Proverbs 7:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.

NIV: With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.

NASB: With her many persuasions she entices him; With her flattering lips she seduces him.

CSB: She seduces him with her persistent pleading; she lures with her flattering talk.

NLT: So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery.

KJV: With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

NKJV: With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him.

The foolish young man (Proverbs 7:7) may have had second thoughts about committing adultery. Although he had taken the street that led to the immoral woman's house (Proverbs 7:8–9), he may have hesitated. Despite her surprise, alluring clothes, and attractive offers (Proverbs 7:10–20), he may have experienced a moment of conscience. Therefore, the predatory woman uses even more seductive talk to persuade him to engage in sexual relations with her. She does so as a smooth talker, and finally compels him to commit adultery with her (Proverbs 7:22).

The Devil is a master of persuasion. He knew exactly what to say to Eve to entice her into eating the forbidden fruit. He often persuades a believer to believe there is no harm in sinning. "It's just part of human nature to do it," he may say. Or he may whisper, "You can't help it; you were born that way." He may persuade a Christian to sow his or her wild oats by saying, "You have been a Christian since you were a child. You need to find out what life is like on the other side of the fence." As one of the Devil's followers, the woman in Solomon's story knew what to say to spring the trap.

Proverbs 7:10–23 describes an adulteress as aggressive and seductive. Though speaking to his son, Solomon's lessons here are meant for all people. This passage is part of Solomon's teaching about the dangers of sin and temptation. The prior passage spoke of a reckless youth (Proverbs 7:6–9), who now suffers the consequences of his own choices. The woman in this story takes advantage of the young man's lust and carelessness. Solomon compares the trap she springs to those used to capture ox, a deer, and a bird.

Repeating a theme common to the early chapters of Proverbs, Solomon once again presents a dire warning about the dangers of adultery. This comes in the form of a story about a foolish young man being seduced by a predatory woman. Solomon says this is something he has seen—meaning this is likely a summary of many such examples he has witnessed in his life. The result of these reckless sins is misery and death, for both men and women alike.

In Proverbs 5 and 6 Solomon warns his son against adultery. He describes the evil woman, the adulteress, as deceptive and dangerous. While this is valid in a literal sense, it also serves as a general warning about the seductive nature of sin. In this chapter he continues his counsel about adultery, stressing the tactics used in temptation and how falling to them leads to death. The following chapter will return to the personification of wisdom as a woman, begging to be honored.

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.