Proverbs chapter 7 - the Seductive Prostitute

Proverbs chapter 7.

Summary:  We are warned against going near to the house of sin, near the adulterous woman, near the prostitute. The story of the seductive prostitute tells about how she will entice and seduce the foolish young man. She will seduce him, promising him a rewarding and enjoyable time. But submitting to the seduction of the prostitute may eventually lead to spiritual death, self destruction, and the heart turning away from God.

Warning against the Adulterous Woman  (NIV).
The False Attractions of Adultery  (RSV). 

1 My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 2 keep my commandments and live,
    keep my teachings as the apple of your eye;
3 3 bind them on your fingers,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and call insight your intimate friend;
5 5 to preserve you from the loose woman,    from the adventuress with her smooth words.  (RSV)

4 4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.  (NIV)

4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your nearest kin,
5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman,From the seductress who flatters with her words.  (NKJV)

We are to keep the words of God, commands and teachings within us. Let the commands and teaching be at tips of our fingers. Let the commands and teachings be forever written in our hearts. God's commands are good for our daily living. We must treasure and preserve God's teachings. Wisdom is related to commands and teachings.

Wisdom and Understanding/Insight should be our guiding principles; this will help us keep away from the loose, adulterous, immoral woman, the seductress with flattering speech. We must avoid the sin of immorality and infidelity.

The Crafty Harlot  (NKJV).

6 6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
7 7 And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the youths,
A young man devoid of understanding,
8 8 Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
9 9 In the twilight, in the evening,In the black and dark night.  (NKJV)

This is a story of a young, unwise man who has no understanding. He often pass by the brothel, at any time of day and night.

Application:  Do not go to the house of sin. Do not even go near it. Lest we be tempted. We should avoid the company of adulterous friends, friends who love to visit prostitutes. Lest we be influenced by them.

10 10 And lo, a woman meets him,
    dressed as a harlot, wily of heart.[a]
11 11 She is loud and wayward,
    her feet do not stay at home;
12 12 now in the street, now in the market,    and at every corner she lies in wait.  (RSV)

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

10 10 And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 11 She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home.
12 12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square,Lurking at every corner.  (NKJV)

This story has literary interpretation, i.e. a prostitute, and figurative interpretation, i.e. immorality, sins, wickedness, fleshly lust, temptation, carnal desires.

A prostitute meets the foolish, young man.
Characteristics of the prostitute:
1)  Appearance and clothing of seduction.
2)  Crafty heart and crafty intent, to seduce.
3)  Loud, talkative and chatty.
4)  Wayward, unruly, rebellious.
5)  She is outside there, at anywhere, at every where.

This concept of "anywhere and everywhere" makes me think that the "harlot" in this passage should not be limited to the prostitute, sex worker.  This "harlot" could also fleshly lust and carnal desires, such as illicit sex, fornication, pornography, gambling, alcoholic drinking, drug abuse, greed for money and wealth, overeating.

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.  (NIV)

The prostitute would approach the foolish, young man with no sense/understanding, kissed him to entice him. With smooth and flattering words, she will entice him.  She openly invites him to have sex. In today's reality, the flattering words and enticement could come in the forms of revealing clothes, looking sexy flaunting her breasts and moving her hips provocatively, dancing and winking of her eyes, a sexy smile.

For the professionals and businessmen, the enticement of "Greed for more money and massive wealth" is even more tempting than the sexy and beautiful prostitute. Greed for money and wealth has hindered many believers from spending time with God, following the commands and teachings of God. In the pursuit of Greed for more money and greater wealth, many believers have bent the rule, entertained customer in places of sin (brothels, KTV with girls and sex, golf clubs offering corrupt, playing 18+1 holes, excessive drinking and clubbing).  To satisfy the Greed, some believers would go for a round of golf on Sunday morning with their clients, instead of going to church for Sunday service.

18 18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 19 My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
20 20 He took his purse filled with money    and will not be home till full moon.”  (NIV)

The prostitute tempts the foolish young man with sex, offering to have sex all night long. Fleshly lust are very real and tempting. Believers are also human, having fleshly lust, carnal desires, just like everyone else in the world.  Sex is one of the greatest enjoyment, all throughout the centuries, all over the world. Even for Adam, sex with Eve was the best enjoyment for him, much better than playing with the animal, birds, fishes, etc.

The prostitute gave good justification, that she was alone and lonely, that her husband was outstation for a long period of time. Beware of the seductress! Beware of temptations!

Be watchful of other forms of sins, immorality, fleshly lust.  There are sometimes good justifications, For instance, need to entertain the clients, hence need to go to the girly bars.  Need more money for children's education, hence need to give bribes in order to secure more orders, so more money.

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

The prostitute seduced with persuasive/seductive words, and smooth talk. The tongue is a very powerful weapon. The tongue could be very convincing and persuasive.

With the sweet, persuasive words of the prostitute, and charmed by her beauty and sexy body, the foolish young man takes up the offer of the prostitute.  Submitting to "the seduction of the prostitute" will lead to death and destruction for this foolish young man.

In reality, so many believers are similarly enticed by so many of this worldly pleasures, fleshly lusts, carnal desires, and lusts of the eyes. Many committed Christians may say, "I don't visit prostitutes", yet they may be involved in other sins, such as greed, laziness, pride, false witness, slandering.

24 24 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
25 25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.
26 26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
    her slain are a mighty throng.
27 27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
    leading down to the chambers of death.  (NIV)

Do not let our heart turn to the ways of the adulterous woman, to the ways of the prostitute. Similarly, our hearts should not overly focus on worldly pleasures, fleshly lusts, carnal desires, and lusts of the eyes.

Sins of immorality, illicit sex, fornication, adultery will lead to spiritual death and self destruction. In conjunction with those, if believers are to much involved in satisfying carnal desires and fleshly lusts, and pleasures of this world, these may turn away their hearts away from God.  Turning away from God is living with no wisdom.


Sunday, Jan 12, 2014.
Michael Yeap.

NIV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207&version=NIV

RSV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207&version=RSV

NKJV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%207&version=NKJV

Commentaries:
1)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.7.1-Prov.7.5
2)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.7.6-Prov.7.23
3)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.7.24-Prov.7.27