Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
Here is, 1. A great duty required of us, and that is to appear for the relief of oppressed innocency. If we see the lives or livelihoods of any in danger of being taken away unjustly, we ought to bestir ourselves all we can to save them, by disproving the false accusations on which they are condemned and seeking out proofs of their innocency.
Commenting on Proverbs 24:11-12
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not,.... The danger the person was in; or the innocency of his cause; or what method to take to deliver him; or that it was in our power to do anything for him; so the Vulgate Latin version, "if thou sayest, strength is not sufficient": or "we knew him not" (k), who he was or what he was...
Neglect of known duty is sin (Jam 4:17). ready--literally, "bowing down" to be slain--that is, unjustly. God's retributive justice cannot be avoided by professed ignorance.