Proverbs 7:10-20

10 And behold, a woman comes to meet him, 1Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 She is 2boisterous and rebellious, Her 3feet do not remain at home;
12 She is now in the streets, now 4in the squares, And 5lurks by every corner.
13 So she seizes him and kisses him And with a 6brazen face she says to him:
14 "I was due to offer 7peace offerings; Today I have 8paid my vows.
15 "Therefore * I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.
16 "I have spread my couch with 9coverings, With colored 10linens of Egypt.
17 "I have sprinkled my bed With 11myrrh, aloes and 12cinnamon.
18 "Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with caresses.
19 "For my husband is not at home, He has gone on a long * journey;
20 He has taken a 13bag of money with him, At the full moon he will come home."

Proverbs 7:10-20 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.

Cross References 13

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Lit "She makes bold her face and says"
  • [b]. Lit "Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me"
  • [c]. Lit "the man"
  • [d]. Lit "in his hand"
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