Text -- Proverbs 26:27 (NET)

26:27 The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone– it will come back on him.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Pro 26:27

¹ sn The verse is teaching talionic justice (“an eye for an eye,” etc.), and so the activities described should be interpreted as evil in their intent. “Digging a pit” would mean laying a trap for someone (the figure of speech would be a metonymy of cause for the effect of ruining someone, if an actual pit is being dug; the figure would be hypocatastasis if digging a pit is being compared to laying a trap, but no pit is being dug). Likewise, “rolling a stone” on someone means to destroy that individual.