Matthew Henry on Proverbs 6:12-19
Solomon here gives us,
I. The characters of one that is mischievous to man and dangerous to be dealt with. If the slothful are to be condemned, that do nothing, much more those that do ill, and contrive to do all the ill they can. It is a naughty person that is here spoken of, Heb. A man of Belial; I think it should have been so translated, because it is a term often used in scripture, and this is the explication of it. Observe,
1. How a man of Belial is here described. He is a wicked man, that makes a trade of doing evil, especially with his tongue, for he walks and works his designs with a froward mouth (Pro 6:12), by lying and perverseness, and a direct opposition to God and man. He says…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 6:13
If, for fear of detection, he does not speak, he uses signs to carry on his intrigues. These signs are still so used in the East.
John Gill on Proverbs 6:13
He winketh with his eyes,.... Not through natural infirmity, but purposely and with design; with one of his eyes, as Aben Ezra, as is usual with such persons: it is the air and gesture of a sneering and deceitful man, who gives the wink to some of his friends, sneering at the weakness of another in company; or as signifying to them some secret design of his against another, which he chooses not to declare in any other way;
he speaketh with his feet; the motions of the feet have a language; the stamping of the feet expresses rage; here it seems to intend the giving of a him to another, by privately pressing his foot with his, when he should be silent or should speak, or do this or the other…
Read the whole note in the consoleKeil & Delitzsch on Proverbs 6:12-15
There follows now a third brief series of instructions, which run to a conclusion with a deterring prospect similar to the foregoing.
12 A worthless man, a wicked man,
Is he who practiseth falsehood with his mouth;
13 Who winketh with his eyes, scrapeth with his foot,
Pointeth with his fingers.
14 Malice is in his heart,
He deviseth evil at all times,
He spreadeth strife.
15 Therefore suddenly his destruction shall come,
Suddenly shall he be destroyed, and there is no remedy.
It is a question, what is the subject and what the predicate in Pro 6:12. Thus much is clear, that upon him who is here described according to his deceitful conduct the sentence of condemnation shall fall. He who is so…
