Third Millennium Study Bible
Notes on Proverbs 5:21-6:19

Follow or Folly - Proverbs 5:21-23

In conclusion the father grounds his teaching in the reality of the Lord's omniscience (Prov 5:21) and justice (Prov 5:22-23). The combination entails perfect justice for all. Proverbs 5:21 refers to God's omniscience and Proverbs 5:22-23 to his justice in consigning the sinner to his death. Kitchen states:

Sin is never secret. God knows all and sees all. 'For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes' (Jer. 16:7). 'And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do' (Heb. 4:13; cf. Prov. 15:3; 2 Chron. 16:9; Job 31:4; 34:21; Psa. 11:4; 17:3; 139:1-12; Eccles. 12:14; Jer. 17:10; 23:24; 32:19; Hosea 7:2; Rev. 2:18, 23). How foolish, then, is the vain attempt to deceive God?

The word 'paths' refers literally to the ruts worn by repeated travel of wagons over a roadway. When we bend our will toward temptation, we promise ourselves, 'Just this once!' Seldom do we calculate the addictive nature of sin, particularly sexual sin. God sees not only our individual acts of sin, but He sees also the destructive habits they will become.

The nouns 'iniquities' and 'sin' are not found elsewhere in Prov 1-9, the former being found once (Prov. 16:6, in the singular) and the latter being found six additional times (Prov 10:16; 13:6; 14:34; 20:9; 21:4; 24:9) in Prov 10-31. . . .

The description of the devastating end of the adulterer continues. His final undoing will come about because he has spurned 'instruction.' We have met this word often already (Prov. 1:2, 3, 7, 8; 3:11; 4:1, 13; 5:12), and it will continue to play a prominent role in the book of Proverbs. A good alternate translation would be 'discipline,' for the word describes education through correction. Rejecting the corrective instruction of parents and others in authority sets a man on a path whose end is death (Prov. 1:29-32; 2:18; 5:5; 7:21-25). In the end, he will bemoan his rejection of such counsel (Prov. 5:12).

We meet for the first time the word 'folly,' which will become a major theme in Proverbs (Prov. 12:23; 13:16; 14:1, 8, 17, 18, 24, 29; 15:2, 14, 21; 16:22; 17:12; 18:13; 19:3; 22:15; 24:9; 26:4, 5, 11; 27:22). 'Folly' is the opposite of 'knowledge' (Prov. 12:23; 13:16; 14:18; 15:2, 14), 'wisdom' (Prov 14:1, 8), 'understanding' (Prov 15:21), and 'prudence' (Prov 16:22). 'Folly' is the outward manifestation that betrays one as a fool.

It is this 'folly,' the acting out of inner foolishness, which leads one 'astray.' This word is the same one translated 'exhilarated' in Proverbs 5:19-20, where it carried the idea of intoxication. When a man chooses not to be inebriated with the love of his wife (Prov 5:19) and chooses rather to reel in lustful abandon after another woman (Prov 5:20), it is, in fact, 'folly' which has taken control of his senses (Prov 5:23) and is leading him, staggering, toward destruction.

Lesson Nine: Three Inferior Types of People - Proverbs 6:1-19

These verses lack the father's typical introductory imperatives to listen; they thereby form an appendix to the father's eighth lesson (Prov 5:1-23). They draw attention to three types of people: (1) the one who takes the debt of another (Prov 6:1-5), the sluggard (Prov 6:6-11), and the troublemaker (Prov 6:12-19). Although the first of these lessons was addressed to the son, the second was directed to the sluggard and the third lacked any addressee; neither the sluggard nor the troublemaker was reckoned as a son (see Prov 4:3).

Surety for Another's Debt - Proverbs 6:1-5

Longman says, "A frequent theme in the book of Proverbs is advice pertaining to giving loans or securing debts (Prov 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26; 27:13). The teaching is consistent: don't give loans or secure debts." These verses consist of an introduction, which includes an address expressing the foolishness of taking responsibility for another's debt (Prov 6:1-2); the main body, which includes the admonition to escape the situation immediately (Prov 6:3-4); and a summary, which includes the admonition to deliver oneself immediately from the trap (Prov 6:5). The main body consists of six short, urgent admonitions. The key admonition to deliver oneself (Prov 6:3, 5) is qualified by the others, which explain how to go to one's neighbor, swallow one's pride, plead with one's neighbor (Prov 6:3b), and do so immediately, denying oneself untimely sleep and indolent slumber (Prov 6:4).

The phrase "struck hands in pledge" (Prov 6:1) references sealing the matter, like a handshake (see Prov 11:15; 17:18; 22:26). By accepting responsibility for another's debts (Prov 6:3), you have allowed another to take control of your life. The admission is don't do it, but if you already have "exhaust yourself" in remedying the matter. Lane says, "Solomon strongly advises his son against this practice, comparing it to an animal or bird caught in a trap (Prov 6:2, 5). You are at your neighbour's mercy as much as a beast or bird trapped in a snare. If he fails to pay his debt the creditor will come to you for it."

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