Warning Against the Adulteress.
1 Solomon persuaded to a sincere and kind familiarity with wisdom. 6 In an example of his own experience, he showed 10 the cunning of an whore, 22 and the desperate simplicity of a young wanton. 24 He dehorned, removed from such wickedness.
Pro 7:1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
Pro 7:2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Literally, “the pupil of thine eye.” A figure of extreme preciousness.
The LXX has the following introduction to v.: 2: “My son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong; and fear none but him.”
Pro 7:3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Hence always within view and serving as a constant reminder
(see Deut. 6:8; 11:18).
Pro 7:4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.” A symbol of intimate association.
Pro 7:5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
Pro 7:6 At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice.
The LXX represents the woman as looking through the window of her
house, scanning the passers-by for a likely victim. However, from the context it seems more natural to retain the reading of the Hebrew.
The writer chooses to use a concrete illustration rather than to speak in abstract generalities, and thus adds to the force of his instruction. He may have reported an actual case or related a parable.
Lattice. The windows of ancient Oriental houses were not covered with glass, as those of our modern houses are, but with a latticework or trelliswork of wood that enabled the occupant of the house to see outside, while the vision from the outside was obscured.
The arrangement worked somewhat like our Venetian blinds; it shut out the
sunlight but permitted the breezes to pass through.
Pro 7:7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.
Pro 7:8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
Pro 7:9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
Dark of night. Literally, “in the pupil [of the eye] of night and darkness.” The pupil is the dark, central part of the eye. The pupil of the night evidently refers to the period of total darkness between the evening twilight and the dawn of day.
The young man erred when he thus placed himself in the way of temptation. He may have had no deliberate intention of sinning, but he took pleasure in venturing on the borders of transgression. His case is typical of that of many moral offenders today, who, while permitting indiscreet associations, have no intention of selling their soul to base lust.
Suddenly they find themselves in a snare from which they seem powerless to extricate themselves. They should have positively repulsed the first prompting of evil. “Touch not; taste not; handle not” (Col. 2:21) is the only safe course to pursue in these matters. “Let him that think he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).
Pro 7:7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.
Pro 7:8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
Pro 7:9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
Pro 7:10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
The fact that the woman was abroad at this time of the night gives
an indication of her character. In the East females of good repute were kept secluded and would not normally leave the confines of a home at night, certainly not unattended.
Pro 7:11 (She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
Verses 11 and 12 describe the character of the woman in general, not
necessarily her conduct on this occasion. She was not one of the “keeps at home” that Paul commended (Titus 2:5).
Pro 7:12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
Pro 7:13 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
Pro 7:14 “Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
In this kind of offering the animal offered was divided between
the priest and the offerer (see Lev. 7:11–19). The woman claims to have paid her vows that day and now to be celebrating a feast in her home to which she invites the foolish youth.
Pro 7:15 So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
She is attempting to convince her dupe that she was particularly looking for him and esteemed him highly.
Pro 7:16 I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
Pro 7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
Pro 7:18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
Pro 7:19 My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
A strong element of temptation is introduced—the idea of safety from
discovery. Without the restraint imposed by fear of detection and punishment, the condition of society would be much worse than it is.
Few in these days are restrained by the working of the Holy Spirit upon the heart (see Gen. 6:5).
In this degenerate age, when man is weak and sin is strong, the people of God must make wisdom and understanding their close companions and draw so near to the Saviour that the very thought of sin will be quickly expelled from the mind (2 Cor. 10:5).
However, sin that is avoided merely through fear of detection still pollutes the soul (see on Matt. 5:28). In this statement from the Sermon on the Mount Jesus does not mean to imply that temptation itself is sin. But if the condition of the soul is such that the tempted one would indulge in the sin if he had the opportunity, that condition itself is sin.
Sin is lack of conformity with the law of God, whether in act, disposition, or state. Someone has aptly remarked that character may be evaluated by what a man would do if he knew that he would never be found out.
Pro 7:20 He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”
Pro 7:21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
The adulteress evidently used a carefully planned line of argument.
Pro 7:22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose.
Pro 7:23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
Pro 7:24 Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
Pro 7:25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
The only safe course is promptly to repel the first insinuations of evil and to avoid placing oneself in the way of temptation (see Gen. 39:13; 1 Cor. 6:18).
One who finds himself already entangled should immediately set about to break free from the cords that bind him.
All must guard against undue familiarity.
Pro 7:26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
Pro 7:27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.