Net

Fishermen and trappers both handle nets in these verses. Jesus tells Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” and later likens the kingdom of heaven to a net cast into the sea. But the psalms mostly see a hidden net, laid by enemies. “Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD,” prays David, “for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.” Often the trap closes on the one who set it. Psalm 25 and Matthew 4 show both sides.

28 verses

Job

Job 18:8

For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

Job 19:6

Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.

Psalms

Psalms 9:15

The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.

Psalms 10:9

He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.

Psalms 25:15

Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

Psalms 31:4

Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

Psalms 35:7

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

Psalms 35:8

Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

Psalms 57:6

They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.

Psalms 66:11

Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.

Psalms 91:3

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Psalms 140:5

The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

Psalms 141:10

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.

Proverbs

Proverbs 12:12

The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

Proverbs 29:5

A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 7:26

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

Ecclesiastes 9:12

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

Isaiah

Isaiah 19:8

The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 26:5

It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD: and it shall become a spoil to the nations.

Ezekiel 26:14

And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 47:10

And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

Hosea

Hosea 7:12

When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.

Matthew

Matthew 4:18

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Matthew 4:19

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Matthew 4:20

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

Matthew 4:21

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

Matthew 13:47

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

Luke

Luke 5:4

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

In use among the Hebrews for fishing, hunting, and fowling. The fishing-net was probably constructed after the form of that used by the Egyptians (Isa. 19:8). There were three kinds of nets. (1.) The drag-net or hauling-net (Gr. sagene), of great size, and requiring many men to work it. It was usually let down from the fishing-boat, and then drawn to the shore or into the boat, as circumstances might require (Matt. 13:47, 48). (2.) The hand-net or casting-net (Gr. amphiblestron), which was thrown from a rock or a boat at any fish that might be seen (Matt. 4:18; Mark 1:16). It was called by the Latins funda. It was of circular form, “like the top of a tent.” (3.) The bag-net (Gr. diktyon), used for enclosing fish in deep water (Luke 5:4-9).

Read the full entry

The fowling-nets were (1) the trap, consisting of a net spread over a frame, and supported by a stick in such a way that it fell with the slightest touch (Amos 3:5, “gin;” Ps. 69:22; Job 18:9; Eccl. 9:12). (2) The snare, consisting of a cord to catch birds by the leg (Job 18:10; Ps. 18:5; 116:3; 140:5). (3.) The decoy, a cage filled with birds as decoys (Jer. 5:26, 27). Hunting-nets were much in use among the Hebrews.

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.