Proverbs 6:12-15

12 A 1worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a 2perverse mouth,
13 Who 3winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers;
14 Who with 4perversity in his heart continually * 5devises evil, Who 6spreads strife.
15 Therefore * 7his calamity will come suddenly; 8Instantly he will be broken and there will be 9no healing.

Proverbs 6:12-15 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 9

  • 1. Proverbs 16:27
  • 2. Proverbs 4:24; Proverbs 10:32
  • 3. Job 15:12; Psalms 35:19; Proverbs 10:10
  • 4. Proverbs 17:20
  • 5. Proverbs 3:29; Micah 2:1
  • 6. Proverbs 6:19; Proverbs 16:28
  • 7. Proverbs 24:22
  • 8. Isaiah 30:13, 14; Jeremiah 19:11
  • 9. 2 Chronicles 36:16

Footnotes 3

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.