The Net of Evil

(Proverbs 12:12 KJV)  The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

I marvel at the liberties taken by translators.  Here is another place where the modern scholars are stretching.  The KJV has “net” for the “booty” (485b) of the NASB.  The literal meaning is “net.”  If you leave that, it is not much of a jump to the meaning of the verse.  Of course, “booty” works as a lesson but it is a different lesson.

“Booty” speaks of results.  “Net” speaks of methods.  This is a warning to us about using the methods of the evil.  The world, the culture, possibly your employer are putting pressure on you to compromise your ethical standards.  They want you to cut corners and make the sale.  They are concerned with winning, not how you win.  We cannot get caught in that “net.”

So?  Truth is truth.  Spin is a lie.  Honest is honest.  Exaggeration is a lie.  “Finders keepers, losers weepers” is not a philosophy that God’s children can live with.