CRITICAL NOTES.—
Proverbs 12:12. Net. Delitzsch, Zockler, and Miller translate this word “spoil” or “prey.” The Hebrew word means also a “fortress.” Maurer, therefore, translates it “defence,” and understands it to mean that the evil combine for mutual protection. This agrees with Zockler’s rendering of the second clause, “the root of the righteous is made sure.”
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Proverbs 12:12-14
I. Concerning wicked men we have—
1. A blessed instance of their inability to do all they desire. Proverbs 12:12 speaks of their “desiring the net of evil men”—of their reaching out after larger opportunities of ensnaring their fellow-creatures than they have at their command at present. The desires and abilities of good men are not always equally balanced. They have more desire to be good and to do good than they have ability to be or to do. The first teachers of Christianity desired a “net” that should enclose all to whom they preached the gospel, and this has been the desire of godly men ever since. They desire a “net” in which to catch their fellow-creatures for their good, but their ability always comes short of their desires. This is a saddening truth, but there is no denying the fact. But “the net of evil men” desired by the wicked is one in which to entrap men to their hurt. In this case it is a matter of rejoicing that their desires and their ability are not balanced. If ungodly men had their desires fulfilled they would soon transform the world into a mirror in which they would see them reflected in every human creature. We ought ever to give thanks to God that wicked men lack power to do all they desire to do to good men, and that they cannot even go to the length of their aspirations even with other ungodly men. They hate each other often with deep hatred, and human and Divine law alone prevents the world from being turned into a hell by the fulfilment of their desires against each other. There are outstanding debts always waiting to be settled whenever a net can be found large enough to entrap the victim, but God’s providence is a larger net, and so arranges the events of human life that wicked men are often prevented from committing greater crimes than they do against each other.
2. Retribution falling upon them. A net is laid, and prey is ensnared, but it is he who desired to entrap his brother who “is snared by the transgression of his own lips” (Proverbs 12:13). It is as certain as that water will find its level that men who lay traps for others will be entrapped themselves (see chap. Proverbs 11:8). And this will come about not by another man’s laying a net for them but by their own plans being turned against them. Thus Haman made a snare for his own feet by the “transgression of his own lips” when he sought to persuade Ahasuerus that “it was not for his profit to suffer the Jews” (Esther 3:8). He thought this net would enclose Mordecai, but it enwrapped himself in its meshes. So when Daniel’s enemies laid their plans against him. Many a time has a godly man had occasion to sing David’s song, “The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made; in the net which they hid is their own foot taken” (Psalms 9:15). It is a law of God’s government. “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity” (Revelation 13:10). This is the “recompense which shall be rendered unto” the man who lays plans to injure others (Proverbs 12:14).
II. Concerning righteous men we have—
1. A godly character springing from a root of piety. The principal thing to be aimed at in building a house is to get a good foundation; if the foundation be insecure, the house will be worthless. That which makes a healthy fruit-bearing tree is a healthy, strong root; however fair the branches may at present look, they will soon betray any disease at the seat of its life. The root of a man’s character is his desire; if the desire is righteous, he is a righteous—though not a perfect—man. As the wicked man was made by his evil desire, so the good man is made by his desires after that which is true and benevolent.
2. That which is yielded by such a root.
1. Deliverance. He is delivered from the net laid for him by the evil counsels of the wicked. His character is often the means of bringing him into trouble, but the same character is a guarantee that he shall come out of it. The time of trouble is by permission or by appointment of God, and it is only for a limited time. Job and Joseph were both brought into trouble because their characters awakened the envy—the one of angelic, the other of human sinners; but their histories are left on record to show to all just men, who find themselves in similar circumstances from the same cause, what the “end of the Lord” is, and will be to them (James 5:2). There must come a final and blessed deliverance from all trouble for those who yield the fruit of a holy life from the root of a holy character (Revelation 21:4).
2. Satisfaction (Proverbs 12:14). One of the fruits of a righteous man will be his holy and wise speech—speech which blesses men in opposition to that “transgression of the lips” which is meant to injure them (Proverbs 12:13). From this “fruit of the mouth” he shall be “satisfied with good”—he will have the reward of knowing that his words bless others, and this will be to him a source of satisfaction. Or his wise speech may be the means of bringing him material good and temporal honour.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Proverbs 12:12. Man is always restless to press onwards to something not yet enjoyed. The wicked emulate each other in wickedness, and if they see evil men more successful than themselves, desire their net (Psalms 10:8-10; Jeremiah 5:26-28).—Bridges.
The words are somewhat obscure, both in the original and in the translation. The meaning, however, seems as follows: The “net of evil men,” as in chap. Proverbs 1:17, is that in which they are taken—the judgment of God in which they are ensnared. This they run into with such a blind infatuation that it seems as if they were in love with their own destruction. The marginal “fortress” (a meaning given to the feminine form in Isaiah 29:7; Ezekiel 19:9) gives the thought that the wicked seek the protection of others like themselves, but seek in vain the “root of the just” (i.e., that in them which is fixed and stable), alone yields that protection. The latter rendering is, on the whole, preferable.—Plumptre.
Some render the latter clause, He (i.e., the Lord) will give a root of the righteous; that is, will enable them to stand firm.—Wordsworth.
The impenitent does not prefer to work the soil of his soul, as in the last verse, but is in hopes to gain by something easier; he likes to seize as in the chase, or as robbers do. He likes to seize without having produced or earned. But the righteous not only goes through solid processes of piety, but (another intensive clause, chap. Proverbs 11:14) earns for others, as well as for himself. While impenitence would take heaven as in a net, religion works for it, and, in so doing, “gives” or “yields.”—Miller.
The word “net” may be understood of any means by which the wealth and honours of the world may be acquired. Thus it is used in Habakkuk 1:13-17. The net described here is that of the oppressor, who regards his fellow-men as of any value only as he can render them conducive to his own benefit and aggrandisement, and who uses them accordingly, and when his oppressive powers prove successful vaunts himself in the power and the skill by which the means has been secured. There seems to be a special reference, in the verse before us, to illegitimate or fraudulent means. When “the wicked” see the devices of “evil men” succeed, they desire to try the same arts.… If, in any case, conscience should remonstrate and restrain, and will not allow them to go quite so far, they yet envy, and regret their restraints. They still desire the net, even when they can’t bring themselves to use it. They wish they could get over their scruples, and, in this state of mind, the probability is that by and by they will. The “root of the righteous” might be understood as meaning the fixed, settled, stable principle of the righteous, and the sentiment may be, and it is an important one, that, acting on rooted principle, the righteous may and will ultimately prosper. I incline, however, to think that as “the net” signifies the varied artifice, cunning, and fraud employed to gain riches quickly, the root of the righteous may rather represent the source of his revenue or income; and, in opposition to the art of making rich quickly, to excite the surprise and the envy of others, a steady, firmlyestablished, regularly; and prudently and justly-conducted business, bringing in its profits fairly and moderately, as a tree, deeply-rooted in the soil, draws thence its natural nourishment, and, “receiving blessing from God,” brings forth its fruit in due season. The two views are closely, if not inseparably, connected.—Wardlaw.
The wicked seek their good from without; the righteous have it within, their own root, deep and firmly sunk, supplying it.—Fausset.
He so furiously pursueth his lusts, as if he desired destruction; as if he would outdare God Himself; as if the guerdon of his gracelessness would not come time enough, but he must needs run to meet it. Thus thrasonical Lamech (Genesis 4:23) thinks to have the odds of God seventy to seven. Thus the princes of the Philistines, whilst plagued, came up to Mizpeh against Israel, as it were, to fetch their bane (1 Samuel 7).—Trapp.
Proverbs 12:13. The words saphah (lip) and lashon (tongue) occur, the first in Proverbs 12:13; Proverbs 12:19; Proverbs 12:22, the second in Proverbs 12:18-19 in this chapter. The former occurs about forty-five times in this book; and the words connected with them, such as strife, wrath, slander, scorn, and their contraries, love, peace, truth, etc., are very frequent, showing the importance to be attached to the right government of the tongue.—Wordsworth.
Matters are so arranged, in the constitution of the world, that the straight course of truth is safe and easy; the crooked path of falsehood difficult and tormenting. Here is perennial evidence that the God of providence is wise and true. By making lies a snare to catch liars in, the Author of being proclaims, even in the voices of nature, that He “requireth truth in the inward parts.” “The just shall come out of trouble;” that is the word; it is not said he shall never fall into it. The inventory which Jesus gives of what His disciples shall have “now in this time,” although it contains many things that nature loves, closes with the article “persecutions” (Mark 10:30).… Those who wave their palms of victory and sing their jubilant hymns of praise, were all in the horrible pit once.—Arnot.
All human conduct is represented by the lips (Proverbs 12:6 and chap Proverbs 14:3). The tongue is aforemost business agent. The impenitent, though he may stand out very clear, and see no tokens of a net, yet, as his life is false his not seeing the snare shows only how the more insidiously he may be entangled in. While the righteous, though he may be born to the snare; originally condemned; and though he may be caught in the toils of great worldly evil, yea, of sin itself; yet out of the very jaw of the trap where he may have foolishly entered, he will in the end be helped to get out.—Miller.
They (the just) suffer sometimes for their bold and free invectives against the evils of the times, but they shall surely be delivered.… John Baptist, indeed, was, without any law, right, and reason, beheaded in prison as though God had known nothing at all of him, said George Marsh, the martyr. And the same may be said of sundry other witnesses to the truth, but then by death they entered into life eternal.… Besides that heaven upon earth they had during their troubles.… The best comforts are usually reserved for the worst times.—Trapp.
Proverbs 12:14. Albeit the opening of the mouth is a small matter; yet, when it is done in wisdom, it shall be recompensed by the Lord with great blessing. For such as use their tongues to God’s glory, and the edification of their brethren, instructing them and exhorting them from day to day, shall be loved by God and man, and taste many good things. Now, as good words, so good works shall be rewarded. For the recompense of a man’s hands shall reward him; not only shall the wicked be plagued for their evil doing, but the godly shall be blessed for their well-doing.—Muffet.
This is the whole question of capital and labour put in a nutshell. All is not to be claimed by the hands, for there is the mouth that directs and orders. As much is not to be claimed by the hands, for the Bible is a good, truthful book, and it claims for the mind more than for the muscle. (See this distinction in Ecclesiastes 10:10.) “A man of the better sort,” with his education, and expensive capital, earns more, according to the inspired Solomon, than the “labouring man.” What he demands of the Christian gentleman is, that he shall make an estimate of all this, and, while he keeps himself “the earnings of the mouth,” he render carefully to the labourer the wages of his hands. We have no authority for this interpretation. We present it as unquestionably just. The translation it would be hard to give literally. But the words are about thus: “From the fruit of the mouth of a man of the better class, a good man will be satisfied; and the wage (lit. the work) of the hands of a common man he will render to him.” This fair, calculating spirit, in all questions between man and man, not tending to communism on the one hand and not yielding to tyranny on the other, is the true spirit of the inspired Gospel.—Miller.
There are “empty vines that bear fruit unto themselves” (Hosea 10:1). And as empty casks sound loudest, and base metal rings shrillest, so many empty tattlers are full of discourse. Much fruit will redound by holy speeches to ourselves—much to others. Paul showeth that the very report of his bonds did a great deal of good in Cæsar’s house (Philippians 1:14).… One seasonable truth, falling upon a prepared heart, hath oft a strong and sweet influence. Sometimes, also, although we know that which we ask of others as well as they do, yet good speeches will draw us to know it better by giving occasion to speak more of it, wherewith the Spirit works most effectually, and imprints it deeper, so that it shall be a more rooted knowledge than before.—Trapp.