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Seeing Empty Deceptive Words for What They Are

Proverbs 7:14 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
¹⁴“I had to offer peace offerings,
and today I have paid my vows;

I had to offer peace offerings: Here statement of offering the peace offering is her way of hinting that she did not lack spirituality. The peace offerings set forth in Leviticus 7:11–17; 19:5-6; 22:21; Numbers 15:8-10 consisted of meat, flour, oil, and wine. Therefore, she was deceptively inferring that there was much to eat and drink at her house and that the young man in want of heart (6:7) was certain to have a good time. She knew that he is inexperienced, lacking good sense and wisdom, lacking good judgment or discernment, so he would not see the danger in her seductive ways or her words.

And today I have paid my vows: The voluntary vow offering is associated with the making of a vow (promises) to God or to perform some act, to make some offering, enter into some action of helping or doing work, or to refrain from certain things not unlawful in themselves until such time as he had been able to attain a certain goal, with the help of God. According to Leviticus 7:16, “if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow offering or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and on the next day what remains of it shall be eaten.” This is characteristic of just how a wrongly motivated person can be guided into immorality.

The wayward woman’s words are carefully chosen and suggestive to the Israelite mind. This might seem very strange coming from the voice of a prostitute, (1) may be suggesting that she is a devout woman, who is ceremonially clean. (2) It is suggestive of her cleanness after her menstruation cycle. (3) Rather, she could be simply urging him to join her in a meal of the meat and wine leftover from her peace offering, as the one offering the sacrifices get to take part of the offering home. (Lev. 19:5, 6; 22:21; Num. 15:8-10) Regardless, she has touched this young man’s senses, taking him to a whole other level of danger, with her smooth voice, and her suggestive comments. Old Testament Bible scholar John Walton says,

It is best to understand the offerings in the light of Leviticus 3 and 7:11–21. The fellowship offering emphasizes communion between the worshiper and God as well as with fellow worshipers. The meat must be eaten on the same day as the sacrifice. Thus, the woman is trying to entice the man not only with her body but with a delicious meal. But her acts just accentuate the sinfulness of her acts, adding the misuse of holy things (the sacrifice) to adultery.[1]

Often, as we spoke of in verse 13, there are stages that we can identify that lead to immorality. Each stage that we take makes it increasingly difficult for us to turn back.

[1] John H Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament) Volume 5: The Minor Prophets, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, 479 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009).