Avoiding the adulterous woman - Part 2

In part 1 of avoiding the adulterous woman we finished chapter 5. The text we will be studying in part 2 is Proverbs 6:20-35.

In verse 20-21 we see a prerequisite for avoiding the adulterous woman. There has been a theme running throughout the previous chapters that continues here. It is imperative that the son pay attention to the fathers godly teachings. He needs to continually keep them in the front of his mind.

Verse 22 shows some of the benefits of having these teachings continually before you. Throughout the day you will have guidance. Even in your sleep they will watch over you. And when you awake and you haven't shaken off the tiredness yet they will speak to you.

Verse 24 shows that keeping these godly teaching continually before you will keep you from the adulterous woman and her smooth speech.

Verses 25-26 shows the need to resist the pleasant enticement that flows from her outward beauty. For she will bring you financial harm. She will reduce you to a loaf of bread. Verse 26 also demonstrates that she is a predatory female. She hunts her prey. And her prey is the precious life. In Proverbs 5:8 the son was warned  to stay away from her house. Here he has the additional warning of being on the alert. She will not just stay at her home. She will leave her dwelling and actively hunt her prey.

Verses 27-29 speak of the certainty of painful consequences. All those that touch another man's wife will be punished.

The man who is hungry and steals in order to satisfy his hunger found in verses 30-31 is compared to the one who commits adultery with a woman in verses 32-35. The man who steals is punished. He suffers severe financial consequences for his sin.  But even though he is punished  the community does not despise him. They are able to downplay the crime since he did it out of his desperate circumstances.  Similarly the man who acts on his lusts also suffers financial harm as we already mentioned in verse 26.  And in sharp contrast to the community's view of the thief,  the one who commits adultery is viewed negatively. He is despised. And in addition to his disgrace  he will also experience wounds. One obvious way for him to be wounded is from encountering the jealous man. He may injure him when he finds out that he had been with her. And the response of the jealous man could escalate beyond inflicting wounds. He may even kill him.

Here is a quick recap of some of the points in this chapter that will safeguard the man against this type of woman.

1. Continually keeping the teachings of scripture in his mind.
2. Knowing that she will cause him financial loss
3. Knowing that all who touch her will be punished.
4. Knowing that he will lose his good name. He will be disgraced within the community
5. Knowing that he will experience wounds
6. Knowing that he could be killed by the jealous man

Continue this study by reading Avoiding the adulterous woman - Part 3
Or go back and read Avoiding the adulterous woman - Part 1

Scripture quotations taken from the "NASB" (www.lockman.org)
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