If thou forbear to deliver [them that are] drawn unto
death,
&c.] Or "taken for or unto death" F8, in a
violent way; who are taken by thieves and robbers, and used in a
barbarous manner, as the man in the parable, whom the priest and
Levite took no notice of, and was helped by the good Samaritan;
or who are unjustly sentenced and appointed to death by the civil
magistrate; if any know their innocency, it becomes them to do
all they can to save their lives, by bearing a testimony for
them; for "a true witness delivereth souls", ( Proverbs
14:25 ) ; or by interceding for them, and giving counsel and
advice concerning them, or by any lawful way they can; as Reuben
delivered Joseph, Jonathan interceded for David, and Ahikam and
Ebedmelech for Jeremiah. Life is valuable, and all means should
be taken to save it, and to prevent the shedding of innocent
blood; and a man should not forbear or spare any cost, or pains,
or time, to such service: likewise such as are drawn into snares
and temptations, into immorality or heresy, which tend to the
ruin of the souls of men, and bring them to eternal death; all
proper, methods should be taken to restore such persons, to
recover them out of the snare of the devil, which is saving souls
from death, and covering a multitude of sins; see ( 2 Timothy
2:25 2 Timothy
2:26 ) ( James 5:19 James 5:20 ) ; and
[those that are] ready to be slain;
or F9 "bending to slaughter"; are within a
little of being executed, or put to death, upon a false
accusation; for about others that suffer righteously there need
not be that concern here pressed, or whose works and ways incline
to destruction and lead to it, of which they seem not very far
off.