The Meaning of Proverbs 24:11 Explained

Proverbs 24:11

KJV: If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

YLT: If from delivering those taken to death, And those slipping to the slaughter -- thou keepest back.

Darby: Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.

ASV: Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If thou forbear  to deliver  [them that are] drawn  unto death,  and [those that are] ready  to be slain; 

What does Proverbs 24:11 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 24

1  Precepts and Warnings

What do the individual words in Proverbs 24:11 mean?

Deliver [those who] are drawn toward death and [those] stumbling to the slaughter If hold back
הַ֭צֵּל לְקֻחִ֣ים לַמָּ֑וֶת וּמָטִ֥ים לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג אִם־ תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ

הַ֭צֵּל  Deliver 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
לְקֻחִ֣ים  [those  who]  are  drawn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לַמָּ֑וֶת  toward  death 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
וּמָטִ֥ים  and  [those]  stumbling 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: מֹוט  
Sense: to totter, shake, slip.
לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג  to  the  slaughter 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֶרֶג  
Sense: a killing, slaughter.
תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ  hold  back 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָשַׂךְ  
Sense: to withhold, restrain, hold back, keep in check, refrain.