Proverbs 1:10–12

Footnotes

1. 58 The term חַטָּא (khatta’) is the common word for “sinner” in the OT. Because the related verb is used once of sling-shot throwers who miss the mark (Judg 20:16), the idea of sin is often explained as “missing the moral mark” ( 306–8 ). But the term should not be restricted to the idea of a sin of ignorance or simply falling short of the moral ideal. Its meaning is more likely seen in the related Akkadian term “to revolt, rebel.” It is active rebellion against authority. It is used here in reference to a gang of robbers.
2. 59 The imperfect tense verb יְפַתּוּךָ (yéftukha) may be nuanced in a connotative sense: “(If) they attempt to persuade you.” The verb פָּתָה (patah) means “to persuade, entice” a person to sin ( 834 פָּתָה 1; see, e.g., Judg 14:15; 16:5; Prov 16:29; Hos 2:16).
3. 60 The reads the root אָבָה (’avah, “to be willing; to consent”). Some medieval Hebrew read the root בּוֹא (bo’, “to go”): “do not go with them.” The majority of Hebrew and the versions support the reading, which is the less common word and so the more likely original reading.
4. 61 This cohortative נֶאֶרְבָה (ne’ervah) could denote resolve (“We will lie in wait!”) or exhortation (“Let us lie in wait!”). These sinners are either expressing their determination to carry out a violent plan or they are trying to entice the lad to participate with them.
5. 62 The verb אָרַב (’arav, “to lie in wait”) it is used for planning murder (Deut 19:11), kidnapping (Judg 21:20), or seduction (Prov 23:28).
6. 63 Heb “for blood.” The term דָּם (dam, “blood”) functions as a metonymy of effect for “blood shed violently” through murder ( 4).
7. 64 Heb “lie in hiding.”
8. 65 The term “innocent” (נָקִי, naqi) intimates that the person to be attacked is harmless.
9. 66 Heb “without cause” (so , ); “just for fun.” The term חִנָּם (khinnam, “without cause”) emphasizes that the planned attack is completely unwarranted.
10. 67 Heb “lives.” The noun חַיִּים (khayyim, “lives”) functions as an adverbial accusative of manner: “alive.” The form is a plural of state, used to describe a condition of life which encompasses a long period of time—in this case a person’s entire life. Murder cuts short a person’s life.
11. 68 The noun שְׁאוֹל (shé’ol) can mean (1) “death,” cf. ; (2) “the grave,” cf. , , (3) “Sheol” as the realm of departed spirits, cf. “the nether world,” and (4) “extreme danger.” Here it is parallel to the noun בוֹר (vor, “the Pit”) so it is the grave or more likely “Sheol” (cf. , ). Elsewhere Sheol is personified as having an insatiable appetite and swallowing people alive as they descend to their death (e.g., Num 16:30, 33; Isa 5:14; Hab 2:5). In ancient Near Eastern literature, the grave is often personified in similar manner, e.g., in Ugaritic mythological texts Mot (= “death”) is referred to as “the great swallower.”
12. 69 Heb “and whole.” The vav (ו) is asseverative or appositional (“even”); it is omitted in the translation for the sake of style and smoothness. The substantival adjective תָּמִים (tamim, “whole; perfect; blameless”) is an adverbial accusative describing the condition and state of the object. Used in parallel to חַיִּים (khayyim, “alive”), it must mean “full of health” ( 1071 תָּמִים 2). These cutthroats want to murder a person who is full of vigor.