Proverbs 6:11-21

11 1Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.
12 A 2worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a 3perverse mouth,
13 Who 4winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers;
14 Who with 5perversity in his heart continually * 6devises evil, Who 7spreads strife.
15 Therefore * 8his calamity will come suddenly; 9Instantly he will be broken and there will be 10no healing.
16 There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 11Haughty eyes, a 12lying tongue, And hands that 13shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises 14wicked plans, 15Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A 16false witness who utters lies, And one who 17spreads strife among brothers.
20 18My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;
21 19Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck.

Proverbs 6:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 6

In this chapter the wise man dissuades from rash suretyship; exposes the sin of idleness; describes a wicked man; makes mention of seven things hateful to God; exhorts to attend to parental instructions and precepts, and cautions against adultery. Suretyship is described, Pr 6:1; and represented as a snare and a net, in which men are taken, Pr 6:2; and advice is given what to do in such a case, for safety in it, and deliverance from it, Pr 6:3-5; The sin of slothfulness is exposed, by observing the industry of the ant, Pr 6:6-8; by expostulating with the sluggard for his continuance in sloth, and by mimicking him, Pr 6:9,10; and by the poverty it brings upon him, Pr 6:11. Then a naughty wicked man is described, by his mouth, eyes, feet, fingers, and heart, whose ruin is sudden and inevitable, Pr 6:11-15. The seven things hateful to God are particularly named, Pr 6:16-19. And next the exhortation in some preceding chapters is reassumed, to attend to the instructions of parents; which will be found ornamental, pleasant, and useful, Pr 6:20-23. Especially to preserve from the lewd woman cautioned against, Pr 6:24,25; whose company is dissuaded from; on account of the extreme poverty and distress she brings persons to, and even danger of life, Pr 6:26; from the unavoidable ruin such come into, Pr 6:27-29; from the sin of uncleanness being greater than that of theft, Pr 6:30,31; from the folly the adulterer betrays; from the destruction of his soul, and the disgrace he brings on himself, Pr 6:32,33; and from the rage and irreconcilable offence of the husband of the adulteress, Pr 6:34,35.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Proverbs 24:34
  • 2. Proverbs 16:27
  • 3. Proverbs 4:24; Proverbs 10:32
  • 4. Job 15:12; Psalms 35:19; Proverbs 10:10
  • 5. Proverbs 17:20
  • 6. Proverbs 3:29; Micah 2:1
  • 7. Proverbs 6:19; Proverbs 16:28
  • 8. Proverbs 24:22
  • 9. Isaiah 30:13, 14; Jeremiah 19:11
  • 10. 2 Chronicles 36:16
  • 11. Psalms 18:27; Psalms 101:5; Proverbs 21:4; Proverbs 30:13
  • 12. Psalms 31:18; Psalms 120:2; Proverbs 12:22; Proverbs 17:7
  • 13. Deuteronomy 19:10; Proverbs 28:17; Isaiah 1:15; Isaiah 59:7
  • 14. Genesis 6:5; Proverbs 24:2
  • 15. Proverbs 1:16; Isaiah 59:7; Romans 3:15
  • 16. Psalms 27:12; Proverbs 12:17; Proverbs 19:5, 9; Proverbs 21:28
  • 17. Proverbs 6:14
  • 18. Ephesians 6:1
  • 19. Proverbs 3:3

Footnotes 8

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