Proverbs 6:2-12

2 If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with the words of your mouth,
3 Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.
4 Give no 1sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter's hand And like a 2bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the 3ant, O 4sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having 5no chief, Officer or ruler,
8 Prepares her food 6in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.
9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
10 "7A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest "-
11 8Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.
12 A 9worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a 10perverse mouth,

Proverbs 6:2-12 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 10

  • 1. Psalms 132:4
  • 2. Psalms 91:3; Psalms 124:7
  • 3. Proverbs 30:24, 25
  • 4. Proverbs 6:9; Proverbs 10:26; Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 26:16
  • 5. Proverbs 30:27
  • 6. Proverbs 10:5
  • 7. Proverbs 24:33
  • 8. Proverbs 24:34
  • 9. Proverbs 16:27
  • 10. Proverbs 4:24; Proverbs 10:32

Footnotes 4

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