If you forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death, and those that are ready to be slain;
If you forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death, and those that are ready to be slain;
Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
If thou forbearest to deliver them that are drawn to death, and those that are ready to be slain;
Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
Deliver them that are carried away unto death, and those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
If thou forbear to deliver - If thou seest the innocent taken by the hand of lawless power or superstitious zeal, and they are about to be put to death, thou shouldst rise up in their behalf, boldly plead for them, testify to their innocence when thou knowest it; and thus thou wilt not be guilty of blood; which thou wouldst be, if, through any pretense, thou shouldst neglect to save the life of a man unjustly condemned.
Literally:
"Deliver those that are drawn unto death,
And those who totter to the slaughter - if
Thou withdraw ..."
i. e., "O withdraw them," save them from their doom; in contrast to Proverbs 24:10. The structure and meaning are both somewhat obscure; but the sentence is complete in itself, and is not a mere hypothesis concluded in the following verses.
24:11 Deliver - When it is in thy power. Drawn - By the violence of lawless men.