THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE

Passage: Proverbs 7:1-27

Key verse: 2

NIV

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

7 My son,(A) keep my words
    and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live;(B)
    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(C)
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.(D)

6 At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.(E)
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight,(F) as the day was fading,
    as the dark of night set in.

10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly(G) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)(H)
13 She took hold of him(I) and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:(J)

14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering(K) at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed(L)
    with myrrh,(M) aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!(N)
19 My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”

21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.(O)
22 All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b](P)
23     till an arrow pierces(Q) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.(R)

24 Now then, my sons, listen(S) to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.(T)
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
    her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
    leading down to the chambers of death.(U)

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
  2. Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Warning Against the Adulteress

7 (A)My son, keep my words
    and (B)treasure up my commandments with you;
2 (C)keep my commandments and live;
    keep my teaching as (D)the apple of your eye;
3 (E)bind them on your fingers;
    (F)write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from (G)the forbidden[a] woman,
    from (H)the adulteress[b] with her smooth words.

6 For at (I)the window of my house
    I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among (J)the simple,
    I have perceived among the youths,
    a young man (K)lacking sense,
8 passing along the street (L)near her corner,
    taking the road to her house
9 in (M)the twilight, in the evening,
    at (N)the time of night and darkness.

10 And behold, the woman meets him,
    (O)dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.[c]
11 She is (P)loud and (Q)wayward;
    (R)her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
    and (S)at every corner she (T)lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
    and with (U)bold face she says to him,
14 “I had to (V)offer sacrifices,[d]
    and today I have (W)paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
    to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with (X)coverings,
    colored linens from (Y)Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with (Z)myrrh,
    aloes, and (AA)cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
    let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For (AB)my husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him;
    at full moon he will come home.”

21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
    with (AC)her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her,
    as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast[e]
23     till an arrow pierces its liver;
as (AD)a bird rushes into a snare;
    he does not know that it will cost him his life.

24 And (AE)now, O sons, listen to me,
    and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
    do not stray into her paths,
26 for many a victim has she laid low,
    and all her slain are (AF)a mighty throng.
27 Her house is (AG)the way to Sheol,
    going down to the chambers of death.

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Footnotes
  1. Proverbs 7:5 Hebrew strange
  2. Proverbs 7:5 Hebrew the foreign woman
  3. Proverbs 7:10 Hebrew guarded in heart
  4. Proverbs 7:14 Hebrew peace offerings
  5. Proverbs 7:22 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew as a chain to discipline a fool
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

This proverb is another strong warning against adultery. The best way to avoid adultery is to treasure God’s commands – not sex and beauty. We need to keep God’s commands and obey them, and to keep God’s words as the apple of my eye. What we seek and desire as the apple of our eye will dictate our actions and the direction of our lives. What is the apple of your eye?

Verses 6-23 describe a man swooped up in adultery. He is captivated by the adulteress’ smooth talk and goes where he should not go (near her corner, the road to her house) when he should not (twilight, evening, darkness). She runs out to meet him in the street and brazenly kisses him in public. She tells him that he is special. She promises him delicious food (sacrifices) and a romantic rendezvous, and she assures him that their secret will be secure. Using her seductive powers, she leads him into sin. Once he follows her, he is trapped by his own desire.

It would be wise to not pay any attention to the seductress in the first place. If a man doesn’t talk to her or listen to her, she doesn’t have a chance. Throughout history, the adulterous woman is like a mighty warrior who has slain hordes of men.

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us a clear warning about adultery. Help me to keep your commands as the apple of my eye.

One Word: What is the apple of my eye?