Pro 6:12-15 | Clarke | STEP | Verse 12 A naughty person - אדם בליעל adam beliyal, "Adam good for nothing." When he lost his innocence. A man apostata; Old MS. Bible. A wicked man - איש און ish aven. He soon became a general transgressor after having departed from his God. All his posterity, unless restored by Divine grace, are men of Belial, and sinners by trade; and most of them, in one form or other, answer the character here given. They yield their members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin.

Proverbs 6:12-15

Verse 12

A naughty person - אדם בליעל adam beliyal, "Adam good for nothing." When he lost his innocence. A man apostata; Old MS. Bible.

A wicked man - איש און ish aven. He soon became a general transgressor after having departed from his God. All his posterity, unless restored by Divine grace, are men of Belial, and sinners by trade; and most of them, in one form or other, answer the character here given. They yield their members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. Verse 13

He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers - These things seem to be spoken of debauchees, and the following quotation from Ovid, Amor. Iib. i., El. iv., ver. 15, shoots the whole process of the villany spoken of by Solomon:

Cum premit ille torum, vultu comes ipsa modestoIbis, ut accumbas: clam mihi tange pedem.

Me specta, nutusque meos, vultum que loquacemExcipe furtivas, et refer ipsa, notas.

Verba superciliis sine voce loquentia dicamVerba leges digitis, verba notata mero.

Cum tibi succurrit Veneris lascivia nostrae,Purpureas tenero pollice tange genas, etc., etc.

The whole elegy is in the same strain: it is translated in Garth's Ovid, but cannot be introduced here. Verse 14

He deviseth mischief - He plots schemes and plans to bring it to pass.

He soweth discord - Between men and their wives, by seducing the latter from their fidelity. See the preceding quotation. Verse 15

Suddenly shall he be broken - Probably alluding to some punishment of the adulterer, such as being stoned to death. A multitude shall join together, and so overwhelm him with stones, that he shall have his flesh and bones broken to pieces, and there shall be no remedy - none to deliver or pity him.