TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Proverbs 2:10–22. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The scope of these verses is to show, 1. What great advantage true wisdom will be of to us; it will keep us from the paths of sin, which lead to ruin, and will therein do us a greater kindness than if it enriched us with all the wealth of the world. 2. What good use we should make of the wisdom God gives us; we must use it for our own guidance in the paths of virtue, and for the arming of us against temptations of every kind. 3. By what rules we may try ourselves whether we have this wisdom or no. This tree will be known by its fruits; if we be truly wise, it will appear by our care to avoid all evil company and evil practices.
This wisdom will be of use to us,
I.For our preservation from evil, from the evil of sin, and, consequently, from the evil of trouble that attends it.
1.In general (Pro 2:10, Pro 2:11), "When wisdom has entire possession of thee, it will keep thee." And when has it an entire possession of us?
(1.)When it has dominion over us. When it not only fills the head with notions, but enters into the heart and has a commanding power and influence upon that, - when it is upon the throne there, and gives law to the affections and passions, - when it enters into the heart as the leaven into the dough, to diffuse its relish there, and to change it into its own image - then it is likely to do us good.
(2.)When we have delight in it, when knowledge becomes pleasant to the soul: "When thou beginnest to relish it as the most agreeable entertainment, and art subject to its rules, of choice, and with satisfaction, - when thou callest the practice of virtue, not a slavery and a task, but liberty and pleasure, and a life of serious godliness the most comfortable life a man can live in this world, - then thou wilt find the benefit of it." Though its restraints should be in some respects unpleasant to the body, yet even those must be pleasant to the soul. When it has come to this, with us, discretion shall preserve us and keep us. God keeps the way of his saints (Pro 2:8), by giving them discretion to keep out of harm's way, to keep themselves that the wicked one touch them not. Note, A principle of grace reigning in the heart will be a powerful preservative both against corruptions within and temptations without, Ecc 9:16, Ecc 9:18.
2.More particularly, wisdom will preserve us,
(1.)From men of corrupt principles, atheistical profane men, who make it their business to debauch young men's judgments, and instil into their minds prejudices against religion and arguments for vice: "It will deliver thee from the way of the evil man (Pro 2:12), and a blessed deliverance it will be, as from the very jaws of death, from the way in which he walks, and in which he would persuade thee to walk." The enemy is spoken of as one (Pro 2:12), an evil man, but afterwards as many (Pro 2:13); there is a club, a gang of them, that are in confederacy against religion, and join hand in hand for the support of the devil's kingdom and the interests of it.
[1.]They have a spirit of contradiction to that which is good: They speak froward things; they say all they can against religion, both to show their own enmity to it and to dissuade others from it. They are advocates for Satan; they plead for Baal, and pervert the right ways of the Lord. How peevishly will profane wits argue for sin, and with what frowardness will they carp at the word of God! Wisdom will keep us either from conversing with such men or at least from being ensnared by them.
[2.]They are themselves apostates from that which is good, and such are commonly the most malicious and dangerous enemies religion has, witness Julian (Pro 2:13): They leave the paths of uprightness, which they were trained up in and had set out in, shake off the influences of their education, and break off the thread of their hopeful beginnings, to walk in the ways of darkness, in those wicked ways which hate the light, in which men are led blindfold by ignorance and error, and which lead men into utter darkness. The ways of sin are ways of darkness, uncomfortable and unsafe; what fools are those that leave the plain, pleasant, lightsome paths of uprightness, to walk in those ways! Psa 82:5; Jo1 2:11.
[3.]They take a pleasure in sin, both in committing it themselves and in seeing others commit it (Pro 2:14): They rejoice in an opportunity to do evil, and in the accomplishment and success of any wicked project. It is sport to fools to do mischief; nor is any sight more grateful to them than to see the frowardness of the wicked, to see those that are hopeful drawn into the ways of sin, and then to see them hardened and confirmed in those ways. They are pleased if they can discern that the devil's kingdom gets ground (see Rom 1:32), such a height of impiety have they arrived at.
[4.]They are resolute in sin (Pro 2:15): Their ways are crooked, a great many windings and turnings to escape the pursuit of their convictions and break the force of them; some sly excuse, some subtle evasion or other, their deceitful hearts furnish them with, for the strengthening of their hands in their wickedness; and in the crooked mazes of that labyrinth they secure themselves from the arrests of God's word and their own consciences; for they are froward in their paths, that is, they are resolved to go on in them, whatever is said against it. Every wise man will shun the company of such as these.
(2.)From women of corrupt practices. The former lead to spiritual wickednesses, the lusts of the unsanctified mind; these lead to fleshly lusts, which defile the body, that living temple, but withal war against the soul. The adulteress is here called the strange woman, because no man that has any wisdom or goodness in him will have any acquaintance with her; she is to be shunned by every Israelite as if she were a heathen, and a stranger to that sacred commonwealth. A strange woman indeed! utterly estranged from all principles of reason, virtue, and honour. It is a great mercy to be delivered from the allurements of the adulteress, considering,
[1.]How false she is. Who will have any dealings with those that are made up of treachery? She is a strange woman; for, First, She is false to him whom she entices. She speaks fair, tells him how much she admires him above any man, and what a kindness she has for him; but she flatters with her words; she has no true affection for him, nor any desire of his welfare, any more than Delilah had of Samson's. All she designs is to pick his pocket and gratify a base lust of her own. Secondly, She is false to her husband, and violates the sacred obligation she lies under to him. He was the guide of her youth; by marrying him she chose him to be so, and submitted herself to his guidance, with a promise to attend him only, and forsake all others. But she has forsaken him, and therefore it cannot be thought that she should be faithful to any one else; and whoever entertains her is partaker with her in her falsehood. Thirdly, She is false to God himself: She forgets the covenant of her God, the marriage-covenant (Pro 2:17), to which God is not only a witness, but a party, for, he having instituted the ordinance, both sides vow to him to be true to each other. It is not her husband only that she sins against, but her God, who will judge whoremongers and adulterers because they despise the oath and break the covenant, Eze 17:18; Mal 2:14.
[2.]How fatal it will prove to those that fall in league with her, Pro 2:18, Pro 2:19. Let the sufferings of others be our warnings. Take heed of the sin of whoredom; for, First, The ruin of those who are guilty of it is certain and unavoidable, if they do not repent. It is a sin that has a direct tendency to the killing of the soul, the extinguishing of all good affections and dispositions in it, and the exposing of it to the wrath and curse of God and the sword of his justice. Those that live in forbidden pleasures are dead while they live. Let discretion preserve every man, not only from the evil woman, but from the evil house, for the house inclines to death; it is in the road that leads directly to eternal death; and her paths unto Rephaim, to the giants (so some read it), the sinners of the old world, who, living in luxury and excess of riot, were cut down out of time, and their foundation was overthrown with a flood. Our Lord Jesus deters us from sinful pleasures with the consideration of everlasting torments which follow them. Where the worm dies not, nor is the fire quenched. See Mat 5:28, Mat 5:29. Secondly, Their repentance and recovery are extremely hazardous: None, or next to none, that go unto her, return again. It is very rare that any who are caught in this snare of the devil recover themselves, so much is the heart hardened, and the mind blinded, by the deceitfulness of this sin. Having once lost their hold of the paths of life, they know not how to take hold of them again, but are perfectly besotted and bewitched with those base lusts. Many learned interpreters think that this caution against the strange woman, besides the literal sense, is to be understood figuratively, as a caution, 1. Against idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom. Wisdom will keep thee from all familiarity with the worshippers of images, and all inclination to join with them, which had for many ages been of such pernicious consequence to Israel and proved so to Solomon himself. 2. Against the debauching of the intellectual powers and faculties of the soul by the lusts and appetites of the body. Wisdom will keep thee from being captivated by the carnal mind, and from subjecting the spirit to the dominion of the flesh, that notorious adulteress which forsakes its guide, violates the covenant of our God, which inclines to death, and which, when it has got an undisturbed dominion, makes the case of the soul desperate.
II.This wisdom will be of use to guide and direct us in that which is good (Pro 2:20):
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men. We must avoid the way of the evil man, and the strange woman, in order that we may walk in good ways; we must cease to do evil, in order that we may learn to do well. Note,
1.There is a way which is peculiarly the way of good men, the way in which good men, as such, and as far as they have really been such, have always walked.
2.It will be our wisdom to walk in that way, to ask for the good old way and walk therein, Jer 6:16; Heb 6:12; Heb 12:1. And we must not only walk in that way awhile, but we must keep it, keep in it, and never turn aside out of it: The paths of the righteous are the paths of life, which all that are wise, having taken hold of, will keep their hold of. "That thou mayest imitate those excellent persons, the patriarchs and prophets (so bishop Patrick paraphrases it), and be preserved in the paths of those righteous men who followed after them." We must not only choose our way in general by the good examples of the saints, but must also take directions from them in the choice of our particular paths; observe the track, and go forth by the footsteps of the flock. Two reasons are here given why we should thus choose: - (1.) Because men's integrity will be their establishment, Pro 2:21. It will be the establishment, [1.] Of their persons: The upright shall dwell in the land, peaceably and quietly, as long as they live; and their uprightness will contribute to it, as it settles their minds, guides their counsels, gains them the good-will of their neighbours, and entitles them to God's special favour. [2.] Of their families: The perfect, in their posterity, shall remain in it. They shall dwell and remain for ever in the heavenly Canaan, of which the earthly one was but a type. (2.) Because men's iniquity will be their destruction, Pro 2:22. See what becomes of the wicked, who choose the way of the evil man; they shall be cut off, not only from heaven hereafter and all hopes of that, but from the earth now, on which they set their affections, and in which they lay up their treasure. They think to take root in it, but they and their families shall be rooted out of it, in judgment to them, but in mercy to the earth. There is a day coming which shall leave them neither root nor branch, Mal 4:1. Let that wisdom then enter into our hearts, and be pleasant to our souls, which will keep us out of a way that will end thus.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
For her house is inclined to death, etc. Every behavior of the adulteress leads to destruction, and although she seems sweet and gentle, she will feel no less vengeance at the end than those who serve with open impiety by robbery. The house of the adulteress, her very flesh, in which she is laid under degradation and lust, can be understood, which at the last time of judgment, will rise not to life, but to eternal death. But also the house of heretics, because it is built upon sand, even when it seems to stand, leans towards ruin, and by its own growth as by certain paths, it tends to the company of the impious, that is, it extends to the torments of evil spirits.
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Summary
Proverbs 2:18 delivers a profound and urgent warning within a father's instruction, vividly portraying the inevitable and dire consequences of succumbing to the allure of the "strange woman," a figure representing destructive folly and moral compromise. It asserts that her sphere of influence and chosen way of life are inherently oriented towards spiritual desolation and ultimate ruin, leading those who follow her not merely to danger, but directly to the realm of death and the lifeless shades of the underworld. This verse powerfully underscores the profound and destructive nature of choosing sin over the protective embrace of divine wisdom.
Context
Literary Context
Proverbs 2:18 is strategically placed within a father's earnest and extended exhortation to his son (found in Proverbs 2:1-22) to diligently seek, embrace, and guard wisdom. The chapter commences with a compelling call to receive wisdom's words, treasure her commands, and incline one's ear to understanding, promising profound benefits for those who do. The immediate preceding verses, Proverbs 2:16-17, introduce the figure of "the strange woman" (אִשָּׁה זָרָה, ʼishshah zarah), often interpreted as an adulteress or, more broadly, a personification of destructive folly. These verses describe her deceptive flattery and her abandonment of her covenant with God, setting the stage for the climactic warning in verse 18. This verse then directly articulates the catastrophic destination of her "house" and "paths," serving as the stark culmination of the warning against her seductive influence, contrasting sharply with the security and life found on the path of wisdom described in the chapter's concluding verses, Proverbs 2:20-22.
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israelite society, the family unit and the integrity of marriage were foundational pillars, deeply intertwined with the nation's covenant relationship with God. Adultery was considered a grave offense, often punishable by death, as it threatened the social fabric, lineage, and covenant fidelity. The "strange woman" (אִשָּׁה זָרָה, ʼishshah zarah) could refer to a foreign woman, a prostitute, or, more broadly, any woman who deviates from the moral and social norms of the community, embodying the antithesis of covenantal wisdom. Her "house" would be her literal dwelling, a place of illicit encounters, but also metaphorically her entire sphere of influence, her lifestyle, and her moral domain. The concept of "paths" (דרכים, derakhim) is a pervasive metaphor in wisdom literature, representing one's chosen way of life, moral conduct, and ultimate destiny. The warning in Proverbs 2:18 reflects the deep societal and spiritual concern for maintaining purity and order, safeguarding the young from destructive influences prevalent in urban environments or from temptations to abandon the covenant way of life prescribed by God.
Key Themes
Proverbs 2:18 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Proverbs. Firstly, it highlights The Two Ways, a central motif contrasting the path of wisdom, which leads to life and blessing, with the path of folly and wickedness, which inevitably leads to destruction and death. This verse explicitly details the grim destination of the latter. Secondly, it underscores the Consequences of Choice, emphasizing that moral decisions have inevitable and profound outcomes, particularly in the realm of sexual purity and fidelity. The "strange woman" is a potent personification of the deceptive nature of sin, which promises immediate pleasure but delivers ultimate ruin. Thirdly, it reinforces the Value of Discernment, as the entire chapter urges the listener to actively seek and apply understanding to distinguish between life-giving wisdom and death-dealing folly. This discernment is crucial for navigating the moral landscape and avoiding the snares of temptation, as exemplified by the sharp contrast between the destructive path described here and the "path of the righteous" that "shines ever brighter" in Proverbs 4:18.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word primarily refers to a physical dwelling but extends broadly to encompass a household, family, lineage, or a wider sphere of influence. In Proverbs 2:18, "her house" signifies not merely a literal building but the entire domain, lifestyle, and moral environment associated with the strange woman. It represents the very core of her being and the destructive principles she embodies, which draw others into her ruinous orbit, implying an intrinsic connection between her character and the destiny of those who enter her sphere.
Meaning "to sink," "bow down," or "incline." This verb denotes a definite downward trajectory and a determined leaning or orientation. It suggests that the strange woman's "house" is not merely near death but is actively, inherently, and decisively directed towards it. It implies a gravitational pull, a downward slope that inevitably leads to the stated destination, emphasizing the certainty and irreversibility of the outcome for those who enter her domain. The verb highlights the active, destructive nature of her influence.
Derived from a root meaning "lax" or "feeble," this term refers specifically to the "Rephaim" – the shades, ghosts, or spirits of the dead in the underworld (Sheol). It evokes a sense of utter lifelessness, weakness, and being cut off from the vibrant world of the living. Unlike a general reference to physical death, "the dead" here paints a vivid picture of a desolate, shadowy existence, signifying a profound spiritual and existential ruin, a state of being utterly devoid of vitality, purpose, and connection to God's life-giving presence.
Verse Breakdown
"For her house inclineth unto death"
This clause establishes the inherent direction and ultimate destination of the strange woman's influence. Her "house," representing her entire sphere of life, values, and actions, is not merely dangerous but is fundamentally and actively oriented towards "death" (H4194, mâveth). In wisdom literature, "death" often signifies spiritual ruin, separation from God, and a cessation of true life and flourishing, rather than merely physical demise. It suggests a downward slope, a path of no return once entered, where the very essence of her being is aligned with destruction.
"and her paths unto the dead"
This second clause reinforces and amplifies the warning of the first through powerful synonymous parallelism. "Her paths" refers to the specific courses of action, behaviors, and choices that one makes when following her influence or adopting her ways. These paths lead directly "unto the dead" (H7496, râphâʼ), specifically the Rephaim, the shadowy, powerless inhabitants of Sheol. This imagery emphasizes a state of utter desolation, spiritual emptiness, and being cut off from the community of the living and from God's life-giving presence. It is a profound metaphor for spiritual demise, existential ruin, and separation from the source of all vitality.
Literary Devices
Proverbs 2:18 employs several potent literary devices to convey its urgent warning with striking clarity and impact. Personification is central, as "wisdom" and "folly" (represented by the "strange woman") are presented as active agents, vying for the listener's allegiance. The "strange woman" is not just an abstract concept but a vivid character whose "house" and "paths" have a distinct, destructive trajectory. Metaphor is extensively utilized, with "house" symbolizing her lifestyle, moral domain, and sphere of influence, and "paths" representing the choices, conduct, and way of life that lead to a specific destiny. The destination, "death" and "the dead," are also powerful metaphors for spiritual and existential ruin, a state of being cut off from true life and God. Furthermore, the verse masterfully uses Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("and her paths unto the dead") echoes and intensifies the meaning of the first clause ("For her house inclineth unto death"). This repetition reinforces the certainty and severity of the consequences, driving home the message with poetic force and ensuring its memorability. The vivid Imagery of a house leaning towards death and paths leading to the shadowy realm of the dead creates a chilling and memorable picture of destruction.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Proverbs 2:18 is a profound theological statement on the nature of sin and its ultimate consequence. It teaches that sin, particularly sexual immorality and the embrace of folly, is not merely a transgression but a destructive force that reorients one's entire being and trajectory towards spiritual death and separation from God. The "strange woman" embodies the allure of immediate gratification and the deceptive promises of folly, which ultimately lead to a state of being cut off from God, the source of all true life and flourishing. This verse underscores the biblical principle that choices have inevitable spiritual outcomes, highlighting the stark contrast between the life-giving path of wisdom and the death-dealing path of folly. It serves as a stark reminder of the gravity of moral purity and the necessity of discernment to avoid eternal ruin, emphasizing that true life is found only in alignment with God's ways.
Reflection and Application
Proverbs 2:18 offers a timeless and urgent call to vigilance and discernment, relevant for every generation. It compels us to recognize that our choices, particularly concerning relationships, moral conduct, and the influences we allow into our lives, are never neutral; they actively incline us towards either life or death. The "house" and "paths" of the strange woman serve as a powerful metaphor for any influence, ideology, or lifestyle that promises immediate gratification, fleeting pleasure, or worldly success but ultimately leads away from God's truth and into spiritual desolation. This verse challenges us to critically evaluate the company we keep, the media we consume, the desires we entertain, and the values we prioritize, asking whether they are drawing us towards life-giving wisdom and God's presence or towards the "dead" realm of spiritual emptiness and ruin. True wisdom, as presented in Proverbs, is not merely intellectual knowledge but a practical, moral orientation that safeguards our hearts, minds, and relationships, enabling us to walk in integrity and experience the fullness of life that God intends for His children.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is "the strange woman" in Proverbs, and is she always a literal person?
The "strange woman" (אִשָּׁה זָרָה, ʼishshah zarah) in Proverbs, particularly prominent in chapters Proverbs 2, Proverbs 5, Proverbs 6, and Proverbs 7, is primarily a literary and theological figure. While she can certainly represent a literal adulteress or prostitute, her deeper and more pervasive significance is as a personification of Folly itself, the antithesis of divine Wisdom. She embodies the deceptive, destructive, and alluring nature of sin, specifically sexual sin, but also any deviation from God's righteous path and covenant. Her "house" and "paths" symbolize the entire lifestyle, values, and inevitable consequences of choosing ungodliness over divine wisdom. Therefore, the warnings against her are applicable to any temptation, ideology, or influence that promises pleasure, freedom, or gain but ultimately leads to spiritual ruin, separation from God, and a state of being "dead" to true life.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Proverbs 2:18, with its stark warning against paths leading to death and the dead, finds its ultimate fulfillment and redemptive answer in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "strange woman" represents the way of sin and folly, whose dominion is spiritual death, separation from God, and existential ruin. However, Jesus declares Himself to be the very embodiment of the life-giving alternative: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me." He is the true Wisdom of God, the divine Logos through whom all things were created (as seen in 1 Corinthians 1:24 and Colossians 2:3), who offers a path not to the shadowy shades of the underworld but to abundant and eternal life. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection, Christ decisively conquered the power of sin and death (a victory powerfully celebrated in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57). He delivers us from the domain of darkness and transfers us into His glorious kingdom (a truth profoundly articulated in Colossians 1:13-14). While the strange woman's house "inclineth unto death," the "house" of Christ—His Church, His presence, and His eternal dwelling—leads to resurrection, redemption, and everlasting communion with God, offering true freedom, vitality, and purpose that the paths of folly can never provide. He is the Good Shepherd who leads His sheep to "green pastures" and "still waters," restoring their souls and guiding them in "paths of righteousness" for His name's sake (echoing the profound promises of Psalm 23:2-3).