Session 9 | Proverbs 7 | Proverbs: Wisdom Unveiled
I. Lady Wisdom vs. Lady Flattery: A Tale of Two Paths (Proverbs 7:1–5)
Continuity from Proverbs 6: If the previous chapter flashed multiple warnings—laziness, dishonesty, lust—Proverbs 7 zooms in on one scenario to demonstrate how those warnings play out in real life.
Familiar Plea: “Keep My Words”: The father repeats himself (v. 1). This is not mere review but an urgent call—echoing “Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart” (v. 3, KJV; cf. Deut. 6:8).
Torah as Survival Gear: Emphasizes the covenantal command to internalize God’s words. This is not academic trivia but “life” (“Keep my commandments, and live,” v. 2).
Wisdom as Family: The son is urged to call wisdom “sister” and understanding “kinswoman” (v. 4). Affection for righteousness must be preloaded, lest flattery slip in unchallenged.
Observation from the Window: The father recounts a real-life scene: “For at the window of my house I looked through my casement” (v. 6). He watches how the naive stumble.
A Naive Young Man: “Void of understanding” (v. 7). Not openly rebellious—just unarmed against sin. Wandering “in the twilight… in the black and dark night” (v. 9), he becomes an easy target.
Darkness and Vulnerability: Sin prefers secrecy. The young man is in the wrong place at the wrong hour, oblivious to the dangers ahead.
1. The Encounter (vv. 10–13)
“Behold, there met him a woman…” (v. 10). She is dressed to entice, yet her true weapon is a “subtle heart”—the same term describing the serpent in Genesis 3:1.
She is loud and persistent, seizing the young man with apparent affection. In reality, she is tightening a snare.
“I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows.” She cloaks her seduction in spiritual language, suggesting no moral conflict.
This is flattery at its most insidious, making sin appear sanctioned or harmless.
She tempts him with lavish comforts: “decked my bed with coverings… perfumed my bed” (vv. 16–17).
She promises no consequences: “My husband… will come home at the day appointed” (v. 20). Sin is painted as both pleasurable and risk-free.
Overpowered by Words: “With her much fair speech she caused him to yield… she forced him” (v. 21). No physical chains—just flattery that blinds his judgment.
A Sudden Surrender: “He goeth after her straightway” (v. 22). The language shifts from a casual stroll to a headlong rush toward destruction.
Gruesome Outcome: “As an ox goeth to the slaughter… till a dart strike through his liver” (vv. 22–23). The father offers brutal imagery so the son grasps the high cost of seduction.
Tragic Ignorance: “He knoweth not that it is for his life” (v. 23). The fool never realizes he is forfeiting his own soul.
Public Appeal: “Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children” (v. 24). This is not a private family affair—entire generations could fall prey to flattery if they forsake Torah.
Broad Path of Destruction: “She hath cast down many wounded… many strong men have been slain by her”(v. 26). Even the capable are vulnerable without godly wisdom.
The House of Death: “Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death” (v. 27). Not a metaphorical loss—covenantal ruin for those who follow her.
Proverbs 7 concludes with a warning rather than a resolution. Once inside Lady Flattery’s trap, the outcome is grim.
The father’s plea: bind wisdom early, love it like family, and store it like treasure. When seduction calls, it is too late to learn loyalty if the heart is not already filled with truth.
