TRV
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
The foolish woman is coarse; she doesn't think, and she doesn't know a thing.
In the KJVVerse 16,652 of 31,102
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Commentary on Proverbs 9 verses 13–18
13 ¶ A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
We have heard what Christ has to say, to engage our affections to God and godliness, and one would think the whole world should go after him; but here we are told how industrious the tempter is to seduce unwary souls into the paths of sin, and with the most he gains his point, and Wisdom's courtship is not effectual. Now observe,
I. Who is the tempter - a foolish woman, Folly herself, in opposition to Wisdom. Carnal sensual pleasure I take to be especially meant by this foolish woman (Pro 9:13); for that is the great enemy to virtue and inlet to vice; that defiles and debauches the mind, stupefies conscience, and puts out the sparks of conviction, more than any thing else. This tempter is here described to be, 1. Very ignorant: She is simple and knows nothing, that is, she has no sufficient solid reason to offer; where she gets dominion in a soul she works out all the knowledge of holy things; they are lost and forgotten. Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take away the heart; they besot men, and make fools of them. (2.) Very importunate. The less she has to offer that is rational the more violent and pressing she is, and carries the day often by dint of impudence. She is clamorous and noisy (Pro 9:13), continually haunting young people with her enticements. She sits at the door of her house (Pro 9:14), watching for a prey; not as Abraham at his tent-door, seeking an opportunity to do good. She sits on a seat (on a throne, so the word signifies) in the high places of the city, as if she had authority to give law, and we were all debtors to the flesh, to live after the flesh, and as if she had reputation, and were in honour, and thought worthy of the high places of the city; and perhaps she gains upon many more by pretending to be fashionable than by pretending to be agreeable. "Do not all persons of rank and figure in the world" (says she) "give themselves a greater liberty than the strict laws of virtue allow; and why shouldst thou humble thyself so far as to be cramped by them?" Thus the tempter affects to seem both kind and great.
II. Who are the tempted - young people who have been well educated; these she will triumph most in being the ruin of. Observe, 1. What their real character is; they are passengers that go right on their ways (Pro 9:15), that have been trained up in the paths of religion and virtue and set out very hopefully and well, that seemed determined and designed for good, and are not (as that young man, Pro 7:8) going the way to her house. Such as these she has a design upon, and lays snares for, and uses all her arts, all her charms, to pervert them; if they go right on, and will not look towards her, she will call after them, so urgent are these temptations. (2.) How she represents them. She calls them simple and wanting understanding, and therefore courts them to her school, that they may be cured of the restraints and formalities of their religion. This is the method of the stage (which is too close an exposition of this paragraph), where the sober young man, that has been virtuously educated, is the fool in the play, and the plot is to make him seven times more a child of hell than his profane companions, under colour of polishing and refining him, and setting him up for a wit and a beau. What is justly charged upon sin and impiety (Pro 9:4), that it is folly, is here very unjustly retorted upon the ways of virtue; but the day will declare who are the fools.
III. What the temptation is (Pro 9:17): Stolen waters are sweet. It is to water and bread, whereas Wisdom invites to the beasts she has killed and the wine she has mingled; however, bread and water are acceptable enough to those that are hungry and thirsty; and this is pretended to be more sweet and pleasant than common, for it is stolen water and bread eaten in secret, with a fear of being discovered. The pleasures of prohibited lusts are boasted of as more relishing than those of prescribed love; and dishonest gain is preferred to that which is justly gotten. Now this argues, not only a bold contempt, but an impudent defiance, 1. Of God's law, in that the waters are the sweeter for being stolen and come at by breaking through the hedge of the divine command. Nitimur in vetitum - We are prone to what is forbidden. This spirit of contradiction we have from our first parents, who thought the forbidden tree of all others a tree to be desired. 2. Of God's curse. The bread is eaten in secret, for fear of discovery and punishment, and the sinner takes a pride in having so far baffled his convictions, and triumphed over them, that, notwithstanding that fear, he dares commit the sin, and can make himself believe that, being eaten in secret, it shall never be discovered or reckoned for. Sweetness and pleasantness constitute the bait; but, by the tempter's own showing, even that is so absurd, and has such allays, that it is a wonder how it can have any influence upon men that pretend to reason.
IV. An effectual antidote against the temptation, in a few words, Pro 9:18. He that so far wants understanding as to be drawn aside by these enticements is led on, ignorantly, to his own inevitable ruin: He knows not, will not believe, does not consider, the tempter will not let him know, that the dead are there, that those who live in pleasure are dead while they live, dead in trespasses and sins. Terrors attend these pleasures like the terrors of death itself. The giants are there - Rephaim. It was this that ruined the sinners of the old world, the giants that were in the earth in those days. Her guests, that are treated with those stolen waters, are not only in the highway to hell and at the brink of it, but they are already in the depths of hell, under the power of sin, led captive by Satan at his will, and ever and anon lashed by the terrors of their own consciences, which are a hell upon earth The depths of Satan are the depths of hell. Remorseless sin is remediless ruin; it is the bottomless pit already. Thus does Solomon show the hook; those that believe him will not meddle with the bait.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 13–18. Public domain.
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BedeAD 735
Commentary on Proverbs
A foolish woman, clamorous and full of allurements, etc. This woman is heresy, clearly opposed to wisdom, which above sang her sacraments. But she also sits at the doors of her house, that is, in the teachers of falsehood, who introduce the miserable to the innermost parts of deceit. Moreover, she claims for herself a chair of preaching. This is the chair of pestilence in which the blessed man refuses to sit (Psalm I).
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Proverbs 9:13 introduces Lady Folly, a striking and deliberate antithesis to Lady Wisdom, whose virtues and invitation were meticulously detailed in the preceding verses. This verse succinctly characterizes Folly as boisterous, undisciplined, naive, and fundamentally devoid of spiritual and moral understanding. It serves as the ominous prelude to her deceptive invitation, highlighting the inherent perils and destructive nature of choosing a path that lacks true wisdom and discerning insight.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Proverbs 9:13 is exceptionally rich in Personification, as "Folly" is embodied as a "woman," giving an abstract concept a tangible, relatable, and vividly active form. This allows the author to describe Folly's characteristics and actions as if she were a real person, making her allure, her disruptive nature, and her inherent danger more immediate and vivid for the reader. The verse also employs striking Contrast, specifically with Lady Wisdom, who was meticulously introduced earlier in the chapter. Where Wisdom builds her magnificent house and prepares a life-giving feast, Folly is clamorous, disorderly, and offers a path leading inexorably to death. This powerful Juxtaposition highlights the stark and non-negotiable choice presented to the reader. Furthermore, the description of Folly as "clamorous" and "knowing nothing" uses a form of Hyperbole to emphasize the extreme and utterly bankrupt nature of her character, painting a picture of profound moral and spiritual emptiness.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Proverbs 9:13 profoundly contributes to the biblical understanding of wisdom and folly, not merely as intellectual states but as deeply ingrained moral and spiritual orientations. Lady Folly represents the path of sin, rebellion against God's divine order, and self-deception—a way characterized by chaos, deception, and ultimate destruction. Her "clamorous" nature reflects the world's noisy distractions, superficial appeals, and relentless clamor for attention that promise immediate gratification but ultimately deliver emptiness and ruin. Her "simplicity" and "knowing nothing" speak to the spiritual blindness and profound lack of discernment that prevent one from distinguishing truth from falsehood, light from darkness, and life from death. This verse serves as a sober and urgent warning that true, flourishing life is found only in the diligent pursuit of God's wisdom, which begins with a reverent fear of Him and leads inevitably to discernment, righteousness, and genuine understanding.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Proverbs 9:13 offers a potent mirror for profound self-examination and an indispensable guide for navigating the complex moral and spiritual landscape of our lives. In a world saturated with information, competing narratives, and persuasive voices, the "clamorous" nature of Lady Folly serves as a vital reminder to critically evaluate the sources and content of the messages we internalize. Is the prevailing influence loud, chaotic, and lacking substantive truth, or does it offer genuine wisdom, inner peace, and profound understanding? We are called to cultivate an acute spiritual discernment, recognizing that true "simplicity" is not innocence but a dangerous gullibility that leaves us tragically vulnerable to deception and manipulation. The stark warning against "knowing nothing" challenges us to actively and diligently pursue spiritual knowledge and divine truth, understanding that willful ignorance of God's ways has severe and eternal consequences. This verse compels us to make a deliberate, daily choice between the fleeting, deceptive pleasures offered by the world's folly and the enduring, abundant life found only in God's wisdom, ensuring that our steps lead unequivocally to righteousness rather than ruin.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that the foolish woman is "clamorous"?
Answer: The term "clamorous" (Hebrew: hâmâh) describes Lady Folly as noisy, boisterous, and in a state of inner commotion or tumult. It suggests a profound lack of self-control, order, and inner peace. Unlike Lady Wisdom, who builds her house and sends out her maidens with an orderly and dignified invitation (Proverbs 9:1-3), Lady Folly's loudness implies a disruptive, unrestrained, and perhaps even aggressive character, often associated with a lack of proper boundaries or decorum in ancient Near Eastern society. Her clamor is an outward manifestation of her internal spiritual and moral disorder.
How does "simple" in this verse relate to other uses of the word in Proverbs?
Answer: In Proverbs, the Hebrew word pᵉthayûwth (translated "simple") often refers to someone who is naive, impressionable, or easily persuaded. It's not necessarily about intellectual deficiency, but rather a profound lack of critical discernment and moral astuteness. The "simple" person is open to deception because they lack the wisdom and insight to evaluate situations, advice, or consequences properly. Lady Folly herself is characterized by this naiveté, making her a dangerous guide because she lacks the insight to perceive the true, often deadly, consequences of her own actions or the path she offers, as seen in the warnings against the simple youth in Proverbs 7:7.
What is the significance of Lady Folly "knowing nothing"?
Answer: The phrase "knoweth nothing" (Hebrew: yâdaʻ with mâh) signifies a profound and willful spiritual ignorance, extending far beyond a mere absence of facts. It implies a fundamental lack of moral insight, discernment, and understanding of divine truth and the principles of life. Lady Folly is blind to the true nature of good and evil, the ultimate consequences of sin, and the path to genuine, flourishing life. This spiritual void makes her an exceedingly dangerous figure, as she cannot offer true guidance or life-giving counsel; instead, she offers only a deceptive path that leads inexorably to ruin, as ultimately and tragically revealed in Proverbs 9:18.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Proverbs 9:13, with its vivid portrayal of Lady Folly, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the stark and absolute contrast between the world's deceptive allure and the true, divine wisdom perfectly embodied in Jesus Christ. Lady Folly's "clamorous" and "simple" nature, coupled with her profound spiritual ignorance, powerfully represents the fallen world's empty promises, chaotic distractions, and inherent spiritual blindness. Humanity, in its natural state, is often like the "simple" one, easily swayed by the noisy clamor and fleeting pleasures that promise freedom and fulfillment but invariably lead to bondage, death, and despair. However, Christ stands as the absolute antithesis of Lady Folly. He is the very Wisdom of God personified (1 Corinthians 1:24), the one in whom "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). While Lady Folly "knoweth nothing" and offers a path to death, Jesus authoritatively declares, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), offering not stolen bread but the bread of life that truly satisfies (John 6:35) and living water that quenches eternal thirst (John 4:14). His divine invitation is not to death and the grave, but to abundant life (John 10:10) and eternal fellowship. Thus, Lady Folly's destructive path serves to highlight the indispensable, life-giving, and eternally satisfying nature of following Christ, who alone is the inexhaustible source of true wisdom, perfect knowledge, and everlasting life.