Proverbs 29:5

A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Proverbs 29:5-6. A man that flattereth his neighbour — That praiseth, or applaudeth, another in a sinful state or practice; spreadeth a net for his feet — Kills him under a pretence of kindness; is an occasion of his sin, and consequently of his destruction, which possibly he might design to accomplish by that means. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare — His sin will bring him to dreadful horrors and certain ruin. But the righteous doth sing and rejoice — Because he hath sweet peace in his own conscience, and an assurance of present safety and eternal happiness.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

29:1 If God wounds, who can heal? The word of God warns all to flee from the wrath to come, to the hope set before us in Jesus Christ. 2. The people have cause to rejoice or mourn, as their rulers are righteous or wicked. 3. Divine wisdom best keeps us from ruinous lusts. 4. The Lord Jesus is the King who will minister true judgment to the people. 5. Flatterers put men off their guard, which betrays them into foolish conduct. 6. Transgressions always end in vexations. Righteous men walk at liberty, and walk in safety. 7. This verse is applicable to compassion for the distress of the poor, and the unfeeling disregard shown by the wicked. 8. The scornful mock at things sacred and serious. Men who promote religion, which is true wisdom, turn away the wrath of God. 9. If a wise man dispute with a conceited wrangler, he will be treated with anger or ridicule; and no good is done. 10. Christ told his disciples that they should be hated of all men. The just, whom the blood-thirsty hate, gladly do any thing for their salvation.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Spendeth ... - The laws of parallelism would lead us to expect "troubleth his father," but that is passed over as a thing about which the profligate would not care, and he is reminded of what comes home to him, that he is on the road to ruin.

The king - The ruler, as the supreme fountain of all justice, and as the ideal judge, is contrasted with the taker of bribers.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. (Compare Pr 26:28).

spreadeth … feet—By misleading him as to his real character, the flatterer brings him to evil, prepared by himself or others.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

A man that flattereth his neighbour, that praiseth or applaudeth another in a sinful state or course, spreadeth a net for his feet; kills him under a pretence of kindness; is an occasion of his sin, and consequently of destruction, which possibly he may design to accomplish by that means.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

A man that flattereth his neighbour,.... That speaks smooth things to him gives him flattering titles, speaks fair to his face, highly commends him on one account or another:

spreadeth a net for his feet; has an idle design upon him, and therefore should be guarded against; his view is to draw him into a snare and make a prey of him; he attacks him on his weak side, and hopes to make some advantage of it to himself; wherefore flatterers should be avoided as pernicious persons; or he spreads a net for his own feet, and is taken in the snare which he had laid for his neighbour; or falls into the pit he dug for him, as Gersom observes; see Psalm 140:5.

Geneva Study Bible

A man that flattereth his neighbour {a} spreadeth a net for his feet.

(a) He who gives ear to the flatterer is in danger as the bird is before the fowler.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 5. - A man that flattereth his neighbour; says only what is agreeable, applauds his words and actions indiscriminately, and makes him think too well of himself he is no true friend (see Proverbs 28:23). Spreadeth a net for his feet; his stops (Proverbs 26:28; Job 18:8, etc.). If a man listens to such flattering words, and is influenced by them, he works his own ruin; self-deceived, he knows not his real condition, and accordingly makes grievous disaster of his life. The LXX. gives a different turn to the sentence, "He that prepareth a net before his friend entangles his own feet therein" (comp. Proverbs 26:27; Proverbs 28:10). Proverbs 29:5

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

5 A man who flattereth his neighbour

   Spreadeth a net for his steps.

Fleischer, as Bertheau: vir qui alterum blanditiis circumvenit; but in the על there does not lie in itself a hostile tendency, an intention to do injury; it interchanges with אל, Psalm 36:3, and what is expressed in line second happens also, without any intention on the part of the flatterer: the web of the flatterer before the eyes of a neighbour becomes, if he is caught thereby, a net for him in which he is entangled to his own destruction (Hitzig). החליק signifies also, without any external object, Proverbs 28:23; Proverbs 2:16, as internally transitive: to utter that which is smooth, i.e., flattering. פּעמיו is, as Psalm 57:7 equals רגליו, for which it is the usual Phoenician word.