Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 6:2

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Rashness, laziness and troublemaking (6:1-19)

A person can easily get into serious difficulties by agreeing to be a financial guarantor for a friend (or a stranger), as the friend may get so far into debt that the guarantor is ruined. If the guarantor realizes that he made a rash promise, he should act quickly. He should not rest till he has gone back to his friend, told him of his true position, and withdrawn his guarantee. Only in this way will he save himself from possible disaster (6:1-5).
Though believers should not be anxious about the future, neither should they be thoughtless or lazy. They should learn a lesson from the ant. It works diligently to provide for its future security (6-8). People have only themselves to blame if they are too lazy to get up and work and as a result fall into poverty (9-11).
Another kind of person heading for disaster is the troublemaker. People of this kind are skilled at making subtle suggestions by their movements and words, and soon create conflict (12-15). All forms of deceit and plotting are as hateful to God as the more obvious sins of haughtiness and violence. Eyes, tongue, mind, hands and feet can all lead a person into sin (16-19).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

WARNING AGAINST BECOMING SECURITY
FOR OTHERS (THE NINTH DISCOURSE)

“My son, if thou art become security for thy neighbor, If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger; Thou art snared with the words thy mouth, Thou art taken by the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor: Go humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor; Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids: Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.”

“If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger” “This is the equivalent (in modern terms) of co-signing your neighbor’s note.”The Teachers’ Bible Commentary, p. 361. “This was the procedure for concluding a bargain. It is like our expression, `to shake hands on it.’“The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 4, p. 817. “The warning here is against lightly risking irreparable harm. If through careless words, or vanity, one has done so, no time is to be lost in obtaining a release from the agreement, which (from the context here) has been apparently agreed to but not yet carried into effect.”The Anchor Bible (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1982), Vol. 18, Proverbs, p. 58.

In ancient times, the careless assumption of another’s financial obligations could bring vast damages upon those thoughtless enough to do it; and, even today, there are examples of very extensive harm that can result from it. This writer knew a great Christian brother in Sherman, Texas, who co-signed a note for a kinsman; and when the kinsman defaulted, the brother sold his home and his farm to pay the bank.

“The earnest eager tone here suggests that the writer has observed the very predicament that he describes -- it is a business man’s advice to his friend.”International Critical Commentary, Proverbs, p. 120. No better advice was ever given.

“With the words of thy mouth” “The repetition of this phrase is intentional to give greater force to the fact that such entanglements are the result of one’s own indiscretion.”The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 9, p. 124.

“Do this now… deliver thyself… importune thy neighbor” The message here is, “By all means, get out of that arrangement at once!” “In Hebrew, the word importune means `rage against,’“Arthur S. Peake, A Commentary on the Bible (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 400. “The word importune is hardly a strong enough word here.”International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 121. “The refusal to be surety for a neighbor’s debt does not mean heartless indifference to his needs.”The New Layman’s Bible Commentary, p. 710. If one is able to help his distressed neighbor, let him do so willingly and generously; but to guarantee the payment of his debts is not only unnecessary, but exceedingly foolish. It was so when Proverbs was written, and it is true now.

“Guaranteeing to pay someone else’s debt may even be an unintended disservice to the recipient by exposing him to temptation, perhaps causing him to continue to live beyond his means.”Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 15, p. 72, But even apart from that, being surety for another’s obligation is contrary to the Word of God. It can, and often does, bring great sorrow and damage upon them that do it; and every Christian should heed this admonition.

“It should be remembered in this connection that the risks involved in the assumption of such liabilities in ancient times were very great. Terrible poverty and even slavery could result.”Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), Vol. 5, p. 25. Although today we have such things as bankruptcy laws to protect certain debtors, there are still grave and totally unnecessary risks involved in one’s obligating himself to pay others’ obligations.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Or, “If thou art snared ... if thou art taken,” etc.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Now let us turn to Proverbs, chapter 6. The first part of the Proverbs is exhortation to my son. It's just good fatherly advice to sons. And chapter 6 continues in these exhortations that are opened by the phrase:

My son, if you be surety for thy friend, or if you have stricken hands with a stranger, you've become snared with the words of your mouth, you've been taken with the words of your mouth. Now do this, and deliver yourself, my son, when you've come to the hand of your friend; go, and humble yourself, and make sure thy friend. Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver yourself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, or as a bird from the hand of the fowler ( Proverbs 6:1-5 ).

Someone said the best way to lose a friend is to loan him money. And unfortunately, many friendships have been lost over this very thing. If you have guaranteed for a friend, if you've been a surety for him. You say, "Well, that's all right, just put it on my account, or I'll guarantee it," my son, you're in trouble. Go to your friend quickly. You've snared yourself with your mouth. Deliver yourself from him if at all possible. Humble yourself and get out of the situation. Or worse yet, if you've made an agreement with a stranger. That is, you say, "Okay, we'll do it," and you shake hands with the stranger. You've stricken hands. And of course, it is interesting over there to watch them in their negotiations even to the present day.

One of our favorite little side trips when we are in Israel is to go down to the sheep gate on Friday morning and watch as the Bedouins and all bring in their sheep to market. And the buyers and the sellers gather together and it is a sight that you just will never forget as you stand there and watch these Mercedes cabs come up, filled with these men with their caffias and all, they open up the door and out pours these men and the sheep and everything else. They open up the trunk and out come the sheep, you know. And the pickup trucks and all, and they herd all of these sheep into this area near the corner of the wall across from the Rockefeller Museum every Friday morning. And then these guys will begin to haggle and bargain over the sheep.

Now when they bargain, they yell at each other. I mean, they just stand there. They shake their fists. You expect them to pull a knife out from under their robe at any time and go at it 'cause they're just yelling like they're really angry. And it's quite a scene with all of the yelling and shouting, and the guy will turn and walk away, and turn around and yell at the guy. And then walk a bit and turn and yell some more, you know. And after they've gone through this for a while, pretty soon you see them slap their hands. You know, they'll... and the guy will reach in, get his wallet, pull out his money, and take the sheep and go off. And it's really quite a quite a scene. The striking of the hands is an indication, "All right, that's a deal, you made a deal."

Now, my son, if you strike hands with a stranger, you're in trouble. Be careful about that. Deliver yourself as quickly as possible as a deer from the hand of the hunter or as a bird from the snare of the fowler.

So the first little exhortation is against guaranteeing for somebody else. The second little exhortation is against slovenness.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when are you going to awake? Yet a little sleep, and a little slumber, and a little folding of your hands to sleep: and so shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man ( Proverbs 6:6-11 ).

So a little exhortation against laziness. Go to the ant. Now, we are told that Solomon was a very prolific writer. That he wrote 3,000 proverbs, several songs, and he wrote books on biology and botany. And so he was a man who was very familiar with nature. And we will pick this up as we get to some other proverbs as he talks about the characteristics of other animals and insects.

But here he is saying, "Now go to the ant, learn of her ways and be wise." And watching ants is a very interesting experience. They are perhaps one of the most industrious of all little insects. The worker ants and how they go out and how they gather. How you see them. And I love to watch ants. I sometimes used to sit out in the backyard with bread and I'd just break off pieces of bread and throw it down and watch them as the little ant would get hold of it and try and pull it and pull it, and pretty soon another would get on and they'd hold the thing and just to watch them in their labor as they are laying up their food. So industrious. "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; learn of her ways, and be wise. Which having no guide, or overseer, or ruler." And you wonder how they communicate. Yet, they evidently do communicate because you get a couple of them in your house and they discover something sweet, man, they communicate it to all their cousins and relatives and everybody else. And soon the whole tribe is in there.

I've often thought about miniaturization, you know. Everything is, the whole concept is that of miniaturizing everything. Have you ever wondered how big an ant's brain must be? Talk about something that's miniature. And yet, there is no doubt the capacity to communicate and surely the capacity of working together. And I think that this is the lesson to learn. Without a foreman out there yelling instructions and everything else, somehow they get this bread, chunk of bread together and pretty soon, they're carting the thing off. You can see this chunk of bread just moving across the ground. It may take them a little while, a little struggling and all. But ultimately, they get things coordinated without a guide, an overseer, or a ruler. Yet, learning to just work together. "Providing her meat in the summer, gathering her food in the harvest."

So be careful of laziness for a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of your hands to sleep and comes poverty. It's inevitable.

Now the next one that he talks about is the person who is:

A naughty person, a wicked man, who walks with a perverse mouth ( Proverbs 6:12 ).

The loud mouth braggart.

Who winks with his eyes, speaks with his feet, and teaches with his fingers; Perversity is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy ( Proverbs 6:13-15 ).

That's perverse person, the wicked man who has a perverse mouth, winketh with his eyes. Of all the crazy things, this evening when I knew I was going to be talking on this verse, before service I got an eye twitch underneath my left eye, and it's twitching. I looked in the mirror and crazy twitching. I thought, "Man, I hope nobody thinks I'm winking at them tonight when I have to teach on this verse." So I popped a bunch of vitamin B pills. I figured maybe I've got a shortage of B-stress or something and didn't have any yeast to put down, but hopefully get this twitching eye stopped. But it's not winking; don't put me in the category of this man. The thing that interests me is as God always says concerning the wicked, "Their calamity is coming." And in this case, it's coming suddenly and that without remedy. How tragic when God says of a man there's no cure. He's beyond, no hope, no remedy.

Now in the next little section we have:

Six things the LORD hates; in fact, there are seven that are an abomination unto him ( Proverbs 6:16 ):

Now I should seek to hate the things that God hates. And I should surely seek to avoid the things that God hates. So it is important that we look at these seven things, and it is more important that we not be guilty of any of these seven things.

First of all, God hates:

A proud look ( Proverbs 6:17 ),

The Bible says, "Pride cometh before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" ( Proverbs 16:18 ). That proud look. How many times we are told in the scriptures to humble ourselves and we shall be exalted. The second thing God hates is:

a lying tongue, then hands that shed innocent blood, [next] a heart that devises wicked imaginations, [next] feet that are swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaks lies ( Proverbs 6:17-19 ),

One who bears false witness against someone else with a lie. And finally,

he who sows discord among brethren ( Proverbs 6:19 ).

God hates the dividing and the divisions that oftentimes come within the body of the church. Paul said, "Mark those which cause division among you. Avoid them" ( Romans 16:17 ). God hates those who sow discord among brethren. "How beautiful and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" ( Psalms 133:1 ). How that is honoring to God. And how God hates anyone who is guilty of just sowing discord among the brethren.

In the next section here, and all of these fall in little groups actually. It is dealing with listening to your parents' counsel and advice.

My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother: Bind them continually upon your heart, and tie them about your neck. When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it will keep you; when you awake, it will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is a light; and the reproof of instruction are the way to life ( Proverbs 6:20-23 ):

Important: the advice, the counsel of the parents. That is, that of course, assumes the godly parents. Their counsel is like a lamp. It is like a light to show you the way.

Now the next one, he picks on the evil woman again. The warning against women who are evil.

To keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattery of the tongue of strange women. Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids ( Proverbs 6:24-25 ).

They may be false.

For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a crust of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon a hot bed of coals, and his feet not be burned? So is he that goes in to his neighbor's wife; whosoever touches her shall not be innocent. Now men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he is found, he shall restore sevenfold; and he shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: and he does it to the destruction of his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though you give him many gifts ( Proverbs 6:26-35 ).

So keep yourself from the flattery of the strange woman. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart. In the New Testament, Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, as He is talking concerning the law as it was being taught to them in that day and the law as it was intended when given by God was showing by many examples that when God gave the law, God was interested in the attitude of a man's heart more than the actions of a man's life. Because it is possible to have the right actions with the wrong attitude. And it is also possible to have the wrong actions with the right attitude. But God is looking at the heart.

Now the law said, and the Pharisees were teaching them that the law said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" ( Exodus 20:14 ). And yes, the law did declare, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." But Jesus said, "I say unto you, if any man looks upon a woman and lusts after her in his heart, he's already committed adultery" ( Matthew 5:28 ). In other words, it's the inner attitude of a man that is so important. That is why last week he said, "Keep your heart with all diligence, because out of the heart come the issues of life" ( Proverbs 4:23 ). So James tells us, "Let no man say when he is tempted that God tempted me the other day. For God doesn't tempt man to do evil. But a man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. And lust when it is finished brings sin" ( James 1:13-15 ). If you follow it through it will lead you right into sin. It begins in the heart. "Oh wow, you know. Look at that." Lookout! Don't. Cut it off at that point. As Paul said to Timothy, "Flee youthful lusts" ( 2 Timothy 2:22 ). For it will drown a man's soul in hell. Run if you must. Do as Joseph. Get out of there as quickly as possible if you feel that you know it's getting too hard to handle. Man, just turn and run as fast as you can go. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

10. Other dangerous temptations 6:1-19

Solomon singled out a few more serious errors to avoid in addition to marital unfaithfulness. These include assuming liability for the debts of others (Proverbs 6:1-5), being lazy (Proverbs 6:6-11), being untruthful (Proverbs 6:12-15), and seven other practices that need no clarification (Proverbs 6:16-19).

The advice in this section provides a good example of what prudence is. A prudent person is one who is capable of exercising sound judgment in practical matters. He or she is cautious and discreet in conduct, is circumspect, and is sensible. We often describe a prudent person by saying that he or she has common sense. A prudent person can foresee the consequences of possible actions and behaves accordingly. A godly (wise) person can be prudent because God’s revelation helps us see the usual consequences of our actions before we commit them. This is largely what the Book of Proverbs helps us do.

"Surety" (Proverbs 6:1) means "security" in the sense of taking on another person’s obligations as one’s own, as when a person co-signs a note to pay another person’s loan, for example. Paul offered to pay Onesimus’ past debts, but not his future ones (Philemon 1:18-19). "Neighbor" and "stranger" (Proverbs 6:1) together mean anyone; these two kinds of people are not the only ones in view. This is a figure of speech called a merism in which two extremes represent the whole. Solomon strongly counseled avoidance of this obligation. If one finds himself in it already he should do everything he can to get himself out of it before he discovers that he is in even worse trouble (Proverbs 6:3). The writer did not command his son never to become surety for his neighbor; he told him what to do if he had already done this so he could escape the consequences that typically follow such an act. The reader is not disobeying God if he or she becomes surety for a stranger, but this proverb warns of the possible consequences and gives advice about how to avoid them.

Proverbs 6:6-11 warn against laziness. [Note: See Kidner’s subject study on the sluggard, pp. 42-43.] A "vagabond" (Proverbs 6:11) is a "highwayman," namely, a robber. [Note: Toy, p. 125.]

"In that society there were no technological controls or government social programs to serve as a safety net against poverty." [Note: R. Whybray, Wealth and Poverty in the Book of Proverbs, p. 31.]

The person in view in Proverbs 6:12-15 is one who, for the amusement it gives him or her, causes other people to experience inconvenience or suffering. A simple joke is different from joking at someone else’s expense, joking that hurts someone else. The latter practice is what Solomon urged his son to avoid. He called such a mischievous prankster "worthless" and "wicked" (Proverbs 6:12). "Worthless" is literally "of Beliel," a word that became a name for Satan (2 Corinthians 6:15).

The list in Proverbs 6:16-19 repeats some of what Solomon mentioned earlier. It may have been one whole proverb he added because it carried on the idea of other temptations to avoid. The phrase "six . . . yes, seven" (Proverbs 6:16) implies that this list is not exhaustive of what God hates, though it is explicit. [Note: Toy, p. 127.] These seven practices deal with attitude (Proverbs 6:17 a), thought (Proverbs 6:18 a), speech (Proverbs 6:17 b, Proverbs 6:19 a), action (Proverbs 6:17 c, Proverbs 6:18 b), and influence (Proverbs 6:19 b).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth,.... Got into a snare out of which an escape is not easy; art no longer free, and thine own man, but under obligation to pay the debt if required; by the verbal agreement made and confirmed by striking hands, and this before witnesses;

thou art taken with the words of thy mouth; as in a net, and held fast therein and thereby, and cannot get loose without paying the debt, if the debtor does not, or without the leave of the creditor.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,   2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.   3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.   4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.   5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

      It is the excellency of the word of God that it teaches us not only divine wisdom for another world, but human prudence for this world, that we may order our affairs with discretion; and this is one good rule, To avoid suretiship, because by it poverty and ruin are often brought into families, which take away that comfort in relations which he had recommended in the foregoing chapter. 1. We must look upon suretiship as a snare and decline it accordingly, Psalms 6:1; Psalms 6:2. "It is dangerous enough for a man to be bound for his friend, though it be one whose circumstances he is well acquainted with, and well assured of his sufficiency, but much more to strike the hands with a stranger, to become surety for one whom thou dost not know to be either able or honest." Or the stranger here with whom the hand is stricken is the creditor, "the usurer to whom thou art become bound, and yet as to thee he is a stranger, that is, thou owest him nothing, nor hast had any dealings with him. If thou hast rashly entered into such engagements, either wheedled into them or in hopes to have the same kindness done for thee another time, know that thou art snared with the words of thy mouth; it was easily done, with a word's speaking; it was but setting thy hand to a paper, a bond is soon sealed and delivered, and a recognizance entered into. But it will not be so easily got clear of; thou art in a snare more than thou art aware of." See how little reason we have to make light of tongue-sins; if by a word of our mouth we may become indebted to men, and lie open to their actions, by the words of our mouth we may become obnoxious to God's justice, and even so may be snared. It is false that words are but wind: they are often snares. 2. If we have been drawn into this snare, it will be our wisdom by all means, with all speed, to get out of it, Psalms 6:3-5; Psalms 6:3-5. It sleeps for the present; we hear nothing of it. The debt is not demanded; the principal says, "Never fear, we will take care of it." But still the bond is in force, interest is running on, the creditor may come upon thee when he will and perhaps may be hasty and severe, the principal may prove either knavish or insolvent, and then thou must rob thy wife and children, and ruin thy family, to pay that which thou didst neither nor drink for. And therefore deliver thyself; rest not till either the creditor give up the bond or the principal give thee counter-security; when thou art come into the hand of thy friend, and he has advantage against thee, it is no time to threaten or give ill language (that will provoke and make ill worse), but humble thyself, beg and pray to be discharged, go down on thy knees to him, and give him all the fair words thou canst; engage thy friends to speak for thee; leave no stone unturned till thou hast agreed with thy adversary and compromised the matter, so that thy bond may not come against thee or thine. This is a care which may well break thy sleep, and let it do so till thou hast got through. "Give not sleep to thy eyes till thou hast delivered thyself. Strive and struggle to the utmost, and hasten with all speed, as a roe or a bird delivers herself out of this snare of the fowler or hunter. Delays are dangerous, and feeble efforts will not serve." See what care God, in his word, has taken to make men good husbands of their estates, and to teach them prudence in the management of them. Godliness has precepts, as well as promises, relating to the life that now is.

      But how are we to understand this? We are not to think it is unlawful in any case to become surety, or bail, for another; it may be a piece of justice or charity; he that has friends may see cause in this instance to show himself friendly, and it may be no piece of imprudence. Paul became bound for Onesimus, Philemon 1:19. We may help a young man into business that we know to be honest and diligent, and gain him credit by passing our word for him, and so do him a great kindness without any detriment to ourselves. But, 1. It is every man's wisdom to keep out of debt as much as may be, for it is an incumbrance upon him, entangles him in the world, puts him in danger of doing wrong or suffering wrong. The borrower is servant to the lender, and makes himself very much a slave to this world. Christians therefore, who are bought with a price, should not thus, without need, make themselves the servants of men,1 Corinthians 7:23. 2. It is great folly to entangle ourselves with necessitous people, and to become bound for their debts, that are ever and anon taking up money, and lading, as we say, out of one hole into another, for it is ten to one but, some time or other, it will come upon us. A man ought never to be bound as surety for more than he is both able and willing to pay, and can afford to pay without wronging his family, in case the principal fail, for he ought to look upon it as his own debt. Ecclesiasticus viii. 13, Be not surety above thy power, for, if thou be surety, thou must take care to pay it. 3. It is a necessary piece of after-wit, if we have foolishly entangled ourselves, to get out of the snare as fast as we can, to lose no time, spare no pains, and stick at no submission to make ourselves safe and easy, and get our affairs into a good posture. It is better to humble ourselves for an accommodation than to ruin ourselves by our stiffness and haughtiness. Make sure thy friend by getting clear from thy engagements from him; for rash suretiship is as much the bane of friendship as that which is prudent is sometimes the bond of it. Let us take heed lest we any way make ourselves guilty of other men's sins against God (1 Timothy 5:22), for that is worse, and much more dangerous, than being bound for other men's debts; and, if we must be in all this care to get our debts to men forgiven, much more to get our peace made with God. "Humble thyself to him; make sure of Christ thy friend, to intercede for thee; pray earnestly that thy sins may be pardoned, and thou mayest be delivered from going down to the pit, and it shall not be in vain. Give not sleep to thy eyes nor slumber to thy eye lids, till this be done."