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Proverbs 24:17

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Proverbs 24:17 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
Proverbs 24:17 — American Standard Version

Context — Proverbs 24

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
14So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, And thy hope shall not be cut off.
15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:
16For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
18Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.
19Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
← Proverbs 24:16Proverbs 24:18 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Yet let none rejoice over the fate of evildoers, lest God punish their wrong spirit by relieving the sufferer (compare Pro 17:5; Job 31:29).”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Falleth - Into mischief. Proverbs 24:18”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“24:17-18 Saying 28: This saying leads to Jesus’ call to love our enemies (Matt 5:43-48).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Pro 17:5; Jdg 16:25; Sa2 16:5-14; Job 31:29; Psa 35:15, Psa 35:19, Psa 42:10; Oba 1:12; Co1 13:6, Co1 13:7 Proverbs 24:18”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“Warning against a vindictive disposition, and joy over its satisfaction. 17 At the fall of thine enemy rejoice not, And at his overthrow let not thine heart be glad; 18 That Jahve see it not, and it be displeasing to Him, And He turns away His anger from Him. The Chethı̂b, which in itself, as the plur. of category, אויביך, might be tolerable, has 17b against it: with right, all interpreters adhere to the Kerı̂ אויבך (with i from ē in doubled close syllable, as in the like Kerı̂, Sa1 24:5). וּבבּשׁלו, for וּבהכּשׁלו, is the syncope usual in the inf. Niph. and Hiph., which in Niph. occurs only once with the initial guttural (as בּעטף) or half guttural (לראות). רעו is not adj. here as at Sa1…”
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Related study paths

Read Proverbs 24 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification