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Proverbs 24 · a question people ask

"Rescue those who are being led away to death!" (24:11). Who are they, and what is the next verse answering?

In the text

The verse doesn't say who they are, who leads them, or why. It says only "those who are being led away to death" and "those who are staggering to the slaughter" (24:11). The saying before it speaks of strength: "If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small" (24:10) (tap trouble). The verse after answers an excuse before anyone makes it: "If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it?" (24:12). In Hebrew know in "we didn’t know" and in "doesn’t he know it?" is one verb (24:12). The saying ends with a question: "Shall he not give to every man according to his work?" (24:12). These notes don't apply 24:11 to any cause, case or policy today, or say what anyone should do in one.

The verses

“If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter! If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not give to every man according to his work?”
Proverbs 24:10-12 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Proverbs 24

Proverbs 24: According to his work

"Shall he not give to every man according to his work?" (24:12) and "I will repay the man according to his work" (24:29) use the same Hebrew verb and the same word for work: the repaying you are told not to say you will do, the chapter says of him who weighs the hearts. And the righteous falls too: he "falls seven times and rises up again" (24:16).

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