Proverbs 6:9-19

9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up?

10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—

11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

12 What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars,

13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.

14 Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble.

15 But they will be destroyed suddenly, broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.

16 There are six things the LORD hates— no, seven things he detests:

17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent,

18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong,

19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.

Proverbs 6:9-19 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.