Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; New Living Translation Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death. English Standard Version like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; Berean Standard Bible let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. King James Bible Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: New King James Version Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; New American Standard Bible Let’s swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, like those who go down to the pit; NASB 1995 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; NASB 1977 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; Legacy Standard Bible Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, as those who go down to the pit; Amplified Bible Let us swallow them alive like Sheol (the place of the dead), Even whole, as those who go down to the pit [of death]; Christian Standard Bible Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol, whole, like those who go down to the Pit. Holman Christian Standard Bible Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol, still healthy as they go down to the Pit. American Standard Version Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, And whole, as those that go down into the pit; Contemporary English Version They're well and healthy now, but we'll finish them off once and for all. English Revised Version Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; GOD'S WORD® Translation We'll swallow them alive like the grave, like those in good health who go into the pit. Good News Translation They may be alive and well when we find them, but they'll be dead when we're through with them! International Standard Version Let's swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those who go down into the Pit. Majority Standard Bible let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. NET Bible We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit. New Heart English Bible let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. Webster's Bible Translation Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: World English Bible Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionWe swallow them as Sheol—alive, "" And whole—as those going down [to] the pit, Young's Literal Translation We swallow them as Sheol -- alive, And whole -- as those going down to the pit, Smith's Literal Translation We will swallow them down living, as hades, and whole, as they going down to the pit: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleLet us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth down into the pit. Catholic Public Domain Version Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit. New American Bible Let us swallow them alive, like Sheol, whole, like those who go down to the pit! New Revised Standard Version like Sheol let us swallow them alive and whole, like those who go down to the Pit. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleLet us swallow them up alive, as Sheol swallows the living, and whole as those who go down into the pit; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And we will swallow him alive like Sheol, and one without blemish like those descending into the pit; OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, And whole, as those that go down into the pit; Brenton Septuagint Translation and let us swallow him alive, as Hades would, and remove the memorial of him from the earth: Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Enticement of Sin…11If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, 12let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. 13We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.… Cross References Psalm 55:15 Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes. Numbers 16:30-33 But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.” / As soon as Moses had finished saying all this, the ground beneath them split open, / and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households—all Korah’s men and all their possessions. ... Job 24:19 As drought and heat consume the melting snow, so Sheol steals those who have sinned. Psalm 28:1 Of David. To You, O LORD, I call; be not deaf to me, O my Rock. For if You remain silent, I will be like those descending to the Pit. Isaiah 5:14 Therefore Sheol enlarges its throat and opens wide its enormous jaws, and down go Zion’s nobles and masses, her revelers and carousers! Psalm 141:7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol. Ezekiel 32:18-32 “Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and consign her and the daughters of the mighty nations to the depths of the earth with those who descend to the Pit: / Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised! / They will fall among those slain by the sword. The sword is appointed! Let them drag her away along with all her multitudes. ... Psalm 63:9 But those who seek my life to destroy it will go into the depths of the earth. Isaiah 14:9-11 Sheol beneath is eager to meet you upon your arrival. It stirs the spirits of the dead to greet you—all the rulers of the earth. It makes all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones. / They will all respond to you, saying, “You too have become weak, as we are; you have become like us!” / Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are your bed and worms your blanket. Psalm 49:14 Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. Matthew 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. Revelation 6:8 Then I looked and saw a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth. Matthew 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Luke 16:23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. Acts 2:27 because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. Treasury of Scripture Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: swallow Psalm 35:25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Psalm 56:1,2 To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me… Psalm 57:3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. as the Psalm 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whole Numbers 16:30-33 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD… Numbers 26:10 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign. Psalm 28:1 A Psalm of David. Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. Jump to Previous Alive Death Grave Let's Overcome Pit Sheol Strength Swallow Underworld WholeJump to Next Alive Death Grave Let's Overcome Pit Sheol Strength Swallow Underworld WholeProverbs 1 1. The use of the proverbs7. An exhortation to fear God, and believe his word 10. to avoid the enticing of sinners 20. Wisdom complains of her contempt 24. She threatens her contemners let us swallow them alive like Sheol This phrase uses vivid imagery to convey the intent of the wicked. "Swallow them alive" suggests a sudden and complete destruction, akin to the fate of those who are taken by Sheol, the Hebrew term for the realm of the dead. In biblical context, Sheol is often depicted as an insatiable entity (Proverbs 30:15-16) that consumes without mercy. This reflects the nature of sin and evil, which seeks to devour and destroy life. The comparison to Sheol emphasizes the severity and finality of the wicked's intentions. The imagery also recalls the rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16:30-33, where the earth opened and swallowed them alive, serving as a divine judgment. This serves as a warning against aligning with those who plot harm. and whole like those descending into the Pit Persons / Places / Events 1. SheolIn Hebrew thought, Sheol is the realm of the dead, a place of darkness and silence where the departed spirits reside. It is often used metaphorically to describe the grave or death itself. 2. The Pit This term is often synonymous with Sheol, representing a deep, dark place associated with death and destruction. It conveys the idea of being trapped or consumed by evil. 3. The Wicked Although not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the context of Proverbs 1 involves the enticement of sinners and the wicked who plot harm against others for personal gain. Teaching Points The Deceptive Nature of SinSin often presents itself as harmless or even beneficial, but its ultimate goal is to lead us to destruction, much like being swallowed by Sheol. The Consequences of Following the Wicked Associating with those who plot evil can lead to our own downfall. We must be discerning about the company we keep. The Reality of Spiritual Death Just as Sheol represents physical death, there is a spiritual death that comes from living apart from God's wisdom and righteousness. The Urgency of Repentance Understanding the dire consequences of sin should lead us to repentance and a desire to align our lives with God's will. The Hope of Redemption While the imagery of Sheol and the Pit is grim, the Bible offers hope through Christ, who conquered death and offers eternal life.(12) Alive.--Comp. the death of Dathan and Abiram (Numbers 16:30).Verse 12. - Let us swallow them up alive as the grave. A continuation of ver. 11, expanding the idea of bloodshed ending in murder, and showing the determination of the sinners to proceed to the most violent means to effect their covetous ends. The enticement here put before youth is the courage and boldness of their exploits (Wardlaw). The order of the words in the original is, "Let us swallow them up, as the grave, living," which sufficiently indicates the meaning of the passage. Alive; חַיִּים (khayyim), i.e. "the living," refers to the pronomiual suffix in נִבְלָעֵם (niv'laem), as in the Authorized Version and Zockler (cf. Psalm 55:15; Psalm 124:3). Umbreit and Hitzig are grammatically incorrect in connecting כִּשְׁאול (kish'ol) "as the grave," with "the living," and translating "like the pit (swallows) that which lives." The כִּ (ki) with a substantive, as here in kish'ol, is a preposition, said not a conjunction (see Gesenius, 'Lexicon'). It denotes a kind of resemblance, but does not introduce a coordinate sentence. The allusion is undoubtedly in the teacher's mind to the fate of Korah and his company (Numbers 16:30-33), and as in that case "the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up" in the flush of life, so here the robbers say that they will as suddenly and effectively destroy their victims, בָּלַע (dala); from which niv'laem, in a figurative sense, means "to destroy utterly" (Geseuius). The change from the singular, "the innocent" (לְנָקִי, l'naki), to the plural in "let us swallow them up," is noticeable. Like the pit (כִּשְׁאול kish'ol); literally, like Sheol, or Hades, the great subterranean cavity or world of the dead. The all-devouring and insatiable character of sheol is described in Proverbs 27:20, where the Authorized Version translates "Hell (sheol) and destruction are never full," and again in Proverbs 30:15, where it (sheol, Authorized Version, "the grave") is classed with the four things that are never satisfied. Vulgate, infernus; LXX., ᾅδης. And whole, as those that go down into the pit. The parallelism of ideas requires that the word "whole" (תְּמִימִים, t'mimim) should be understood of those physically whole (see Mercerus, Delitzsch), and not in a moral sense, as the upright (Luther, Grief, Holden, Plumptre). The word is used in an ethical signification in Proverbs 2:21. Gesenius gives it the meaning of "safe, secure." Those that go down into the pit (יורדֵי בור, yorde vor); i.e. the dead. The phrase also occurs in Psalm 28:1; Psalm 30:4; Psalm 88:4; Psalm 143:7; Isaiah 38:18). The pit (בור, vor); or, the sepulchre, the receptacle of the dead, is here synonymous with sheol. The LXX. substitutes for the latter part of the verse, Καὶ ἄρωμεν αὐτοῦ τὴν μνήμην ἐκ γῆς, "And let us remove his memory from the earth." The robbers, by drawing a comparison between themselves and Hades and the grave, which consign to silence all who are put therein, imply their own security against detection. They will so utterly destroy their victims that none will be left to tell the tale (see Musset, in loc.). This, we know, is a fancied, and at the best only a temporary, security. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew let us swallow themנִ֭בְלָעֵם (niḇ·lā·‘êm) Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural | third person masculine plural Strong's 1104: To swallow down, swallow up, engulf alive חַיִּ֑ים (ḥay·yîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life like Sheol, כִּשְׁא֣וֹל (kiš·’ō·wl) Preposition-k | Noun - common singular Strong's 7585: Underworld (place to which people descend at death) and whole וּ֝תְמִימִ֗ים (ū·ṯə·mî·mîm) Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 8549: Entire, integrity, truth like those descending כְּי֣וֹרְדֵי (kə·yō·wr·ḏê) Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend into the Pit. בֽוֹר׃ (ḇō·wr) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 953: A pit, cistern, well Links Proverbs 1:12 NIVProverbs 1:12 NLT Proverbs 1:12 ESV Proverbs 1:12 NASB Proverbs 1:12 KJV Proverbs 1:12 BibleApps.com Proverbs 1:12 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 1:12 Chinese Bible Proverbs 1:12 French Bible Proverbs 1:12 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Proverbs 1:12 Let's swallow them up alive like Sheol (Prov. 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