God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 2:18
18Her house sinks down to death. Her ways lead to the souls of the dead.
Proverbs 2:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
- New International Version (NIV)Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
- English Standard Version (ESV)for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed;
- New King James Version (NKJV)For her house leads down to death, And her paths to the dead;
Context of Proverbs 2:18
16⌞Wisdom will⌟ also save you from an adulterous woman, from a loose woman with her smooth talk, 17who leaves ⌞her husband,⌟ the closest friend of her youth, and forgets her marriage vows to her God. Her house sinks down to death. Her ways lead to the souls of the dead. 19None who have sex with her come back. Nor do they ever reach the paths of life. 20So walk in the way of good people and stay on the paths of righteous people.
Read all of Proverbs 2Proverbs 2:18 word by word
כִּ֤י שָׁ֣חָה אֶל־מָ֣וֶת בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְאֶל־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 2:18
- Proverbs 5:4but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, as sharp as a two-edged sword.
- Proverbs 6:26A prostitute’s price is ⌞only⌟ a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts for ⌞your⌟ life itself.
- Proverbs 7:22He immediately follows her like a steer on its way to be slaughtered, like a ram hobbling into captivity
- Proverbs 9:18But he does not know that the souls of the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of hell.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9Don’t you know that wicked people won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who continue to commit sexual sins, who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals,
- Galatians 5:19Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity,
- Ephesians 5:5You know very well that no person who is involved in sexual sin, perversion, or greed (which means worshiping wealth) can have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- Revelation 21:8But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Revelation 22:5There will be no more night, and they will not need any light from lamps or the sun because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule as kings forever and ever.
Commentaries on Proverbs 2:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18The house of the adulteress is as Hades, the realm of death, haunted by the spectral shadows of the dead (Rephaim, see the Psalm 88:10 note), who have perished there.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 If we are truly wise, we shall be careful to avoid all evil company and evil practices. When wisdom has dominion over us, then it not only fills the head, but enters into the heart, and will preserve, both against corruptions within and temptations without. The ways of sin are ways of darkness, uncomfortable and unsafe: what fools are those who leave the plain, pleasant, lightsome paths of uprightness, to walk in such ways! They take pleasure…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-19sinks...to the departed spirits: Adultery breaks a key promise to one's spouse and to God (see also Genesis 39:2–9; Malachi 2:14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1916-19. Deliverance from another danger. the strange woman--This term is often used for harlot, or loose woman (Jud 11:1, 2), married (Pr 7:5, 19) or not (1Ki 11:1), so called, because such were, perhaps at first, foreigners, though "strange" may also denote whatever is opposed to right or proper, as "strange fire" (Nu 3:4); "strange incense" (Ex 30:9). flattereth--literally, "smooths." her words--(Psa 5:9).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 2:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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