6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people. And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage. Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Proverbs 12
Commentary on Proverbs 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
Pro 12:1
We are here taught to try whether we have grace or no by enquiring how we stand affected to the means of grace.
Pro 12:2
Note,
Pro 12:3
Note,
Pro 12:4
Note,
Pro 12:5
Note,
Pro 12:6
In the foregoing verse the thoughts of the wicked and righteous were compared; here their words, and those are as the abundance of the heart is.
Pro 12:7
We are here taught as before (v. 3 and ch. 10:25, 30),
Pro 12:8
We are here told whence to expect a good name. Reputation is what most have a high regard to and stand much upon. Now it is certain,
Pro 12:9
Note,
Pro 12:10
See here,
Pro 12:11
Note,
Pro 12:12
See here,
Pro 12:13
See here,
Pro 12:14
We are here assured, for our quickening to every good word and work,
Pro 12:15
See here,
Pro 12:16
Note,
Pro 12:17
Here is,
Pro 12:18
The tongue is death or life, poison or medicine, as it is used.
Pro 12:19
Be it observed, to the honour of truth, that sacred thing,
Pro 12:20
Note,
Pro 12:21
Note,
Pro 12:22
We are here taught,
Pro 12:23
Note,
Pro 12:24
Note,
Pro 12:25
Here is,
Pro 12:26
See here,
Pro 12:27
Here is,
Pro 12:28
The way of religion is here recommended to us,