Proverbs 1:18
And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
Original Language Analysis
לְדָמָ֣ם
for their own blood
H1818
לְדָמָ֣ם
for their own blood
Strong's:
H1818
Word #:
2 of 5
blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshe
Cross References
Psalms 9:16The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.Esther 7:10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.Psalms 55:23But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.Proverbs 28:17A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.
Historical Context
Ancient wisdom literature frequently observed the self-destructive nature of evil. The book of Proverbs returns repeatedly to this theme: sin promises life but delivers death. Historical examples abound—Haman hung on his own gallows (Esther 7:10), Absalom died by his rebellion (2 Samuel 18). The moral universe operates under divine justice; wickedness contains seeds of its own judgment. This principle transcends cultures.
Questions for Reflection
- How does sin's self-destructive nature demonstrate God's justice built into the moral fabric of reality?
- What does the irony of ambushing themselves teach us about sin's deceptive promise of benefit while delivering harm?
Analysis & Commentary
Solomon's commentary on the enticement: 'And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.' The irony is devastating—sinners think they're hunting victims but are actually destroying themselves. The boomerang of sin returns to the sender. This reflects the lex talionis (law of retaliation) principle: violent sin produces violent judgment. God's moral universe ensures that those who deal in blood will suffer blood. Self-destruction is sin's inevitable fruit.