Proverbs 6:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?

NIV: Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?

NASB: Or can a person walk on hot coals And his feet not be scorched?

CSB: Can a man walk on burning coals without scorching his feet?

NLT: Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet?

KJV: Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

NKJV: Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared?

Firewalking is a trick where someone takes several barefoot steps across a bed of embers. This has been practiced by many cultures as a ritual but is also done in the modern world as a stunt, a thrill, or even a team-building exercise by businesses. Since coals don't actually conduct heat well, a person can usually take several gentle steps on the coals without massive damage. However, this "trick" is just that: it requires controlled conditions, and even then, those who participate in it usually receive minor burns or blisters.

Rather than disproving Solomon's rhetorical question, firewalking proves the accuracy of this proverb. Even when the situation is tightly controlled, it's risky. Sooner or later, everyone who does it gets burned, at least a little. In the context of adultery, Scripture compares illicit sex to playing with fire (Proverbs 6:27). There are natural consequences one must expect when they take such risks.

Samson learned firsthand that the sin of adultery exacts a heavy toll. When he honored his Nazarite vows, he triumphed over the Philistines as the Spirit of God came upon him, but when he slept in Delilah's lap (Judges 16:16–19) and she cut off his hair, he lost his ability to defeat the Philistines. He thought he could jump up and defeat the Philistines, but he didn't realize the Lord had left him (Judges 16:20). The Philistines overpowered Samson, gouged out his eyes, took him to Gaza in shackles, and made him grind in the prison's mill (Judges 16:21). Later they made a spectacle out of him during a feast to their pagan god Dagon (Judges 16:23–25). Samson's adulterous affair with Delilah led to his weakness, defeat, blindness, and humiliation. While the consequences for most adulterers aren't as dramatic as that, sexual sin always leads to some kind of earthly consequence.

This chapter provides teaching on two aspects of wealth management. The first is avoiding putting one's property in debt for the sake of some other person's risky investment. The other warns against laziness, indicating that it puts a person at risk for sudden ruin. Solomon then poetically explains attitudes and actions which God finds especially repulsive. Next, Solomon returns to the subject of adultery. He reiterates the inherent risks of sexual immorality, including the catastrophic consequences which it brings. That lesson continues into the following chapter.

This chapter of Proverbs continues the wise sayings Solomon addresses to his son. In chapter 5 he addresses adultery and marriage. In this chapter he addresses financial matters, work ethics, characteristics and conduct the Lord despises, and sexual immorality. A common theme of these lessons is to avoid the natural consequences of foolish choices. The next chapter describes the adulteress's ways and the pitfalls involved in committing adultery with her.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.