Proverbs 24:16
WEB
for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
BSB
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
KJV
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H3588
conj — relative conjunction
Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
conj — that
כִּי conj. that, for, when
1. that
2.
a. Of time, when, of the past
b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
3. Because, since
relative conjunction
כִּי אם־
1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
a. that if
b. for if
2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
a. limiting the prec. clause, except
b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
c. after an oath, surely
forasmuch as
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
H7651
n — seven, full, seven times, week, indefinite
Derivation: or (masculine) (שִׁבְעָה); from 7650; a primitive cardinal number;
seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number
KJV: ( by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare 7658.
n.m — seven
שֶׁ֫בַע, שִׁבְעָה 394 n.m. et f. seven
H5307
v — fall
Derivation: a primitive root;
to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
KJV: be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (× hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, × surely, throw down.
vb — fall
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
1. fall, by accident
2.
a. Esp. of violent death
b. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
c. fig. = experience calamity
d. fall, of a city
3.
a. Fall prostrate
b. fall = prostrate oneself before
c. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
4.
a. Fall upon = attack
b. desert or fall away to, go over to
5. Fig., of deep sleep
6. Other idiomatic uses
7. = lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
1. cause to fall
2. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
3. Esp. of casting lot
4. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
5. cause deep sleep to fall
6. Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
H6662
a — just
Derivation: from 6663;
just
KJV: just, lawful, righteous (man).
adj — just
צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous
H6965
v — rise
Derivation: a primitive root;
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
KJV: abide, accomplish, × be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, × be dim, endure, × enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, × but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising).
vb — arise
קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand
Qal 460
1. arise
2. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)
3. arise, abs., = become powerful
4. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet
5. arise for, i.e. to become
6.
a. arise for action
b. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed
c. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere
7. stand
Pi.
1. fulfil
2.
a. confirm, ratify
b. confirm, establish
c. impose, an obligation
Pō‛l. raise up
Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up
Hiph. 146
1. cause to arise, raise
2.
a. raise, set up, stones
b. erect, build
c. fig, of setting up law
3. raise up = bring on the scene
4.
a. raise up = rouse, stir up
b. instigate, build
c. fig, of setting up law
5. raise up = constitute
6. cause to stand
Hoph. be raised up
H7563
a — wrong, bad
Derivation: from 7561;
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
KJV: condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.
adj — wicked
רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal
H3782
v — totter, waver, falter, stumble, faint, fall
Derivation: a primitive root;
to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall
KJV: bereave (from the margin), cast down, be decayed, (cause to) fail, (cause, make to) fall (down, -ing), feeble, be (the) ruin(-ed, of), (be) overthrown, (cause to) stumble, × utterly, be weak.
vb — stumble
כָּשַׁל vb. stumble, stagger, totter
Qal
1. stumble at, over, something (lit. by means of)
2. totter
Niph.
1. stumble
2. be tottering, feeble
Pi. only apparent
Hiph.
1. cause to stumble
2. make feeble, weak
Hoph. either and let them be ones who have stumbled before thee, i.e. regard them as such, or and let them be ones overthrown before thee
H7451
a n-m n-f — bad, evil
Derivation: from 7489;
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
KJV: adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), exceedingly, × great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).
n.m — evil
רַע 126 n.m. evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity
1. evil, distress, adversity
2. evil, injury, wrong
3. ethical evil
adj — bad
רַע 228 adj. bad, evil
1. bad, disagreeable, malignant
2. bad, unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery
3. evil, displeasing
4. bad of its kind
5. bad, , i.e. of low value
6. מִן comp., worse than
7. sad, unhappy
8. devise evil (hurtful) device
9. bad, unkind, vicious in disposition or temper
10. ethically bad, evil, wicked
n.f — evil
רָעָה 310 n.f. evil, misery, distress, injury
1. evil, misery, distress
2. evil, injury, wrong
3. ethical evil
Bible49 app
Get translation compare, commentary, and interlinear study — offline, on iPhone and Mac.
See Bible49
Verses 15–16
Proverbs 24:15–16
This is spoken, not so much by way of counsel to wicked men (they will not receive instruction, Pro 23:9), but rather in defiance of them, for the encouragement of good people that are threatened by them. See here, 1. The designs of the wicked against the righteous, and the success they promise themselves in those designs. The plot is laid deeply: They lay wait against the dwelling of the righteous, thinking to charge some iniquity upon it, or compass dome design against it; they lie in wait at the door, to catch him when he stirs out, as David's persecutors, Ps. 59 title. The hope is raised high; they doubt not but to spoil his dwelling-place because he is weak and cannot support it, because his condition is low and distressed, and he is almost down already. All this is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. The blood-thirsty hate the upright. 2. The folly and frustration of these designs (1.) The righteous man, whose ruin was expected, recovers himself. He falls seven times into trouble, but, by the blessing of God upon his wisdom and integrity, he rises again, sees through his troubles and sees better times after them. The just man falls, sometimes falls seven times perhaps, into sin, sins of infirmity, through the surprise of temptation; but he rises again by repentance, finds mercy with God, and regains his peace. (2.) The wicked man, who expected to see his ruin and to help it forward, is undone. He falls into mischief; his sins and his troubles are his utter destruction.
Cross-references: Prov 23:9