Proverbs 28:10
Causing the Righteous to Go Astray
1. This proverb serves as a warning against leading others astray.
2. The warning is given and also its consequences.
3. And as a further incentive not to lead others astray, Solomon mentions a reward for the upright. Upright behavior is rewarded.
10a Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way…
1. The culprit that Solomon exposes in this proverb is the person who causes righteous people to go astray.
2. Go astray defined: To wander; to err; to deceive; to wander aimlessly; to swerve off course; to meander.
a. The term is used literally of sheep wandering away. (Ezek. 34:6)
b. The term is used of “erring” through wine. (Isa. 28:7)
c. It is used of a cruel person who causes a blind man to wander off course. (Deut. 27:18) That cruel person is cursed.
d. It often refers to a moral corruption that results in erring or wandering from the straight and narrow path. (Prov. 5:23)
3. The term is used in our present proverb in the sense of causing another person to go astray morally: in an EVIL way.
a. The “evil way” here speaks of an evil lifestyle – an evil manner of life… (lit. = an evil road).
b. It speaks of a person being enticed to wander off the straight and narrow way on a road to destruction.
c. It speaks of a person who entices someone into sin.
d. In the early chapters of this book, Solomon wrote of the immoral woman who entices the simple young man into sin.
e. It would also speak of one who is a stumblingblock to others and causes them to sin against their conscience.
4. Solomon also wrote of a band of criminals who seek to entice an innocent young man into their criminal gang. (Prov. 1:10-14)
a. Vs. 11 – come with us! Be part of our group!
• The bad crowd here entices the young man by offering him “membership”—“with us”!
• There is attractiveness to belonging…
• You can belong somewhere… you can be a part of our gang… the in crowd… the cool crowd…
• There is a clear line being drawn in the Bible on this issue.
• The evil crowd cries to the young man: “Come with us!”
• God’s Word says: “Come out from among them and be ye separate!” (II Cor. 6:14-18)
• Whose fellowship and companionship do you want?
b. Vs. 13 – they have persuasive arguments… which can be quite alluring to the simple… they speak only of the positive side of their sinful deeds…
c. Vs. 14- they make themselves sound like a “brotherhood”! We will all have one purse! We take good care of each other!
d. Vs. 10 – consent thou not!
e. Vs. 15 – stay away from them!
f. Solomon knows that they are up to no good… and that their persuasive speech is not quite accurate. They leave out some key issues: like getting caught! (vs. 18 – they ruin their own lives.)
5. Prov. 16:29 – A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him astray.
a. The violent man “entices” his neighbor.
• The term means persuasive speech that is used to convince a person… the salesman’s pitch… the attractive sounds and reasoning of the wolf in sheep’s clothing… the seducer’s line…
• It also implies a bit of simplicity or naiveté on the part of the hearer… overly open minded… gullible…
6. For evil men, this becomes somewhat of a sport: dragging a good man down to their level.
a. It makes them feel good to cause a righteous man to fall and to be led astray by them.
b. The righteous man who follows their ways becomes a sort of trophy to them.
c. They take pride in becoming a snare to others. In their eyes, it makes them look good.
d. These evil seducers are the tools of the devil. Satan himself is a seducer into sin—a tempter—and he often uses people to accomplish his goals.
7. It is an especially despicable thing to corrupt one who is innocent… or blameless.
a. Think of those who seduce young people into taking drugs. The drug dealer always gives the first hit free.
b. Then there are those who introduce young people to alcohol… perhaps at college.
c. There are seducers who lead young people into a life of sexual immorality—and convince them that it is acceptable because everybody does it.
d. II Pet. 3:16-18 – There are those who lead others astray doctrinally – they give them a book to read by an author who teaches the opposite of what his church teaches… and leads others astray.
e. Think of those who introduce young people to a contemporary church with charismatic worship and rock music. It is like a drug. Once you’ve tasted it, anything else seems boring.
f. Young people are easily corrupted; hence, the warning here.
8. It’s bad enough that they have wandered away from the straight and narrow themselves; it is far worse to encourage others to do the same.
1. There are consequences to the one who causes the righteous to go astray in an evil way.
2. He shall fall into his own pit.
3. This is a principle we have many times in proverbs. It is similar to another proverbial statement: you reap what you sow!
4. This principle is also mentioned often in Proverbs:
a. Prov. 26:27 – “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.”
5. This principle is also mentioned often in the Psalms:
a. Ps. 7:15-16 – “He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”
b. Ps. 9:15 – “The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.”
c. Ps. 35:8 – “Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.”
d. Ps. 57:6 – “They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.”
6. Prov. 1:15-19 – The gang members who seek to lure another young man into their criminal behavior will eventually discover that they are laying wait for their own blood.
7. The Lord Jesus made a similar warning in His day.
a. Matt. 18:6 – Here the Lord warns against leading a “little one” a child astray. The one who does lead a young person astray would be better off if he drowned himself. (strong language)
b. Of course, the Lord was speaking of a child or a young person who is innocent and then led astray.
c. Solomon speaks in general (including adults) who may be innocent of a life of sin or crime and are led astray.
d. The similarity is that those who lead innocent ones astray can expect God’s wrath.
e. Num. 31:16 – God sent a plague upon those who caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord.
1. In contrast to the evildoers who lure others into their evil ways, stands the upright man.
2. Upright: Blameless; true; righteous; unblemished.
3. In this context, the “upright” man is the one who is blameless or unblemished with respect to wandering astray.
a. In other words, the upright man does NOT lead others astray.
b. He does not seek to entice others to sin or to be a stumblingblock before them.
c. He has not yet wandered away from the straight and narrow.
d. The “upright” man here refers not necessarily to one who is saved.
e. Rather it speaks of one who is innocent – one who has not yet been corrupted… but is now led astray.
4. The upright man shall have “good things in possession.”
a. He shall possess good things—or he shall possess that which is good.
• This could refer to his inheritance. The wicked fall into a pit of their own doing and die; the upright receive their parents’ inheritance as a reward for living well.
b. It is possible to understand this expression to mean not necessarily good possessions, but good in general – good character… good life… good fruit… etc.
c. Good defined: Good, well pleasing, fruitful, correct, proper, etc.
5. Quite a contrast has been drawn.
a. The evil man who entices others to go astray shall fall into a pit. The end of that man is destruction.
b. But the upright man (blameless – innocent – he has not wandered away) shall have GOOD in his future.
c. He will be blessed by God with a good life… an abundant life.
d. God is grieved when a man goes astray on his own. God is really angered when men entice others to follow their evil ways.