Proverbs 7:6-23

6 I stood at the window of my house. I looked out through it.
7 Among those who were childish I saw a young man who had no sense.
8 He went down the street near that sinful woman's corner. He walked toward her house.
9 The sun had gone down. Day was fading. The darkness of night was falling.
10 A woman came out to meet him. She was dressed like a prostitute and had a clever plan.
11 She was a loud and pushy woman. She never stayed at home.
12 Sometimes in the streets, sometimes at other places, at every corner she would wait.
13 She took hold of the young man and kissed him. With a bold face she spoke to him.
14 She said, "At home I have meat left over from my offerings. Today I offered what I had promised I would.
15 So I came out to meet you. I looked for you. And I have found you!
16 I have covered my bed with colored sheets from Egypt.
17 I've perfumed my bed with spices. I used myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let's drink our fill of love until morning. Let's enjoy ourselves by having sex!
19 My husband isn't home. He's gone on a long journey.
20 He took his bag full of money. He won't be home for several days."
21 She led him down the wrong path with her clever words. She charmed him with her smooth talk.
22 All at once he followed her. He was like an ox going to be killed. He was like a deer stepping into a trap
23 until an arrow struck its liver. He was like a bird rushing into a trap. Little did he know it would cost him his life!

Proverbs 7:6-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 7

The sum of this chapter is to exhort men to attend to the doctrines and precepts of Wisdom, in order to avoid the adulterous woman; the exhortation to keep them with care, affection, and delight, in order to answer the end, is in Pr 7:1-5. A story is told, of Solomon's own knowledge, of a young man ensnared and ruined by a lewd woman; it begins Pr 7:6. The young man is described as foolish, and as throwing himself in the way of temptation, Pr 7:7-9; the harlot that met him is described by her attire, her subtlety, her voice, her inconstancy, her impudence, and pretensions to piety, Pr 7:10-14. The arguments she made use of to prevail upon him to go with her are taken partly from the elegance of her bed, the softness of it, and its sweet perfume, and satiety of love to be enjoyed in it, Pr 7:15-18; and partly from the absence of her husband, who was gone a long journey, and had made provision for it for a certain time, Pr 7:19,20. By which arguments she prevailed upon him to his utter ruin: which is illustrated by the similes of an ox going to the slaughter, a fool to the stocks, and a bird to the snare, Pr 7:21-23. And the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to hearken to the words of Wisdom, and to avoid the ways and paths of the harlot, by which many and mighty persons have been ruined; they being the direct road to hell and death, Pr 7:24-27.

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