Proverbs 12:11

"A righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."

Key Reflection

This verse contrasts the compassionate nature of a righteous person who shows respect even to animals with the harsh and merciless behavior of the wicked. It highlights how genuine righteousness extends mercy not just to humans but also to all created beings, whereas the wicked show no such compassion, reflecting their cruel and callous disposition.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

The contrast is carried on between the life of industry and that of the idle, “vain person” of the “baser sort” (the “Raca” ofMatthew 5:22). We might have expected that the second clause would have ended with such words as “shall lack bread,” but the contrast goes deeper. Idleness leads to a worse evil than that of hunger.

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