Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Free yourself like a deer escaping from a hunter's trap, and like a bird breaking free from someone trying to catch it.
This verse is urging someone to escape quickly and urgently from a dangerous situation, just like wild animals flee when they're being hunted.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Israel during the time of King Solomon, around 900 BC, the Book of Proverbs was written as part of wisdom literature to provide practical guidance for everyday life. This verse uses familiar imagery from rural hunting practices, where animals like a roe (a type of deer) and birds were commonly trapped, to illustrate the urgency of escaping from foolish decisions such as laziness or unwise financial guarantees as discussed in the surrounding verses. The metaphor draws on the cultural reality of survival in a agrarian society to emphasize quick action in the face of danger.
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