Proverbs 2:16
So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The terms "strange woman" and "stranger" here don't necessarily refer to nationality, but rather to someone who is outside the proper relationship of marriage and family, emphasizing the betrayal of vows. The phrase "flattereth with her words" comes from a Hebrew root that suggests words made "smooth," like oil, to deceive and entice.
This passage is part of a larger exhortation within Proverbs, urging the reader to embrace wisdom and instruction. It follows warnings about wicked men and deception, and now shifts to the specific danger of a seductive adulteress who uses deceitful language to lure her victims. The verses immediately following will further elaborate on the disastrous consequences of falling prey to her enticements.
Have you ever been drawn in by someone's words, only to find out later their intentions were not pure? This verse warns against a specific kind of danger.
The verse highlights the danger of a 'forbidden woman' or 'adulteress' who uses 'smooth words.' This isn't just about any unpleasant conversation; it points to a specific type of manipulation.
The Art of Smoothing
The original language here paints a vivid picture. The Hebrew word used suggests making something 'slippery' or 'oily.' It's like someone greasing the wheels of conversation to make their harmful intentions slide in effortlessly. This is a deliberate strategy, not accidental.
The Goal: Enticement
These smooth words are designed to entice, to lure you in. They might sound sweet, logical, or even spiritual on the surface, but their ultimate aim is to lead you away from what is right and into sin. It’s a calculated seduction.
Think about how tempting persuasive language can be. This verse reminds us that not all persuasion is good; some is designed to corrupt.
The verse calls her 'strange' and a 'stranger.' Does this just mean she's from another country, or is there a deeper meaning?
While 'strange' and 'stranger' can refer to nationality, in this context within Proverbs, they carry a broader, more significant meaning related to relationship and covenant.
Not Belonging to You
These terms emphasize that the woman is 'not yours' in a rightful relationship. She is outside the bounds of the covenant you should uphold, particularly the marriage covenant. It's about a violation of rightful bonds, not just foreign origin.
A Violation of Covenant
Commentaries suggest that 'strange' here means she is outside the family, outside the rightful circle. Even if she were an Israelite woman, she would be 'strange' if she violated her marriage vows or engaged in illicit behavior. The danger isn't merely external; it's about the disruption of proper, God-ordained relationships.
Understand the original words
natsal · Hebrew Verb
A term referring to the act of being rescued, rescued from danger, or saved from a specific trap, moral snare, or judgment. It implies an external intervention that brings one to a place of safety.
zarah · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Refers to a woman who is not one's wife; in Proverbs, she often represents the personification of folly, moral seduction, or infidelity that leads away from wisdom and God’s law.
nokriyyah · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
A woman who violates the sacred vows of marriage; she represents covenant-breaking and sexual immorality, which are condemned as sins against God and one's spouse.
This passage describes Eve being enticed by the serpent's smooth words, highlighting the deceptive nature of temptation that can lead to sin, much like the 'forbidden woman' in Proverbs.
Jeremiah 3:4The prophet uses the imagery of Israel's spiritual adultery and infidelity to God, referencing the 'guide of her youth,' which echoes the betrayal of the marriage covenant mentioned in the context of the adulteress.
Matthew 4:3Here, the tempter uses 'smooth words' and deceptive suggestions to try and lead Jesus astray, paralleling the manipulative speech of the forbidden woman who aims to ensnare the unwary.
Romans 16:18This verse warns about those who 'by smooth talk and flattery deceive the hearts of the naive,' directly corresponding to the 'adulteress with her smooth words' who uses deception to lead others into sin.
1 Corinthians 6:18This passage speaks directly against sexual immorality, equating it with sinning against one's own body and a profound offense to God, underscoring the serious consequences from which wisdom seeks to deliver us.
bensonProverbs 2:16: "To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;"
Proverbs 2:16-17 . To deliver thee from the strange woman — From the adulteress, or whore; called strange, partly because such persons were commonly heathen, or are supposed to be such by reason of that severe law against these practices in Israelitish women, Deuteronomy 23:17 ; or are justly reputed heathen, as being degenerate Israelites, who are often called strangers in the Scrip…
clarkeProverbs 2:16: "To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;"
The stranger which flattereth with her words - החליקה hechelikah, she that smooths with her words. The original intimates the glib, oily speeches of a prostitute. The English lick is supposed to be derived from the original word.
The terms "strange woman" and "stranger" here don't necessarily refer to nationality, but rather to someone who is outside the proper relationship of marriage and family, emphasizing the betrayal of vows. The phrase "flattereth with her words" comes from a Hebrew root that suggests words made "smooth," like oil, to deceive and entice.
This passage is part of a larger exhortation within Proverbs, urging the reader to embrace wisdom and instruction. It follows warnings about wicked men and deception, and now shifts to the specific danger of a seductive adulteress who uses deceitful language to lure her victims. The verses immediately following will further elaborate on the disastrous consequences of falling prey to her enticements.
This passage is part of a larger exhortation within Proverbs, urging the reader to embrace wisdom and instruction. It follows warnings about wicked men and deception, and now shifts to the specific danger of a seductive adulteress who uses deceitful language to lure her victims. The verses immediately following will further elaborate on the disastrous consequences of falling prey to her enticements.
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This highlights that wisdom protects you from relationships that are fundamentally disordered and harmful, regardless of who the person is or where they come from.
"So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words," — The terms "strange woman" and "stranger" here don't necessarily refer to nationality, but rather to someone who is outside the proper relationship of marriage and family, emphasizing the betrayal of…
