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Proverbs Chapter 7

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry 27 Verses

What is Proverbs 7 about?

Practical wisdom for daily life, family, work, and worship, all rooted in the fear of the LORD. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.
2Keep my commandments and live; And my law as the apple of thine eye.
3Bind them upon thy fingers; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
4Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; And call understanding [thy] kinswoman:
5That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the foreigner that flattereth with her words.
6For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
7And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding,
8Passing through the street near her corner; And 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.
10And, behold, there met him a woman With the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.
11She is clamorous and wilful; Her feet abide not in her house:
12Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, And lieth in wait at every corner.
13So she caught him, and kissed him, [And] with an impudent face she said unto him:
14Sacrifices of peace-offerings are with me; This day have I paid my vows.
15Therefore came I forth to meet thee, Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
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 us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with loves.
19For the man is not at home; He is gone a long journey:
20He hath taken a bag of money with him; He will come home at the full moon.
21With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield; With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along.
22He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as [one in] fetters to the correction of the fool;
23Till an arrow strike through his liver; As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his life.
24Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, And attend to the words of my mouth.
25Let not thy heart decline to her ways; Go not astray in her paths.
26For she hath cast down many wounded: Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
27Her house is the way to Sheol, Going down to the chambers of death.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“My son, keep my words, etc.] Doctrines and instructions; which, as a father to a son, or a master to his scholars, he had delivered; these he would have him observe and attend to; and lay up my commandments with thee: as a treasure in his heart, to be brought out upon occasion; to be kept as valuable, and made use of as an antidote against and a preservative from sinning; (see <19B911>Psalm 119:11). The Septuagint and Arabic versions add, what is not in the Hebrew text, “son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong;” the Arabic adds, “and he shall strengthen thee; and fear none besides him.””
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“The subject continued, by a delineation of the arts of strange women, as a caution to the unwary. (Pro. 7:1-27) Similar calls (Pro 3:1-3; Pro 4:10, &c.).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“The harlot adulteress of an Eastern city is contrasted with the true feminine ideal of the Wisdom who is to be the “sister” and “kinswoman” Proverbs 7:4 of the young man as he goes on his way through life. See Proverbs 8:0 in the introduction. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 2
“Live - Thou shalt live. Eye - With all possible care and diligence. Proverbs 7:3”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“7:1-27 This is the last of four sections in chs 1–9 that warn against the dangers of promiscuous women (see also 2:16-22; 5:1-23; 6:20-35).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“My son: Pro 1:8, Pro 3:1 keep: Luk 8:15, Luk 11:28; Joh 14:23, Joh 15:20; Rev 1:3, Rev 22:9 lay: Pro 2:1-7, Pro 10:14; Deu 11:28; Job 22:22 Proverbs 7:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“The introduction first counsels in general to a true appreciation of these well-considered life-rules of wisdom. 1 My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee. 2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; And my instruction as the apple of thine eye. 3 Wind them about thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart. The lxx has after Pro 7:1 another distich; but it here disturbs the connection. Regarding צפן, vid., at Pro 2:1; אתּך refers, as there, to the sphere of one's own character, and that subjectively. Regarding the imper. וחיה, which must here be translated according to its sense…”
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Related study paths

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