Proverbs 24:15

15 Don't interfere with good people's lives; don't try to get the best of them.

Proverbs 24:15 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 24:15

Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the
righteous
The church of God, which is the righteous man's dwelling place, and where he desires and delights to dwell; or his own dwelling house; it may be rendered, "at the dwelling of the righteous" {p}; lay not wait at his door to observe who goes in and out, and what is done there; and to watch for his halting, and take notice of his infirmities, slips, and falls, and improve them to his disadvantage; and so the Vulgate Latin version, "and lay not wait and seek ungodliness in the house of the righteous"; or lay not wait there for him, as Saul set men to watch the house of David to kill him, ( 1 Samuel 19:11 ) ; or to take an opportunity and get into it and plunder it, as follows; spoil not his resting place:
by pulling it down, or stripping it of its furniture; by robbing him of the substance in it, and thus disturbing his rest, and destroying the place of it; or the place where he lies down as a sheep in its fold, or as the shepherd in his cottage, of which the words in the text are used; and so denote that as the righteous man is like a sheep, harmless and innocent, those that lay in wait for him and spoil him are no other than wolves.


FOOTNOTES:

F16 (hwnl) "habitaculo", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus; "habitationi", Michaelis; "mansioni", Cocceius, Schultens.

Proverbs 24:15 In-Context

13 Eat honey, dear child - it's good for you - and delicacies that melt in your mouth.
14 Likewise knowledge, and wisdom for your soul - Get that and your future's secured, your hope is on solid rock.
15 Don't interfere with good people's lives; don't try to get the best of them.
16 No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don't stay down long; Soon they're up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.
17 Don't laugh when your enemy falls; don't crow over his collapse.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.