John Gill Commentary Proverbs 29:5

"A man that flattereth his neighbor Spreadeth a net for his steps." — Proverbs 29:5 (ASV)

A man that flatters his neighbour
That speaks smooth things to him gives him flattering titles, speaks fair to his face, highly commends him on one account or another:

spreads a net for his feet ;
has an idle design upon him, and therefore should be guarded against. His view is to draw him into a snare and make a prey of him; he attacks him on his weak side, hoping to make some advantage of it to himself. Therefore, flatterers should be avoided as pernicious persons;

or he spreads a net for his own feet, and is taken in the snare which he had laid for his neighbour; or falls into the pit he dug for him, as Gersom observes; see (Psalms 140:5) (Hosea 5:1) .