Proverbs 3:29

“Devise not evil against thy neighbour, etc.] Or, “plough not evil”f81; turn not up thy heart to find evil against thy neighbour, as the earth is turned up by the plough; (see <281013>Hosea 10:13). Do not contrive and form schemes in thy mind and thoughts to do him any injury, in his name and character, in his person, property, or family: a good man should devise all the good he can to his fellow creatures, but not evil to any; especially to his neighbour, and as described in the next clause; seeing he dwelleth securely by thee; having a good opinion of thee, and not suspecting any ill design against him, thinks himself, goods, and family, in safety; and is under no concern to provide for his…”

“Do not abuse confidence and avoid litigation.”

“A marked change in style. The continuous exhortation is replaced by a series of maxims. From them to whom it is due - literally, as in the margin. The precept expresses the great Scriptural thought that the so-called possession of wealth is but a stewardship; that the true owners of what we call our own are those to whom, with it, we may do good. Not to relieve them is a breach of trust. Proverbs 3:28 Procrastination is especially fatal to the giving impulse. The Septuagint adds the caution: “for thou knowest not what the morrow will bring forth.” Proverbs 3:29 Securely - i. e., “With full trust,” without care or suspicion. Compare Judges 18:7, Judges 18:27. Proverbs 3:31 A protest against…”

“Securely - Relying upon thine integrity. Proverbs 3:31”

“3:29 Because we have frequent contact with those who live nearby, we must not take advantage of them.”

“Devise not evil: or, Practise no evil, Pro 6:14, Pro 6:18, Pro 16:29, Pro 16:30; Psa 35:20, Psa 55:20, Psa 59:3; Jer 18:18-20; Mic 2:1, Mic 2:2 Proverbs 3:30”

“A second illustration of neighbourly love is harmlessness: Devise not evil against thy neighbour, While he dwelleth securely by thee. The verb חרשׁ, χαράσσειν, signifies to cut into, and is used of the faber ferrarius as well as of the τιγναριυς (Isaiah, p. 463), who with a cutting instrument (חרשׁ, Gen 4:22) works with metal or wood, and from his profession is called חרשׁ. But the word means as commonly to plough, i.e., to cut with the plough, and חרשׁ is used also of a ploughman, and, without any addition to it, it always has this meaning. It is then a question whether the metaphorical phrase רעה חרשׁ signifies to fabricate evil, cf. dolorum faber, mendacia procudere, ψευδῶν καὶ…”