Chapter Overview
Summary
Proverbs 24 closes the 'Sayings of the Wise' (22:17–24:22) and adds a short appendix (24:23–34) 'these also are sayings of the wise.' The LXX of Proverbs begins to diverge more significantly from MT starting here — the LXX re-orders sayings in chapters 24–31. Verse 12 ('he will repay each according to his deeds') → Romans 2:6, Revelation 2:23, 22:12 render-according-to-works tradition. Verse 21 ('fear the LORD and the king') → 1 Peter 2:17 exhortation.
Notable Variants
24:12 'he will render to man according to his work' → Rom 2:6, Matt 16:27, Rev 2:23, 22:12 retribution-tradition; 24:21 'fear the LORD and the king' → 1 Peter 2:17 ('fear God, honor the emperor'); 24:29 'I will repay him for what he has done' echoes Romans 12:19 ('vengeance is mine').
Structural Notes
MT Prov 24 = LXX Prov 24. 34 verses. The LXX-Vorlage begins re-ordering material relative to MT from this chapter forward.
Do not envy violent people, and do not desire to be among them,
'Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them' tracks MT.
for their hearts plan violence and their lips speak of causing harm.
'For their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble' tracks MT.
By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.
'By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established' tracks MT. WISDOM-BUILDS-HOUSE — parallel to Prov 9:1 (Wisdom's seven-pillared-house).
and by knowledge its rooms are filled with every kind of precious and pleasant wealth.
'By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches' tracks MT.
A wise person is powerful, and a person of knowledge increases strength.
'A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might' tracks MT.
For by wise strategy you wage your war, and victory comes through many advisors.
'For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory' tracks MT. // Prov 11:14, 15:22, 20:18.
Wisdom is beyond the fool's reach; at the city gate he cannot open his mouth.
'Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth' tracks MT.
Whoever schemes to do harm will be called a master of plots.
'Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer' tracks MT.
The scheming of folly is sin, and the scoffer is detestable to others.
'The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind' tracks MT.
If you collapse on the day of trouble, your strength is indeed small.
'If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small' tracks MT. ADVERSITY-REVEALS-STRENGTH.
Rescue those being dragged off to death; hold back those stumbling toward slaughter.
'Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter' tracks MT. RESCUE-DEATHWARD-BOUND — one of the strongest Proverbs verses on intervention-for-the-oppressed. Used-in-pro-life ethics and in-anti-trafficking advocacy.
If you say, 'But we did not know about this!' — does not He who weighs hearts perceive it? Does not He who guards your life know? And will He not repay each person according to what he has done?
'If you say: Behold, we did not know this — does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?' tracks MT. REPAY-ACCORDING-TO-WORK. Romans 2:6 ('He will render to each one according to his works' — apodōsei hekastō kata ta erga autou), Matthew 16:27, 2 Timothy 4:14, Revelation 2:23, 20:12, 22:12 — all deploy this judgment-by-works principle. Combined with Psalm 62:12, this verse supplies the NT's standard eschatological-judgment-vocabulary.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and drippings from the comb are sweet on your palate.
'My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste' tracks MT. HONEY-IS-GOOD — natural-sweetness endorsement.
Know that wisdom is the same for your soul. If you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
'Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off' tracks MT. HOPE-NOT-CUT-OFF // Prov 23:18.
Do not lie in ambush, wicked one, against the home of the righteous; do not ravage his resting place.
'Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home' tracks MT.
For the righteous person falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble into disaster.
'For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity' tracks MT. SEVEN-TIMES-FALL-AND-RISE. Classic-Christian-encouragement: the righteous-man's recovery-capacity.
When your enemy falls, do not rejoice; when he stumbles, do not let your heart celebrate,
'Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles' tracks MT. DO-NOT-REJOICE-OVER-ENEMIES — Matt 5:44's 'love your enemies' extends.
or the LORD will see and be displeased, and He may turn His anger away from your enemy.
'Lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him' tracks MT.
Do not be agitated by evildoers; do not envy the wicked.
'Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked' tracks MT.
For the evildoer has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
'For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out' tracks MT.
Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not associate with those who seek upheaval,
'My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise' tracks MT. FEAR-GOD-AND-KING — dual-authority ethics. 1 Peter 2:17 ('honor everyone; love the brotherhood; FEAR GOD, HONOR THE EMPEROR' — phobeisthe ton theon, ton basilea timate) echoes the Proverbs-pair. Romans 13:1–7 extends the civil-obedience theology.
for disaster will rise against them suddenly, and who knows the ruin that both can bring?
'For disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?' tracks MT.
These also are by the wise: Showing partiality in judgment is not good.
'These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good' tracks MT. SECOND APPENDIX (24:23–34). Partiality-in-judgment abomination — James 2:1–4 ('show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ') extends.
Whoever tells the guilty, 'You are innocent' — peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him.
'Whoever says to the wicked: You are in the right — will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations' tracks MT.
But those who convict the guilty will prosper, and a rich blessing will come upon them.
'But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them' tracks MT.
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
'Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips' tracks MT. HONEST-ANSWER-AS-KISS — sign of friendship.
Prepare your work outside, get everything ready in the field; then afterward, build your house.
'Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house' tracks MT. Orderly-work sequence — agriculture-then-architecture.
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
'Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips' tracks MT.
Do not say, 'I will do to him what he did to me; I will pay him back for what he has done.'
'Do not say: I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done' tracks MT. ANTI-RETALIATION. Romans 12:17–19 ('repay no one evil for evil … leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord') extends.
I passed by the field of a lazy man and by the vineyard of a person lacking sense.
'I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense' tracks MT. SLUGGARD-FIELD vignette begins.
And there it was — overgrown with thorns everywhere, nettles covering its surface, and its stone wall broken down.
'And behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down' tracks MT.
I observed and took it to heart; I looked and drew a lesson.
'Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction' tracks MT.
'A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest' —
'A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest' tracks MT. // Prov 6:10 repeat — the sluggard's-motto.
and poverty will come marching toward you like a vagabond, and want like an armed warrior.
'And poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man' tracks MT. // Prov 6:11.