Proverbs 2:13

Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

Ver. 13. To walk in the ways of darkness.] As thieves, drunkards, dicers, and our other solifugae, that abuse even gospel light; that put not light under a bushel, but under a dunghill; that, when they have walked themselves weary in these byways, highways to hell, sit down "in darkness, and in the shadow of death," {Luk 1:79} which posture imports, (1). Continuance there; (2). Content, as well paid of their seat. These "hate the light because their ways are evil." {Joh 3:20} The light stands in the light of their wicked ways, as the angel did in Balaam’s way to his sin.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, the word of God, which is the only light, to follow their own fantasies which are darkness.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

paths of uprightness--or, "plainness."

walk--habitually act;

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Who leave the paths of uprightness,.... Or "righteousness", or the "right and plain ways" (u); which the light of nature and the law of God, and especially the Gospel of Christ, direct to; and in which they have been trained up, having had a religious education; for it supposes them to have been externally in these ways, since they are said to leave them; for though persons do not easily and ordinarily leave the ways they have been brought up in, yet sometimes they do; and there are instances of it, and such generally are the worst of men;

to walk in the ways of darkness: sin, ignorance, and infidelity; in which they that walk know not where they are, nor whither they are a going, and which must be very uncomfortable as well as dangerous; in which only works of darkness are done, and which lead to blackness of darkness, the darkness of hell; a miserable choice, a sad change this! So Schultens renders it, "ways of horrid darkness".

(u) "semitas rectas", Mercerus; "itinera recta", Piscator; "itinera planissima", Schultens.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The paths of uprightness; the way of God’s precepts.

Of darkness, i.e. of sin, which is oft called darkness, as Rom 13:12, &c.; Eph 5:11, because it comes from darkness, ignorance, and error, and loves darkness and hates light, and leads to utter darkness.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13-15. Who leave the paths of uprightness — A description of these evil men, needing no comment. Delighting in the frowardness, the wickedness of the wicked, is one of their worst features. Comp. Psa_50:17-18; Rom_1:32.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who leave the paths of uprightness. Between vers. 13 and 15 the teacher proceeds to give a more detailed description of those who speak perversely. Who leave (, haoz"vim); literally, forsaking, but the present participle has the force of the preterite, as appears from the context. The men alluded to have already forsaken or deserted the paths of uprightness (see previous note on the word "man." The paths of uprightness (tvy twOjra , ar"khoth yosher); the same as the "right paths" of ch. 4:11. The strict meaning of the Hebrew word translated "uprightness" is "straightness," and hence it stands opposed to "perverseness" in the previous verse. Uprightness is integrity, rectitude, honest dealing. The LXX translators represent the forsaking of the paths of uprightness as a consequence resulting from walking in the ways of darkness, "O ye who have left the right ways by departing tou poreuesbai , equivalent to abeundo into the ways of darkness." Again, the ways of darkness ( ykerd, dar"chey kkoshek) are opposed to the "paths of uprightness" which rejoice in the light. Darkness includes the two ideas of

(1) ignorance and error, (Isa_9:2 Eph_5:8) and

(2) evil deeds.

To walk in the ways of darkness, then, is to persist in a course of wilful ignorance, to reject deliberately the light of knowledge, and to work wickedness, by performing "the works of darkness (ta erga tou skutouv )," which St. Paul exhorted the Church at Rome to east away, (Rom_13:12) and by having fellowship with "the unfruitful works of darkness (ta erga ta akarpa tou skotouv )," against which the same apostle warned the Ephesians. (Eph_5:11) They are ways of darkness, because they endeavour to hide themselves from God (Isa_29:15) and from man. (Job_24:15 Job_38:13, Job_38:15) In their tendency and end they lead to the blackness of darkness forever. In Scripture darkness is associated with evil, just as light is with uprightness. (see Joh_3:19, Joh_3:20) The same association of ideas is discoverable in the dualism of the Persian system, as formulated by Zoroaster Ormuzd, the good principle, presides over the kingdom of light, while Ahriman, the principle of evil, is the ruler of the kingdom of darkness.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Darkness - Of sin.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.