Proverbs 24:11-21

11 If [from] delivering those taken to death, And those slipping to the slaughter -- thou keepest back.

12 When thou sayest, `Lo, we knew not this.' Is not the Ponderer of hearts He who understandeth? And the Keeper of thy soul He who knoweth? And He hath rendered to man according to his work.

13 Eat my son, honey that [is] good, And the honeycomb -- sweet to thy palate.

14 So [is] the knowledge of wisdom to thy soul, If thou hast found that there is a posterity And thy hope is not cut off.

15 Lay not wait, O wicked one, At the habitation of the righteous. Do not spoil his resting-place.

16 For seven [times] doth the righteous fall and rise, And the wicked stumble in evil.

17 In the falling of thine enemy rejoice not, And in his stumbling let not thy heart be joyful,

18 Lest Jehovah see, and [it be] evil in His eyes, And He hath turned from off him His anger.

19 Fret not thyself at evil doers, Be not envious at the wicked,

20 For there is not a posterity to the evil, The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

21 Fear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,

Proverbs 24:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 12

This chapter relates Rehoboam's going to Shechem to be made king, and Jeroboam's return from Egypt, 1Ki 12:1,2, the people's request to Rehoboam to be eased of their taxes, as the condition of making him king, 1Ki 12:3,4, his answer to them, after three days, having had the advice both of the old and young men, which latter he followed, and gave in a rough answer, 1Ki 12:5-15, upon which ten tribes revolted from him, and two abode by him, 1Ki 12:16-20, wherefore he meditated a war against the ten tribes, but was forbid by the Lord to engage in it, 1Ki 12:21-24 and Jeroboam, in order to establish his kingdom, and preserve the people from a revolt to the house of David, because of the temple worship at Jerusalem, devised a scheme of idolatrous worship in his own territories, 1Ki 12:25-33.