PROVERBS CHAPTER 7
I. OUTLINE: I. The Simpleton And The Seductress: 7:1-27 A. Words That Can Save: 7:1-5 B. The Trap Is Set: 7:6-23 C. The Consequences: 7:24-27
II. COMMENTARY: 7:1-2 “my teaching as the apple of your eye”-lit., the little man of the eye, so called because of the miniature reflection of objects seen in the pupil, specially of the person who looks into another’s eye. “It is a proverbial expression for anything particularly precious and liable to be injured unless guarded with scrupulous care” (P.P. Comm. p. 154). “If you are close enough to look into someone’s eyes, you may see yourself reflected in them. The advice here is for the son to keep his eye so closely fixed on his father’s teachings that they are constantly reflected in his eyes” (Alden p. 62) See also (Deut. 32:10; Psalm 17:8). 7:3 Compare with Deut. 6:8. Bind such teachings on your fingers, like a ring. Or, like the person who ties a string on their finger to remember something. “It is shown once more that the best advice is useless against strong temptation unless it is thoroughly taken to heart and translated into habits. Concern for it is to be as sensitive as one’s care for the pupil (apple) of the eye” (Kidner p. 75). 7:4 “You are my sister…call understanding your intimate friend”-“’Sister’ is a term of endearment for a girlfriend or wife. The young man is to love Wisdom
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rather than the immoral woman” (Garrett pp. 102-103). The young man or woman who loves Wisdom, can resist the temptations from the opposite sex. If we really love Wisdom, then we will be able to see through the cheap and false allurements of the world. We need to let prudence and sound sense be as dear to us as a close friend. We need to be as familiar with wisdom as we would be with a dear friend, sister, or wife. The young man who really sees the value of wisdom is like a happily married man who has no interest in an illicit affair. 7:5 An intimate relationship with Wisdom, a Wisdom that has been embraced and treasured in the heart, and constantly on one’s mind will enable one to escape from insincere flattery. Carefully note that God doesn’t view lust as being all-powerful, we don’t have to give in, sin can be resisted. “When the heart is filled with the love of what is good, it is armed against the seductions of evil pleasure or whatever may entice the soul from God and duty” (P.P. Comm. p. 154). Compare with 1 Corinthians 13:6 and Philippians 4:8. Once again, we are reminded that the speech of the person willing and wanting to commit adultery is dishonest, smooth and slippery (6:24; 7:21; 5:3). Point To Note: Often people downplay or ridicule the importance of Bible knowledge in reference to resisting temptation, but God doesn’t (Psalm 119:11). The person who really believes in the lifestyle that God has outlined, who really believes that God always is seeking their highest good, who appreciates and realizes how blessed they are, is a person that the devil will find extremely hard to tempt.
Setting Oneself Up To Fail 7:6-7 From personal experience Solomon relates a story about a naïve young man, “which shows in vivid color what happens to the youth who lacks judgment” (Alden p. 63). “Whether this young man knows where this harlot lives, or just happens to pass her house is unclear, yet it is probable he is somewhat familiar with what could happen in this part of town” (p. 64). One of the first steps in avoiding temptation, is to stay away from situations in which we would be at a disadvantage (1 Corinthians 15:33). There are many temptations we can avoid by simply staying out of certain environments (Romans 13:14). Many people fail, because they have virtually set themselves up to sin. This young man is playing on the borders of temptation—and will get burned. Too many people have the attitude, “Well, I’m not planning on getting into trouble, but I will just go there and see what happens”.
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“naïve”-i.e. a youth who lacks judgment. “He is young, inexperienced, featherbrained….His evening stroll takes him intentionally (as sa ad, “to step, march”, suggests; NIV, “walking along”) down the street to her house. And then, if all this activity of the naïve young man takes place under the cover of night, only trouble can follow” (Gaebelein p. 939). 7:8-9 Not only is this the wrong section of town, but this is also the wrong time to be in this part of town. “he is the very sort to need arming with borrowed wisdom. He wanders into temptation, where place (8) and time (9) can join forces against him; and if he is aimless, his temptress is not” (Kidner p. 75). Point To Note: If we are apathetic, aimless, inconsistent, or careless, be impressed that the devil isn’t! (1 Peter 5:8) The devil never becomes apathetic, lazy, or indifferent concerning trying to tempt us. It is so interesting that people argue about “gray areas”, when the devil knows that there aren’t any! The devil isn’t confused as to what is or isn’t sin—should we? The devil isn’t confused about what is or isn’t sound doctrine-should we? 7:10 “behold”-Temptation strikes quickly (Genesis 39:11). “dressed as a harlot”-“Outwardly, she keeps nothing back; she is dressed, as we say, to kill; inwardly, she gives nothing away (lit., ‘guarded of heart’, meaning either hard, unyielding, or close, secretive)” (Kidner p. 75). Carefully note, there is a clothing style that God objectively says, “you look like a harlot”. Let us reject the silly argument which says that immodesty is only in the eye of the beholder or obscenity is always a matter of personal opinion. And if we are confused about what is and what isn’t modest---why is it that the harlot knows exactly what to wear? “Even today the way a woman dresses makes a statement about her availability” (Alden p. 63). “cunning of heart”-she never tells the truth or lets her true purposes or feelings known. “She has locked up her plans and gives nothing away” (Gaebelein p. 940). As my mother would say, “she is hard as nails”. “she hides her real feelings, feigning, perhaps, affection” (P.P. Comm. p. 155). 7:11 “boisterous”-i.e. loud. “rebellious”-she is brazen and defiant, the exact opposite of a meek and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4). She is the type of person that Hollywood loves to have in a leading role. She is defiant against God’s laws and her marriage vows. She is the humanist ideal, the autonomous person, answerable to no one but themselves. In Evolutionary circles, she would be the model of adaptability, she would be viewed superior. In a certain sense she is also the feminist ideal, a woman who is taking charge of her own sexuality. A 3
woman who is taking advantage of men, ruling and dominating them, instead of being in subjection to some patriarchal or “male” imposed standard of morality. She is comfortable with her body—some would argue. Many liberal thinkers in our society today would call the woman in this chapter the “worthy woman” and condemn the woman described in chapter 31! “her feet do not remain at home”-the exact opposite of Titus 2:4-5. “She has a house, not a home. If she has a husband and children she is not committed to them (19). They mean nothing to her” (Alden p. 64). 7:12 She frequents public places looking for victims. “In today’s world she would certainly appear in the lobbies or bars of big city hotels during business conventions” (Alden p. 64). The word “lurks” means to lie in wait, ambush. Which means she wants to surprise naïve young men before they can reflect upon the consequences of going with her. She wants her victims to have very little time to contemplate their decision. 7:13 Her first tactic is the shock treatment. She even put on a brazen and bold face to suit the licentious words which she spoke. She is an expert liar. She assumed the most confident look she could. But this verse also infers that this woman must pretend to be brazen, she must deny herself to act this way, she must deny her own femininity. 7:14 When one had made a peace-offering to God, he or she was allowed to take a portion of the meat home (Lev. 3:1-5). In other words, “I’m planning an intimate steak dinner for two”. “second---it is a special day, a celebration; it would be unthinkable to refuse” (Kidner p. 75). “By expressing that she has fellowship offerings, she could be saying nothing more than that she has fresh meat for a meal or that she is ceremonially clean, perhaps after her period” (Gaebelein p. 941). In addition, note that she places everything with a religious or spiritual overtone. “I’ve done my duty to God, I am a spiritual person, my personal life doesn’t have anything to do with my relationship with God”. 7:15 “I have come out to meet you”-yea, right. Only a fool would believe that she was actually looking specifically for him. The third tactic, is flattery, “he is the very one she had to find”. 7:16-17 She then seeks to lure him by describing the sensuous nature of her bedroom. “the woman has prepared her bed in an exotic and attractive manner. The three spices used….They all smell wonderful…this passage refers to all five senses. The young man sees the way she is dressed (10), hears her 4
invitation and flattery (14-15), feels her embrace, and tastes her lips (13). Now she appeals to his sense of smell by using fragrant spices” (Alden p. 65). 7:18 The next step is a direct proposition. “Her invitation speaks of complete satiety (“let’s drink deep”) and sheer enjoyment” (Gaebelein p. 941). 7:19-20 The woman now seeks to assure this young man that her husband won’t catch them. Judging from the amount of money that her husband took with him for business purposes, he won’t be back for at least a couple of days. “Sinners always have everything taken care of, they think, but have you not noticed that they still get caught every so often?” (Hunt p. 88). Notice her contempt for her husband, she simply calls him “the man”. Because that is all that he means to her. 7:21 He is right on the edge. Again, while he is aimless. She has a definite goal, she continues to press for him to give in. 7:22 “Suddenly”-Often yielding to temptation happens on the spur of the moment. “all at once” (RSV)-which paints vividly the sudden yielding after indecision” (Kidner p. 76). “As an ox goes to the slaughter”-But this young man doesn’t see himself as a dumb animal about to be butchered. Rather, he probably sees himself on the verge of satisfying his curiosity….of one who is about to experience life’s supposed greatest thrill in an exciting setting. “The image of an ox going to slaughter…is a graphic statement about the witless character of the man who yields to an adulteress” (Alden p. 66). “one in fetters to the discipline of a fool”-(NIV “like a deer stepping into a noose”). “He was captured like a fool whose feet are put in fetters and is taken to a correctional institution” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 920). “until an arrow pierces through his liver”-i.e. he will be suddenly overtaken like an animal shot with an arrow. “may refer to the pangs of a guilty conscience that the guilty must reap along with spiritual and physical ruin” (Gaebelein p. 942). 7:23 He is being as dumb and stupid as a bird that is walking right into a trap. For all practical purposes the sinner when indulging in his or her sin is acting like a dumb animal. “images which focus on the naivete, oblivion, and blindness of each victim. Even if this young man had any conscience about engaging in sin, he certainly seems oblivious to the grave consequences of such action here. 5
The woman may have appeared to be wealthy, respectable, and worthy of attention and courtesy despite her obvious overtures” (Alden p. 66). Even though the woman is a harlot, at this moment, this young man would probably have argued that she was the nicest, gentlest, and kindest person he had ever met. Even though she is offering nothing more than pure lust, he would have probably argued that they had a love that very few people have ever known. No wonder that sin is called deceitful (Hebrews 3:13). Point To Note: The verse truly brings out the point that the person involved in sin really isn’t qualified or competent to judge anything rightly. Yes, immorality does affect our job performance and our view of reality. “it will cost him his life”-Not only can this include his physical life, but also his moral and spiritual life. “the mess he is getting his life into, the shame that he will bear in honorable society, the trouble he will involve himself in with sinned-against husbands throughout the years, the danger he will bring to the stability of his own house, the disease he will encounter in his own body, the early death he will bring upon himself, and the eternal Hell in which he will suffer forever and ever are the real outcomes of such sin” (Hunt p. 89). Point To Note: All of a sudden temptation loses its appeal when we starting adding up the real cost of giving in. Before we yield, let’s all do ourselves a favor—look at the price tag first! 7:24-25 The advice is simple—don’t even go near such a woman. Or, in other words, don’t spend your life trying to get as close to the line of sin, without sinning. “After watching the young man, we are made to see ourselves as conceivably filling the same role. The defence is threefold. First, guard your mind (25; 4:23); you are in danger as soon as your thoughts wander in this fatal direction. Second, keep away, literally as well as in mind (25). Third, look past her, to the casualties and the chambers of death (26-27)” (Kidner p. 76). 7:26 Far from being the path to great thrills, adultery is a short cut to death and misery. “whether at the hand of an offended husband, the contraction of venereal disease, or just from the stress of living a double life. Mental, spiritual, and physical health is more likely enjoyed by those who remain faithful to marriage vows in a relationship of faith and mutual trust” (Alden pp. 66-67).
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Point To Note: If you are tempted by a particular sin, carefully examine the lives of those who have already yielded. Look at the lives of those who have become unfaithful. Are they happy or miserable? Are they merely existing or living? What really happened to the man or woman who left their mate for another person? Have they left that relationship too? The same thing is true of those who have chosen error instead of the truth. Where has such a decision taken them? What do they believe, what truths have they also abandoned in the process? “many”-one sinner can destroy the lives of many people! “The harlot marks her course with ruined souls, as a ruthless conqueror leaves a field of battle strewn with corpses” (P.P. Comm. p. 157).
7:27 The highly advertised bedchamber (16-17), is actually the gate to death and hell. There is only one direction in this house, “down”! “As a final appeal this father unmasks the adulteress to reveal the monster beneath the beautiful exterior” (Garrett p. 104).
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