PROVERBS

Living in the Path of God

Pastor Scott Brenner Proverbs 7:1-27
1 My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you
2 Keep my commands and live,
And my law 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 call understanding your nearest kin,
5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.
6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
7 And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the youths,
A young man devoid of understanding,
8 Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night
10 And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home
12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner
13 So she caught him and kissed him;
With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows
15 So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you
16 I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of Egyptian linen
17 I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love
19 For my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
And will come home on the appointed day.”
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
With her flattering lips she seduced him
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23 Till an arrow struck his liver
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it would cost his life
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men
27 Her house is the way to hell,
Descending to the chambers of death