Proverbs Chapters 7, 8, and 9
The last, and greatest, of Solomon’s lessons, begins here. Since Chapter 1, we have read the words that Solomon taught to his son. Now, in chapters 7-9, Solomon teaches his final lesson to his son. (Solomon’s lessons end in chapter 9. From chapter 10, the Book of Proverbs lists short proverbs (wise words).)
In these chapters, Solomon writes three great poems.
1. The first great poem is in Chapter 7. This poem is about a woman who tempts a simple man. This man behaves like a fool because he trusts her. He does not realize what will happen to him.
2. The second great poem is in Chapter 8. This poem is a speech. The speaker is the woman called Wisdom. Everyone should listen to her words.
3. The final great poem is Chapter 9. This poem contrasts the woman called Wisdom, against another woman, called ‘The Foolish Woman’. Both women invite simple people to a meal. If you accept the right invitation, then you will live. If you accept the other invitation, then you will die.
Verses 1-5
v1 My son, keep my words safely!
Remember my commands!
v2 You will live if you obey my commands.
Protect these instructions as carefully as you protect your eyes!
v3 Tie my words on your fingers!
Keep my words in your heart!
v4 Wisdom is like your sister.
These lessons are like your closest friend.
v5 Wisdom will protect you from another man’s wife.
Wisdom will save you from the woman who tempts you.
Commentary
Previously, Solomon told us to learn to be wise (Proverbs 2:2). Now, he tells us to keep wisdom in our hearts. Previously, Solomon told us to accept wisdom (Proverbs 2:1). Now he tells us that Wisdom is like our sister. (He is comparing wisdom to a woman.)
Solomon’s lesson is very personal. Wisdom must be close to us. Wisdom must become part of us. Wisdom must be part of our lives. Wisdom must guide every decision.
Especially, wisdom will protect us when evil things attract us. As in earlier chapters, Solomon writes about sex. However, he is thinking about all types of evil behavior. His story warns us about people who tempt us with their evil ideas. In the story, a woman tempts a man to have sex. Solomon shows how one person can tempt another person. He also shows us the result if we do evil things.
Verses 1-9
v6 I stood at my window.
I looked through the curtains.
v7 I was watching the simple people.
I saw a young man.
He was a youth. And he had not learned to be wise.
v8 He walked along the street.
He went near to the corner where a certain woman lived.
He was walking towards her house.
v9 The time was late. The day was ending.
The night was beginning. The sky was becoming dark.
Commentary
The story begins here. Solomon was watching the people. He was watching, because he wanted to learn more. He wanted to see other people’s mistakes. He wanted to understand more. He wanted to become wiser.
Solomon saw a young man who was ‘simple’. (See my note on Proverbs 1:4.) This young man had not learned to be wise. He was in danger, because he was not wise. It was easy to tempt him. He did not think about what was right.
We want to shout to the young man, ‘Stop!’ He walked along the wrong road. Down that road, there was danger. He approached the place where the woman would tempt him.
The young man was simple. He did not think about wisdom. Perhaps his father never taught the young man. Perhaps the young man never listened to his lessons. Maybe he forgot about wisdom. He made a terrible mistake.
The young man was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Even when we are strong, we might think wrong thoughts. However, when we are weak, evil ideas can tempt us more easily.
Night was beginning. The young man was looking for fun. He did not trust in God. He was very weak.
‘Be careful! Your enemy is the devil. He walks about, like a lion. He is looking for someone to kill and to eat.’ (1 Peter 5:8) We must stand firm and trust in God.
Verses 10-13
v10 Then, a woman came out. She met him.
Her clothes were thin and they showed the shape of her body. She had a plan.
v11 (She is noisy and proud.
She never stays at home.
v12 She walks from the street to the city square.
She waits at every corner.)
v13 She hugged the young man and she kissed him.
She spoke to him. Her face looked proud and without shame.
Commentary
The young man was alone. Perhaps he was lonely. He was weak. He wanted fun.
Then, the woman came. She looked pretty. She looked sexy. (That is, her clothes showed the shape of her body.) The young man liked her. He needed an activity for that evening. The woman looked like the answer to his problem.
Women should choose their clothes carefully. They want to look beautiful. In some countries, sexy clothes are fashionable. But, these clothes can tempt men. These clothes can cause many problems. ‘You should be beautiful. However, you should not use clothes, haircuts or gold, to make you look beautiful. Instead, your spirit should be beautiful. You should be gentle and quiet. God considers these things valuable.’ (1 Peter 3:3-4)
This woman went everywhere! The young man could not miss her!
This is like any evil idea. If you try to do evil things, then you will do evil things.
There is a woman like this in every town. She is in every street. And there are always evil things that we could do.
The man and woman hugged. Then they kissed.
This is like tempting an animal into a trap. The animal might still escape. There is still hope. The animal must act quickly to escape. It must not delay.
The man could still escape. He could still run away from the woman. Each moment brought the man into more and more danger. Soon he would be unable to escape.
Verses 14-22
v14 The woman said, ‘I have plenty of food at my home.
I have done the things that I needed to do.
v15 I came out to meet you.
I searched for you. Now I have found you.
v16 I have made my bed with beautiful cottons.
I have use the best cloth from Egypt.
v17 My bed smells of wonderful perfumes (attractive smells that a woman uses to attract a man).
v18 Come, and drink with me!
Have sex with me until morning!
We will enjoy ourselves with love.
v19 My husband is not at home.
He went on a long journey.
v20 He took enough money.
He will not return until next month.’
v21 The woman persuaded the young man. She led him away.
She tempted him with easy words.
v22 Suddenly, he followed her.
He was like a cow on the day when it will die.
He was like a deer (animal) that walks into the hunter’s trap.
v23 An arrow shoots!
He was like a bird that enters a trap.
He did not realize that his action would cause his death.
Commentary
This was a lie. Verse 11 told us, ‘she never stays at home’. The woman was looking for any man. To her, this man was not special. She just wanted to have sex with him. She just wanted to destroy him.
The woman talked about her bed. Now, we are sure that she was thinking about sex. She wanted to get the man into her bed. Surely the man realized her plan. Perhaps he hesitated. If so, he did not escape. Instead, he waited. He let her speak. She spoke and tempted him more.
Then the young man knew the truth. She invited him to stay for the night, in her bed. She promised love, but really she wanted sex.
The woman told the young man that he was safe. But, she had a husband. If the young man slept with the woman, then the husband would be angry. This is dangerous.
If the young man were wise, he would escape now. He should run away. He must not delay. A right decision would save him. A wrong decision could kill him.
From his window, Solomon watched them. He heard the woman’s words. He saw the man make his decision. Solomon hoped that the young man was wise. Solomon hoped that the young man would make the right decision.
The end came suddenly. As Solomon watched by the moon’s light, the young man turned. The woman started to walk away. Then the young man followed the woman. Together they walked into her house. Nobody could stop them. Nobody could save the young man.
The way that the man followed the woman reminded Solomon of something. It reminded him of an animal that was soon to die. Like a bird in a trap, the young man had lost everything. Wisdom would have saved him.
Solomon saw no more. But then he says that the young man died. Solomon is explaining what might happen to such a man in the end.
Solomon’s message is clear. We should learn to be wise. Then we shall escape from danger. We must refuse to do evil things. Otherwise, we shall be in great danger.
Verses 24-27
v24 Now, my sons, listen to me.
Hear my words!
v25 Do not allow your heart to follow this woman.
Do not wander into her paths.
v26 This woman has attacked many people.
She has caused a whole crowd of people to die.
v27 Her house is on the road to hell.
She will lead you to your death.
Commentary
Solomon speaks to his ‘sons’ (plural). In verse 1, he was speaking only to one son. The story was a personal lesson, to a loved son. Now, he speaks to us all. We all need to be wise. We all need to be careful.
Solomon is not writing about the actual woman whom he saw. He is writing about women like her. But he is really thinking about evil ideas. These thoughts can spoil your life. They will take you to death and hell (verse 27). Obey God! Do not obey your evil thoughts!
In the story, the woman offered love, but instead, she caused great danger. She offered fun and life, but she gave only death. Evil ideas might seem attractive. But such thoughts are really lies. In reality, evil behavior will only hurt us.
Evil behavior has ruined the lives of many people. And evil behavior continues to ruin lives today.
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