Proverbs 11:6

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) In their own naughtiness.—Rather, passionate desire, as at Proverbs 10:3. Their own strong passions are their ruin.

His expectation.—What he hoped for, worldly prosperity. (Comp. Wisdom Of Solomon 5:14.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:1 However men may make light of giving short weight or measure, and however common such crimes may be, they are an abomination to the Lord. 2. Considering how safe, and quiet, and easy the humble are, we see that with the lowly is wisdom. 3. An honest man's principles are fixed, therefore his way is plain. 4. Riches will stand men in no stead in the day of death. 5,6. The ways of wickedness are dangerous. And sin will be its own punishment. 7. When a godly man dies, all his fears vanish; but when a wicked man dies, his hopes vanish. 8. The righteous are often wonderfully kept from going into dangerous situations, and the ungodly go in their stead. 9. Hypocrites delude men into error and sin by artful objections against the truths of God's word. 10,11. Nations prosper when wicked men are cast down. 12. A man of understanding does not judge of others by their success. 13. A faithful man will not disclose what he is trusted with, unless the honour of God and the real good of society require it. 14. We shall often find it to our advantage to advise with others. 15. The welfare of our families, our own peace, and our ability to pay just debts, must not be brought into danger. But here especially let us consider the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in becoming Surety even for enemies. 16. A pious and discreet woman will keep esteem and respect, as strong men keep possession of wealth. 17. A cruel, froward, ill-natured man, is vexatious to those that are, and should be to him as his own flesh, and punishes himself. 18. He that makes it his business to do good, shall have a reward, as sure to him as eternal truth can make it. 19. True holiness is true happiness. The more violent a man is in sinful pursuits, the more he hastens his own destruction. 20. Nothing is more hateful to God, than hypocrisy and double dealing, which are here signified. God delights in such as aim and act with uprightness. 21. Joining together in sin shall not protect the sinners. 22. Beauty is abused by those who have not discretion or modesty with it. This is true of all bodily endowments. 23. The wicked desire mischief to others, but it shall return upon themselves. 24. A man may grow poor by not paying just debts, not relieving the poor, not allowing needful expenses. Let men be ever so saving of what they have, if God appoints, it comes to nothing. 25. Both in temporal and spiritual things, God commonly deals with his people according to the measure by which they deal with their brethren. 26. We must not hoard up the gifts of God's bounty, merely for our own advantage. 27. Seeking mischief is here set against seeking good; for those that are not doing good are doing hurt, even to themselves.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The day of wrath - Words true in their highest sense of the great "diesirae" of the future, but spoken in the first instance (compare Zephaniah 1:15-18) of any "day of the Lord," any time of judgment, when men or nations receive the chastisement of their sins. At such a time "riches profit not."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6. deliver them—that is, from evil, which the wicked suffer by their own doings (Pr 5:22; Ps 9:16).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Shall deliver them from many snares and dangers.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them,.... From death, as in Proverbs 11:4; and from falling by sin, totally and finally; or into it, so as to perish eternally; as well as it shall deliver those out of Babylon, who are the Lord's people, that will be found therein when that is about to fall; see Revelation 18:4;

but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness; in the very act of sin, and be punished for it; taken in it as in a net, and which they have spread for others, or as in a pit, which they have dug for others; taken as wild beasts are taken, to be destroyed; and that in the very midst of their wickedness, when fighting against God and the Lamb, as the beast and false prophet will, Revelation 19:20.

Geneva Study Bible

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. naughtiness] mischief, R.V., ἀπωλεία, LXX. But desires (as the same Heb. word is rendered in Proverbs 10:3, R.V.), or aims gives a good sense: “in insidiis suis capiuntur iniqui.” Vulg.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - An emphatic reiteration of the preceding sentences. Naughtiness; "strong desire," as Proverbs 10:3, which leads to sin (Proverbs 5:22; Micah 7:3). The indulgence of their passions destroys sinners. Septuagint," Transgressors are taken by lack of counsel." Proverbs 11:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

6 The rectitude of the upright saveth them,

   And in their own covetousness are the faithless taken.

The integrity of those who go straight forward and straight through, without permitting themselves to turn aside on crooked ways, delivers them from the snares which are laid for them, the dangers they encounter; while, on the contrary, the faithless, though they mask their intentions ever so cunningly, are ensnared in their passionate covetousness: the mask is removed, they are convicted, and are caught and lost. Regarding הוּה, abyss, overthrow, also stumbling against anything equals covetousness, vid., at Proverbs 10:3, and under Psalm 5:10. The form of the expression 6b follows the scheme, "in the image of God created He man," Genesis 9:6. The subject is to be taken from the genitive, as is marked by the accentuation, for it gives Mugrash to the וּבהוּת, as if it were the principal form, for וּבהוּה.