Proverbs 6 Footnotes

6:28 The fact that there are people who can walk on coals without burning their feet does not negate the truth of the proverb but rather reflects a lack of understanding of what a proverb is. The point of the statement is that certain behaviors, such as holding fire against one’s body (v. 27) or walking on hot coals, involve innate and significant risks, and wisdom dictates that such behaviors should be avoided. Clearly adultery and sexual immorality belong in that category, and as v. 32 points out, they are self-destructive.