Pro 7:8-9 | KingComments | STEP | In , the father gives one of the most vivid descriptions of the temptation to sin we have in Scripture. He gives an eyewitness account, not as a peeping tom, but as a teacher. His account does not present sin as attractive, but contains a serious warning to avoid and flee from sin. We find in it the elements for which he has previously warned: 1. wrong company ( ), 2. aimless hanging around ( ), 3. places where temptation lurks ( ), and 4. especially not listening to the words and commands of the parents ( ). The scenario of disaster, as so often, is a combination of the wrong company in the wrong place at the wrong time. This combination applies only to those who do not let themselves be warned by the Wisdom. In the eyewitness account we find 1. the victim in , 2. the temptress in , 3. the temptation in and 4. the capitulation of the victim in . The father begins his story by saying that he was at home looking out through his lattice ( ). He then goes on to describe what he saw when he looked down. He saw a group of “naive”, a group of unsuspecting, inexperienced young people, strolling along the road ( ). Among those youths, his attention fell on “a young man lacking sense”, literally “a young man without heart” or “a young man who lacks common sense”, an airhead, a dunce. While strolling, this boy purposefully crossed the street “near her corner” and slowly took “the way to her house” ( ). It is an action that takes place under cover of darkness ( ). No less than four different words are used to describe the darkness. It is in the twilight, in the evening of the day, after sunset, which makes it seem in the middle of the night in the east very quickly, given the immediately falling darkness. Both his aimlessness and the darkness deprive him of the spiritual insight to see the danger he is exposing himself to. Therefore, he is unable to do what Joseph did, and that is to flee harlotry ( ; ). It is not possible, for anyone, to stand firm in such a situation. The only option is to flee.

‏ Proverbs 7:8-9

The Victim

In Pro 7:6-23, the father gives one of the most vivid descriptions of the temptation to sin we have in Scripture. He gives an eyewitness account, not as a peeping tom, but as a teacher. His account does not present sin as attractive, but contains a serious warning to avoid and flee from sin.

We find in it the elements for which he has previously warned:

1. wrong company (Pro 1:10-19),

2. aimless hanging around (Pro 6:6-10),

3. places where temptation lurks (Pro 5:8), and

4. especially not listening to the words and commands of the parents (Pro 4:1 ; 10 ; Pro 5:1 ; 7 ; Pro 6:20-22).

The scenario of disaster, as so often, is a combination of the wrong company in the wrong place at the wrong time. This combination applies only to those who do not let themselves be warned by the Wisdom.

In the eyewitness account we find

1. the victim in Pro 7:5-9,

2. the temptress in Pro 7:10-12,

3. the temptation in Pro 7:13-20 and

4. the capitulation of the victim in Pro 7:21-23.

The father begins his story by saying that he was at home looking out through his lattice (Pro 7:6). He then goes on to describe what he saw when he looked down. He saw a group of “naive”, a group of unsuspecting, inexperienced young people, strolling along the road (Pro 7:7). Among those youths, his attention fell on “a young man lacking sense”, literally “a young man without heart” or “a young man who lacks common sense”, an airhead, a dunce.

While strolling, this boy purposefully crossed the street “near her corner” and slowly took “the way to her house” (Pro 7:8). It is an action that takes place under cover of darkness (Pro 7:9). No less than four different words are used to describe the darkness. It is in the twilight, in the evening of the day, after sunset, which makes it seem in the middle of the night in the east very quickly, given the immediately falling darkness.

Both his aimlessness and the darkness deprive him of the spiritual insight to see the danger he is exposing himself to. Therefore, he is unable to do what Joseph did, and that is to flee harlotry (Gen 39:7 ; 10-12; 1Cor 6:18). It is not possible, for anyone, to stand firm in such a situation. The only option is to flee.