Proverbs 7:6-23 is one of several passages early in the Proverbs in which Solomon warns his son about the wiles and dangers of the “strange woman.” It is certainly quite proper to take these as straightforward warnings against sexual sins, and these are certainly warnings that need to be impressed upon the teenagers or young adults that are the primary target of Proverbs, not to mention older men and women subject to the same temptations.
At the same time, looking at these passages from the perspective of the whole Bible raises the suspicion that something more is going on here. Two biblical themes are in the background: First, the symbolic connection of adultery with idolatry (Jer. 2:20; 3:1-20; Ezk. 16; 23), and, second, the fact that the specific danger posed by “strange women” throughout the Bible is that they will entice one away from the Lord (Dt. 17:17; 1 Ki. 11:1-8; Ezra 9-10; Neh. 13:23-28). Moreover, the “wise woman” of Proverbs, ideal wife of the king, has a wider meaning than a mere female human being, so we can expect the “strange woman” to have a larger meaning also.
The danger, then, is not sexual sin alone, but that sexual temptation will lead to spiritual adultery. It would be wrong to conclude, however, that Solomon is simply using sexual temptation in a simplistic way as a “picture” of idolatry. The reality is that sexuality and worship are complexly intertwined threads of the human soul.
Looking at Proverbs 7 with these thoughts in mind throws new light on several details of the text:
Peter Leithart is the president of Theopolis Institute. This post originally appeared on Biblical Horizons.
To download Theopolis Lectures, please enter your email.