Proverbs 1:11

11 If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares for the innocent without cause:

Proverbs 1:11 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 1:11

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" F18; 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" F19 as to themselves; and "with impunity" F20, as they promise themselves and one another; all which senses the word used will bear.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 (hnpun) "abscondamus", Michaelis.
F18 "Abscondamus nos", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "abscondamus nosmetipsos", Baynus.
F19 (Mnx) "gratis", Pagninus, Montanus, Michaelis, Schultens.
F20 "Impune", Junius & Tremellius, Amama.

Proverbs 1:11 In-Context

9 That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them.
11 If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares for the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth down into the pit.
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoils.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.