Proverbs 12:24 - Exposition

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule ( Proverbs 10:4 ). For "diligent" the Vulgate has fortium, "the strong and active;" Septuagint, ἐκλεκτῶν , "choice." Such men are sure to rise to the surface, and get the upper hand in a community, as the LXX . adds, "with facility," by a natural law. But the slothful (literally, slothfulness ) shall be under tribute; or, reduced to compulsory service, like the Gibeonites in Joshua's time, and the Canaanites under Solomon ( Joshua 9:21 , Joshua 9:23 ; 1 Kings 9:21 ). So Proverbs 11:29 , "The fool shall be slave to the wise;" and an Israelite reduced to poverty might be made a servant (Le 25:39, 40). The LXX ; taking the word in another sense, translates, "The crafty shall be for plunder;" i.e. they who think to succeed by fraud and trickery shall become the prey of those who are stronger than themselves.