28 Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber, And increaseth the treacherous among men.
Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, And lieth in wait at every corner.
And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, `and' whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred `pieces' of silver. And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man. Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now she had liers-in-wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withes, as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known. And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If they only bind me with new ropes wherewith no work hath been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man. So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And the liers-in-wait were abiding in the inner chamber. And he brake them off his arms like a thread. And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web. And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam, and the web. And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, that his soul was vexed unto death. And he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon my head; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath told me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought the money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free. But he knew not that Jehovah was departed from him. And the Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison-house. Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words; That forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God: For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead; None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life:
He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as `one in' fetters to the correction of the fool; Till an arrow strike through his liver; As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his life. Now therefore, `my' sons, hearken unto me, And attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thy heart decline to her ways; Go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: Yea, all her slain are a mighty host. Her house is the way to Sheol, Going down to the chambers of death.
But he knoweth not that the dead are there; That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.
Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 23
Commentary on Proverbs 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
Pr 23:1-35.
1. Avoid the dangers of gluttony.
2. put a knife—an Eastern figure for putting restraint on the appetite.
3. are deceitful meat—though well tasted, injurious.
4, 5. (Compare 1Ti 6:9, 10).
thine own wisdom—which regards riches intrinsically as a blessing.
5. Wilt … eyes—As the eyes fly after or seek riches, they are not, that is, either become transitory or unsatisfying; fully expressed by their flying away.
6-8. Beware of deceitful men, whose courtesies even you will repent of having accepted.
evil eye—or purpose (Pr 22:9; De 15:9; Mt 6:23).
8. The morsel … words—that is, disgusted with his true character, all pleasant intercourse will be destroyed.
9. (Compare Pr 9:8). "Cast not your pearls before swine" (Mt 7:6).
10, 11. (Compare Pr 22:22, 23).
11. redeemer—or avenger (Le 25:25, 26; Nu 35:12), hence advocate (Job 19:25).
plead … thee—(Compare Job 31:21; Ps 35:1; 68:5).
12. Here begins another series of precepts.
13, 14. While there is little danger that the use of the "divine ordinance of the rod" will produce bodily harm, there is great hope of spiritual good.
15, 16. The pleasure afforded the teacher by the pupil's progress is a motive to diligence.
16. my reins—(Compare Ps 7:9).
17, 18. (Compare Margin). The prosperity of the wicked is short.
18. an end—or, "hereafter," another time, when apparent inequalities shall be adjusted (compare Ps 37:28-38).
19-21. guide … way—or direct thy thoughts to a right course of conduct (compare Pr 4:4; 9:6).
20. riotous … flesh—prodigal, or eating more than necessary. Instead of "their flesh" (compare Margin), better, "flesh to them," that is, used for pleasure.
21. drowsiness—the dreamy sleep of the slothful.
22. Hearken—that is, obey (Pr 1:8; Eph 6:1).
despise … old—Adults revere the parents whom, as children, they once obeyed.
23. Buy—literally, "get" (Pr 4:5).
truth—generally and specially as opposed to errors of all kinds.
24, 25. (Compare Pr 10:1; 17:21, 25).
26-35. A solemn warning against whoredom and drunkenness (Ho 4:11).
give me—This is the address of that divine wisdom so often presented (Pr 8:1; 9:3, &c.).
heart—confidence.
observe—keep.
my ways—such as I teach you (Pr 3:17; 9:6).
27, 28. deep ditch—a narrow pit, out of which it is hard to climb.
lieth in wait—to ensnare men into the pit, as hunters entrap game (compare Pr 22:14).
28. increaseth … transgressors—(Pr 5:8-10). The vice alluded to is peculiarly hardening to the heart.
29, 30. This picture is often sadly realized now.
mixed wine—(Compare Pr 9:2; Isa 5:11).
31. when … red—the color denoting greater strength (compare Ge 49:11; De 32:14).
giveth … cup—literally, "gives its eye," that is, sparkles.
moveth … aright—Perhaps its foaming is meant.
32. The acute miseries resulting from drunkenness contrasted with the temptations.
33, 34. The moral effects: it inflames passion (Ge 19:31, 35), lays open the heart, produces insensibility to the greatest dangers, and debars from reformation, under the severest sufferings.
35. awake—that is, from drunkenness (Ge 9:24). This is the language rather of acts than of the tongue.