PROV 28:17 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) A man tormented by the killing of another will flee to the pit.
⇔ Don’t let anyone support him.

28:17 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

28:17 OSHB note: We read one or more accents in L differently than BHS. Often this notation indicates a typographical error in BHS.

28:17 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ἄνδρα τὸν ἐν αἰτίᾳ φόνου ὁ ἐγγυώμενος, φυγὰς ἔσται καὶ οὐκ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ·
(Andra ton en aitia fonou ho enguōmenos, fugas estai kai ouk en asfaleia; )

BrTr He that becomes surety for a man charged with murder shall be an exile, and not in safety.

ULT A man oppressed by the blood of a life
⇔ will flee as far as a pit;
⇔ let them not support him.

UST People who murder others will keep running away from those who would punish them until they die.
⇔ Do not help them!

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE A man who is tormented by blood guilt will be a fugitive until death.
⇔ No one will support him.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The one who is tormented by the murder of another will flee to the pit;
⇔ let no one support him.

LSV A man oppressed with the blood of a soul,
Flees to the pit, [and] none takes hold on him [to help].

FBV Someone guilty of murder will go on running away from it until they die. Don't try and stop them.[fn]

28:17 The Hebrew of this verse is unclear.

T4T ⇔ Those who are guilty of murdering [MTY] another person
⇔ will ◄be fugitives/keep running away► until they die;
⇔ do not help them to escape.

LEB • A person who is burdened with the blood of another ,[fn] until death he will flee;
• do not take hold of him.

28:? Literally “life”

BBE One who has been the cause of a man's death will go in flight to the underworld: let no man give him help.

Moff [[A homicide must hide wherever he can: let no one shelter him.]]

JPS A man that is laden with the blood of any person shall hasten his steps unto the pit; none will support him.

ASV A man that is laden with the blood of any person
⇔ Shall flee unto the pit; let no man stay him.

DRA A man that doth violence to the blood of a person, if he flee even to the pit, no man will stay him.

YLT A man oppressed with the blood of a soul, Unto the pit fleeth, none taketh hold on him.

Drby A man laden with the blood of [any] person, fleeth to the pit: let no man stay him.

RV A man that is laden with the blood of any person shall flee unto the pit; let no man stay him.

SLT He terrifying violence upon the blood of a soul shall flee even to the pit; none shall hold fast upon him.

Wbstr A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

KJB-1769 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.
(A man that doth/does violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him. )

KJB-1611 A man that doth violence to the blood of any person, shall flie to the pit, let no man stay him.
(A man that doth/does violence to the blood of any person, shall fly to the pit, let no man stay him.)

Bshps He that by violence shedeth any mans blood, shalbe a runnagate vnto his graue, and no man shalbe able to succour hym.
(He that by violence shedeth any mans blood, shall be a runnagate unto his grave, and no man shall be able to succour/support/assistance him.)

Gnva A man that doeth violence against the blood of a person, shall flee vnto the graue, and they shall not stay him.
(A man that doth/does violence against the blood of a person, shall flee unto the grave, and they shall not stay him. )

Cvdl He that by violece sheddeth eny mans bloude, shal be a rennagate vnto his graue, and no man shal be able to sucor him.
(He that by violence sheddeth/sheds any mans blood, shall be a rennagate unto his grave, and no man shall be able to sucor him.)

Wycl No man susteyneth a man that falsly chalengith the blood of a man, if he fleeth `til to the lake.
(No man susteyneth a man that falsely challengeth the blood of a man, if he fleeth till to the lake.)

Luth Ein Mensch, der am Blut einer SeeLE unrecht tut, der wird nicht erhalten, ob er auch in die Hölle führe.
(A person, the/of_the in/at/on_the blood one/a soul wrong does, the/of_the becomes not receive/obtain, if/whether he also in the hell lead.)

ClVg Hominem qui calumniatur animæ sanguinem, si usque ad lacum fugerit, nemo sustinet.
(Hominem who/which calumniatur soul blood, when/but_if until to lake fleerit, nobody/no_one supports. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 25:1–29:27: This is Hezekiah’s collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the second collection of Solomon’s proverbs. These proverbs were organized and copied by men who served King Hezekiah. Most scholars divide this section into two groups. These groups differ in several ways.

The first group (chapters 25–27) has many more comparisons and admonitions. In Hebrew, most of these comparisons are metaphors in which one or more illustrations precede the topic. Some English versions change the order so that the topic precedes the illustration(s). You should follow the order that expresses the meaning naturally and effectively in your language.

In the first group, many proverbs are one verse long. As with the individual proverbs in the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs (Section 10:1–22:16), they are not related to the proverbs around them. Other proverbs in this group are two or more verses long. Still others are one-verse proverbs that are closely related in theme. Proverbs in all three categories will be marked as separate paragraphs.

The second group (chapters 28–29) has more contrastive proverbs. The proverbs in this group are each one verse long. They will not be marked as separate paragraphs.

Some other headings for this section are:

More Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah (NET)

These are also wise things that Solomon said

28:17

This proverb needs to be understood in light of God’s command that anyone who commits murder must pay for that crime with his life (Gen. 9:5–6). A person who is guilty of murder will have to flee from justice. He will be a fugitive until he dies, and no one should help him. The NJB has been used as the source line for 28:17a because it follows the recommended interpretation for that line.

^17aA man guilty of murder (NJB)

^17bwill flee into the Pit;

^17clet no one support him.

28:17a

A man burdened by bloodguilt

A murderer
If there is a person who has killed a fellow human,

(NJB) A man guilty of murder: This phrase is more literally “A person oppressed by the blood of a life.” In this phrase, “blood” is a figure of speech that represents murder, the shedding of blood.NET footnote b, Fox (p. 827). There are two main ways to interpret this phrase:

It means that the person is guilty of murder. It is implied by the OT context that the murderer will need to flee from the death penalty. The term “oppressed” implies that living as a fugitive for the rest of his life is a heavy burden to carry. It does not mean that the murderer is oppressed by a guilty conscience. For example:
those who are guilty of murder (NCV) (CEV, ESV,The ESV has been listed here because it cross-references Genesis 9:6, which speaks of the death penalty against someone who has shed another person’s blood. The NRSV has also been listed here because its wording almost identical to the ESV, and it follows the same interpretation for the other lines as well. KJV, NCV, NJB, NRSV, REB, GNT)The versions listed under this interpretation simply identify the crime of murder or leave the nature of the burden implied.
It means that the murderer is oppressed or tormented by a guilty conscience. For example:
A man tormented by the guilt of murder (NIV) (BSB, GW, NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT)The versions listed under this interpretation make explicit the burden or torment of guilt.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Although the OT does have examples of murderers who were aware of their guilt, there are no examples of murderers who were forced to flee due to the torment of their guilty conscience.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

If a person has committed murder

A person who has killed his fellow man

28:17a–c

(combined/reordered)

You^(sing) must not help murderers to escape. Let them continue to run until they die.
If a person is guilty of murder and is running away, do not help^(sing) him. He must remain a fugitive for the rest of his life.

28:17b

will flee into the Pit;

will be a fugitive until he reaches his grave.
he will keep running away as long as he lives.

will flee into the Pit: There are three main ways to interpret this phrase:

The murderer will flee from justice in order to escape the death penalty. He will be a fugitive until the time of his death (the time when he reaches his grave or the world of the dead). For example:
will flee till he reaches his tomb (NJB) (CEV, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJB, NRSV)
The murderer will flee in order to escape the torment of his guilty conscience. He flees toward death, perhaps by committing suicide. For example:
will seek refuge in the grave (NIV11) (BSB, NIV11, NLT)The NET rendering “will flee to the pit” has not been listed here, because according its own footnote, there are problems with both of the first two interpretations and the meaning of “the pit” has not been resolved. The GNT “digging his own grave…” is an idiom that refers to causing one’s own downfall or ruin. It could perhaps be listed here, but it does not necessarily imply that a person who is guilty of murder is fleeing toward death.
The murderer will flee to a pit, well, or cistern, perhaps to hide from his pursuers. For example:
will jump into a well to escape arrest (REB) (NJPS, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The Hebrew verb form that is used here refers elsewhere to fleeing from danger. It never refers to fleeing toward danger or death.See TWOT (#1327). Of the seven other cases of the form verb used here (yanus), Exodus 21:13, Numbers 35:26, and Deuteronomy 19:4 have flee “there” = to a city of refuge. In all these cases a murderer is fleeing from an avenger. Jeremiah 46:6 = flee in retreat. For Amos 2:16, 5:19, and 9:1: 5:19 has a prep “from” (a lion); the others simply have “flee,” with the context indicating judgment or the sword. There are no cases of a person fleeing from his conscience. In the OT, murderers normally seek to escape the death penalty. They do not seek their own deaths. There are no instances of suicide in Proverbs. Of the 6 OT cases of suicide,Abimelech, Samson, Saul and his armor-bearer, Ahithophel, and Zimri. none were due to the torment of a guilty conscience.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

will keep running away as long as they live

will remain a fugitive until his life ends

into the Pit: The phrase that the BSB translates as into the Pit is literally “to/until a/the pit.” In the OT a “pit” can refer to a literal hole/pit in the ground, a cistern, or a well. It can also refer figuratively to the place of the dead (Sheol), death, or the grave, which is how the BSB understands the reference.

28:17c

let no one support him.

Do not help/defend a person like that.
You^(sing) must not help him to avoid punishment/capture.

let no one support him: There are two ways to interpret this line:

It means that no one should help or protect the murderer as he flees from justice. For example:
let no one help him (ESV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV)
It means that no one should hinder or stop him as he flees toward death. For example:
Don’t try to stop him. (GNT) (NIV11, NJB, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions. Some other ways to translate this line are:

Don’t protect him. (NLT)

let no one offer assistance (NRSV)

General Comment on 28:17a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder some of the phrases in these two lines. For example:

Don’t help those who are guilty of murder; let them run until they die. (NCV)

Don’t give help to murderers! Make them stay on the run for as long as they live. (CEV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אָ֭דָם & נָפֶשׁ & בּ֥וֹר & בֽ⁠וֹ

humankind & soul & death & in=him/it

A man, a life, a pit, and him refer to a type of person and these things in general. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any person … any life … any pit … that person”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

עָשֻׁ֣ק בְּ⁠דַם־נָפֶשׁ

burdened by_[the],blood_of soul

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “whom the blood of a life oppresses”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

עָשֻׁ֣ק בְּ⁠דַם־נָפֶשׁ

burdened by_[the],blood_of soul

Here, oppressed refers to a person being guilty of murdering someone. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “guilty for the blood of a life”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בְּ⁠דַם

by_[the],blood_of

Here, blood refers to violently murdering someone, which usually causes blood to come out of the person who is murdered. See how you translated the same use of blood in [1:11](../01/11.md).

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

נָפֶשׁ

soul

Here, life refers to a person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “a person”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

יָ֝נ֗וּס

be_a_fugitive

Here, flee implies that the murderer is fleeing from punishment for what he has done. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “will flee from punishment” or “will flee from those who want to punish him”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בּ֥וֹר

death

Here, pit could refer to: (1) death, which is when that person would be buried in a pit. Alternate translation: “the grave” or “death” (2) a deep hole or well where the murderer would try to hide. Alternate translation: “a pit to hide in”

Note 8 topic: writing-pronouns

אַל־יִתְמְכוּ

not support

Here, them refers to any people in general who may think about helping the murderer. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “let no one support” or “let any people not support”