Proverbs 24:11 kjv
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
Proverbs 24:11 nkjv
Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
Proverbs 24:11 niv
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
Proverbs 24:11 esv
Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
Proverbs 24:11 nlt
Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
save them as they stagger to their death.
Proverbs 24 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 82:4 | "Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." | Direct command to deliver the vulnerable. |
| Isa 58:6-7 | "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness..." | True worship involves actively helping the oppressed. |
| Lev 19:16 | "You shall not stand by when the blood of your neighbor is shed." | Prohibition against passive witnessing to injustice. |
| Job 29:17 | "I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey." | Job's active intervention for the helpless. |
| Jam 1:27 | "Pure and undefiled religion before God, the Father, is this: to visit..." | Practical love for the vulnerable (orphans, widows). |
| 1 Jn 3:16 | "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought..." | Self-sacrificial love for brothers. |
| Luk 10:30-37 | Parable of the Good Samaritan. | Exemplifies active compassion for a stranger. |
| Eze 33:6 | "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet..." | Accountability for failing to warn or act. |
| Jam 4:17 | "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." | Sin of omission: not doing known good. |
| Rom 13:7 | "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed..." | Broader principle of fulfilling obligations. |
| Psa 72:12-14 | "For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no..." | God as the ultimate deliverer and rescuer. |
| Psa 34:17-19 | "The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all..." | God's deliverance in times of trouble. |
| Col 1:13 | "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us..." | God's spiritual rescue from spiritual death. |
| 1 Thess 1:10 | "and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead..." | Jesus delivers from God's wrath. |
| Prov 31:8-9 | "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute." | Command to speak and defend the voiceless. |
| Prov 3:27-28 | "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your..." | Do not delay doing good when able. |
| Deut 22:8 | "When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof..." | Principle of preventing harm and protecting life. |
| Matt 25:40 | "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my..." | Serving the vulnerable is serving Christ. |
| Gal 6:10 | "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone..." | Broad command to do good, especially to fellow believers. |
| Prov 11:25 | "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be..." | Benevolence leads to blessing. |
| Jer 22:3 | "Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand..." | Prophetic call for rulers to execute justice. |
| Prov 24:12 | "If you say, 'Behold, we did not know this!' Does not he who weighs..." | Removes excuse for ignorance; God knows the heart. |
Proverbs 24 verses
Proverbs 24 11 Meaning
Proverbs 24:11 issues a strong command for individuals to actively intervene and protect the innocent and vulnerable from certain harm or death. It urges decisive action to save those being led to destruction, emphasizing a moral imperative not to remain passive in the face of grave danger to others. It calls for the prevention of evil and the rescue of victims, reflecting a core biblical principle of defending life and seeking justice.
Proverbs 24 11 Context
Proverbs 24 is a collection of wisdom sayings covering a range of moral instructions, often contrasting the ways of the righteous and the wicked. The chapter begins by cautioning against envying evil men (v. 1-2) and extols the virtues of wisdom for building and establishing a life (v. 3-7). Verse 10, immediately preceding verse 11, warns against faltering in times of trouble, implying the necessity of resilience and courage. This sets the stage for the active and potentially challenging command of verse 11 to intervene for the imperiled. The verse directly links to verse 12, which condemns feigned ignorance, stating that God sees and judges hearts and will repay according to one's deeds, underscoring the moral accountability for one's actions or inactions. Historically, this proverb likely addressed a context where the innocent or weak could be unjustly condemned, victims of violence, or judicial corruption.
Proverbs 24 11 Word analysis
- Rescue: (Heb. הַצֵּל, Hatzel from root נצל, Natzal). This term signifies "to deliver," "to snatch away," "to set free," or "to preserve." It implies an urgent, active, and potentially forceful intervention. This is not merely passive sympathy but a command to physically extract someone from danger, often requiring courage and effort. It is frequently used for divine deliverance.
- those who are being led away to death: (Heb. לֻקָּחִים לַמָּוֶת, Leqachīm lamavet).
- Leqachīm: Qal Passive Participle plural of Laqah (לקח), meaning "to take," "to receive," or "to lead away." It describes individuals who are passive victims, being forcibly escorted or destined for lethal ends, highlighting their helplessness.
- Lamavet: "to death" or "unto death." This emphasizes the extreme danger and the finality of their predicament. This could be literal execution, human sacrifice, or imminent murder.
- hold back: (Heb. חֲשׂוֹךְ, Chasōk from root חשך, Chasach). This means "to restrain," "to withhold," "to spare," or "to prevent." It is a parallel command to "rescue," focusing on prevention as much as direct intervention. It suggests blocking or impeding the pathway to destruction.
- those who are staggering to the slaughter: (Heb. מוּעָדִים לַהֶרֶג, Ma‘adīm lahāreg).
- Ma‘adīm: Hiphil Participle plural of Ma’ad (מעד), "to stumble," "to totter," "to falter." The Hiphil form suggests they are made to stumble or appointed for this purpose. The imagery evokes a lack of resistance, helplessness, or even being in a dazed or weak state, like an animal being led without comprehension.
- Lahāreg: "to the slaughter" or "to be slain." This term (hereg) typically refers to the killing of animals for food, or indiscriminant, brutal slaughter, not necessarily a formal execution. It underscores the victim's powerlessness and the cruelty of the impending act.
- Words-Group Analysis:
- "Rescue those who are being led away to death; hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter": The parallelism of these two phrases reinforces the intensity and breadth of the command. "Led away to death" might imply a more deliberate, organized movement (like judicial sentencing), while "staggering to the slaughter" suggests a more helpless, perhaps spontaneous, victimhood. Both phrases call for immediate and vigorous action to preserve life, highlighting the responsibility to intervene on behalf of the weakest members of society, whether they are facing a formal execution or arbitrary violence.
Proverbs 24 11 Bonus section
The ethical command in Proverbs 24:11 extends beyond merely physical threats. While the immediate context points to literal life-or-death situations, Christian theology broadens this principle to spiritual and moral peril. For example, rescuing someone from spiritual death through the Gospel (as Jesus does, Col 1:13), or restraining others from destructive sin through loving correction, can be seen as applications of this proverbs' principle. It aligns with the prophetic calls throughout Scripture for social justice and advocacy for the voiceless. The command presupposes a situation where intervention is possible and within one's power or influence, requiring wisdom to discern when and how to act effectively. It implies that one's inaction in the face of known and preventable harm is not morally neutral, but incurs culpability before God.
Proverbs 24 11 Commentary
Proverbs 24:11 is a divine command that demands active righteousness from believers. It is a powerful rebuke to apathy, passivity, and moral cowardice when faced with grave injustice or danger to life. The imagery of those "led away to death" and "staggering to the slaughter" evokes the utmost vulnerability, such as victims of judicial perversion, violent oppression, or a mob. The proverb doesn't qualify the danger or the victim's worthiness; the simple fact of impending death creates a moral obligation. This imperative transcends mere personal ethics, pointing to a community responsibility to protect life and uphold justice, challenging the bystander effect. It implies that true strength (v.10) is demonstrated not just in enduring hardship but in having the courage to confront evil on behalf of others. The verse, especially when read with v.12, reveals that inaction stemming from feigned ignorance is no excuse before God, who knows the secrets of the heart and renders according to one's deeds. This is a call to concrete, potentially difficult, acts of love and justice, demonstrating active faith that prioritizes life.