chptrsvn

Hey Ladies,
My apologies on my lateness in getting something up to encourage you to think about chapter seven. I really enjoyed Liz's visuals last week and thought I might try something similar this week (to a lesser degree...) Last night I was reading some interesting stuff in the commentary, and I'll toss that up as a separate post probably tomorrow.


Let us begin:
Warning Against the Adulterous Woman
1 My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.


6 At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.


10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:

14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”

21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose
23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.


24 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.

Prompting Questions/Thoughts...

• Sometimes I zone out when reading Proverbs. I sometimes feel like because much of these writings are, as Liz mentioned in earlier posts, directed to a son, and I'm not a son, there's less of a calling on my life and I miss the impact of these warnings. Because of that...


• Who is the Adulterous woman in your life (not specifically a person, but you know what I mean)? What is she leading you into? What is she leading you away from? How does her influence look in your life? How can you be aware of this? What are her "persuasive words" and "smooth talk" in your ears?


• As always with the chapters that don't specifically speak about God, how does this passage indirectly speak about God? What about his character is brought out through these words?


• Do you feel convicted by anything in this chapter? Does anything hit your heart?