14 The mouth of strange women is a deep hole: he with whom the Lord is angry will go down into it.
They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman. Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner. For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life. May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing? Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned? So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.
Then she said, The Philistines are on you, Samson. And awaking from his sleep, he said, I will go out as at other times, shaking myself free. But he was not conscious that the Lord had gone from him. So the Philistines took him and put out his eyes; then they took him down to Gaza, and, chaining him with bands of brass, put him to work crushing grain in the prison-house.
To take you out of the power of the strange woman, who says smooth words with her tongue; Who is false to the husband of her early years, and does not keep the agreement of her God in mind: For her house is on the way down to death; her footsteps go down to the shades: Those who go to her do not come back again; their feet do not keep in the ways of life:
For honey is dropping from the lips of the strange woman, and her mouth is smoother than oil; But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword; Her feet go down to death, and her steps to the underworld; She never keeps her mind on the road of life; her ways are uncertain, she has no knowledge. Give ear to me then, my sons, and do not put away my words from you. Go far away from her, do not come near the door of her house; For fear that you may give your honour to others, and your wealth to strange men: And strange men may be full of your wealth, and the fruit of your work go to the house of others; And you will be full of grief at the end of your life, when your flesh and your body are wasted; And you will say, How was teaching hated by me, and my heart put no value on training; I did not give attention to the voice of my teachers, my ear was not turned to those who were guiding me! I was in almost all evil in the company of the people. Let water from your store and not that of others be your drink, and running water from your fountain. Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places. Let them be for yourself only, not for other men with you. Let blessing be on your fountain; have joy in the wife of your early years. As a loving hind and a gentle doe, let her breasts ever give you rapture; let your passion at all times be moved by her love. Why let yourself, my son, go out of the way with a strange woman, and take another woman in your arms? For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he puts all his goings in the scales. The evil-doer will be taken in the net of his crimes, and prisoned in the cords of his sin. He will come to his end for need of teaching; he is so foolish that he will go wandering from the right way.
So that they may keep you from the strange woman, even from her whose words are smooth. Looking out from my house, and watching through the window, I saw among the young men one without sense, Walking in the street near the turn of her road, going on the way to her house, At nightfall, in the evening of the day, in the black dark of the night. And the woman came out to him, in the dress of a loose woman, with a designing heart; She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house. Now she is in the street, now in the open spaces, waiting at every turning of the road. So she took him by his hand, kissing him, and without a sign of shame she said to him: I have a feast of peace-offerings, for today my oaths have been effected. So I came out in the hope of meeting you, looking for you with care, and now I have you. My bed is covered with cushions of needlework, with coloured cloths of the cotton thread of Egypt; I have made my bed sweet with perfumes and spices. Come, let us take our pleasure in love till the morning, having joy in love's delights. For the master of the house is away on a long journey: He has taken a bag of money with him; he is coming back at the full moon. With her fair words she overcame him, forcing him with her smooth lips. The simple man goes after her, like an ox going to its death, like a roe pulled by a cord; Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side. So now, my sons, give ear to me; give attention to the sayings of my mouth; Let not your heart be turned to her ways, do not go wandering in her footsteps. For those wounded and made low by her are great in number; and all those who have come to their death through her are a great army. Her house is the way to the underworld, going down to the rooms of death.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 22
Commentary on Proverbs 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Pr 22:1-29.
1. A good name—(Job 30:8, Hebrew); "good" is supplied here from Ec 7:1.
loving favour—kind regard, that is, of the wise and good.
2. Before God all are on the same footing (Pr 14:31; 17:5).
3. are punished—that is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.
4. humility and the fear of the Lord—are in apposition; one produces the other. On the results, compare Pr 3:16; 8:18.
5. he that … them—Those who properly watch over their own souls are thus preserved from the dangers which attend the way of perverse men (Pr 16:17).
6. Train—initiate, or early instruct.
the way—literally, "his way," that selected for him in which he should go; for early training secures habitual walking in it.
7. The influence of wealth sets aside moral distinctions is implied, and, of course, disapproved (compare Pr 19:6; 21:14, &c.).
8. (Compare Pr 11:18; Ps 109:16-20; Ga 6:7, 8).
the rod … fail—His power to do evil will be destroyed.
9. a bountiful eye—that is, a beneficent disposition.
for he giveth … poor—His acts prove it.
10. Cast out—or drive away. Scorners foster strife by taunts and revilings.
11. (Compare Margin).
pureness of heart—and gentle, kind words win favor, even from kings.
12. preserve—or guard.
knowledge—its principles and possessors.
overthroweth—utterly confounds and destroys the wicked.
13. Frivolous excuses satisfy the indolent man's conscience.
14. The mouth—or flattering speeches (Pr 5:3; 7:5) ensnare man, as pits, beasts. God makes their own sin their punishment.
15. is bound—or firmly fixed. Chastisement deters from crime and so leads to reformation of principle.
16. These two vices pertain to the same selfish feeling. Both are deservedly odious to God and incur punishment.
17. Here begins another division of the book, marked by those encouragements to the pursuit of wisdom, which are found in the earlier chapters. It will be observed that at Pr 22:22-24:12, the proverbs are generally expressed in two verses instead of one (see Introduction).
18. These lessons must be laid up in the mind, and
fitted—or better, "fixed" in the lips so as to be ever ready.
19. That … Lord—This is the design of the instruction.
20. excellent things—or probably of former times.
counsels and knowledge—both advice and instruction.
21. Specially he desires to secure accuracy, so that his pupil may teach others.
22, 23. Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pr 17:5; Ps 12:5).
in the gate—place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Ps 69:12).
24, 25. (Compare Pr 2:12-15; 4:14).
25. a snare … soul—The unsuspecting are often misled by bad company.
26, 27. (Compare Pr 6:1; 17:18).
27. should he take, &c.—that is, the creditor.
28. (Compare Pr 23:10). Do not entrench on others (De 19:14; 27:17).
29. Success rewards diligence (Pr 10:4; 21:5).