Proverbs 29:5 · Bible study
Proverbs 29:5 Commentary: The Flatterer's Net
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Verse warns: flattering a neighbor spreads a net for their feet. But does the trap catch the flatterer or the flattered?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Flattery is a trap, it harms the flattered person, and may also trap the flatterer.
- Key words: makhaliq (flatters, smooths), reshet (net), pe'amim (steps, footfalls).
- Main debate: Does the net catch the neighbor (target) or the flatterer (boomerang)? Or both?
- Theological theme: God values truthful speech; flattery is a form of deceit that destroys community.
- Best use: A warning to examine our motives in praise, and to guard our hearts against undue influence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
WEB World English Bible 2000
A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
KJV King James Version 1769
A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
A man that flattereth his neighbor Spreadeth a net for his steps.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
A man taking a portion above his neighbour, Spreadeth a net for his own steps.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steps.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
A man that speaketh to his friend with flattering and dissembling words, spreadeth a net for his feet.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El hombre que lisonjea á su prójimo, red tiende delante de sus pasos.
O homem que lisonjeia a seu próximo arma uma rede para seus pés.
Un homme qui flatte son prochain
Wer mit seinem Nächsten heuchelt, der breitet ein Netz aus für seine Tritte.
Een man, die zijn naaste vleit, spreidt een net uit voor deszelfs gangen.
L’uomo che lusinga il prossimo, gli tende una rete davanti ai piedi.
Człowiek, który pochlebia przyjacielowi swemu, rozciąga sieć przed nogami jego.
Человек, льстящий другу своему, расстилает сеть ногам его.
諂媚 鄰舍 的，就是設 網羅 絆 他的腳。
A man who says smooth things to his neighbour is stretching out a net for his steps.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Proverbs 29:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that flattery, far from harmless praise, is a dangerous snare. Gill notes the flatterer 'speaks smooth things' and 'has an idle design upon him', the neighbor is the target, lured into a trap. Matthew Henry agrees: flattery 'spreads a net for their feet,' either by deceiving the neighbor into pride and sin (an 'ill effect') or by setting him up for exploitation ('an ill design'). But another reading, also noted by Gill and referenced from Gersom, sees the flatterer as trapping himself: 'he spreads a net for his own feet, and is taken in the snare which he had laid for his neighbour.' Keil and Delitzsch push further, arguing the flatterer may intend no harm, yet his smooth words still become a net that entangles the neighbor to his own destruction. All agree: flattery is a weapon, whether aimed outward or boomeranging back.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Net for the neighbor: The plain reading: 'spreads a net for his feet' (neighbor's feet). Gill and Matthew Henry emphasize the flatterer's design to deceive and exploit the neighbor.
- Net for the flatterer: Gersom observed that the flatterer falls into his own trap, like Psalm 140:5. Gill allows this as an alternative.
- Both/neither intentionally: Keil and Delitzsch suggest the flatterer may not intend harm, but his words still become a net for the neighbor — and the flatterer may also be caught by consequences.
What is clear: Flattery is a form of deception that leads to harm — whether to the flatterer, the neighbor, or both.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Who is trapped by flattery, the neighbor or the flatterer? | Flattery is dangerous and leads to harm; it is compared to spreading a net. | Some (e.g., Matthew Henry, Gill's first reading) say the net catches the neighbor, leading him into sin or exploitation. Others (e.g., Gill citing Gersom, alternate reading) say the flatterer traps himself. Keil and Delitzsch note the flatterer may intend no harm, but the effect is the same. |
| Is flattery always intentional deception? | Flattery involves smooth, exaggerated speech that does not match reality. | Puritan and Reformed commentators tend to see malicious intent. Keil and Delitzsch allow that the flatterer may simply enjoy giving compliments without hostile design. |
| How does the 'net' function metaphorically? | The net symbolizes a trap that brings ruin, capture, shame, destruction. | Some read it as a literal trap laid by enemies. Others see it as a figure for the psychological or social consequences: the flattered person becomes proud and falls, or the flatterer loses credibility. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Proverbs belongs to Israel's wisdom tradition, a literature that teaches skill in living under God. This verse sits in a chapter focused on rulers and justice (v.4, v.14), the dangers of pride (v.23), and the fear of man (v.25). Flattery was a known hazard in ancient courts, a smooth tongue could advance or destroy careers. The Hebrew verb used here, makhaliq ('flatters'), comes from a root meaning 'smooth' and appears elsewhere for the seductive speech of the 'strange woman' (Proverbs 7:5, 21). It is speech that glides, that hides its real intention.
The image of a net (reshet) is vivid. Nets were used for catching birds and animals, and the Bible often uses them metaphorically for traps set by enemies (Psalm 9:15, Psalm 140:5). The word for 'feet' here is pe'amim, meaning 'steps' or 'footfalls', the path a person walks. Flattery, then, is not just words; it is an obstacle laid on the path of another person. In the ancient world, to fall into a net meant ruin: capture, shame, death. The proverb warns that flattery is no light matter, it is a tool of destruction, whether used deliberately or carelessly.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Proverbs 29:5. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Early church writers like John Chrysostom warned against flattery as a form of hypocrisy that destroys friendships. Medieval rabbis commented on the verse as a warning against dishonest compliments. During the Reformation, this proverb was often cited in sermons on the sin of speaking flattering words to gain favor, especially in courts and churches. In modern pastoral literature, Proverbs 29:5 is frequently used to counsel against both giving flattery and being naive about receiving it. Across traditions, the verse has been a practical guide for truthful speech.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Flattery is deceptive speech. It says what the hearer wants to hear, not what is true. Like a smooth cover over a pit, it hides the danger beneath.
- Flattery spreads a net. It catches the neighbor in pride, false confidence, or a trap set by others. The flatterer's aim is always self-interest, a promotion, a favor, control.
- Flattery boomerangs. Some understand the 'net' to fall back on the flatterer. Deceit destroys the deceiver in the end. Proverbs 26:27 says the one who digs a pit will fall into it.
Five-point outline
- Identify flattery: Praise that exceeds the truth, spoken to gain advantage.
- Recognize the trap: Flattery puffs up the receiver, leading to foolish decisions.
- Understand the motive: The flatterer wants something, approval, power, money.
- Resist the flatterer: Guard your heart against excessive praise. Compare it to God's assessment.
- Speak the truth in love: Instead of smooth words, offer honest encouragement grounded in reality.
Illustration hooks
- A colleague at work constantly praises your ideas in meetings, only to take credit later. Their words felt good, but they were a net for your career.
- A friend always tells you 'you're perfect just as you are' when you ask for real feedback on a moral struggle. Their flattery keeps you from growing.
- Social media likes and comments can become a net: we measure our worth by applause, and shape our lives to get more of it.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I tell the difference between genuine encouragement and flattery?
- What should I do when I realize I've been flattering others?
- How can I protect myself from being caught in someone else's flattery?
Leading a Discussion
Flattery is a common temptation. We enjoy hearing nice things about ourselves, and we often say nice things just to be liked. But Proverbs 29:5 exposes this as a trap. This passage calls us to honest speech, both in giving and receiving.
Discussion questions
- Read Proverbs 29:5 aloud. What images come to mind when you hear 'spreads a net'?
- Why do you think the proverb uses 'feet' or 'steps' rather than just saying 'trap him'? What does that detail add?
- In your own words, what does the flatterer hope to accomplish? Is it always malicious, or can it be careless?
- Gill and Matthew Henry suggest the flatterer might trap himself. How have you seen dishonest praise backfire?
- Think of a time you were flattered. How did it affect your judgment? Did you later realize you had been manipulated?
- How can we practice honest encouragement without slipping into flattery? What is the difference between 'you did a good job' and 'you're amazing at everything'?
- What safeguards can our small group put in place to keep our speech truthful and loving, especially when we want to be liked?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Samuel 14:17 | Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May Yahweh, your God, be with you.’” |
| II Samuel 14:24 | The king said, “Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face. |
| Job 17:5 | He who denounces his friends for plunder, even the eyes of his children will fail. |
| Psalms 5:9 | For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue. |
| Psalms 12:2 | Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart. |
| Proverbs 1:17 | For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird; |
| Proverbs 7:5 | that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words. |
| Proverbs 7:21 | With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that a flatterer spreads a net beneath a person’s feet. He does this not to please the listener but to trick them and gain advantage for himself. Your trust in such praise brings danger.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note warns that flattery is not kindness but a concealed trap. To flatter a neighbor is to lay a snare for them, luring them into harm under the guise of goodwill.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights a double danger in flattery: the flatterer speaks smooth words to trap his neighbor, but he may end up caught in his own snare. The warning is that those who use flattery to exploit others often fall into the pit they dug themselves.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that a flatterer spreads his feet by showing someone a false image of their true nature. This leads that person to do evil because of their own choices. You may find peace through Christ and the hope of resurrection.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observe that the flatterer may not intend to harm his neighbor. Nevertheless, the smooth words he speaks become a net that ensnares the one who listens, leading to his own ruin. The danger lies not in the flatterer's malice but in the trap his words unwittingly become.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that flattery spreads a net for the neighbor's feet, and the trap is laid even when the flatterer does not consciously intend harm. The enticing words become a snare the moment the neighbor touches them, catching him unaware.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees flattery as a double snare. It traps the one flattered by puffing up pride or by hiding the flatterer's ill design. At the same time it traps the flatterer, who becomes ridiculous and despised even by those he tries to win.