Proverbs 7:21–27

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^7:21She persuaded him⁴³ with persuasive words;⁴⁴

with her smooth talk⁴⁵ she compelled him.⁴⁶

^7:22Suddenly he went⁴⁷ after her

like an ox that goes to the slaughter,

like a stag prancing into a trapper’s snare⁴⁸

^7:23till an arrow pierces his liver⁴⁹—

like a bird hurrying into a trap,

and he does not know that it will cost him his life.⁵⁰

^7:24So now, sons,⁵¹ listen to me,

and pay attention to the words I speak.⁵²

^7:25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways—

do not wander into her pathways;

^7:26for she has brought down⁵³ many fatally wounded,

and all those she has slain are many.⁵⁴

^7:27Her house is the way to the grave,⁵⁵

going down⁵⁶ to the chambers⁵⁷ of death.

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Footnotes

43 Heb “she turned him aside.” This expression means that she persuaded him. This section now begins the description of the capitulation, for the flattering speech is finished.
44 The term לֶקַח (leqakh) was used earlier in Proverbs for wise instruction; now it is used ironically for enticement to sin (see D. W. Thomas, “Textual and Philological Notes on Some Passages in the Book of Proverbs,” 3 [1955]: 280–92).
45 Heb “smooth of her lips”; cf. “smooth lips”; “flattering lips.” The term “lips” is a metonymy of cause representing what she says.
46 The verb means “to impel; to thrust; to banish,” but in this stem in this context “to compel; to force” into some action. The imperfect tense has the nuance of progressive imperfect to parallel the characteristic perfect of the first colon.
47 The participle with “suddenly” gives a more vivid picture, almost as if to say “there he goes.”
48 The present translation follows R. B. Y. Scott (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes [], 64). This third colon of the verse would usually be rendered, “fetters to the chastening of a fool” (, , and are all similar). But there is no support that עֶכֶס (’ekhes) means “fetters.” It appears in Isaiah 3:16 as “anklets.” The parallelism here suggests that some animal imagery is required. Thus the ancient versions have “as a dog to the bonds.”
49 The figure of an arrow piercing the liver (an implied comparison) may refer to the pangs of a guilty conscience that the guilty must reap along with the spiritual and physical ruin that follows (see on these expressions H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament).
50 The expression that it is “for/about/over his life” means that it could cost him his life (e.g., Num 16:38). Alternatively, the line could refer to moral corruption and social disgrace rather than physical death—but this would not rule out physical death too.
51 The literal translation “sons” works well here in view of the warning. Cf. , , “children.”
52 Heb “the words of my mouth.”
53 Heb “she has caused to fall.”
54 Heb “numerous” (so , , , ) or “countless.”
55 The noun “Sheol” in parallelism to “the chambers of death” probably means the grave. The noun is a genitive of location, indicating the goal of the road(s). Her house is not the grave; it is, however, the sure way to it. Her house is the way to the grave. The young man’s life is not destroyed in one instant; it is taken from him gradually as he enters into a course of life that will leave him as another victim of the wages of sin. The point of the warning is to prevent such a course from starting. Sin can certainly be forgiven, but the more involvement in this matter the greater the alienation from the healthy community.
56 The Qal active participle modifies “ways” to Sheol. The “road,” as it were, descends to the place of death.
57 “Chambers” is a hypocatastasis, comparing the place of death or the grave with a bedroom in the house. It plays on the subtlety of the temptation. Cf. “Her bedroom is the den of death.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

With much seductive speech she persuades him;

with her smooth talk she compels him.

All at once he follows her,

as an ox goes to the slaughter,

or as a stag is caught fast

till an arrow pierces its liver;

as a bird rushes into a snare;

he does not know that it will cost him his life.

And now, O sons, listen to me,

and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths,

for many a victim has she laid low,

and all her slain are a mighty throng.

Her house is the way to Sheol,

going down to the chambers of death.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

With persuasive words she led him astray;

she seduced him with her smooth talk.

All at once he followed her

like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer stepping into a noose

till an arrow pierces his liver,

like a bird darting into a snare,

little knowing it will cost him his life.

Now then, my sons, listen to me;

pay attention to what I say.

Do not let your heart turn to her ways

or stray into her paths.

Many are the victims she has brought down;

her slain are a mighty throng.

Her house is a highway to the grave,

leading down to the chambers of death.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

She seduces him with her persistent pleading;

she lures with her flattering talk.

He follows her impulsively

like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer bounding toward a trap

until an arrow pierces its liver,

like a bird darting into a snare—

he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.

Now, sons, listen to me,

and pay attention to the words from my mouth.

Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways;

don’t stray onto her paths.

For she has brought many down to death;

her victims are countless.

Her house is the road to Sheol,

descending to the chambers of death.

NLTNew Living Translation

So she seduced him with her pretty speech

and enticed him with her flattery.

He followed her at once,

like an ox going to the slaughter.

He was like a stag caught in a trap,

awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.

He was like a bird flying into a snare,

little knowing it would cost him his life.

So listen to me, my sons,

and pay attention to my words.

Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.

Don’t wander down her wayward path.

For she has been the ruin of many;

many men have been her victims.

Her house is the road to the grave.

Her bedroom is the den of death.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

She persuades him with the greatness of her teachings;

with her smooth lips she compels him.

He goes after her suddenly;

like an ox to the slaughter he goes,

and like a stag to the instruction of a fool,

until an arrow pierces his entrails,

like a bird rushing into a snare,

but he does not know that it will cost him his life.

And now, my children, listen to me,

and be attentive to the sayings of my mouth.

May your heart not turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her path.

For many slain she has laid low,

and countless are all of her killings.

The ways of Sheol are her house,

descending to chambers of death.

KJV 1900King James Version

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield,

With the flattering of her lips she forced him.

He goeth after her straightway,

As an ox goeth to the slaughter,

Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

Till a dart strike through his liver;

As a bird hasteth to the snare,

And knoweth not that it is for his life.

Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children,

And attend to the words of my mouth.

Let not thine heart decline to her ways,

Go not astray in her paths.

For she hath cast down many wounded:

Yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

Her house is the way to hell,

Going down to the chambers of death.

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