Proverbs 2:18

Pro 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

Ver. 18. For her house inclineth unto death.] Terence calleth harlots Cruces, quia iuvenes macerent et offligant. Venery {a} is death’s best harbinger: Venus ab antiquis λυσιμελης dicta. She provideth, saith one, {b} not for those that are already born, but for those that shall be born. Of Pope Paul the Fourth, that old goat, it went for a byword, Eum per eandem partem animam profudisse, per quam acceperat. Pope John the Twelfth being taken with an adulteress, was stabbed to death by her husband. {c} Alexander the Great and Otho the Third test their lives by their lusts. But how many, alas! by this means have lost their souls. Fleshly lusts, by a specialty, "fight against the soul." {1Pe 2:12} And nothing hath so much enriched hell, saith one, as beautiful faces.

And her paths unto the dead.] Heb., El Rhephaim, to the giants: {d} To that part of hell where those damned monsters are, together with those sensual Sodomites, who, giving themselves over to fornication, and "going after strange flesh, are thrown forth, προκεινται, proiecti sunt, for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." {Jdg 1:7}

{a} The practice or pursuit of sexual pleasure; indulgence of sexual desire.

{b} Jacob. Revius.

{c} Barns.

{d} παρα τω Aδη μετα των γηγενων - Sept.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro 2:18-19. For her house inclineth unto death — Conversation with her (which was most usual in her own house) is the certain way to death, which it brings many ways, and undoubtedly, without repentance, to God’s wrath and the second death. None that go unto her — That is, few or none; a hyperbolical expression, used Isa 64:7; return again — From her and from this wicked way unto God and his ways. Whoremongers and adulterers are very rarely brought to repentance, but are generally hardened by the power and deceitfulness of their sin, and by God’s just judgment, peculiarly inflicted upon such persons, Heb 13:4; neither take they hold of the paths of life — Of those courses which lead to true and eternal life and happiness.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:18-19 leads . . . to the grave: Adultery betrays a fundamental covenant with one’s spouse and with God (see also Gen 39:2-9; Mal 2:14).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To them that are dead in body and soul.

Her acquaintance with her familiars, and them that haunt her.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

inclineth--sinks down (compare Num 13:31).

the dead--or shades of the departed (Psa 88:10).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. For her house inclineth unto death] It is generally in by and secret places that such women establish themselves. They go out of the high road to get a residence; and every step that is taken towards their house is a step towards death. The path of sin is the path of ruin: the path of duty is the way of safety. For her paths incline unto the dead, רפאים repheim, the inhabitants of the invisible world. The woman who abandons herself to prostitution soon contracts, and generally communicates, that disease, which, above all others, signs the speediest and most effectual passport to the invisible world. Therefore it is said,

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(18) For her house inclineth . . .—Rather, she sinks down with her house: house and all, like Dathan and Abiram.

Unto the dead.—In Hebrew the Rephâîm. The word may signify those “at rest” (comp. Job_3:17 : “There the weary are at rest”); or the “weak.” (Comp. Isa_14:10 : “Art thou also become weak as we?”)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. her house &c.] It is a steep descent, ending in death. The rendering of R.V. marg., she sinketh down unto death which is her house, is less forcible and impairs the parallelism.

the dead] Lit. the Rephaim. The Rephaim were among the Aborigines of Canaan (Gen_14:5; Gen_15:20) and were people of giant stature (Deu_2:11; Deu_2:20-21, R.V.). They may have come to be identified in the popular mind in the dim retrospect of the past, with the shadowy spectres that loomed large in Sheol (Isa_14:9, R.V. marg.). See Smith’s Dict. of Bible, Art. Rephaim.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For her house inclineth unto death,.... Bends, verges, and points that way; it lies in the way to death, and brings unto it, and sinks into it as into a ditch; or all that are in her house, that are familiar with her, live and dwell with her, and commit wickedness with her; these incline or are liable to lose, and do lose, their name, character, and reputation, which is a death upon them; and bring diseases upon their bodies, which issue in corporeal death; or are in danger of dying by the hand of the injured husband, or the civil magistrate; and also are exposed unto eternal death: or "she inclines to death, which is her house" (x), so Aben Ezra and Kimchi; and to which the Targum agrees,

"for in the pit of death is her house:''

that is, the house she at last comes to and must dwell in, and all that are ensnared by her; see Pro 5:5; and the second death will be the portion of the whore of Rome and all her followers, Rev 14:10;

and her paths unto the dead; that is, her evil ways in which she walks, and into which she draws others to join with her; these lead both her and them to the "damned" (y) in hell, to keep company with them, and be punished as they are: the word "rephaim", here used, sometimes signifies "giants", and so the Targum renders it here; and may refer to the giants of the old world, who were cut off for their debauchery and uncleanness, Gen 6:4; and with whom such persons shall be for ever.

(x) "ad mortem quoad domum suam", Cocceius; "ad mortem domum suam", Gejerus; "quod ad domum suam", Michaelis. (y) "ad damnatos", Tigurine version; "ad orcinos", Schultens.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The house of the adulteress is as Hades, the realm of death, haunted by the spectral shadows of the dead (Rephaim, see the Psa 88:10 note), who have perished there.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

God. The law forbids adultery, and all impurities, Deuteronomy xxiii. 17., and Leviticus xx. 10. Both the parties, guilty of adultery, were punished with death. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Her house inclineth unto death, conversation with her (which was most free and usual in her own house) is the ready and certain way to death, which it brings many ways; by wasting a man’s vital spirits, and shortening his life; by exposing him to many and dangerous diseases, which physicians have declared and proved to be the effects of inordinate lust; as also to the fury of jealous husbands or friends, and sometimes to the sword of civil justice, and undoubtedly, without repentance, to God’s wrath and the second death. This is here mentioned as one great privilege and blessed fruit of wisdom, to be delivered from this evil.

Unto the dead; or, as the Chaldee and some others render it, unto the giants, to wit, those rebellious giants, Gen 6:4; or, as others, unto the damned, or unto hell. See for this word Job 7:9; Psa 88:11; Pro 9:18; 21:16.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. Her house inclineth unto death — “The house of the adulteress is as hades, the realm of death, haunted by the spectral shadows of the dead, the Rephaim, who have perished there.” — Speaker’s Com. Psa_88:11; Isa_14:9. Her paths unto the dead — Lead to the region of the dead, of shadows, shades, ghosts. Zockler renders: —

Her house sinketh down to death,

And her paths (lead) to the dead,

Miller, last clause, “to the shades.” The Septuagint renders the 18th verse thus: “For she has fixed her house near death, and (guided) her wheels near hades with the giants.” Comparatively few persons who give themselves up to licentious habits ever recover themselves to a virtuous life. Debauchery destroys both their soul and body.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For her house inclineth unto death; rather, she sinks down to death together with her house (Bottcher, Delitzsch). The objection to the Authorized Version is that it does not allow the construction of the original, the verb "sinks down" (hjv, shakhah) being feminine, while "house" (tyib, bayith) is invariably masculine. Aben Ezra translates, "She sinks down to death, (which is to be) her house;" but it seems better to regard "her house" as an adjunct of the strange woman. Her house includes all who belong to her. She and they are involved in the same fate. The Authorized Version is evidently influenced by the Vulgate, Inclinata est enim ad mortem domus ejus, "For her house is inclined to death." The LXX gives a different rendering, Eyeto ga tw yanatw to , "For she hath placed her house beside death." So the Arabic. The "for" (yKi, ki) refers back to ver. 16, and indicates how great is the deliverance effected by wisdom. The meaning of the passage is aptly illustrated by Pro_7:27, "Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death." And her paths unto the dead. The dead ( r"phaim) are properly the quiet, or the feeble. They are the shadowy inhabitants or shades of Hades, the inferi of the Vulgate, and are here put for Sheol itself. Compare the edwla kamnontwn of Homer, and the umbrae, "shades," of Virgil. The word occurs again in Pro_9:18 Pro_21:16; and in Psa_88:11 Isa_26:14, 19 Job_26:5.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For - Conversation with her (which was most usual in her own house) is the certain way to death, which it brings many ways, and undoubtedly, without repentance, to God's wrath and the second death.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

her house leads down to death

Possible meanings are 1) "going to her house leads to death" or 2) "the road to her house is the road to death."

her tracks will lead you

Possible meanings are 1) "the paths to her house will lead you." This refers to the tracks or path that lead to her house, or 2) this is a metaphor that speaks of her way of life as if it were a path on which she walks. AT: "her way of life will lead you" (See: Metaphor)

to those in the grave

This refers to the spirits of dead people and is a metonym for the place of the dead. AT: "to the grave" (See: Metonymy)

go in to her

This means to go into her house to sleep with her, as one would with a prostitute. (See: Euphemism)

they will not find the paths of life

Possible meanings are 1) "they will not return to the land of the living" or 2) "they will never live a happy life again."

translationWords

die

grave

life

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

for her house sinks to death This refers back to “to save you, etc.” for whoever comes to her house will sink and slip as if down an incline that leads to death, and the Torah will guard you from this fall. Hence, it is a great thing for you.

the dead Heb. רפאים, those who neglect (נרפים) the way of goodness and are forsaken without support until they fall into Gehinnom.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.