Proverbs 22:14
The Mouth of a Strange Woman
1. The meaning of this proverb is simple and right on the surface.
2. It is a warning against adultery—a warning that Solomon has repeated over and over again in this book.
3. That is probably so because it is the kind of sin that is repeated over and over again in society—in all societies of sinners.
4. But it is not just a problem in society at large. It is also a problem among believers and has been ever since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.
5. It is a warning that merits repetition. It is a warning that men young and old need to hear again and again.
6. And even though this warning has been made many times in this book, each proverb dealing with the subject approaches it from a slightly different angle.
A. The Strange Woman
1. This strange woman is mentioned eight times in Proverbs by this title.
a. The word “strange” does not mean a “foreigner” here as it often does.
b. The most basic meaning of the term is to “turn aside.”
c. The strange woman has turned aside from God, from good morals, and perhaps she has turned away from her husband.
d. It also means one who is “estranged” from society because of her behavior and lack of morals.
e. It speaks of a woman who is an outcast.
f. The term was defined by Zodhiates as “to go astray, i.e., be in a state of apostasy and rebellion.”
2. Consider what Solomon has to say about this kind of woman:
a. Prov. 2:17-19
• She forsakes the guide of her youth (husband).
• She forgets her covenant with God (marriage).
• Her house is inclined towards death.
• None who go unto her return the same as before they went.
b. Prov. 5:4 – Her end is as bitter as wormwood—like a sword that pierces.
c. Prov. 5:9 – Those who go to her give their honor away. They lose their honor.
d. Prov. 5:10 – Those who go unto her end up giving away their wealth to others. (Divorce courts; alimony payments; etc.)
e. Prov. 5:11 – The initial fun is turned to mourning in guilt and shame… and your body may be consumed (with sexually transmitted diseases).
f. Prov. 5:12 – It brings regret in the end.
g. Prov. 5:22 – The man who goes unto her discovers that he became ensnared in sexual sin and cannot escape. He is holden with the cords of his sin.
h. Prov. 6:26 – The man is reduced to a piece of bread. He could lose his family, his house, his job, his possessions.
i. Prov. 29:3 – He spends his money and it is gone in a hurry.
j. Prov. 6:27 – The man who goes unto her will get burnt. It could scar you for life.
k. Prov. 23:27-28 – She is just waiting to take down her next victim—like a lioness ready to leap upon her prey to devour.
l. Prov. 5:20-21 – Young men are being warned about being ravished (mislead; led astray).
• That is the kind of woman she IS.
• She leads down the road to immorality… and misleads you into believing that you will never get caught.
• BUT all the ways of man are done before the EYES of the Lord. Nothing escapes His notice.
B. The Mouth of a Strange Woman
1. While other proverbs may speak of her immoral character and of the consequences of being with her, this proverb speaks about her “mouth;” namely, her words.
2. This proverb is a warning to young men concerning the alluring and enticing words of the adulterous woman.
3. Many of the sections dealing with the strange woman warn about her enticing words.
a. Prov. 2:16 – She flatters with her words.
• Flatter: To be smooth; to be deceitful; i.e., to give a misleading opinion or thought about what is true, often encouraging wrong behavior.
b. Prov. 5:3 – Her lips are sweet and smooth—like honey and oil. In other words, they are very enticing. But in the end they are bitter and more like a sword. (vs.4)
c. Prov. 7:13-18 – With her words, she made adultery sound so enjoyable and appealing.
d. Prov. 7:19-20 – With her words she convinced him that they would never get caught. “My husband is away on a long business trip! Nobody will ever know!”
e. Prov. 7:21- Her speech caused him to yield. (She had some compelling arguments to make.) With her flattery (lying deceit) she forced him (force – to successfully lure away).
• Once this woman had this young may toying with the idea of coming home with her, she won.
• She got him thinking about the sin… then she gave arguments why he wouldn’t get caught… and all the while juices are flowing… and that becomes irreversible… overwhelming…
C. A Deep Pit
1. Our proverb tells us that the MOUTH of the strange woman is a deep pit.
2. Obviously, this is a metaphor meaning that by her alluring words, she leads a man into a deep pit—out of which he may never be recovered!
a. Deep pit: Often pits were dug to capture animals. They were large holes in the ground dug by men and covered over so it would not APPEAR to be a trap… but it was a trap.
b. The words of the strange woman are a trap… a pit… a deep hole in the ground.
c. They cover up the real danger that lies ahead… seeking its prey.
3. This is part of the warning too: like a pit covered over with brush, the words of the strange woman appear normal, pleasant, and desirable, but it is just a cover masking a dangerous pit.
A. He That Is Abhorred of the Lord
1. Abhorred: A state of wrath or anger; under a curse; to be indignant or enraged.
a. The term is variously translated, but the ideas are quite similar.
2. Solomon’s point here is that one who follows the pathway of the strange woman as a lifestyle enrages God’s sense of holiness.
a. God is angry with this kind of behavior. He hates it.
b. This man is under God’s wrath as long as he chooses to walk down that road.
B. Shall Fall Therein
1. Note the certainty here: this man SHALL fall therein!
a. Prov. 23:27 – Here Solomon states the same thing: he shall fall into a deep ditch and a narrow pit. You will fall in—but you will have a hard time getting out!
b. Only a fool could read the warnings in Proverbs and think that “it won’t happen to me!”
c. But that is exactly the mindset of the fool. He believes the strange woman when she implies that they will never get caught. He believes that he is smarter than other people.
d. He fails to realize that EVERY SINFUL ACT is done before the eyes of the Lord.
e. Sooner or later, your sin will find you out. Sooner or later you SHALL fall into that pit.
f. In other words, there are consequences for your behavior.
2. If you want to avoid sin, you must avoid the temptation to sin.
a. Flee youthful lusts! Flee temptations!
b. That means RUN AWAY like Joseph did.
c. Sexual sin is like embracing coals of fire. You cannot reason with fire. It burns all who touch it.
d. Even talk about sexual sin is a deep pit. It is a trap. Once you start talking about it… and thinking about it… and the juices start flowing, it’s too late.
e. There is only one way to deal with a trap—AVOID it! You don’t tip toe all around it, trying to get as close as you can without falling in.
f. This proverb states that when you let your guard down, and you enter into an immoral conversation, and begin TALKING about sexual sin… you WILL fall into the trap.
g. Rom. 13:14 – Make NO provisions for the flesh.
• And in our day and age, there are all kinds of “provisions” for the flesh available to us.
• There are sex hot lines on the phone you can pay for…
• There are video games that are sexual in nature…
• There are pornographic websites on the internet…
• There seducers in the workplace… in the schools…
• We are surrounded by provisions or “opportunities” for the flesh.
• The only way to deal with them is to avoid even the first contact. Stay away entirely. Make NO provision.
• Like drugs and alcohol, if you avoid the first drink or drug you will never become addicted.
• Solomon says that sexual sin is like winding cords around you… and the more you play with it, the stronger the cords become.
• Like a trap – you may not be able to extricate yourself from the trap either.
3. Thankfully there is victory in Christ and in His Word over ANY sin.
a. This sin becomes a lifestyle—like being bound with cords.
b. But the cross of Calvary can set the sinner free from slavery to sin.