Proverbs Chapter 7

7:1 My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

7:2 Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

(a) By this diversity of words, he means that nothing should be so dear to us as the word of God, nor that we look on anything more nor mind anything so much.

7:3 Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

7:4 Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative,

7:5 that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

7:6 For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.

(b) Solomon uses this parable to declare their folly, who allow themselves to be abused by harlots.

7:7 I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

7:8 passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

7:9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

(c) He shows that there was almost no one so impudent that they were not afraid to be seen, their consciences accusing them and causing them to seek the night to cover their filthiness.

7:10 Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

7:11 She is loud and defiant. Her feet don't stay in her house.

7:12 Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

7:13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:

7:14 "Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.

(e) Because in peace offerings a portion is returned to them that offered, she shows him that she has meat at home to make good cheer with or else she would use some cloak of holiness till she had gotten him in her snares.
(f) Which declares that harlots outwardly will seem holy and religious: both because they may better deceive others, and also thinking to observe ceremonies and offerings to make satisfaction for their sins.

7:15 Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

7:16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

7:18 Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.

7:19 For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.

7:20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."

7:21 With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

7:22 He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.

(g) Which thinking he goes to the pasture goes willingly to his own destruction.
(h) Who goes cheerfully, not knowing that he will be chastised.

7:23 Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life.

7:24 Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

7:25 Don't let your heart turn to her ways. Don't go astray in her paths,

7:26 for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

(i) Neither wit nor strength can deliver them who fall into the hands of the harlot.

7:27 Her house is the way to [5] Sheol [See Proverbs Footnotes 5], going down to the chambers of death.