Proverbs 24:17

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, (into this mischief), and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth - When he meets with any thing that injures him; for God will not have thee to avenge thyself, or feel any disposition contrary to love; for if thou do, the Lord will be angry, and may turn away his wrath from him, and pour it out on thee.

This I believe to be the true sense of these verses: but we must return to the sixteenth, as that has been most sinfully misrepresented.

For a just man falleth seven times - That is, say many, "the most righteous man in the world sins seven times a day on an average." Solomon does not say so: -

1. There is not a word about sin in the text.

2. The word day is not in the Hebrew text, nor in any of the versions.

3. The word יפול yippol, from נפל naphal, to fall, is never applied to sin.

4. When set in opposition to the words riseth up, it merely applies to affliction or calamity. See Micah 7:8; Amos 8:4; Jeremiah 25:27; and Psalm 34:19, Psalm 34:20. "The righteous falls into trouble." See above.

Mr. Holden has a very judicious note on this passage: "Injure not a righteous man; for, though he frequently falls into distress, yet, by the superintending care of Providence, 'he riseth up again,' is delivered from his distress, while the wicked are overwhelmed with their misfortunes. That this is the meaning is plain from the preceding and following verses: yet some expound it by the just man often relapsing into sin, and recovering from it; nay, it has even been adduced to prove the doctrine of the final perseverance of the elect. But נפל is never used for falling into sin, but into distress and affliction - as Proverbs 11:5, Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 13:17; Proverbs 17:20; Proverbs 26:27; Proverbs 28:10, Proverbs 28:14, Proverbs 28:18."

24:17 Falleth - Into mischief.