New Living Translation
Proverbs 7:23
23awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life.
Proverbs 7:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
- New International Version (NIV)till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
- English Standard Version (ESV)till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.
Context of Proverbs 7:23
21So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery. 22He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter. He was like a stag caught in a trap, awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life. 24So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words. 25Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path.
Read all of Proverbs 7Proverbs 7:23 word by word
עַ֤ד יְפַלַּ֪ח חֵ֡ץ כְּֽבֵד֗וֹ כְּמַהֵ֣ר צִפּ֣וֹר אֶל־פָּ֑ח וְלֹֽא־יָ֝דַ֗ע כִּֽי־בְנַפְשׁ֥וֹ הֽוּא׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 7:23
- Numbers 25:8and rushed after the man into his tent. Phinehas thrust the spear all the way through the man’s body and into the woman’s stomach. So the plague against the Israelites was stopped,
- Proverbs 1:17If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away.
- Ecclesiastes 9:12People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.
- Proverbs 9:18But little do they know that the dead are there. Her guests are in the depths of the grave.
Commentaries on Proverbs 7:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The first clause does not connect itself very clearly with the foregoing, and is probably affected by the corrupt text which makes it perplexing.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-27Verses 6-27 Here is an affecting example of the danger of youthful lusts. It is a history or a parable of the most instructive kind. Will any one dare to venture on temptations that lead to impurity, after Solomon has set before his eyes in so lively and plain a manner, the danger of even going near them? Then is he as the man who would dance on the edge of a lofty rock, when he has just seen another fall headlong from the same place. The misery of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-23The young man's unwise actions could endanger his life (see Proverbs 5:11; 6:32–35).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Till--He is now caught (Pr 6:26).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 7:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 7
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries