Focused Passage

Proverbs 6:20-35

Wisdom Against Entrapment: Surety, Sloth, Wicked Speech, and Adultery

The chapter moves through five danger zones: financial entrapment, lazy neglect, corrupt character, sins detestable to the LORD, and adulterous desire. It then anchors protection in fatherly and motherly instruction that functions as lamp, light, and corrective way of life.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

21Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.

22When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

23For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,

24to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

25Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.

26For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

27Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?

28Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?

29So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

30Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.

31Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.

32He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

33Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.

34For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.

35He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

My sonבְּ֭נִיH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularkeepנְצֹ֣רH5341Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularyour father’sאָבִ֑יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularcommandmentמִצְוַ֣תH4687Noun - feminine singular constructand do notוְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbforsakeתִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁH5203Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour mother’sאִמֶּֽךָ׃H517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularteachingתּוֹרַ֥תH8451Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 21

Original words

Bind themקָשְׁרֵ֣םH7194Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine pluralalwaysתָמִ֑ידH8548Adverbuponעַל־H5921Prepositionyour heartלִבְּךָ֣H3820Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singulartie themעָ֝נְדֵ֗םH6029Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine pluralaroundעַל־H5921Prepositionyour neckגַּרְגְּרֹתֶֽךָ׃H1621Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

When you walkבְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ֨׀H1980Preposition-b | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularthey will guide youתַּנְחֶ֬הH5148Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singularwhen youאֹתָ֗ךְH853Direct object marker | second person masculine singularlie downבְּֽ֭שָׁכְבְּךָH7901Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularthey will watchתִּשְׁמֹ֣רH8104Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularover youעָלֶ֑יךָH5921Preposition | second person masculine singularwhen you awakeוַ֝הֲקִיצ֗וֹתָH6974Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singulartheyהִ֣יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularwill speak to youתְשִׂיחֶֽךָ׃H7878Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

Forכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthis commandmentמִ֭צְוָהH4687Noun - feminine singularis a lampנֵ֣רH5216Noun - masculine singularthis teachingוְת֣וֹרָהH8451Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular[is] a lightא֑וֹרH216Noun - common singularand the reproofsתּוֹכְח֥וֹתH8433Noun - feminine plural constructof disciplineמוּסָֽר׃H4148Noun - masculine singularare the wayוְדֶ֥רֶךְH1870Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular constructto lifeחַ֝יִּ֗יםH2416Noun - masculine plural
Verse 24

Original words

to keep youלִ֭שְׁמָרְךָH8104Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularfrom the evilרָ֑עH7451Adjective - masculine singularwomanמֵאֵ֣שֶׁתH802Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructfrom the smoothמֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗תH2513Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructtongueלָשׁ֥וֹןH3956Noun - common singularof the adulteressנָכְרִיָּֽה׃H5237Adjective - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or the stranger
Verse 25

Original words

Do notאַל־H408Adverblustתַּחְמֹ֣דH2530Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularin your heartבִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָH3824Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular. . .וְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbfor her beautyיָ֭פְיָהּH3308Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularor let her captivate youתִּ֝קָּֽחֲךָ֗H3947Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singularwith her eyesבְּעַפְעַפֶּֽיהָ׃H6079Preposition-b | Noun - masculine dual construct | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or eyelids or eyelashes
Verse 26

Original words

Forכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionthe levyבְעַד־H1157Prepositionvvvאִשָּׁ֥הH802Noun - feminine singularof the prostituteזוֹנָ֗הH2181Noun - feminine singularis povertyכִּכַּ֫רH3603Noun - feminine singular construct. . .לָ֥חֶםH3899Noun - masculine singular. . .עַֽד־H5704Prepositionand the adulteressוְאֵ֥שֶׁתH802Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct. . .אִ֑ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularpreys uponתָצֽוּד׃פH6679Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularyour veryיְקָרָ֣הH3368Adjective - feminine singularlifeנֶ֖פֶשׁH5315Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Literally a crust of bread
Verse 27

Original words

Can a manאִ֓ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularembraceהֲיַחְתֶּ֤הH2846Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .בְּחֵיק֑וֹH2436Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularfireאֵ֬שׁH784Noun - common singularand his clothesוּ֝בְגָדָ֗יוH899Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularnotלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebe burnedתִשָּׂרַֽפְנָה׃H8313Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Verse 28

Original words

Canאִם־H518Conjunctiona manאִ֭ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularwalkיְהַלֵּ֣ךְH1980Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionhot coalsהַגֶּחָלִ֑יםH1513Article | Noun - masculine pluralwithoutלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlescorchingתִכָּוֶֽינָה׃H3554Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine pluralhis feetוְ֝רַגְלָ֗יוH7272Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 29

Original words

Soכֵּ֗ןH3651Adverbis he who sleeps withהַ֭בָּאH935Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionanother man’sרֵעֵ֑הוּH7453Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwifeאֵ֣שֶׁתH802Noun - feminine singular constructno oneלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .כָּֽל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho touchesהַנֹּגֵ֥עַH5060Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularherבָּֽהּ׃Preposition | third person feminine singularwill go unpunishedיִ֝נָּקֶ֗הH5352Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

[Men] do notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particledespiseיָב֣וּזוּH936Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe thiefלַ֭גַּנָּבH1590Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularifכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionhe stealsיִגְנ֑וֹבH1589Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto satisfyלְמַלֵּ֥אH4390Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructhisנַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularvvvכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionhungerיִרְעָֽב׃H7456Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 31

Original words

Yet if caughtוְ֭נִמְצָאH4672Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularhe must payיְשַׁלֵּ֣םH7999Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularsevenfoldשִׁבְעָתָ֑יִםH7659Number - fd-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhe must give upיִתֵּֽן׃H5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe wealthה֖וֹןH1952Noun - masculine singular constructof his houseבֵּית֣וֹH1004Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 32

Original words

He who commits adulteryנֹאֵ֣ףH5003Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular. . .אִשָּׁ֣הH802Noun - feminine singularlacksחֲסַר־H2638Adjective - masculine singular constructjudgmentלֵ֑בH3820Noun - masculine singularwhoeverה֣וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singulardoes soיַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singulardestroysמַֽשְׁחִ֥יתH7843Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularhimselfנַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹH5315Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 33

Original words

Woundsנֶֽגַע־H5061Noun - masculine singularand dishonorוְקָל֥וֹןH7036Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularwill befall himיִמְצָ֑אH4672Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand his reproachוְ֝חֶרְפָּת֗וֹH2781Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularwill neverלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particlebe wiped awayתִמָּחֶֽה׃H4229Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 34

Original words

Forכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionjealousyקִנְאָ֥הH7068Noun - feminine singularenrages a husbandחֲמַת־H2534Noun - feminine singular construct. . .גָּ֑בֶרH1397Noun - masculine singularand he will show noוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlemercyיַ֝חְמ֗וֹלH2550Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin the dayבְּי֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof vengeanceנָקָֽם׃H5359Noun - masculine singular
Verse 35

Original words

He will notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlebe appeasedיִ֭שָּׂאH5375Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .פְּנֵ֣יH6440Noun - common plural constructby anyכָל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructransomכֹּ֑פֶרH3724Noun - masculine singular[or]וְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlepersuadedיֹ֝אבֶ֗הH14Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .כִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionby lavishתַרְבֶּה־H7235Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singulargiftsשֹֽׁחַד׃פH7810Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.