Proverbs 7:6-27

6 At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.
8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
14 “Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15 So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”
21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b]
23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 7:6-27 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 17

  • 1. S Proverbs 1:22; S Proverbs 6:32
  • 2. Job 24:15
  • 3. Proverbs 9:13; 1 Timothy 5:13
  • 4. Proverbs 8:1-36; Proverbs 23:26-28
  • 5. S Genesis 39:12
  • 6. S Proverbs 1:20
  • 7. S Leviticus 7:11-18
  • 8. S Esther 1:6; Isaiah 57:7; Ezekiel 23:41; Amos 6:4
  • 9. S Genesis 37:25
  • 10. S Genesis 39:7
  • 11. S ver 5; Proverbs 5:3
  • 12. S Job 18:10
  • 13. S Job 15:22; S Job 16:13
  • 14. S Proverbs 6:26; Ecclesiastes 7:26; Ecclesiastes 9:12
  • 15. Proverbs 1:8-9; Proverbs 5:7; Proverbs 8:32
  • 16. Proverbs 5:7-8
  • 17. Judges 16:19; S Proverbs 2:18; Proverbs 5:5; Proverbs 9:18; Revelation 22:15

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew "fool"
  • [b]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
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