The Meaning of Proverbs 28:17 Explained

Proverbs 28:17

KJV: A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

YLT: A man oppressed with the blood of a soul, Unto the pit fleeth, none taketh hold on him.

Darby: A man laden with the blood of any person, fleeth to the pit: let no man stay him.

ASV: A man that is laden with the blood of any person Shall flee unto the pit; let no man stay him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

A man  that doeth violence  to the blood  of [any] person  shall flee  to the pit;  let no man stay  him. 

What does Proverbs 28:17 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 28

1  general observations of impiety and integrity

What do the individual words in Proverbs 28:17 mean?

A man burdened with bloodshed - into a pit will flee no one let help him
אָ֭דָם עָשֻׁ֣ק בְּדַם־ נָפֶשׁ‪‬‪‬ עַד־ בּ֥וֹר יָ֝נ֗וּס אַל־ יִתְמְכוּ־ בֽוֹ

אָ֭דָם  A  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
עָשֻׁ֣ק  burdened 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: עָשַׁק  
Sense: to press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, get deceitfully, wrong, extort.
בְּדַם־  with  bloodshed 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
נָפֶשׁ‪‬‪‬  - 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
עַד־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
בּ֥וֹר  a  pit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.
יָ֝נ֗וּס  will  flee 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
אַל־  no  one 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
יִתְמְכוּ־  let  help 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּמַךְ  
Sense: to grasp, hold, support, attain, lay hold of, hold fast.