Proverbs 15:11
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Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD— how much more the hearts of men!
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This confirms what was said (Pro 15:3) concerning God's omnipresence, in order to his judging of evil and good. 1. God knows all things, even those things that are hidden from the eyes of all living: Hell and destruction are before the Lord, not only the centre of the earth, and its subterraneous caverns, but the grave, and all the dead bodies which are there buried out of our sight; they are all before the Lord, all under his eye, so that none of them can be lost or be to seek when they are to be raised again. He knows where every man lies buried, even Moses, even those that are buried in the greatest obscurity; nor needs he any monument with a Hic jacet - Here he lies, to direct him. The place of the damned in particular, and all their torments, which are inexpressible, the state of separate souls in general, and all their circumstances, are under God's eye. The word here used for destruction is Abaddon, which is one of the devil's names, Rev 9:11. That destroyer, though he deceives us, cannot evade or elude the divine cognizance. God examines him whence he comes (Job 1:7), and sees through all his disguises though he is sly, and subtle, and swift, Job 26:6. 2. He knows particularly the hearts of the children of men. If he sees through the depths and wiles of Satan himself, much more can he search men's hearts, though they be deceitful, since they learned all their fraudulent arts of Satan. God is greater than our hearts, and knows them better than we know them ourselves, and therefore is an infallible Judge of every man's character, Heb 4:13.
Open source ↗15:11 Death and Destruction (Hebrew Sheol and Abaddon) personify the destiny of the dead. Sheol is the abode of the dead; Abaddon is a synonym for Sheol that has an added implication of punishment. • God knows all secrets (see Ps 139:1-12).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
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would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart?
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.
be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of men—
Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.
Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.