Focused Passage

Proverbs 7:6-23

The Path to Slaughter: Wisdom's Warning Against Seduction and the Collapse of Judgment

The chapter moves from internalized wisdom, to observed naivety, to the seducer's calculated strategy, to the young man's collapse, to a final warning that her house leads to death.

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

6 For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.

7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,

8 crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,

9 at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.

10 Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.

11 She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.

12 Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.

13 She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:

14 “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.

15 So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.

16 I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!

19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.

20 He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”

21 With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.

22 He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,

23 until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare—not knowing it will cost him his life.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 6

Original words

For כִּ֭י H3588 Conjunction at the window בְּחַלּ֣וֹן H2474 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct of my house בֵּיתִ֑י H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular I looked נִשְׁקָֽפְתִּי׃ H8259 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singular through בְּעַ֖ד H1157 Preposition the lattice אֶשְׁנַבִּ֣י H822 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 7

Original words

I saw וָאֵ֤רֶא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular among the simple בַפְּתָאיִ֗ם H6612 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural I noticed אָ֘בִ֤ינָה H995 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular among the youths בַבָּנִ֗ים H1121 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural a young man נַ֣עַר H5288 Noun - masculine singular lacking חֲסַר־ H2638 Adjective - masculine singular construct judgment לֵֽב׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

crossing עֹבֵ֣ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the street בַּ֭שּׁוּק H7784 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular near אֵ֣צֶל H681 Preposition her corner פִּנָּ֑הּ H6438 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular strolling יִצְעָֽד׃ H6805 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular down the road וְדֶ֖רֶךְ H1870 Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct to her house בֵּיתָ֣הּ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

at twilight בְּנֶֽשֶׁף־ H5399 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular as the day was fading בְּעֶ֥רֶב H6153 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular . . . י֑וֹם H3117 Noun - masculine singular into the dark וַאֲפֵלָֽה׃ H653 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular of the night בְּאִישׁ֥וֹן H380 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct . . . לַ֝֗יְלָה H3915 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Then וְהִנֵּ֣ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection a woman אִ֭שָּׁה H802 Noun - feminine singular came out to meet him לִקְרָאת֑וֹ H7122 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular [with] the attire שִׁ֥ית H7897 Noun - masculine singular construct of a harlot ז֝וֹנָ֗ה H2181 Noun - feminine singular and cunning וּנְצֻ֥רַת H5341 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular construct of heart לֵֽב׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

She הִ֣יא H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular is loud הֹמִיָּ֣ה H1993 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular and defiant וְסֹרָ֑רֶת H5637 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular her feet רַגְלֶֽיהָ׃ H7272 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person feminine singular do not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle remain יִשְׁכְּנ֥וּ H7931 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural at home בְּ֝בֵיתָ֗הּ H1004 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Now פַּ֤עַם׀ H6471 Noun - feminine singular in the street בַּח֗וּץ H2351 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular now פַּ֥עַם H6471 Noun - feminine singular in the squares בָּרְחֹב֑וֹת H7339 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural she lurks תֶאֱרֹֽב׃ H693 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular at וְאֵ֖צֶל H681 Conjunctive waw | Preposition every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct corner פִּנָּ֣ה H6438 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 13

Original words

She seizes וְהֶחֱזִ֣יקָה H2388 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular him בּ֭וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular and kisses וְנָ֣שְׁקָה־ H5401 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular him לּ֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular she brazenly הֵעֵ֥זָה H5810 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular . . . פָ֝נֶ֗יהָ H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular says וַתֹּ֣אמַר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular to him לֽוֹ׃ Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

I have made my peace שְׁלָמִ֣ים H8002 Noun - masculine plural . . . עָלָ֑י H5921 Preposition | first person common singular offerings זִבְחֵ֣י H2077 Noun - masculine plural construct today הַ֝יּ֗וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular I have paid שִׁלַּ֥מְתִּי H7999 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular my vows נְדָרָֽי׃ H5088 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 15

Original words

So עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֭ן H3651 Adverb I came out יָצָ֣אתִי H3318 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular to meet you לִקְרָאתֶ֑ךָ H7122 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular I sought you לְשַׁחֵ֥ר H7836 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct . . . פָּ֝נֶ֗יךָ H6440 Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular and I have found you וָאֶמְצָאֶֽךָּ׃ H4672 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

I have decked רָבַ֣דְתִּי H7234 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular my bed עַרְשִׂ֑י H6210 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular with coverings מַ֭רְבַדִּים H4765 Noun - masculine plural with colored חֲ֝טֻב֗וֹת H2405 Noun - feminine plural linen אֵט֥וּן H330 Noun - masculine singular construct from Egypt מִצְרָֽיִם׃ H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

I have perfumed נַ֥פְתִּי H5130 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular my bed מִשְׁכָּבִ֑י H4904 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular with myrrh מֹ֥ר H4753 Noun - masculine singular with aloes אֲ֝הָלִ֗ים H174 Noun - masculine plural and with cinnamon וְקִנָּמֽוֹן׃ H7076 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 18

Original words

Come לְכָ֤ה H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular let us take our fill נִרְוֶ֣ה H7301 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural of love דֹ֭דִים H1730 Noun - masculine plural till עַד־ H5704 Preposition morning הַבֹּ֑קֶר H1242 Article | Noun - masculine singular Let us delight נִ֝תְעַלְּסָ֗ה H5965 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural in loving caresses בָּאֳהָבִֽים׃ H159 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 19

Original words

For כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction my husband הָאִ֣ישׁ H376 Article | Noun - masculine singular is not אֵ֣ין H369 Adverb at home בְּבֵית֑וֹ H1004 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular he has gone הָ֝לַ֗ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular on a long מֵרָחֽוֹק׃ H7350 Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singular journey בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular
Verse 20

Original words

He took לָקַ֣ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular with him בְּיָד֑וֹ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular a bag צְֽרוֹר־ H6872 Noun - masculine singular construct of money הַ֭כֶּסֶף H3701 Article | Noun - masculine singular and will not return יָבֹ֥א H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . בֵיתֽוֹ׃ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular till לְי֥וֹם H3117 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct the moon [is] full הַ֝כֵּ֗סֶא H3677 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

With her great בְּרֹ֣ב H7230 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct persuasion לִקְחָ֑הּ H3948 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular she entices him הִ֭טַּתּוּ H5186 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular with her flattering בְּחֵ֥לֶק H2506 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct lips שְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יהָ H8193 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person feminine singular she lures him תַּדִּיחֶֽנּוּ׃ H5080 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

He follows her ה֤וֹלֵ֥ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular . . . אַחֲרֶ֗יהָ H310 Preposition | third person feminine singular on impulse פִּ֫תְאֹ֥ם H6597 Adverb like an ox כְּ֭שׁוֹר H7794 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular going יָב֑וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the slaughter טָ֣בַח H2874 Noun - masculine singular like a deer אֱוִֽיל׃ H191 Noun - masculine singular bounding וּ֝כְעֶ֗כֶס H5914 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular into אֶל־ H413 Preposition a trap מוּסַ֥ר H4148 Noun - masculine singular construct

BSB notes

  • Probable reading (see LXX, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew like fetters to discipline a fool
Verse 23

Original words

until עַ֤ד H5704 Preposition an arrow חֵ֡ץ H2671 Noun - masculine singular pierces יְפַלַּ֪ח H6398 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular his liver כְּֽבֵד֗וֹ H3516 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular like a bird צִפּ֣וֹר H6833 Noun - common singular darting כְּמַהֵ֣ר H4116 Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct into אֶל־ H413 Preposition a snare פָּ֑ח H6341 Noun - masculine singular not וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle knowing יָ֝דַ֗ע H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular . . . כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction it הֽוּא׃פ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular will cost him his life בְנַפְשׁ֥וֹ H5315 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person 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.