Proverbs 24:12 - Exposition

If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not. The disciple of Wisdom may excuse himself from making any effort for the prisoners' release, by saying he had not heard of the case. St. Jerome makes the excuse to be inability, vires non suppetunt . The LXX . makes it a personal matter, ignoring the plural form of the previous paragraph. "I know him not, he is no friend of mine; why should I trouble myself about him?" Such a selfish person, like the priest and Levite in the parable, would "pass by on the other side." Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? God knows the truth—knows that the excuse is vain; for he is the Weigher and Searcher of hearts ( Proverbs 16:2 ; Proverbs 21:2 ). Cain's plea, "Am I my brother's keeper?" is unavailable; the law of love is limited by no circumstances. He that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? The expression, "keeping the soul," may be equivalent to "preserving the life;" but it more probably means watching, observing, the inmost secrets of the nature ( Job 7:20 ). The verb used is נָצַר ( natsar ), which has both significations. The sense of "forming." which some give it, seems not allowable. (For "heart" ( leb ) and "soul" ( nephesh ), see note on Proverbs 2:10 .) Shall not he render to every man according to his works? Knowing the heart and the motive, God deals out retributive justice ( Proverbs 12:14 ; Psalms 62:12 ; Romans 2:6 ). Septuagint, "But if thou say, I know not this man, know that the Lord knoweth the hearts of air; and he who formed ( πλάσας ) breath for all, himself knoweth all things, who rendereth to every man according to his works."