Proverbs 6:28-35

28 Or can a man walk on hot coals And his feet not be scorched?
29 So is the one who 1goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her 2will not go unpunished.
30 Men do not despise a thief if he steals To 3satisfy himself when he is hungry;
31 But when he is found, he must 4repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house.
32 The one who commits adultery with a woman is 5lacking sense; He who would 6destroy himself does it.
33 Wounds and disgrace he will find, And his reproach will not be blotted out.
34 For 7jealousy enrages a man, And he will not spare in the 8day of vengeance.
35 He will not accept * any ransom, Nor will he be satisfied though you give many gifts.

Proverbs 6:28-35 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 8

  • 1. Ezekiel 18:6; Ezekiel 33:26
  • 2. Proverbs 16:5
  • 3. Job 38:39
  • 4. Exodus 22:1-4
  • 5. Proverbs 7:7; Proverbs 9:4, 16; Proverbs 10:13, 21; Proverbs 11:12; Proverbs 12:11
  • 6. Proverbs 7:22, 23
  • 7. Proverbs 27:4; Song of Songs 8:6
  • 8. Proverbs 11:4

Footnotes 10

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