Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 11 contains thirty-one individual sayings. While the topics covered are vast, many contrast either proper behavior with improper behavior or the righteous with the wicked.

II. Photo
While many proverbs speak about a man’s relationship to Wisdom, v. 22 speaks about a beautiful woman’s: “Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig Is a beautiful woman bereft of sense.”

III. Important Verses
v. 1: False scales are an abomination to the LORD; An honest weight pleases Him.
v. 8: The righteous man is rescued from trouble And the wicked man takes his place.
v. 10: When the righteous prosper the city exults; When the wicked perish there are shouts of joy.
v. 12: He who speaks contemptuously of his fellowman is devoid of sense; A prudent man keeps his peace.
v. 13: A base fellow gives away secrets, But a trustworthy soul keeps a confidence.
v. 14: For want of strategy an army falls, But victory comes with much planning.
v. 22: Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig Is a beautiful woman bereft of sense.
vv. 24-25: One man gives generously and ends with more; Another stints on doing the right thing and incurs a loss. A generous person enjoys prosperity; He who satisfies others shall himself be sated.

IV. Outline
1. Honesty
2. Pride
3. The righteous and wicked
4. Rightousness
5-11. The righteous and wicked
12. Talking about other people
13. Keeping secrets
14. Planning
15. Going surety
16. Honor and wealth
17. Kindness
18. Honesty
19. Righteousness
20. Crookedness
21. The wicked and righteous
22. Woman and sense
23. The righteous and wicked
24-26. Giving
27. Pursuing good
28. Trusting in wealth
29. Family relationships
30. The wise and righteous
31. Reward

V. Comment
Proverbs 11 is a collection of thirty-one sayings, and many have to do with either proper/improper behavior or the righteous/wicked. While most of the sayings employ antithetical parallelism (see comment to Prov. 10), there are exceptions: vv. 7, 25, 29 (and possibly 16) do not seem to be antithetical.

Many of the proverbs have to do with proper and improper behavior. V. 1 speaks about honesty: “False scales are an abomination (to’avat) to the LORD ; An honest weight (‘even sheleimah) pleases Him.” While the book of Proverbs never directly quotes the Pentateuch, this verse seems to be reflecting – in both meaning and vocabulary – Deut. 25:13-16: “You shall not have in your pouch alternate weights, larger and smaller. You shall not have in your house alternate measures, a larger and a smaller. You must have completely honest weights (‘even sheleimah) and completely honest measures, if you are to endure long on the soil that the LORD your God is giving you. For everyone who does those things, everyone who deals dishonestly, is abhorrent (to’avat) to the LORD your God.” For a similar message, see Lev. 19:35: “You shall not falsify measures of length, weight, or capacity.” For proverbs similar to v. 1 see 16:11, 20:10, 20:23.

Vv. 12-13 speak about controlling one’s speech: “He who speaks contemptuously of his fellowman is devoid of sense; A prudent man keeps his peace. A base fellow gives away secrets, But a trustworthy soul keeps a confidence.” In regards to keeping a secret, Prov. 20:19 is even more forthright: “He who gives away secrets is a base fellow; Do not take up with a garrulous man.” Also see Prov. 25:9.

One interesting proverb is v. 22: “Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig Is a beautiful woman bereft of sense (ta’am).” It is interesting because most proverbs speak of a male’s relationship to wisdom, not a female’s. One similar verse is found at the end of the book  (31:30): “Grace is deceptive, Beauty is illusory; It is for her fear of the LORD That a woman is to be praised.” There are many Biblical verses which describe  a woman’s ring (e.g. Gen 24:47, Ex. 32:2, Isa 3:21, etc.), and Abigail is described as having ta’am “sense” in 1 Sam. 25:32-33 much like in our verse: “David said to Abigail, “Praised be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed be your prudence (ta’amekh), and blessed be you yourself for restraining me from seeking redress in blood by my own hands.”

One verse that remains enigmatic is v. 16: “A graceful woman (‘eishet chein) obtains honor; Ruthless men (‘aritzim) obtain wealth.” As it stands, this verse contrast a woman’s ways with a man’s (the only place in proverbs!), and the antithesis is weak. It is interesting to note that the Septuagint treats this one verse as two separate verses: “A gracious wife brings glory to her husband: but a woman hating righteousness is a theme of dishonor. The slothful come to want: but the diligent support themselves with wealth.” Thus, according to the LXX there is a contrast between two types of woman and two types of men, not a single man and a single woman.

VI. Works Used

(see Commentaries page)

World Biblical Commentary Proverbs (Murphy)
Wisdom Literature: Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles, Ecclesiastes, Esther (FOTL, Murphy)

Photo taken from: http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/indie_business/2007/09/index.html

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 10 is a collection of 32 brief sayings. Many of the sayings contrast the righteous with the wicked or the diligent with the lazy.

II. Photo
One proverb speaks about laziness: “One who gathers [the crop] in the summer is a wise son, but one who sleeps during the harvest is a disappointing son.” (v. 5)

III. Important Verses
v. 3: The LORD will not let the righteous go hungry, But He denies the wicked what they crave.
v. 4: Negligent hands cause poverty, But diligent hands enrich.
v. 9: He who lives blamelessly lives safely, But he who walks a crooked path will be found out.
v. 12: Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers up all faults.
v. 15: The wealth of a rich man is his fortress; The poverty of the poor is his ruin.
v. 20: The tongue of a righteous man is choice silver, But the mind of the wicked is of little worth.
v. 25: When the storm passes the wicked man is gone, But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

IV. Outline
1a. Title
1b. Two sons
2-3. Wealth/physical needs
4-5. Diligence
6-7. The righteous
8. Listening
9. The proper path
10. Improper gestures
11. Speech
12. Hatred vs. love
13-14. Those who have/lack wisdom
15-16. Wealth
17. The proper path
18-21. Speech
22. God’s blessings
23. The wise/foolish
24-25. Outcomes of the righteous/wicked
26. The lazy messenger
27-32. The righteous/wicked

V. Comment
Proverbs 10 begins with a title, “The proverbs of Solomon,” indicating that it is a new section of the book. While chapters 1-9 contain a group of lectures, chapters 10-22 are made up of short individual sayings. The two sections seem to be “joined” by v. 1: “A wise son (ben chakham) brings joy to his father; A dull son (ben kesil) is his mother’s sorrow.” This is because the word ben “son,” which played a prominent role in chs. 1-9 (cf. 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:32, etc.), appears twice in the verse.

Is there an order to the individual sayings in ch. 10-22? Murphy writes (p. 67), “First of all, it is clear that the arrangement of sayings at many points shows signs of deliberate placing. Themes, catch words, and various forms of plays on words (alliteration, assonance, etc.) indicate units of varying lengths, whether proverbial pairs or larger groupings. In this sense we can speak of a “context” for proverbial sayings. However… “context” is to be understood broadly, not in an interpretive sense. That is to say, a given saying does not lose its independence, its own meaning. A new dimension of meaning has not been added in virtue of its place within the collection. It can be balanced, as it were, by being placed in opposition to another saying. But both sayings retain their own meanings; it is simply the nature of a proverb to come up short of total reality, and to be in conflict with other sayings.” Thus, according to Murphy, while there are many reasons that two sayings might appear next to each other, their individual meanings do not change.

Murphy points to Prov. 26:4-5 in order to illustrate his point. These two verses seem to contradict each other: “Do not answer a dullard in accord with his folly, Else you will become like him. Answer a dullard in accord with his folly, Else he will think himself wise.” Murphy writes, “No proverb says everything… hence ‘context’ has to be properly understood when applied to the sayings. It does not change their meaning; rather, it situates them in a broader world of reality.” Thus, according to Murphy, while these sayings reflect two separate points of view they were placed in close proximity in order to reveal a “broader world of reality.”

Ch. 10 serves to illustrate how individual proverbs were “brought together.” For instance, vv. 4-5 are juxtaposed because of their similar message: “Negligent hands cause poverty, But diligent hands enrich. He who lays in stores during the summer is a capable son, But he who sleeps during the harvest is an incompetent.” Other verses joined because of their message are vv. 2-3 (wealth), vv. 18-21 (speech), and vv. 27-32 (the righteous vs. the wicked). Yet, many verses in ch. 10 are solely united because of their “catchwords.”  For instance, v. 14 speaks about the wise/foolish and v. 15 speaks about the rich/poor, but they are juxtaposed because of the word mechittah “ruin”: “The wise store up knowledge; The mouth of the fool is an imminent ruin (mechittah). The wealth of a rich man is his fortress; The poverty of the poor is his ruin (mechittat).” Some verses are juxtaposed because of message and a catchword. For example, vv. 6 and 7 speak about the righteous/wicked and have the word berakha “blessing,” and vv. 31 and 32 speak of righteous/wicked speech and mention the word tahpukhot “perversity.”

Before commenting on any specific verse in this chapter, a brief introduction to Biblical parallelism is in order. The vast majority of verses in ch. 10-22 are in distich form, meaning that they contain a pair of statements joined by what we would call  a comma or a semicolon (the MT has no punctuation). The two halves of each sentence are generally matched up either synonymously, antithetically, or synthetically. Examples of each kind  will now be given (see Anchor Bible Dictionary, “Parallelism,” Vol. V pp. 155-162).

In Synonymous parallelism the two halves deliver nearly the same message, but in different ways. Dr. S. Z. Leiman points to Ps. 97:11 as a paradigmatic example: “Light is sown for the righteous, radiance for the upright.” It is not that light is sown for the righteous, but not the upright, or that radiance is for the upright, but not the righteous. Rather, both halves are saying the same thing, and “righteous” is parallel to “upright.” Therefore, the verse means that “light/radiance is for the righteous/upright.”

In Antithetical parallelism the two halves oppose each other. A great example is the opening verse to our chapter: “A wise son brings joy to his father; A dull son is his mother’s sorrow.” The two sons are contrasted: one gladdens his parents and the other brings them sorrow.

In Synthetic Parallelism the two halves correspond to each other, but are not direct parallels. For example, Prov. 15:3 says: “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, Observing the bad and the good.” The second half explains the first, but cannot be said to be synonymous with it.

For the most part, Proverbs chapters 10-15 use antithetical parallelism. For an example, v. 12 contrasts hate with love: “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers up all faults.” Similarly, v. 20 compares the “values” of the righteous and the wicked: “The tongue of a righteous man is choice silver, But the mind of the wicked is of little worth.” Indeed, if there were a unifying theme to ch. 10 (this is a big “if”), it might be the following: “There is a difference between proper and improper behavior.” In other words, the majority of the chapter’s verses consist of antithetical parallelism.

A few of the verses in ch. 10 will now be focused on. V. 3 says, “The LORD will not let the righteous go hungry, But He denies the wicked what they crave.” This represents the typical view of retribution in proverbs, i.e. the righteous will succeed and the wicked will fail. Another example is v. 13:25: “The righteous man eats to his heart’s content, But the belly of the wicked is empty.” Yet, as Murphy points out, “No proverb says it all.” Thus, other sections have to deal with the problems presented by a world in which the righteous suffer. Prov. 3:11-12 says, “Do not reject the discipline of the LORD, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke. For whom the LORD loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.” See the comment to ch. 3 where it is clear that “rebuke” means physical disciplining.

V. 9 speaks of two ways of “travelling”: “He who goes blamelessly lives safely, But he who walks a crooked path will be found out.” This continues the theme of the “two paths” seen in the previous chapters. For instance, see vv. 4:11-14: “I instruct you in the way of wisdom; I guide you in straight courses. You will walk without breaking stride; When you run, you will not stumble. Hold fast to discipline; do not let go; Keep it; it is your life. Do not enter on the path of the wicked; Do not walk on the way of evil men.”

V. 26 speaks of an inadquate messenger: “Like vinegar to the teeth, Like smoke to the eyes, Is a lazy man to those who send him on a mission.” The messenger is a popular topic in Proverbs, e.g. 13:7: “Harm befalls a wicked messenger; A faithful courier brings healing.” Also see 25:13 and 26:6.

VI. Works Used

Word Biblical Commentary Proverbs (Murphy). See “commentaries” page.

The photo is from http://www.zona-pellucida.com/child-thumbs.html

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 9 contrasts two banquets, one hosted by “Lady Wisdom” and the other hosted by “Lady Folly.” While the two banquets share many similarities, there is a major difference between them: Lady Wisdom’s banquet is a source of life, but Lady Folly’s banquet is a source of death.

II. Photo
Lady Wisdom hosts a banquet: “She has prepared the feast, Mixed the wine, And also set the table… she says, ‘Come, eat my food And drink the wine that I have mixed; Give up simpleness and live, Walk in the way of understanding!'”

III. Important Verses
vv. 2-6: [Wisdom] has prepared the feast, Mixed the wine, And also set the table. She has sent out her maids to announce On the heights of the town, “Let the simple enter here”; To those devoid of sense she says, “Come, eat my food And drink the wine that I have mixed; Give up simpleness and live, Walk in the way of understanding.”
v. 8: Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you; Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
v. 10: The beginning of wisdom is fear of the LORD, And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
vv. 17-18: [Folly says} “Stolen waters are sweet, And bread eaten furtively is tasty.” [The fool] does not know that the shades are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

IV. Outline
1-6. Wisdom’s Banquet
7-12. Advice
13-18. Folly’s Banquet

V. Comment
Proverbs 9 is the last “introductory” chapter of the book. It contrasts two banquets, one of personified Wisdom (vv. 1-6) and the other of personified Folly (vv. 13-18). As shall be seen, it also contains a short interlude (vv. 7-12).

The two banquet passages share many similarities: both describe the setting (vv. 1-3, 13-14), contain invitations to guests (vv. 4-5, 16-17), and end with an outsider’s comment (vv 6, 18). Note the identical phrases found in vv. 3b and 14b, and vv. 4 and 16. But, there are still differences between the two passages. First, only Wisdom’s meal is described (vv 2, 5), and she is said to have maidens working for her. Second, unlike Lady Folly, Wisdom is said to dwell in a house (cf. 14:1, 24:3-4) with seven pillars (the importance of the “seven pillars” is unknown). Third, Wisdom addresses the “fools” (vv 4, 6) but Folly addresses anyone (the “wayfarers,” v. 15). Lastly, the two differ in their respective outcomes: Wisdom’s meal gives life and understanding (v. 6, cf. 3:18 where Wisdom is called a “tree of life”), but Folly’s gives death (v. 18).

It is interesting to note that many of the characteristics of the ‘ishah zarah “forbidden woman” mentioned in the previous chapters are attributed to Lady Folly. For example, Lady Folly is said to be homiyyah “bustling about” (v. 13), just like the forbidden woman in 7:11. Also, Lady Folly’s house is associated with death/Sheol (v. 18), much like the forbidden woman’s house: “Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death’s inner chambers” (7:27, also see 2:18).

While one might have expected the two banquets to be juxtaposed, they are “interrupted” by the seemingly unrelated sayings of vv 7-12 which begin “To correct a scoffer, Or rebuke a wicked man for his blemish, Is to call down abuse on oneself…” In regards to vv 7-12 Fox writes (306), “The passage does not echo the vocabulary of the preceding section and does not confront Wisdom’s invitation directly; it speaks instead to the issue of effective chastisement. It appears, then, that the present passage originated as an independent epigram and was subsequently inserted as a response to Wisdom’s summons of the ignorant.”

But, according to Fox, why would anyone choose to “interrupt” the two parallel banquets? He writes (ibid.), “the later scribe who inserted these verses apparently doubted that the ‘callow’ and ‘senseless’ [see vv 4, 6] are the right recipients of the invitation to wisdom, and so introduced a caveat.” The caveat basically says that wisdom isn’t for everyone: “To correct a scoffer, Or rebuke a wicked man for his blemish, Is to call down abuse on oneself. Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you” (vv. 7-8a). Thus, according to Fox, vv. 7-12 interject in order to explain that most people – but not all people – are fit to learn Wisdom.

It should be noted that the Septuagint, which seems to continue the trend of “building on” to the middle section, seems to support Fox’s theory because it . See the LXX’s lengthy v. 12 which contains many lines not included in the Masoretic Text: “Son, if thou be wise for thyself, thou shalt also be wise for thy neighbours; and if thou shouldest prove wicked, thou alone wilt bear the evil. He that stays himself upon falsehoods, attempts to rule the winds, and the same will pursue birds in their fight: for he has forsaken the ways of his own vineyard, and he has caused the axles of his own husbandry to go astray; and he goes through a dry desert, and a land appointed to drought, and he gathers barrenness with his hands.”

VI. Works Used

Anchor Bible Proverbs 1-9 (Fox), and World Biblical Commentary Proverbs (Murphy). See “commentaries” page.

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 8 is a speech of self-praise given by personified Wisdom, and it is addressed to all of humanity. She tells mankind about her importance, power, value, old age, and warns that her enemies will be destroyed.

II. Photo
Wisdom proclaims her extreme value: “Accept my discipline rather than silver, Knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; No goods can equal her!” (vv. 10-11)

III. Important Verses
vv. 3-5: Near the gates at the city entrance; At the entryways, she shouts, “O men, I call to you; My cry is to all mankind. O simple ones, learn shrewdness; O dullards, instruct your minds.”
vv. 10-11: Accept my discipline rather than silver, Knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; No goods can equal her.
v. 17: Those who love me I love, And those who seek me will find me.
vv. 35-36: For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the LORD. But he who misses me destroys himself; All who hate me love death.

IV. Outline

1-3. Introduction: setting, wisdom’s speech
4-11. Wisdom’s introduction (exordium)
12-31. Message
    12-21. Wisdom benefits those who seek her
    22-31. God created the world with Wisdom
32-36. Conclusion: Widsom equals life

V. Comment
Proverbs 8 is a lecture given by personified Wisdom. It begins by setting the scene, “She takes her stand at the topmost heights, By the wayside, at the crossroads, Near the gates at the city entrance; At the entryways, she shouts” (vv. 2-3). The public nature is similar to the speech in ch. 1: “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets, Raises her voice in the squares. At the head of the busy streets she calls; At the entrance of the gates, in the city, she speaks out” (vv. 1:20-21). Some view “Woman Wisdom” as the opposite of the forbidden woman (‘isha zarah, cf. chapters 2, 5-7): while the forbidden woman operates in the dark of night (cf. 7:9), Woman Wisdom is a public figure.

She begins her lecture with an exordium (vv. 4-11), and it is similar to the exordiums found in chapters 1-7. Yet, unlike the father (who was the speaker in those chapters), her speech is addressed to all mankind rather than just her sons: “O men (‘ishim), I call to you; My cry is to all mankind (bene ‘adam)” (v. 4). Only in v. 32 does she refer to the conventional “sons.” The exordium’s language is conventional; note how v. 11 is almost identical to 3:15.

Just as we saw in ch. 1, Wisdom seems to take on many of God’s characteristics (see comment to ch. 1, at the end). For instance, she praises herself in v. 14: “Mine are counsel (‘etzah) and resourcefulness (tushiyyah); I am understanding (vinah); courage (gevurah) is mine.” Job ascribes three out of these four characteristics to God: “With Him are wisdom and courage (gevurah); His are counsel (‘etzah) and understanding (tevunah)” (Job 12:13, also see Isa. 11:2). Similarly, Wisdom proclaims in v. 20: “I walk on the way of righteousness (tzedaqah), On the paths of justice (mishpat).” The same characteristics are attributed to God in Isa. 5:16: “And the LORD of Hosts is exalted by judgment (mishpat), The Holy God proved holy by righteousness (tzedakah).” God even labels himself with the terms in Jer. 9:23: “… For I the LORD act with kindness, Justice (mishpat), and righteousness (tzedaqah) in the world…”

Wisdom continues her self-praise by describing her involvement in good governance: “Through me kings reign And rulers decree just laws; Through me princes rule, Great men and all the righteous judges.” It is interesting that King Solomon (cf. 1:1, 10:1, etc.), the man associated with much of the book of Proverbs, is reported to have asked and received Wisdom from God (cf. 1 Kings 3:9, 3:28). Wisdom also describes her virtue (v. 20), value (v. 19), and the reciprocal relationships which she enters into: “Those who love me I love, And those who seek me will find me” (v. 17)

In vv. 22-31 Wisdom describes how she existed before any other of God’s creations: “The LORD created me at the beginning of His course As the first of His works of old. In the distant past I was fashioned, At the beginning, at the origin of earth” (vv. 22-23). In the same vein, Prov. 3:19 says God created the world with Wisdom, and Eliphaz says in Job 15:7-8: “Were you the first man born? Were you created before the hills? Have you listened in on the council of God? Have you sole possession of wisdom?” Thus, it seems that Wisdom existed for all time.

The chapter’s conclusion (vv. 32-36) begins with Wisdom’s address to her sons. She tells them to follow her advice, and praises her admirers: “Happy is the man who listens to me, Coming early to my gates each day, Waiting outside my doors” (v. 34). She then makes it clear that those who follow her live, but those who do not die (vv. 35-36).

VI. Works Used

Proverbs 1-9 (Fox) and World Biblical Commentary Proverbs (Murphy). See commentaries page.

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 7 is a father’s message to his son. He tells his son a story about a foolish young man who fell into the trap of a seductress, and warns him not to do the same.

II. Photo

The father warns his son about the lethal powers of a seductress: “For many are those she has struck dead, And numerous are her victims. Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.” (vv. 26-27)

III. Important Verses
vv. 6-8: From the window of my house, Through my lattice, I looked out and saw among the simple, Noticed among the youths, A lad devoid of sense. He was crossing the street near her corner, Walking toward her house…
vv. 18-20: [the woman says] Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace. For the man of the house is away; He is off on a distant journey. He took his bag of money with him And will return only at mid-month.”
v. 22a: Thoughtlessly he follows her, Like an ox going to the slaughter…
vv. 26-27: For many are those she has struck dead, And numerous are her victims. Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.

IV. Outline

1-4. Introduction (exordium)
5-23. Lesson (story)
    6-13. Encounter
    14-20. Seduction
    21-23. Submission
24-27. Conclusion: she is deadly

V. Comment
In Proverbs 7 a father tells his son that Wisdom can protect him from a seductress. It is the last of the parental lectures, and is made up of an exordium (vv. 1-4), a lesson/story (vv. 5-23), and a conclusion (vv. 24-27).  It shares a similar meaning and vocabulary with Prov. 2:16-20: “[Wisdom] will save you from the forbidden woman, From the alien woman whose talk is smooth, Who forsakes the companion of her youth And disregards the covenant of her God. Her house sinks down to Death, And her course leads to the shades. All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life. So follow the way of the good And keep to the paths of the just.” But, as shall be seen, Proverbs 7 is unique in that the father tells a story from the point of view of an observer.

There are two interesting points to be made about the exordium, both of which, I believe, relate to the Pentateuch. The first is in regards to vv. 2-3: “Keep my commandments and live… Bind them (qasherem) on your fingers; Write them (katevem) on the tablet of your heart.” The exhortation to “bind” teachings  to the body and to “write” them on the heart has other parallels in Wisdom literature. For instance, Prov. 3:3 says, “Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you; Bind them (qasherem) about your throat, Write them (katevem) on the tablet of your heart.” Similarly, Jer. 31:33 says “… [thus] declares the LORD: I will put My Teaching into their inmost being and inscribe it (‘ekhtavena) upon their hearts. Then I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Also see Prov. 6:20-21. These phrases, which appear to be metaphors, seem to be parallels to Deut. 6:6-9: “Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them (qesharetem) as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead; inscribe (ketavetem) them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” While it is possible that all the aforementioned verses refer to material amulets (e.g. tefillin and mezuzot), scholars point out that they might actually be a metaphor. Indeed, exegetes as early as Rashbam shared the same opinion (see his comment to Ex. 13:9).

The second point has to do with v. 4, “Say to Wisdom, ‘You are my sister (‘achoti ‘at),’ And call Understanding a kinswoman.” As we have seen, it seems that Prov. 1-9 encourage one to enter into a love-relationship with wisdom. For example,  4:6-8 says, “Do not forsake her and she will guard you; Love her and she will protect you… Hug her to you and she will exalt you; She will bring you honor if you embrace her.” With this in mind, it is interesting that the lover in the Song of Songs is called a “sister,” much like our verse: “How sweet is your love, my sister (‘achoti), my bride! How much more delightful your love than wine, Your ointments more fragrant Than any spice!” (Song 4:10. Also see 4:9, 5:1) Thus, it seems that the father is encouraging his son to enter a love-relationship with personified Wisdom.

This might relate to the Pentateuch in the following way: in Gen. 12 and 20 Abraham is afraid that he will be killed on account of his wife, Sarah. He says to Sarah, “Please say that you are my sister (‘achoti ‘at), that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may remain alive thanks to you.” His plan works; both Pharaoh and Abimelech take Sarah and allow Abraham to live. While these passages are often taken literally (i.e. Sarah said she was Abraham’s blood-relative), based on the word’s use in Proverbs and the Song of Songs Sarah it might have been saying, “I am his lover (‘achot), we are not married.” Yet, I have not yet seen anyone make this point.

The lesson of Proverbs 7 is given in story-form. The episode seems to have a fictive character: the father claims to have seen, from beginning to end, a woman entice a young man. He also claims to hear all the intimate things she tells him. As Murphy points out, the entire dialogue could hardly have been heard from the father’s window (v. 6). For another “example story” in Proverbs, see 24:30-34.

Vv. 6-13 describe how the young man meets the seductress. She is dressed like a harlot (cf. Gen 38:14-15), and searches for him much like the lover in Song of Songs 3:1-3: “Upon my couch at night I sought the one I love — I sought, but found him not. ‘I must rise and roam the town, Through the streets and through the squares; I must seek the one I love.’ I sought but found him not. I met the watchmen Who patrol the town. ‘Have you seen the one I love?’” Fox writes (p. 253), “the woman seems desperate in her search for sexual satisfaction.” Indeed, she is restless, never at home, and kisses the man before she even speaks to him (v. 11-13).

The seduction occurs in vv. 14-20, and the woman entices the young man with erotic images, “I have decked my couch with covers Of dyed Egyptian linen; I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace” (vv. 16-18, see Song 4:14 for the same spices). In the end she is successful: “She sways him with her eloquence, Turns him aside with her smooth talk. Thoughtlessly he follows her, Like an ox going to the slaughter, Like a fool to the stocks for punishment” (vv. 21-22).

The conclusion describes the woman as being deadly (a point not seen in the story): “For many are those she has struck dead, And numerous are her victims. Her house is a highway to Sheol Leading down to Death’s inner chambers.” This is very similar to Prov. 2:18-19, “Her house sinks down to Death, And her course leads to the shades. All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life.”

It must be pointed out that vv. 14-15 is not understood. The seductress says, “I had to make a sacrifice of well-being; Today I fulfilled my vows. Therefore I have come out to you, Seeking you, and have found you.” Murphy writes (p. 44), “It is clear that she wants him for sexual services. Is it perhaps an indication that she needs money (the harlot’s salary) for the fulfillment of her vows? Or is the woman a foreigner who worships her own divinity and needs the services of the youth for ‘devotion’s’ sake? Such a passing reference is a rather obscure way of enticing the youth, and not easily intelligible in such a story as the narrator has composed.”

VI. Works Used
Proverbs 1-9 (Fox) and World Biblical Commentary: Proverbs (Murphy).  See “Commentaries” page. The title for this chapter, “Beware the seductress” is from Fox.

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 6 has two sections. The first section contains four independent Wisdom sayings, and the second section is a father’s lecture to his son. The father warns his son that adultery is a self-destructive practice.

II. Photo
The father warns his son about the dangers of adultery: “Can a man walk on live coals without scorching his feet? It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow’s wife; None who touches her will go unpunished.” (vv. 28-29)

III. Important Verses
vv. 6-8: Lazy one, go to the ant; Study its ways and learn. Without leaders, officers, or rulers, It lays up its stores during the summer, Gathers in its food at the harvest.
vv. 9-11: How long will you lie there, lazy one; When will you wake from your sleep? A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber, A bit more hugging yourself in bed, And poverty will come calling upon you, And want, like a man with a shield.
vv. 28-29: Can a man walk on live coals Without scorching his feet? It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow’s wife; None who touches her will go unpunished.
vv. 34-35: The fury of the husband will be passionate; He will show no pity on his day of vengeance. He will not have regard for any ransom; He will refuse your bribe, however great.

IV. Outline

1-19. Interlude: four epigrams
    1-5. Loan guarantees
    6-11. Laziness
    12-15. The good-for-nothing
    16-19. 7 things God hates
20-35. Lecture: adultery kills
    20-23. Introduction (exordium)
    24-35. Lesson

V. Comment
Proverbs 6 has two sections, the first is a group of sayings and the second is a lecture about adultery. The group of sayings contains four separate topics, and they serve as an interlude between the lectures before and after the chapter. All four topics are common themes of Wisdom teaching.

While the first saying (vv. 1-5) begins with the address “My Son,” it cannot be classified as a “lecture” because it lacks the genre’s conventional introductory remarks (e.g. 4:1-2, 5:1-2, etc.) and conclusion (e.g. 1:17-19). The father warns his son to avoid the trap of giving surety, a practice in which one person guarantees the loan of another: “My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow, Given your hand for another, You have been trapped by the words of your mouth, Snared by the words of your mouth” (vv. 1-2). The father is forthright in his warning, “Give your eyes no sleep, Your pupils no slumber. Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter], Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler” (vv. 4-5). While the book of Proverbs takes up an extreme opinion on the matter (cf. 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26–27), the extrabiblical book Ben Sira takes a more nuanced approach: “Do not give surety beyond your means…” (8:3).

The second saying (vv. 6-11) warns about laziness, a common theme in Proverbs (cf. 26:13-16, 10:5, 15:19, etc.). The lazy one is told to study the ant: “Lazy one, go to the ant; Study its ways and learn. Without leaders, officers, or rulers, It lays up its stores during the summer, Gathers in its food at the harvest.” Learning from animals is also seen in Ch. 30 where ants, badgers, locusts, lizards, lions, eagles, dogs, and goats are used to teach a lesson. Vv. 10-11, which deride oversleeping, are identicalal to 24:33-34.

The third saying (vv. 12-15) is about the ‘adam beliyya’al “the good-for-nothing” and the calamity that awaits him. Many body parts are used in the description, e.g. the mouth, eyes, feet, fingers, and heart.

The fourth saying (vv. 16-19) is a numerical saying, “Six things the LORD hates; Seven are an abomination to Him…” This common form (“x and x plus 1”) appears elsewhere, especially in ch. 30: “Three things are beyond me; Four I cannot fathom” (30:18). Like the third saying, the fourth also places an emphasis on body organs: the eyes, tongue, hands, heart, and feet are all mentioned.

The second section of the chapter is a lecture, much like those in the chapters that precede and follow it. It begins with an exordium (vv. 20-23, see commentary on ch. 7 in regards to v. 21) and then proceeds to teach that sleeping with a married woman is a self-destructive behavior: “Can a man walk on live coals Without scorching his feet? It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow’s wife; None who touches her will go unpunished” (vv. 28-29). In addition to disease and disgrace (v. 6:33), one will be hounded by the husband of the woman with whom he has slept: “The fury of the husband will be passionate; He will show no pity on his day of vengeance. He will not have regard for any ransom; He will refuse your bribe, however great” (vv. 34-35)

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 5 is a father’s lecture to his son. The father warns his son about the dangers of the “strange woman” (probably another man’s wife), and, on the flip side, encourages him to enjoy his own wife. The lecture ends with a statement about the wicked: they will die for their sins.

II. Photo
The father warns his son about sexual temptations: “the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey; Her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood…” (vv.3-4a).

III. Important Verses
vv. 3-5: For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey; Her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to Death; Her steps take hold of Sheol.
v. 8: Keep yourself far away from her; Do not come near the doorway of her house
vv. 18b-19: Find joy in the wife of your youth — A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be infatuated with love of her always.
vv. 20-21: Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman? For a man’s ways are before the eyes of God; He surveys his entire course.

IV. Outline

1-2. Introduction (exordium)
3-20. Lesson
    3-6. The strange woman is deadly
    7-14. It is best to stay away
    15-19. Enjoy your own wife
20-23. Conclusion: God sees and punishes the wicked

V. Comment
The first half of Proverbs 5 speaks of the dangers of the ‘ishah zarah “strange woman,” the same character that appeared in ch. 2. Who is she? Fox (p. 134-141) believes that she is simply another man’s wife. He points to our chapter, which, after encouraging one to enjoy the benefits of one’s own wife (vv. 15-19), says “Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman (zarah)? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman (nakheriyyah)?” (v. 20) Thus, the antithesis of zarah and nakheriyyah is one’s own wife. Further proof may be deduced from ch. 7 which states, “[Wisdom] will guard you from a forbidden woman (‘ishah zarah); From an alien woman (nakheriyyah) whose talk is smooth” (7:5). The chapter describes how a married woman attempts to seduce a man by saying, “Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace. For the man of the house is away; He is off on a distant journey.” Thus, while some speculate that the ‘ishah zarah is a prostitute or even a foreign goddess, it is possible that she is any married woman.

Like most of the lectures in ch. 1-9, the father begins with an introduction (a.k.a. an exordium, a term borrowed from Greek rhetoric). It is unique in that the words chokhema “wisdom” and tevunah “understanding” are personalized (“my wisdom,” “my understanding”), something that does not occur elsewhere (only words like torah, mitzvah, ‘amarim, and devarim are personalized). V. 2 mentions the son’s sefatekha “lips,” setting the stage for the lesson’s topic, “For the lips (siftei) of a forbidden woman drip honey…” (v. 3)

The forbidden woman is not just pleasureful, she is also dangerous: “But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood [a bitter plant], Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to Death; Her steps take hold of Sheol.” (vv. 4-5) The father continues the speech with a second address in v. 7, “So now, sons, pay heed to me…” Like 4:1, the message begins with an address to the plural (“sons”), but continues as if it were directed to a single listener. This might indicate that the instruction, which was said to an individual, is actually directed to all boys.

Why shouldn’t a son engage in a relationship with the forbidden woman? The father gives three reasons, and the first is that the son will lose out his koach “strength” and hod “vigor”: “Lest you give up your vigor to others, Your years to a ruthless one; Lest strangers eat their fill of your strength, And your toil be for the house of another.” What exactly is the son’s strength and vigor? It might be his first offspring (cf. Gen 49:3), who will belong to the husband of the woman he impregnates. The second reason not to have sex with a forbidden woman is the disease that will result: “And in the end you roar, When your flesh and body are consumed” (v. 11). The third reason is the guilt involved: “[you will say], ‘O how I hated discipline, And heartily spurned rebuke. I did not pay heed to my teachers, Or incline my ear to my instructors’” (vv. 12-13). All in all, the father wishes to convey that it is not worth it to engage the forbidden woman.

This leads to the next lesson, which is the positive advice to enjoy your own wife. Vv. 15-18a use a water metaphor to describe the physical relationship between husband and wife: “Drink water from your own cistern, Running water from your own well. Your springs will gush forth In streams in the public squares. They will be yours alone, Others having no part with you. Let your fountain be blessed.” The meaning is that if one remains loyal to one’s wife (“drink from your own cistern”), one will be rewarded with many legitimate children (“Your springs will gush forth… Let your fountain be blessed”). It is interesting that the word for “fountain,” maqor, is used elsewhere to mean “womb” (cf. Lev. 20:18). Also, the reference to “waters” in v. 16 might mean sperm (cf. Isa 48:1 and possibly Num. 24:7). This section ends with an erotic metaphor (vv. 18b-19): “Find joy in the wife of your youth — A loving doe, a graceful mountain goat. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be infatuated with love of her always.” Gazelles and deer are also used as a love metaphor in the Song of Songs (cf. 2:7, 9, 17, and 4:5).

The father concludes his lecture with a statement about divine judgment: “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of God; He surveys his entire course. The wicked man will be trapped in his iniquities; He will be caught up in the ropes of his sin. He will die for lack of discipline, Infatuated by his great folly” (vv. 21-23).

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
In Proverbs 4 a father delivers three messages to his sons. The first is to pursue Wisdom and never let her go, the second is to avoid the wicked by taking the correct path, and the third is to stick to that path because it is a source of life.

II. Photo
The father warns his son to hold on to Wisdom for dear life: “Hold fast to discipline; do not let go; Keep it; it is your life” (v. 14).

III. Important Verses
v. 7: The beginning of wisdom is — acquire wisdom; With all your acquisitions, acquire discernment.
v. 8: Hug her to you and she will exalt you; She will bring you honor if you embrace her.
v. 16: [the wicked] cannot sleep unless they have done evil; Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.
vv. 18-19: The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight, Ever brightening until noon. The way of the wicked is all darkness; They do not know what will make them stumble.

IV. Outline

1-9. Lecture 1
    1-2. Introduction (exordium)
    3-9. Lesson: hold on to wisdom
10-19. Lecture 2
    10-13. Introduction (exordium)
    14-19. Lesson: avoid the path of the wicked
20-27. Lecture 3
    20-23. Introduction (exordium)
    24-27. Lesson: stick to the proper path

V. Comment
Proverbs 4 consists of three lectures: vv. 1-9, 10-19, and 20-27. Until now the lectures have been addressed to “my son,” but vv. 1-2 is addressed to “sons.” This is also the case with 5:7, 7:24 and 8:32. Yet, while these addresses are in the plural, the lectures themselves are directed to a single person. This might indicate that the the father, who is incidentally speaking to one child, is actually addressing all young men.

The father begins the first lecture by recalling how his father once taught the very same lesson to him (vv. 3-4a): “Once I was a son to my father, the tender darling of my mother. He instructed me and said to me…” The lesson is to hold on to personified Wisdom by  “acquiring” (qeneh, appears 4x),  “loving” (‘ehav), and “embracing” (chabeq) her. All of these suggest a love engagement, and the outcome is that “She will adorn your head with a graceful wreath; Crown you with a glorious crown (‘ateret)” (v. 9). This verse might be related to Song of Songs 3:11, a verse where the word ‘ateret “crown” appears in the context of love: “O maidens of Zion, go forth And gaze upon King Solomon Wearing the crown (‘atarah) that his mother Gave him on his wedding day, On his day of bliss.” But, it must be pointed out that the word ‘ateret “crown” appears 23 times in Tanakh, and the vast majority of its occurrences are not sexual.

The second lecture (vv. 10-19) begins with a powerful motivation: “Hold fast to discipline; do not let go; Keep it; it is your life” (v. 13). The lesson is to avoid the path of the wicked, much like Prov. 1:15. While Mic. 2:1 and Ps. 36:5 describe how the wicked plot evil in their beds, v. 16 shows the extent of their addiction: “For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil; Unless they make someone fall they are robbed of sleep.” As Fox writes (p. 181), “The wicked have a need to cause harm: their ‘peace of mind’ depends upon it.” On a side note, it is interesting that this section has the word kashal “stumble” at its beginning, middle, and end (vv. 12, 16, 19).

The last lecture (vv. 20-27) exhorts the son to stick to the correct path. While it is very much related the previous lectures, it is unique in that it emphasizes the different parts of the body: the ears (v. 20), eyes (v. 21, 25), heart (v. 21, 23), flesh (v. 22), mouth (v. 24), lips (v. 24), eyelashes (v. 25), and feet (vv. 26-27) are all mentioned in this section.

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 3 is a father’s speech to his son. He tells him to follow in his ways, trust in God, pursue Wisdom, and treat others properly. He also tells him not to envy the lawless because God gives them what they deserve.

II. Photo
V. 18 praises Wisdom: “She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, And whoever holds on to her is happy. “

III. Important Verses
vv. 5-7: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths smooth. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and shun evil.
vv. 9-10: Honor the LORD with your wealth, With the best of all your income, And your barns will be filled with grain, Your vats will burst with new wine.
vv. 11-12: Do not reject the discipline of the LORD, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke. For whom the LORD loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.
vv. 14-15: [Wisdom’s] value in trade is better than silver, Her yield, greater than gold. She is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her.
vv. 17-18: Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths, peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, And whoever holds on to her is happy.
v. 24-25: When you lie down you will be unafraid; You will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. You will not fear sudden terror Or the disaster that comes upon the wicked.
v. 30: Do not quarrel with a man for no cause, When he has done you no harm.

IV. Outline
1-4. A father’s exhortation
5-10. Trust God and pay Him
11-12. Accept God’s rebuke
13-18. Beatitude, value of Wisdom
19-20. God uses Wisdom
21-26. Encouragement, reward
27-30. Treat others correctly
31-35. Do not envy a lawless man

V. Comment
Proverbs 3 is a father’s speech directed to his son (cf. vv. 1, 11, 21). It begins with an exhortation, “My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your mind retain my commandments.” This type of command is found in other parts of proverbs as well, e.g. 4:10, 4:20, 5:1, and 7:1. The introduction concludes by saying, “[if you listen to me] you will find favor and approbation In the eyes of God (‘elohim) and man.” It is interesting that the word ‘elohim “God,” which appears here, only appears 5 times in the entire book. The next time it appears is in chapter 25! However, the Tetragrammaton appears 87 times.

vv. 5-8 emphasize man’s shortcomings when compared to God: “… do not rely on your own understanding…Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and shun evil.” Consequently, one is to “honor” God with his material wealth: “Honor the LORD with your wealth, With the first of your produce.” This is probably a reference to the first fruits offering described in Ex. 23:19 and Deut. 26:1-3. It is interesting that there is a monetary incentive to “honor” God: “And your barns will be filled with grain, Your vats will burst with new wine” (v. 10). This is much like the blessing in Deut. 28:8: “The LORD will ordain blessings for you upon your barns and upon all your undertakings…”

Vv. 11-12 deal with the problem of suffering, and it is the only place in the entire book to do so. The verses say, “Do not reject the discipline of the LORD, my son; Do not abhor His rebuke. For whom the LORD loves, He rebukes, As a father the son whom he favors.” In other words, God punishes those whom He loves, much like a father (see Prov. 13:24 which states, “He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him early”). This position is taken up in Job 5:17-5:18: “See how happy is the man whom God reproves; Do not reject the discipline of the Almighty. He injures, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands heal.” But, while there are many approaches to this issue in the book of Job, Proverbs only offers one solution.

Vv. 13-18 offer hymnic praise to Wisdom, comparing her to precious metal/jewels: “Her value in trade is better than silver, Her yield, greater than gold. She is more precious than rubies; All of your goods cannot equal her” (vv. 14-15). For similar analogies, see 2:4, 8:10, 8:18-19, and 20:15. It is interesting that vv. 13-18, which seem to be an individual unit, begin and end with the word ‘ashar “happy/blessed.”

Vv. 27-30 is its own unit and speaks of treating others correctly, e.g. “Do not quarrel with a man for no cause, When he has done you no harm.” Vv. 31-35 explain why its foolish to envy the lawless man: “The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the abode of the righteous” (v. 33). Like its beginning, Proverbs 3 ends by describing the benefits of Wisdom: “The wise shall obtain honor, But dullards get disgrace as their portion” (v. 35).

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Proverbs 2 contains a father’s speech to his son. It describes how to acquire Wisdom, the benefits one can expect from such a pursuit, and how Wisdom protects one from the temptations of both a wicked man and a forbidden woman. It ends by contrasting the fate of the righteous with the fate of the wicked.

II. Photo
A  father urges his son to pursue wisdom in vv. 4-5: “If you seek it as you do silver And search for it as for treasures, Then you will understand the fear of the LORD And attain knowledge of God.”

III. Important Verses
vv. 4-5: If you seek it as you do silver And search for it as for treasures, Then you will understand the fear of the LORD And attain knowledge of God.
vv. 16-17: [Wisdom] will save you from the forbidden woman, From the alien woman whose talk is smooth, Who forsakes the companion of her youth And disregards the covenant of her God.
vv. 20-22: So follow the way of the good And keep to the paths of the just. For the upright will inhabit the earth, The blameless will remain in it. While the wicked will vanish from the land And the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

IV. Outline
1a. Introduction
1b-4. Gaining Wisdom
5-11. Wisdom’s benefits
12-15. Wisdom protects one from evil men
16-19. Wisdom protects one from forbidden women
20-22. Contrast between the righteous and wicked

V. Comment
Proverbs 2 is a father’s speech to his son, and it can be viewed as one long sentence with the following outline: “if (v. 1)… then (v. 5)… then (v. 9)… to save you (v. 12)… to save you (v. 12)… in order that you may walk (v. 20)…” (Murphy, 14). The speech begins by describing the great lengths one must go to in order to acquire wisdom: “[you must] seek it as you do silver And search for it as for treasures” (v. 4). It then explains how such a pursuit is well worth one’s time and effort: “Then you will understand the fear of the LORD And attain knowledge of God… You will then understand what is right, just, And equitable — every good course… Foresight will protect you, And discernment will guard you.” (vv. 5, 9, 11)

The father then explains how Wisdom protects one from the temptations of wicked men: “It will save you from the way of evil men, From men who speak duplicity… Men whose paths are crooked And who are devious in their course” (vv. 12, 15). While the crimes of these men are not specified, they are described as being corrupt in both word and deed (possibly some sort of black magic). Indeed, they are so corrupt that they “rejoice” and “exult” in their wicked behavior (v. 14).

The father then describes how Wisdom can save one from the ‘ishah zarah/ nakheriyyah “forbidden/alien woman” (vv. 16-19): It will save you from the forbidden woman, From the alien woman whose talk is smooth, Who forsakes the companion of her youth And disregards the covenant of her God. Her house sinks down to Death, And her course leads to the shades. All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life.”

Who is this “forbidden woman”? While some believe that it is a non-Israelite woman, and others believe it is either a foreign goddess or a prostitute, Fox (p. 134-141) believes she is simply another man’s wife. He points to Prov. 5 which, after encouraging one to enjoy the benefits of one’s own wife, says “Why be infatuated, my son, with a forbidden woman (zarah)? Why clasp the bosom of an alien woman (nakheriyyah)?” (Prov. 5:20) Thus, the antithesis of zarah and nakheriyyah is one’s own wife. Further proof may be deduced from chapter 7 which has a nearly identical message to our own: “[Wisdom] will guard you from a forbidden woman (‘ishah zarah); From an alien woman (nakheriyyah) whose talk is smooth” (7:5). That chapter describes how a married woman attempts to seduce a man by saying, “Let us drink our fill of love till morning; Let us delight in amorous embrace. For the man of the house is away; He is off on a distant journey.” Thus, it seems that the words “‘ishah zarah” mean a married woman.

Murphy points out how this chapter foreshadows the content of the next five chapters: “(1) In 2:1–8, the seeker after wisdom is promised to be drawn close to the Lord—the relationship to the Lord is taken up again in 3:1–12. (2) The relationship to Wisdom in 2:9–11 is taken up again in 3:13–26 and 4:1–9. (3) The relationship to wicked men in 2:12–15 is taken up again in 4:10–27. (4) The relationship to a woman in 2:16–19 is taken up again in 5:1–23 and 6:20–7:27.” (p. 14) He writes, “This is a remarkable, even singular, example of reprise, and such detail argues to a single author or editor for most of chaps. 2–7… chap. 2 seems to be a carefully prepared literary construction, and its setting is precisely for these chapters.” (p. 14)