The Meaning of Proverbs 1:11 Explained

Proverbs 1:11

KJV: If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

YLT: If they say, 'Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,

Darby: If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

ASV: If they say, Come with us, Let us lay wait for blood; Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If they say,  Come  with us, let us lay wait  for blood,  let us lurk  privily for the innocent  without cause: 

What does Proverbs 1:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 1:1-19 - "the Beginning Of Knowledge"
Notice the perfect balance of each clause, and the duplication of the one thought in the two clauses of each verse.
Wisdom as used in this book is more than intellectual learning or cleverness. It represents a moral quality, the result of a pure and a true life. We are conscious that many simple-minded people, who have little enough book-learning, are remarkable for sagacious advice, insight into character, the wise reading of events, an intuitive knowledge-all based on the fear of God. The headlines of Scotch copy-books used to be taken from this book. Certain it is that the young who ponder and practice these maxims can hardly fail of a successful career. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 1

1  The use of the proverbs
7  An exhortation to fear God, and believe his word
10  to avoid the enticing of sinners
20  Wisdom complains of her contempt
24  She threatens her contemners

What do the individual words in Proverbs 1:11 mean?

If they say come with us let us lie in wait to [shed] blood let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause
אִם־ יֹאמְרוּ֮ לְכָ֪ה אִ֫תָּ֥נוּ נֶאֶרְבָ֥ה לְדָ֑ם נִצְפְּנָ֖ה לְנָקִ֣י חִנָּֽם

יֹאמְרוּ֮  they  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְכָ֪ה  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אִ֫תָּ֥נוּ  with  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
נֶאֶרְבָ֥ה  let  us  lie  in  wait 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: אָרַב  
Sense: to lie in wait, ambush, lurk.
לְדָ֑ם  to  [shed]  blood 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
נִצְפְּנָ֖ה  let  us  lurk  secretly 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: צָפַן 
Sense: to hide, treasure, treasure or store up.
לְנָקִ֣י  for  the  innocent 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: נָקִי 
Sense: clean, free from, exempt, clear, innocent.
חִנָּֽם  without  cause 
Parse: Adverb
Root: חִנָּם  
Sense: freely, for nothing, without cause.