"But They Lie in Wait for Their Own Blood"
In the very first chapter of Proverbs, Solomon warns his son not to run with robbers (1:10-12). Everyone knows that robbers steal, but the ones described here are so covetous that they are prepared to kill as well as steal. Why? The reason was to obtain "all kinds of precious possessions" (v. 13). Solomon warns his son not to heed their invitation to join them (v. 15), and he explains why: "they lie in wait for their own blood." That is to say, although they are lying in wait to ambush and kill others, they are actually the ones who will die (v. 18).
He explains the situation beginning with verse 17: "Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird." What does this verse mean? How is it relevant to this situation? Unfortunately, there are two possible interpretations, and commentators are divided as to which is correct. The first is that the birds see the net in vain; they fly into it anyway and are caught. The application would be that the robbers/murderers are just as senseless as the birds. They do not foresee their ultimate destruction, either. The other interpretation is the opposite: It is vain to lay a trap for a bird while he is watching the snare beings set. He is smart enough to avoid it. The application would be that the thieves are not as smart as the bird. The bird profits from the warning but the covetous do not.
Yes, some translations have And at the beginning of verse 18, indicating the first interpretation is the valid one; however, just as many use But instead of And, indicating the second interpretation is correct. The only problem is that there is not a conjunction in the Hebrew; the translators chose to use the word that made the most sense to them. So, these unprincipled attackers are either as senseless as birds or not as smart as they are. Either one makes a great point. They think they are lying in wait to kill others and take their possessions, but they are the ones who will actually die. As Hamlet put it (concerning Rosencrantz and Guildenstern), they would be hoist on their own petard (blown up by their own bomb).
Evil men "lurk secretly for their own lives" (v. 18). Of course, committing violence against innocent people is wrong, but it is covetousness that leads to it. The lust of the eyes causes people to harm others to get what they want: "So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of the owner" (v. 19). How ironic! One seeks to have more—but winds up with less. Paul wrote: "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many harmful and foolish lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition" (1 Tim. 6:9). Jesus said, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). These men, even if they have a brief period of success, always fail. "Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way…" (Pro. 1:31).