Proverbs 2:11-21

11 Your insight and understanding will protect you
12 and prevent you from doing the wrong thing. They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say -
13 those who have abandoned a righteous life to live in the darkness of sin,
14 those who find pleasure in doing wrong and who enjoy senseless evil,
15 unreliable people who cannot be trusted.
16 You will be able to resist any immoral woman who tries to seduce you with her smooth talk,
17 who is faithless to her own husband and forgets her sacred vows.
18 If you go to her house, you are traveling the road to death. To go there is to approach the world of the dead.
19 No one who visits her ever comes back. He never returns to the road to life.
20 So you must follow the example of good people and live a righteous life.
21 Righteous people - people of integrity - will live in this land of ours.

Proverbs 2:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 2

This chapter directs to the means of attaining to the knowledge of divine things, and shows the profit and advantage arising from thence. The means are, embracing the doctrines of the Gospel, and retaining in memory and affection the ordinances of it, Pr 2:1; and an inclination of the ear and an application of the heart to the knowledge of these things, Pr 2:2. An earnest and importunate desire, expressed by prayer, after the same, Pr 2:3; and a diligent and unwearied search for them, as for silver and hid treasure, Pr 2:4. The advantages are, that such shall attain to the fear and knowledge of God; which may be concluded from these being the gift of God to his people, and from their being laid up for them, whom he carefully keeps and preserves, Pr 2:5-8; and not only so, but such learn to do that which is just and right among men, Pr 2:9. And, besides, such is the nature of divine wisdom, that, when it has once got a place in the heart and in the affections, it will be a means of preserving both from the ways of evil men, Pr 2:10-12; who are described, Pr 2:13-15. And from the evil woman, whose character is given, Pr 2:16,17; whose vicious course of life, and the ways she leads persons into, are represented as very dangerous, Pr 2:18,19. And, on the contrary, such is the usefulness of true wisdom, that it leads into the way of good men, who will be happy and safe, when the wicked shall be destroyed, Pr 2:20-22.

Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.