Proverbs 6
Proverbs 6 provides practical wisdom, warning against foolish decisions such as guaranteeing someone else's debt, laziness, and engaging in wicked schemes. The chapter also gives a vivid description of the consequences of these actions and ends with warnings against adultery. This chapter is filled with advice for living a life of wisdom and avoiding destructive paths.
Proverbs 6:1-5 (NKJV)
1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; for you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; plead with your friend.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Becoming surety for someone else's debt or making impulsive financial commitments can lead to trouble. The verses encourage taking immediate action to resolve such matters before they lead to ruin. The image of escaping like a gazelle or bird emphasizes urgency and the need to avoid being trapped in unfavorable situations. It suggests humility and diligence in seeking a way out of risky entanglements.
Proverbs 6:6-11 (NKJV)
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no captain, overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.
These verses contrast the diligence of ants with the laziness of a sluggard. Ants, though they have no leader, work hard and prepare for the future. Laziness leads to poverty, which comes unexpectedly, like a robber. The passage stresses the importance of hard work and planning, warning that constant idleness will bring hardship.
Proverbs 6:12-15 (NKJV)
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth;
13 He winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points with his fingers;
14 Perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.
A description of a wicked person who deceives and causes trouble through subtle, cunning behavior. Such individuals are always plotting evil and creating conflict. Their actions are driven by inner perversity, but their downfall will be swift and irreversible. This section serves as a warning against engaging in such deceitful behavior.
Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV)
16 These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.
This passage lists seven actions that God detests. These include pride, dishonesty, violence, malicious planning, eagerness to commit wrongdoing, bearing false testimony, and causing division among people. These traits destroy relationships and communities, and the warning emphasizes the need to avoid them at all costs, as they go against the moral order God desires.
Proverbs 6:20-23 (NKJV)
20 My son, keep your father’s command, and do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
22 When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep, they will keep you; and when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life.
Parents' instructions, rooted in God’s wisdom, are portrayed as guiding lights that offer protection and wisdom throughout life. The passage emphasizes the value of internalizing these teachings, as they provide guidance, protection, and instruction. Just like a lamp, these commandments illuminate the path, showing the right way to live.
Proverbs 6:24-29 (NKJV)
24 To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a seductress.
25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
26 For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread; and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
This section warns against adultery and the dangers of falling into temptation. The seductive appeal of an immoral woman is compared to fire—once you engage in it, you are bound to be harmed. The rhetorical questions about fire and hot coals highlight the inevitability of consequences when committing adultery, showing that such actions will lead to guilt and ruin.
Proverbs 6:30-35 (NKJV)
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; he may have to give up all the substance of his house.
32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; he who does so destroys his own soul.
33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy is a husband’s fury; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will accept no recompense, nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
The chapter concludes by contrasting theft with adultery. While a thief may steal out of desperation and can still face restitution, an adulterer causes irreversible damage to his reputation and relationships. The rage of a betrayed spouse is described as unyielding and vengeful, showing that adultery leads to long-lasting disgrace and relational devastation. This final warning stresses the destructive consequences of adultery that go beyond financial loss.