An Outline for The Proverbs 7 Woman
Introduction: Many of us have heard about the “Proverbs 31 woman” whom Lemuel described so elegantly. Just as influential, for all the wrong reasons, is the Proverbs 7 woman whom Solomon described in vivid terms: this, coming from a man with 700 wives and 300 concubines (a term not easy to translate but refers to women who had similar rights and privileges as wives)! Whether she was a foreigner who had come to Israel, or a native of Israel, this Proverbs 7 woman had given herself to the sex trade and seemed to always be seeking another man.
The foreword or prologue
Text: Proverbs 7:1-5, KJV: 1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. 3Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. 4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: 5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
--Solomon is giving words of instruction to his son. Rehoboam would have been a better man and a better king if he had paid more attention to his father’s words
--He gives wise counsel: keep my commandments, and to paraphrase, give wisdom first place in your heart and life.
--Among other things (just look at all the topics mentioned in Proverbs!), Solomon didn’t want Rehoboam or anyone else, by extension, to fall victim to the “strange woman”. This didn’t mean she was “odd”, but rather, a woman who had become part of the sex trade. Harlots or “strange women” had been around for many years, certainly as far back as the days of Judah (Gen. 38).
1 He’s Doing the Wrong Thing
Text, Proverbs 7:6-9, KJV: 6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, 7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, 8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, 9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
--The young man (https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5288.htm) didn’t seem to have much wisdom. Simple in the KJV didn’t mean uncomplicated, rather it sometimes meant foolish or lacking in sense (https://biblehub.com/hebrew/6612.htm). He wasn’t a fool, just naïve.
--Void of understanding: self-explanatory. Proof: he’s deliberately walking towards the area where at least one “strange woman” was ready to meet him.
--Notice this was at night, when a lot of activity like this seems to take place. The book, “The Minnesota Connection”, published around 1980, describes a lot of these women, almost always during the night hours. Some, the author wrote, were as young as 14 (8th-9th grade).
2 She’s Doing the Wrong Thing
Text, Proverbs 7:10-23, KJV: 10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. 16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
--It’s never said why the (foolish) young man was headed towards the harlot’s house in the first place. Many men give many reasons (or excuses) but that doesn’t make it right. But there he goes, off for whatever reason.
--And, perhaps not surprisingly, she finds him. Well, now. Here Solomon gives some warning signs that at least this particular “strange woman” had on display:
---Her clothing. Tamar had trapped or at least enticed Judah by wearing some harlot’s clothing (Genesis 38). Solomon doesn’t describe her apparel, but those of his day would know for sure.
---He mentions her disposition: loud, stubborn, won’t stay at home, stands near corners.
---He gives at least a little of her “invitation” in verses 14-20. Note the promises: I came to find you (probably emphasized it), I have a luxurious suite prepared for us, I have plenty of food and drink for us, and we have plenty of time to enjoy each other’s company. “Goodman” was another word for “husband (literally ‘man’ https://biblehub.com/hebrew/376.htm). She implied he had taken a large sum of money with him and would be gone for a while.
--She wore down his defenses until he gave up and gave in. Or, she may have presented herself as a real catch or a real prize, hinting she was all in for this new victim or target: even though she claimed to be a married woman. How evil.
--Even worse, the young man would suffer. The word translated “Dart” here means “arrow (https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2671.htm)” and the picture is that of the young man being shot in his guts by an arrow. Certain death in many cases.
--There could be a reference to sexually transmitted diseases, which can result in almost a living death. See David’s complaints in Psalm 38 for a similar situation.
3 The Reminder to Do the Right Thing
Text, Proverbs 7:24-27, KJV: 24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. 26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. 27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
--Now Solomon speaks to more than just “my son”; he adds “O ye children”. This graphic lesson was good for Rehoboam, and for all of us even today.
--Hear the final warnings: don’t go near her roads (ways) and don’t take the paths near her house. Someone once remarked the best way to stay clean is not to get dirty.
--Solomon added that she, the “strange woman”, had slain “many strong men”. The young man who wandered towards her house was just one more she conquered.
--A sobering thing to remember is that every strange woman was born into this world just the same as any other female. How she could go from being a bright, typical little girl into this kind of woman is one of the saddest things to ever happen to anyone.
--Even so, there is hope. Rahab was a harlot and a 3 or 4-great grandmother of Solomon himself! She had become a believer in the God of Israel and she was rewarded so much: every king of Judah, and eventually Messiah Jesus Himself, was a direct descendant! Jesus also said that harlots and publicans (considered some of the most wicked people of His day) would enter the kingdom of God before those who considered themselves righteous (Matthew 21:31).
--Young men, wise up, and stay pure. Ladies, please don’t let what happened to this woman happen to you. It’s not easy to be a Proverbs 31 woman, much easier to let go and be a Proverbs 7 kind of woman. The question is, though: which type of woman is more pleasing to God?
Which type of woman would you rather be?
Scripture quotation taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)
