1 My
son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
“My son,” God is talking to us as His, His children. It would be like our parents saying to us
when we were young, “Listen to me now, I have something important to say to
you.”
2 Keep
my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
The phrase, “apple of thine eye” is much the same as it is today
where literally the apple means the center part of the eye, i.e. where the
focusing takes place. There is a promise
here too if you read closely and study it or should I say, make it the apple of
thine eye? The promise is by keeping His
commandments we will live! I don’t know
about you but I am pretty sure I could not get through
a day without living.
3 Bind
them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
We have all heard of, or may even have done this, tied a thread
around our finger to remind us of something important. Maybe we should fashion Wisdom rings to
remind us of our responsibilities. Specifically though, this verse is talking about wearing
Wisdom and wearing Her openly. It also
implies making Her a permanent fixture.
Pr 3:3 "Let not mercy and truth forsake
thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:"
Pr 6:21 "Bind them continually upon thine heart, and
tie them about thy neck."
The phrase, “write them upon the table of thine heart” simply
means to memorize and make them part of your very being. I cannot overstate the importance of
memorizing the Word of God. Being able
to call out to the LORD with an understanding and specific promise is exactly
what this and other verses are telling us to do.
4 Say
unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call
understanding thy kinswoman:
Go ahead, stop right now and call out to Wisdom! Say to Her, “Thou art my sister.” Wisdom is asking us to embark on a
relationship. But the relationship is
deeper and more meaningful than just knowing of Her. If we call out to Her and beg to Her, She will become Family.
By becoming a family member, even when things are bad or tough, our
family is still our family. Wisdom begs
us to wrap our souls around her. She
wants us to call out to her on a regular basis.
As you will see in the coming verses there is little hope of
withstanding the onslaught without Her.
5 That
they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
The thing I would like to say here is that there are Christian
women out there that feel there is only a responsibility to her mate in keeping
herself for him. That is the minimum in
the responsibility. The greater and
nobler aspect should be for her to know her mate in such a way as to cause him
to have the deepest of desires for her.
Not only in the physical sense but also in the emotional sense as
well. When a challenge comes, as you
will see below in the verses to follow, strength in tandem is required. For the young man reading this and the women
in general, there are several things to notice about the man as he is enticed
to his death. It is not as if the man is
as brainless as the ox going to slaughter, he is designed to be caressed with
kind words and soothing talk by his mate.
Another interesting thing indicated are the things in which the harlot
has done, seemingly for him specifically.
She fixes the mood and the setting in his mind in such a way; the man is
there in his mind’s eye, drinking in the light and the aromas. That is raw enticement. If the man has that at home
then the enticement is not likely to rock him from his foundation.
This has been added
6 For
at the window of my house I looked through my casement, 7 And
beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
Notice the description of the young man is purely based on his
path as indicated in the next verse. He
is simple because of his actions. The
observer never indicates he has talked to this young man or even knows him
other than to say he saw what he was doing.
8 Passing
through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
A man ought to stay away from the places that are known for these
sorts of women. Believe me women, most
men know these places and if a man were to want to find one it could be done
with little effort.
9 In
the twilight, in the evening , in the black and dark
night:
This just means that as soon as the day of laboring is completed
the man is in need of companionship. Some linger at the bar,
some linger at the golf course but none having a sweet home and family that
cherishes him linger elsewhere but home.
10 And,
behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an
harlot, and subtil of heart.
Should a man be immune to the skin of a woman or how she is
dressed? It would be terrible thing if he were.
It seems that there is no correlation between the actual skin and the
one in which it envelops. That is to say there is little regard for whom the skin is
on. Skin is skin and if the skin is that
which is not often seen, it summons a deeper instinctive response. God made men that way, otherwise, if a man
looked upon a woman the same way he looks at a tree there would be far fewer
children born. What I am trying to say
is that no matter what view you may have about how a man thinks, God’s perfect
design of a man is to have the ability to spot the skin of a woman. This harlot’s clothing is such that it
appeals to him in this fashion.
If you notice here the harlot was subtle of heart. She was very aware of what a man likes to
hear and see. The interesting thing
about that word “subtil” it is the same Hebrew word
as “keep” and “preserve” used in Pr 4:6, “Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee:
love her, and she shall keep thee.” This is in reference to Wisdom
but it is interesting that the translation of the original is what it is in the
King James. The NIV states it like this:
“Then out came
a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.” It is obvious what her intentions are. Watch closely as Wisdom teaches us how this
woman attacks the man in the deepest and most concise means.
11 (She
is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 12 Now
is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
The word “loud” is not as simple as it seems. She could be loud in the context of making a
bunch of noise, however, this word is more in the vein of sending a
message. Her stubbornness is in her
relenting pursuit of her game. The verse
could read, she is very clear about her intentions and relentless while she is
roaming the streets.
She was not home and it was dark out. This is where many of us have in our minds
the concept that a proper woman would not be out late at night unless she had
someone with her. This woman was out
alone going from corner to corner seeking whom she could devour. Another interesting thing to notice here is
that it says she was “in wait at every corner.”
Street corners are where roads cross.
Often we may come to some crossroad in our life
and we need to be prepared for the decisions we make at those crossroads.
13 So
she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
It seems here she was aggressive in order to convince him of her
intentions. Another thing to make note
of is that she made the first more in this encounter, or did she? Remember, this simpleton was on the wrong
path in the wrong place during the wrong time.
Being found there opens the door to the attacks of a multitude of
wickedness.
The word “impudent” means she said this to him with a very “matter
of fact” look on her face. This is to
set the tone for the following information.
It is like displaying and expression on her face that indicates what she
is about to tell him is factual and important.
This is all to propagate her enticement.
14 I
have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed
my vows.
First she tells him she has “peace offerings” which are the remains of
having gone to the priest and given sacrifices in celebration of her
relationship with the LORD. The “peace
offerings” were never for the purpose of obtaining peace, but a celebration of
the existence of peace. They normally
were ox, lamb or goat and could be male or female. The blood of the animal was sprinkled on the
alter by the priest and the liver, kidneys and fat were burned. The priest kept a portion and the rest was
returned. This is the only offering in
which a portion was returned to the one making the sacrifice. She is claiming by virtue of having these
“peace offerings” she is a religious person and in good standing with the LORD. In doing this she is trying to seem like a
good woman. This is her effort to ensure
that she conveys she is a woman of standards.
It implies she has made sacrifices and she is of a clean conscience
about what she is doing.
15 Therefore
came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
You could look at this as her trying to tell him she is not the
kind that would be out this late or out in this part of town. She clearly says here, “came I forth to meet
thee.” Even though she would be most
likely looking for anyone, she makes it seem as though she was only looking for
him. This is another one of her
subtleties as she eases him into death.
She is telling him she was looking for someone of his kind and she
finally found him.
16 I
have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine
linen of Egypt.
There are several interesting things about this verse that strike
me. First, this is the only use of the
word “decked” in the Bible and means covered. The word “coverings” is only used twice in the
Bible, here and in Pr. 31:22 where it describes the Virtuous Woman. The word “carved” means colored fabric and
items hewn from wood. It may be the bed
was made from carved wood. This too is
the only time in the Bible this word is used.
The word “linen” means fabric bound strand by strand and this is the
only use of the word in the Bible. The
woman is describing to him in explicit detail what the setting consist of in order to intoxicate him and deaden his senses.
Men are sight oriented for the most part and they have an ability
to picture things vividly when necessary.
She is toying with that part of him here in order to ensure her capture
of him for her own satisfaction. He is
picturing what it might be like to be at this place as she describes it to
him. More than likely he has the color
of the curtains, he can almost feel the warmth of the fire, the mood of the
place is clearly etched in his mind.
This is where the flesh and sin take hold. If he snaps out of his dream in time to
realize where he is headed he may survive. Otherwise he is dead already.
17 I
have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Her effort to close the deal is to go one step further. Many of the scents in that day were either
oils or incense and they were often placed in candles or votives to give off
their aroma. She knows this appeals to
him because it continues to add to the seductiveness of their entire meeting
and subsequent activities.
18 Come,
let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with
loves.
The word “solace” means to exalt or delight oneself. It is the same as disregarding ones responsibilities in order to clear the way for
selfishness. Up to this point she has
indicated she is in right standing with the LORD, she has prepared her den for
this iniquity, she has sought him specifically and now she says lets enjoy ourselves.
19 For
the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long
journey: 20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
The word “Goodman” here means husband and she is excusing her
desires and intentions by pointing out he has been away and is going to be away
for a long time.
She is also pointing out her need for money and that it would be
understandable for him to compensate her in her time of need. The word “appointed” in the Hebrew means full
moon. In the terminology of her day it
simply means her husband will not be back for a long time. On top of that, he has taken all the money. She has no way of sustaining herself until he
returns.
21 With
her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips
she forced him.
She has caused him to stop and listen by spinning her web of
sympathetic deception. She caused this
“simple one” to listen and contemplate.
The phrase, “fair speech” actually means
persuasiveness. She has convinced him to
listen with a heart of genuine concern.
While he is standing there, she sinks her claws into his essence with
flattery then consumes him with images of preparation. Finally, with his heart pounding and his mind
a blur, as we see in the next verse he is overtaken. Purpose and character are washed away by
waves of passion.
22 He
goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of
the stocks;
Unsuspecting, “as an ox goeth to the
slaughter” he is taken in by her. The
“ox goeth to the slaughter” by virtue of being guided
and corralled on all sides. It is not
the oxen’s fault for being an ox but instead who has taken or owns the
oxen. The comparison of “a fool to the
correction of the stocks” is to be likened to the result of being found guilty
and forces beyond the control of the fool take him to his reward. She has
successfully executed her plan. He has
no clue that the fangs of hell are deeply planted in his spirit.
23 Till
a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to
the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
The liver is the heaviest of the major organs of the body. A dart striking through the liver is meant to
indicate the heaviest of realizations one can have. We might equate this to being on the deathbed
when the games of life are over and all that matters is
ultimate truth.
I saw a tee shirt once that said, “it’s not the fall that hurts,
it’s the sudden stop!” This is true
here. There will come a time when
reality will ooze from the veins of life and he will call out…Proverbs 5:11 And you mourn at last, When your flesh and
your body are consumed, 12 And say: “How I have hated instruction,
And my heart despised correction! 13 I have not obeyed the voice of
my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to those who
instructed me!
The last part of this verse is the completion of the opening of
vs. 22, in that “He goeth after her straightway” as a
bird seeing the seed they so desire and do not consider the danger that might
take their life.
24 Hearken
unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25 Let
not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
I find it interesting that throughout the last two chapters of
Proverbs (six and seven) there is much about this subject. Lest we be deceived, Wisdom has warned
us. The warning is made clear by how the
harlot traps her victims. The outcome is
made clear as Wisdom instructs us of the result of this terrible sin. This verse is clearly instructing us to stay
away from “her paths.” Don’t get close
enough to even be considered by them that seek the spoils of their detestable
game.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded:
yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
At this point you may have a mind that you would never be stupid
enough to fall into such a condition. If
this is indeed your thought then you are closer than
you think to your own destruction. Load
your weapons and shine your armor for the battle is about to rage. This verse points out that many wounded and
strong men have met their death by her.
It does not say, “many fools have been slain by her.” No, it says the wounded and the strong have
been slain. The word “strong” means
mighty and vast. 1 Peter 1:13
"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end
for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus
Christ;"
27 Her
house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
And finally, the pathway to hell begins at her doorstep. Seldom has one who has fallen down the
stairs, found themselves in a condition to run back up. The path of repentance is one of arduous
healing and climbing out of this condition is one of pain and anguish. Remember verse Pr 6:31 “…he shall give all
the substance of his house.” Head the
warnings and be always on guard!
In summary: at this point it should be said that every one of the
temptations that this treacherous woman used on her victim are good. There is certainly nothing wrong with the
wife of a man creating this same scenario for her husband. There is certainly nothing wrong with a
husband’s attentiveness with the anticipation of being with his wife. You can go all the way back to verse 10 where
it talks about the fact that she was dressed in the attire of a harlot. Her attire was that of a harlot because she
was out in public wearing something that should have only been seen by her
husband. In verse 13 she grabbed him and
kissed him, there is nothing wrong with that as long as
it is between a husband and wife. In
verse 14 she makes sure he knows she has made a special effort to prepare
herself spiritually and in verse 15 she looks for him to please him. In other words she
watches his every move. Again, there is
nothing wrong. In verse 16 and 17 she
has diligently sought to make their haven one of serenity. In verse 18 where it speaks of “solace” there
is nothing wrong with the kind of selfishness where the husband and wife are
willingly offering their entire self to be enjoyed by their mate. Another interesting aspect is that the
passion and focus of this time grants a freedom from the stress and cares of
the world. It is a special gift from the
LORD and in the special relationship between a husband and wife it is
supernatural. There is nothing wrong
with a wife flattering her husband as the harlot flattered her victim in verse
21. In essence the
activities described in this section of scripture are only wrong outside the
marriage relationship.