My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler. 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. 12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth; 13 He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; 14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord. 15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. 16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. 20 My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress. 25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. 27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? 28 Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent. 30 People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. 32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. 33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
Commentary
Vs. 1-5 1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Continuing on from chapter five here we are most wisely advised not to become surety for someone, that is become someone who guarantees to pay another’s debts if they default. For this is the classic case of friend, parent, or relative thinking they are helping someone out when all they might be doing is setting themselves up for a whole lotta of financial misery and possibly bankruptcy, if they themselves are not financially well established and more than able to easily cover the debt/s if the person defaults. Again, many a well meaning and loving parent has been taken advantage of by their children in this regard. Especially if the child has already proven themselves reckless and irresponsible in their own life, and or with their own finances etc. Same with friendships, even long-established friendships, and so even though you yourself are kind and honorable person with integrity, (and you want to stand by your friend in their time of need), this does not mean your close friend will be the same towards you when it comes to either you or their suffering financial hardship or ruin if they default on a loan! And even if the person you want to act as a guarantor for is a person with integrity, there are always economic forces at work that neither you, nor they have any control of, and they may just have to default even if they try their hardest not too! Therefore, do not act as a guarantor for anyone’s debts unless you are fully willing and more than able to take on the entire financial debt load yourself. For that is what is we are being warned about here in God’s Word, our not being, or becoming guarantors for other people’s debts, which if you already have, follow the prescription laid out in the Scripture and do whatever it takes to get yourself out from under their, or anyone else’s financial burdens and load, because it is not your responsibility to do this for them, or for anyone you love, including one’s own children, its their responsibility to bear their own load! And if they cannot secure a loan without a guarantor then they should not be taking one in the first place! The banks know this, and so that is why they will not give them anything unless you will be the sucker who is going to be legally liable for their debts when they default! Therefore, don’t do it! Especially if they promise that the loan is only short term for something that they themselves will “flip” or turn a quick profit on, which should be a total red flag to you to stay clear of all such “deals” and “promises” and or “guarantees” of being quickly repaid, and or repaid with a profit. For more often than not these things will never work out well for you!
Vs. 6-11 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
Having warned of being guarantor for another’s debts, the Scripture now calls the sluggard, the lazy person, to get themselves some wisdom and try doing some honest work if they want to prosper and get a head in life. Therefore, in order to show the wisdom of diligence and duty, the Scripture calls the lazy person to look on and consider the little ant and be wise like it, “…Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.” Vs. 7-8 Thus, the ant doesn’t wait until their own needs overwhelm them, they get up early and go to work, and they work diligently at whatever they do, first during the planting season and then later at the harvest, so that they bring in their supplies when they can and suffer no lack or want during the winter months (consider Prov. 13:4; 20:4; 24:30-34). As Christians we too can also emulate this wisdom in living our lives down here with a passion and a purpose, both sowing and reaping the fruits of the Gospel, by living it out, and thus laying up for ourselves a good foundation for the time to come (consider Matt. 25:14-30; Acts 20:35; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 6:17-19; Titus 3:8, 14; James 2:14-26; 1 John 3:17 etc.). Having then exhorted the lazy person to start making themselves useful to God and their fellow man (and even themselves) by doing something for them and for all (vs. 6-8). The Scripture now asks the lazy person how long will they slumber, and when will they rise from their sleep? Because as the Scripture warns, a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; which is not resting from one’s labors, it is lazily keeping one’s hands from the labor; therefore, their poverty will come upon them like a prowler, and their need like an armed man (vs. 11), that is suddenly and without warning or recourse they will find themselves in want (also consider Prov. 24:30-34; Matt. 25:26-30).
Vs. 12-15 12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth; 13 He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; 14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord. 15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.
Having rebuked the sluggard, the Scripture now lays out some of the characteristics of the wicked man or women, calling them worthless, because what they do is worthless, for they only talk with a perverse mouth, which is more than just cursing and blasphemy, rather it is speech that comes from a perverse heart, and so nothing they say should be heeded, nor trusted. Indeed, all they say is only to mislead people through their own swindling and scheming ways. Maybe this is a hustle of some sort, or maybe it is their using someone in some way, whatever it is, its always for their own profit and gain, and never above board, therefore they cannot be trusted (vs. 12). Which is made clear in verse thirteen where it is said they wink with the eyes, (as a signal to their partner in crime), or as an act of their charm in trying to seduce someone through the same, or as an act of their own arrogance in delighting in someone’s downfall or plight (Pr. 10:10; 16:30; Psalm 35:19). Therefore their person and their gestures are to be abhorred! They shuffle their feet, that is they have no honest purpose in the steps they take; (kind of like the harlot who lazily shuffles her feet showing everyone that she is an easy catch for sinful and foolish men); so their bodily gestures will mislead you; they point with their fingers, maybe as a signal to someone to do something, or maybe as their pointing out someone whom they have targeted or slandered to others. Perversity is in their heart, that is no good thought or good will is in them towards anyone, instead they are always plotting something, always scheming something, against someone. He devises evil continually, again the plans of the wicked man never benefit God or mankind, but are only to satisfy his own evil purposes and desires. He sows discord, which is an abomination to the Lord (6:19), and so just like the devil who loves to set people against each other, to make them serve him, so do they. “Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.” Vs. 15 For that is God’s verdict and judgment on them, and He will render it in His own time and through His own way!
Vs. 16-19 16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
Having revealed the nature of the wicked person, the Scripture now reveals seven things that the Lord Himself hates, indeed these traits in anyone are only an abomination to Him. First then is a proud look, now nothing is more of an affront to God than that a mortal man or women should so arrogantly consider themselves or conduct themselves as superior to others. A proud look then not only denies ones own Creator and Sustainer, but it by its very nature denies and lies about ones own weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and mortality (consider Prov. 8:13; also Ecc. 9:11-12). A lying tongue, is the essence of Satan’s person and character, therefore for a person who is created in the image of God to knowingly walk in that sin, which likely causes more harm than any other, is an abomination to the Lord. Therefore, a lying tongue is but for a moment, but a truthful lip shall be established forever (Prov. 12:19 also see Rev. 21:8). “Hands that shed innocent blood”, which is what the murder does, and that again is what Satan himself does, for he only kills, steals, and destroys (John 10:10). A heart that devises wicked plans, is the heart which plots and schemes wicked things against others. “Feet that are swift in running to evil,” can be seen in many ways not the least of which is someone running (i.e., going with a full sense of urgency or excitement) to their next sin. “A false witness who speaks lies”, which is the evil work of the slanderer (think devil here) who speaks lies about another to harm them. Jesus Himself had this done to Him at His trial before the Sanhedrin. “And one who sows discord among brethren.” In the church there is not a more harmful sin amongst brethren than this. Therefore, the one who knowingly seeks to sow discord amongst brethren, by always complaining about this or that, or this person or that, or secretly trying to set believers against each other, should be promptly and swiftly removed. That said one who justly stands for Biblical truth, as the Apostle Paul often did, should never be considered as one who is “sowing discord” if they are doing this in a Godly way (consider Acts 15; Gal. 1-2).
Vs. 20-23 20 My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
Having giving us lots of insights about the way and nature of the wicked, Solomon once again admonished his children to listen to his command, and to not forsake the law of their mother, for this is one of the challenges for young people as they come out of childhood and into adolescence and they want to become their own individuals and be more and more independent of their parents, all which is good, but never entails disobeying their parents, nor forsaking the wisdom that their parents have learned through their own lives and experiences, including their mistakes. Therefore, Solomon admonishes his children to keep his command and their mothers’ law, to bind them to their heart and tie them around their neck (vs. 20-21), for when they do they will guide them in right steps, and keep them on the path of life. For young people today face many temptations and many evil influencers, as well as many situations they will encounter that will arose all kinds of mixed emotions within them as to what to do. And so having a good base of instruction will at times be their only defense. For again keeping sound commands will keep you, as Solomon says, “When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life” vs. 22-23
Vs. 24-35 24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress. 25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. 27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? 28 Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent. 30 People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. 32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. 33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
Solomon now reiterates that his command was being given to his sons (and to us) to keep us from yielding to the evil woman. To keep us from yielding to flattering tongue of the seductress, who speaks flattery mixed with her sensuality to her victims (vs. 24). Therefore, Solomon says to us all, “Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids, that is her enticing looks (vs. 25-26). “For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.” Vs. 26 For the consequences of going into the harlot, and or the adulteress are many, and they will have lasting negative effects on your person and life. For many a young man and strong man has been reduced to nothing more that crust of bread because they gave themselves to her. However, this is the end of their sin, not the beginning, and so this fact never becomes apparent to them until then. Therefore when faced with such a temptation do not to “rise up and play” as the ancient Israelites did, for they all perished in the wilderness for their sin and they never entered the Promised Land, and neither will you if you willingly forsake Christ for her (see 1 Cor 10:6-13, 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21). And so in verses 27-29 Solomon once again uses some creative imagery to demonstrate that committing adultery with another mans wife only leads to one’s own peril and harm (vs. 27-29). Likening embracing the immoral woman or wife to taking fire into ones bosom, or walking slowly on hot coals, all which means you will get burned if you get involved with her, not only by her, but also by the fury of her husband, and the reproach of people which you will have to face. Because as he says in verse 30-31, “People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house.”
For people can have empathy on the starving thief who steals to satisfy his hunger, but even then, he may be required to pay back what he has taken several fold! But no one (and certainly not the woman’s husband) will have mercy or pity on the man who commits adultery with his wife! And that is what Solomon makes clear in verses thirty-two through thirty-five. That, 32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. 33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts. Therefore, spare yourself all that grief, and misery and ruin and don’t be one who lacks understanding, for there is no appeasing the husbands fury for committing adultery with his wife, for neither gifts, nor kind and humble gestures will soften or turn his wrath away from you. Not only that, but the reproach of having committed adultery with another mans wife will not be wiped away from you, for you will bear it wherever you go, as being an immoral and unprincipled man.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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