Proverbs 24:17 - Exposition

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour" was a Mosaic precept (Le Proverbs 19:18 ); the addition, "and hate thine enemy," was a Pharisaic gloss, arising from a misconception concerning the extermination of the Canaanites, which, indeed, had a special cause and purpose, and was not a precedent for the treatment of all aliens (see Proverbs 25:21 , Proverbs 25:22 ). When he stumbleth; rather, when he is overthrown . The maxim refers to private enemies. The overthrow of public enemies was often celebrated with festal rejoicing. Thus we have the triumph of Moses at the defeat of the Amalekites, and over Pharaoh's host at the Red Sea; of Deborah and Barak over Sisera ( Exodus 15:1-27 ; Exodus 17:15 ; 5:1-31 ); and the psalmist, exulting over the destruction of his country's foes, could say, "The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked" ( Psalms 58:10 ). But private revenge and vindictiveness are warmly censured and repudiated. So Cato, 'Distich.' 4.46—

" Morte repentina noli gaudere malorum;

Felicesobeunt quorum sine crimine vita est ."

Of very different tone is the Italian proverb, "Revenge is a morsel for God;" and "Wait time and place to act thy revenge, for it is never well done in a hurry" (Trench).