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Scripture Mapping

Proverbs 7

World English Bible

WEB

1My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you. 2Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye. 3Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative, 5that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words. 6For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice. 7I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding, 8passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house, 9in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness. 10Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent. 11She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house. 12Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner. 13So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him: 14“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows. 15Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you. 16I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt. 17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving. 19For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey. 20He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.” 21With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him. 22He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose. 23Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life. 24Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth. 25Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths, 26for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army. 27Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Proverbs Chapter 7 serves as a poignant warning against the dangers of temptation and the seductive nature of sin. The chapter begins with an appeal to wisdom, urging the reader to keep her words close and to treasure her commandments. This emphasis on wisdom is crucial, as it sets the stage for the narrative that follows, illustrating the consequences of ignoring wise counsel. The writer personifies wisdom as a protective figure, guiding the young man away from the snares of immorality. The repeated exhortation to heed wisdom's teachings highlights the importance of discernment in navigating life's choices.

The chapter then presents a vivid account of a young man who succumbs to the allure of a seductive woman. Described as dressed in the attire of a harlot, she uses her words to entice him, leading him into a trap. The imagery is striking, as it portrays the woman as a predator and the young man as prey, emphasizing the destructive nature of lust and temptation. The woman’s boldness and manipulation serve as a reminder of the spiritual and moral dangers that lurk in the shadows, waiting to ensnare the unwary. The chapter concludes with a sobering reflection on the consequences of such folly, warning that those who yield to temptation will find themselves on a path leading to death and destruction.

In essence, Proverbs 7 encapsulates the timeless struggle between wisdom and folly, urging believers to seek divine guidance and to remain vigilant against the seductive whispers of sin. It calls us to embrace wisdom as our shield and to recognize the peril of straying from the path of righteousness.

#Wisdom #Temptation #Proverbs #Seduction #Immorality

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Referenced by

  1. Proverbs 5:3v21Proverbs 5:3 warns about the seductive speech of the adulterous woman, which is echoed in Proverbs 7:21, where similar language is used to describe the persuasive words of the seductress.
  2. Proverbs 9:13v11Proverbs 9:13 describes the woman Folly as loud and undisciplined. Proverbs 7:11 similarly describes a wayward woman as loud and defiant, drawing a parallel between folly and moral indiscretion.

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