What is the meaning of Proverbs 24:15? Do not lie in wait - The verse opens with a direct prohibition: “Do not lie in wait.” God forbids ambushes, plots, and predatory schemes. - Scripture consistently condemns hidden violence. Psalm 10:8 says, “He lies in wait near the villages; in hiding he murders the innocent.” Proverbs 1:11–12 warns against those who say, “Let us lie in wait for blood.” - God sees every secret plan (Jeremiah 17:10), and His justice reaches into the darkness where human courts might miss. O wicked man - The address exposes personal responsibility. No one can hide behind the crowd; the “wicked man” is individually accountable. - Proverbs often contrasts the wicked and the righteous (Proverbs 3:33). Here the wicked are lovingly confronted and implicitly called to repent, echoing Ezekiel 18:23 where the LORD takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he should turn from his way and live.” - The command carries warning and mercy: judgment if ignored, forgiveness if heeded. Near the dwelling of the righteous - “Near the dwelling” highlights God’s protection of His people. Psalm 34:7 affirms, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.” - The righteous may seem vulnerable, yet a divine hedge surrounds them (Job 1:10). Any attack on their “dwelling” is ultimately an assault against God’s covenant care. - By specifying proximity—“near”—the proverb warns that even lurking on the outskirts invites divine response. Do not destroy his resting place - “Resting place” pictures the home as a sanctuary of peace (Isaiah 32:18). God forbids disrupting that rest. - Attempts to ruin the righteous will rebound on the aggressor. Psalm 37:12–13 notes, “The wicked plot against the righteous... but the Lord laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming.” - The principle: God defends His own. Proverbs 3:25–26 encourages, “Do not fear sudden terror... for the LORD will be your confidence.” summary Proverbs 24:15 is both a stern warning and a comforting promise. God commands the wicked to abandon every covert scheme against the righteous, assuring believers that their homes and rest are under His safeguarding eye. Any plot conceived against them invites divine justice, while those who turn from wickedness find mercy. |
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