The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 7th on Proverbs 7:6-9

March 7th? Read Proverbs 7!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, like most months have 31 days, the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

Today's inspired verses, Proverbs 7:6-9, are in red
and my questionable comments are in blue.

Proverbs 7

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

1 My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.

6 At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.


6) When I picture someone peaking through the blinds, as it were, right away I suspect that they are doing something wrong, and they know it.  If you are looking to see if your husband is home YET, you fling the drapes aside and stand arms akimbo in the window.  If you are being nosy, or sneaky, or waiting "for the coast to clear", you peak.  This woman is definitely up to no good.


7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.


7)  Here we see that she is indeed looking for a victim!  A smart man, a good man, an honest man; a man with character and values would not be a suitable target for the adulteress.  In fact, she had to eliminate much of the street's populace before she found one to use.  She did not even mention the professionals, the educated, the middle aged, or the devout, but started her search "among the simple".  Then pared down to the young, and didn't even bother there until she saw one that "had no sense".  Perhaps if an adulterous-minded man realized that he had to be pre-sorted into the "simple youth with no sense" category in order to participate, his basic pride might help him resist.


In our day, unfortunately, and in our present state of moral decay, every category of man, the young who know no better and his supposedly wiser elders are all walking down her street and even knocking boldly on her door.  They "wants what they wants when they wants it".


8 He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house


8) I think they call this skulking.  He still had enough shame over his temptation that he only walked "in the direction of her house".  I picture him walking around several unnecessary blocks so others might not discern where he is heading.  (Good thing she lives on a corner.  It helps with all the sneakery to have more than one approach and exit.) To complete the ruse, he stops and looks into store windows and maybe even thinks about buying her something...but he's too cheap.  It's not like he's in love anyway, and carrying flowers to her door might make a waste of all the skulking.
   
9 at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.


9) So she's peering out through the blinds and he is accidentally meandering by just another house and the sun just happens to be going down.  Everyone on the street is turning in somewhere in a rush to set the table and turn on the TV, so this simple young fool pauses outside just another door to tie his shoe.  This rendezvous is about as well planned as the shuttle's docking with the space station!  What if we instead spent our simpleness on simply obeying God?  Would that our youth spent their time and vigor pursuing His ways!  Why not put the effort into planning an engagement and a marriage and a completed life with love and devotion, instead of a hook-up?


Through May, July and August, we will look at how this thing went down.  But it's not until October and December that we discover how this sad meeting ends (something about an arrow piercing his liver and chambers of death, if you must know). That is unless you choose to read the whole chapter today, and again on the 7th of each of the mentioned 31 day months.


God has been good enough to give us the warnings we need.  We might let them do their good work.

10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:

14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”

21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b]
23 till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.

24 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.