Proverbs comparative study chapters 7 and 31

            Here is a comparative and contrasting study between the two chapters of proverbs with women as the dominating feature of them, 7 and 31. These are actually two types of women in them which will be contrasted with each other. The first is a harlot woman who lures men to have sex with her while her husband is gone on a long journey. She does snare them in. The other lists the virtuous woman who cares for her husband and family, doing all manner of things for them in love.

Proverbs chapter 7 lists the wiles of the harlot, and warns against falling for her snares and gives details of what can happen to someone who indeed does fall into her charms and snares and commits adultery with her. It is there as a warning against evil women of that sort. As stated below these women can be transformed by the blood of Jesus into even Proverbs 31 types as nothing is too hard for God.

(Proverbs 7:1)  My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;

(Proverbs 7:2)  keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;

(Proverbs 7:3)  bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

(Proverbs 7:4)  Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend,

(Proverbs 7:5)  to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

(Proverbs 7:6)  For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice,

(Proverbs 7:7)  and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense,

(Proverbs 7:8)  passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house

(Proverbs 7:9)  in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.

(Proverbs 7:10)  And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.

(Proverbs 7:11)  She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home;

(Pro 7:12)  now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait.

(Proverbs 7:13)  She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him,

(Proverbs 7:14)  "I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows;

(Proverbs 7:15)  so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.

(Proverbs 7:16)  I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen;

(Proverbs 7:17)  I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

(Proverbs 7:18)  Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.

(Proverbs 7:19)  For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey;

(Proverbs 7:20)  he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home."

(Proverbs 7:21)  With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.

(Proverbs 7:22)  All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast

(Proverbs 7:23)  till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.

(Proverbs 7:24)  And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

(Proverbs 7:25)  Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths,

(Proverbs 7:26)  for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng.

(Proverbs 7:27)  Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs chapter 31, after Lemuel talks about virtures for kings, goes on to list the benefits of this virtuous woman to her family and the community to take care of the family and even goes out to care for the poor. Often times the husband of such a woman is a well respected man in good position too. Nowadays this would be a good Christian wife, hopefully with a loving husband to match her, who loves her as Christ loves the church as stated in Ephesians and Colossians.

(Proverbs 31:1)  The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

(Proverbs 31:2)  What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows?

(Proverbs 31:3)  Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.

(Proverbs 31:4)  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink,

(Proverbs 31:5)  lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

(Proverbs 31:6)  Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;

(Proverbs 31:7)  let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

(Proverbs 31:8)  Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.

(Proverbs 31:9)  Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

(Proverbs 31:10)  An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

(Proverbs 31:11)  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

(Proverbs 31:12)  She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

(Proverbs 31:13)  She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

(Proverbs 31:14)  She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.

(Proverbs 31:15)  She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.

(Proverbs 31:16)  She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

(Proverbs 31:17)  She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.

(Proverbs 31:18)  She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.

(Proverbs 31:19)  She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

(Proverbs 31:20)  She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

(Proverbs 31:21)  She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

(Proverbs 31:22)  She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

(Proverbs 31:23)  Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

(Proverbs 31:24)  She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.

(Proverbs 31:25)  Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

(Proverbs 31:26)  She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

(Proverbs 31:27)  She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

(Proverbs 31:28)  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

(Proverbs 31:29)  "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

(Proverbs 31:30)  Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

(Proverbs 31:31)  Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

The woman in seven goes after the flesh while chapter 31 is in love, and does things that way. Still with God all things are possible and it is even possible for the chapter 7 woman to become a chapter 31 woman through the redeeming process of God, because of what Jesus did on the cross, dying to redeem people from all manner of sin. Even those who fall for the woman can be redeemed by the blood of Jesus, for nothing is too hard for God at all. Those who are transformed to loving individuals have powerful testimonies of God’s love and faithfulness to share of their wonderful transformation. Jesus died on the cross to save any sinner willing to take the gift of salvation freely offered by God. This was done to reestablish the relationship between God and man that had once been separated by sin. God loves us and wants this relationship with us. There is nothing that can compare with a relationship with God either, nothing at all that can compare with a relationship with God. Nothing can even come remotely close. I am now including a prayer which you can use to invite Jesus in your heart to begin this wonderful love relationship with God that nothing at all can compare with. Please pray this prayer with me

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess Jesus as our Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we will be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Amen.

God bless you and yours