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Keep Away from the Immoral Woman’s Smooth Tongue

Proverbs 6:23-24 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
²³For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
²⁴to preserve you from the evil woman,
from the smooth tongue of the immoral woman.^[1]

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light: Hebrew noun commandment (מִצְוָה mitsvah) is an authoritative direction or instruction, given as a prescription from the one with the authority or power to a person under the authority or control of another within an organization or a family. (1 Sam. 13:13; 1 Ki 2:43) Teaching (תּוֹרָה torah) is information that is passed on to a student, a worker, or a child.

And the reproofs of discipline are the way of life: The humble person is one who welcomes reproofs (תּוֹכַחַת tokachath), which are rebukes, corrections, strongly worded counsel that may result in a punishment and discipline (מוּסָר musar), which is corrective counsel. Those who are proud hate being counseled; These ones feel as though they have done nothing wrong anyway. However, faithful servants of God have a lowly mind (do not think more of themselves than necessary); they understand that mistakes are bound to happen due to human imperfection, and they appreciate being corrected.

To preserve you from the evil woman: Scriptural reproofs and discipline can really safeguard us, keep us, prevent us, or preserve (שׁוֹמֵר Shomer or שֹׁמֵר Shomer) us from the snare of sexual immorality with the evil woman, if we have a humble heart and set aside and arrogance or pride. The evil woman is defined in the lines that follow as a seductive, flattering, adventuress adulteress.

From the smooth tongue of the immoral woman: The smooth tongue is a figurative expression for seductive flattery, that is, speech that flatters or seduces. The immoral woman (sense, strange woman) (נָכְרִי nokri) (2:16; 5:3) is referring to those who set aside what was in harmony with the Mosaic Law and thus distanced and estranged themselves from God. Therefore, the immoral sensual woman (prostitute) was not necessarily a foreigner. “The strange woman,” the prostitute, is described as one “who forsakes the companion of her youth” (2:17), which is referring to the husband of her young womanhood. She has ignored and disregarded the prohibition on adultery that was a part of the covenant of her God, the Mosaic Law covenant. – Ex. 20:14; Jeremiah 2:25; 3:13.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The commandments of the father and the teachings of the mother are also a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, which enables the child to make wise decisions in the present, but to make decisions that affect tomorrow as well. Even the corrective counsel that must come at times will keep on the path to life. This counsel for the son will significantly help him to sidestep the pitfalls of sexual immorality if he chooses to heed it. Unlike other places in Proverbs, this immoral woman is not a prostitute but the wife of another. However, even a wife is capable of carrying out prostitution. This evil woman is associated with the immoral behavior of other cultures outside of the Israelite nation.

[1] Lit foreign woman