pleaded, – We know not this man’s case, the justice of his cause, the means of his rescue, &c. But “be not deceived, God is not mocked.” They that would mock him imposturum faciunt et patientur, defraud themselves, as the emperor said of him that sold glass for pearl. Deo obscura clarent, muta respondent, silentium confitetur. a God’s “eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men.” Psa 11:4 The former points out his knowledge, the latter his critical descant.

Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider? ] No man needs a window in his breast – as the heathen Momus wished – for God to look in at; for every man before God is all window, Job 34:22 and his “eyes are as a flaming fire,” Rev 1:14 that need no outward light, that see extra mittendo by sending out a ray, &c., that see through that transparent body, the world, called “a sea of glass.” Rev 4:6

a Isidor.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

knew it not = we knew not of it.

soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

doth not he that: Pro 5:21, Pro 21:2, 1Sa 16:7, Psa 7:9, Psa 17:3, Psa 44:21, Ecc 5:8, Jer 17:10, Rom 2:16, 1Co 4:5, Heb 4:12, Heb 4:13, Rev 2:18, Rev 2:23

that keepeth: 1Sa 2:6, 1Sa 25:29, Psa 66:9, Psa 121:3, Psa 121:8, Dan 5:23, Act 17:28, Rev 1:18

and shall: Job 34:11, Psa 62:12, Jer 32:19, Mat 16:27, Rom 2:6, 2Co 5:10, Rev 2:23, Rev 20:12-15, Rev 22:12

Reciprocal: Gen 14:14 – his brother Gen 42:21 – we saw Exo 1:17 – feared God Jos 10:9 – all night 1Sa 19:4 – spake good 1Sa 20:32 – Wherefore 1Sa 22:14 – And who 2Sa 13:32 – determined 1Ki 2:9 – hold him Job 29:12 – I delivered Job 31:34 – that I Job 33:26 – he will Psa 33:15 – considereth Psa 82:4 – Deliver Pro 16:2 – but Pro 31:8 – Open Ecc 3:7 – and a time to speak Jer 21:12 – deliver Jer 22:16 – judged Jer 38:9 – these Mat 24:39 – General Luk 10:31 – he passed Act 16:28 – cried Act 28:2 – showed

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge