Proverbs 23:28 kjv
She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
Proverbs 23:28 nkjv
She also lies in wait as for a victim, And increases the unfaithful among men.
Proverbs 23:28 niv
Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
Proverbs 23:28 esv
She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.
Proverbs 23:28 nlt
She hides and waits like a robber,
eager to make more men unfaithful.
Proverbs 23 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 2:16-19 | So you will be delivered from the immoral woman...her steps lead down to death... | Warning against immoral woman's destructive path |
| Prov 5:3-5 | For the lips of the adulteress drip honey...but in the end she is bitter as wormwood... | Adulteress's allure leading to bitter end |
| Prov 6:24-26 | To keep you from the evil woman...Do not lust after her beauty... | Warning against her seductive power |
| Prov 7:6-27 | For at the window of my house...she catches him and kisses him...many strong men have been slain by her. | Detailed description of her predatory methods |
| Ps 10:9 | He lies in wait in ambush like a lion in his den; he lies in wait to catch the helpless... | Wicked person's predatory lying in wait |
| Jer 5:26 | For among my people are found wicked men; they lurk as men who snare birds. | Wicked people as ensnaring predators |
| Eccl 7:26 | And I find more bitter than death the woman who is snares and traps... | Woman as a spiritual snare |
| Hos 4:10-11 | They shall eat, but not have enough...because they have abandoned the LORD... | Moral decay due to spiritual infidelity |
| Hos 4:14 | I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot...for they themselves go apart with harlots. | People drawn into harlotry by bad example |
| Matt 18:7 | Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! | Warnings against causing others to stumble |
| Rom 1:29-32 | Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice...knowing God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. | Approving/encouraging others in sin |
| 1 Cor 6:9-10 | Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral...nor adulterers... | Warning against sexual immorality |
| 1 Cor 15:33 | Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” | Corrupting influence of bad associations |
| Gal 5:19-21 | Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality...jealousy...drunkness...those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. | Listing acts of the flesh, including sexual immorality |
| Heb 13:4 | Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. | Divine judgment on sexual immorality |
| Jam 1:14-15 | But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin... | Luring and enticement leading to sin |
| 2 Pet 2:14 | They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unstable souls. | Describing those who entice others into sin |
| Jude 1:4 | For certain people have crept in unnoticed...ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality... | Those who lead others into licentiousness |
| Rev 18:23 | ...your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. | Spiritual deception affecting nations |
| Prov 13:20 | Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. | Consequence of association, highlighting increase of transgressors |
| Prov 1:10-16 | My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent...for they lie in wait for blood... | Warning against enticement to join sinners |
| Zech 1:6 | But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So that they repented and said, 'As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so he has dealt with us.' | The treachery and transgression of Israel |
Proverbs 23 verses
Proverbs 23 28 Meaning
Proverbs 23:28 vividly depicts the immoral woman (referred to in previous verses as the "strange woman" or harlot) as an active and cunning predator. She positions herself deceptively, lying in ambush, specifically targeting individuals to exploit them. Her ultimate impact is not just isolated sin, but a profound and detrimental multiplication of unfaithfulness and treachery among people, drawing them away from righteousness and into lives of moral degradation.
Proverbs 23 28 Context
Proverbs chapter 23 contains a series of instructions and warnings from a father to his son, forming part of a larger collection of wisdom sayings (Proverbs 22:17 – 24:34, often referred to as "The Sayings of the Wise"). Within this chapter, verse 28 appears after explicit warnings against drunkenness (v. 20-21) and covetousness (v. 1-3, 6-8). Specifically, verses 27-28 focus sharply on the perils of associating with a harlot or "strange woman," portraying her as a destructive trap. This warning aligns with a recurring major theme in Proverbs, where the seductive danger of the immoral woman is juxtaposed against the life-giving path of Lady Wisdom (e.g., chapters 2, 5, 6, 7). The historical context is ancient Israel, where social and family stability, and the integrity of a man's lineage, were paramount. Adultery and sexual immorality posed a direct threat to the family unit and societal order. This passage serves as a direct counter-narrative and strong warning against contemporary practices that would undermine fidelity, perhaps implicitly against certain foreign cults where ritual prostitution existed, but primarily against any form of sexual immorality.
Proverbs 23 28 Word analysis
- She: Refers to the "deep pit" or "narrow well" mentioned in Proverbs 23:27, personifying the immoral woman, also described in Proverbs as the "strange woman" (e.g., Prov 2:16, 5:3, 7:5). This character consistently embodies temptation and folly.
- also lies in wait: The Hebrew verb is אָרַב (
'arab), meaning to lie in ambush, to lurk, to conspire, or to set a trap. This term conveys premeditated malice and an active, predatory intent, not just a passive lure. - as for a prey: The Hebrew is חָתָף (
chathaph), which refers to that which is seized or caught, a victim or spoil. This extends the hunting metaphor, indicating that the immoral woman actively seeks and captures individuals who are unsuspecting or vulnerable, much like a hunter securing an animal. - and increaseth: The Hebrew verb is יָסַף (
yasaph), meaning to add, to continue, to do again, or to increase. This signifies multiplication or proliferation. Her influence is not isolated; it expands and worsens. - the transgressors: The Hebrew noun is בֹּגְדִים (
bogdim), which refers to treacherous ones, unfaithful people, those who act deceitfully or commit apostasy. It implies not just a casual sin, but a profound act of disloyalty, often in violation of a covenant or trust. - among men: This specifies the sphere of her influence, indicating that her destructive impact is widespread throughout society and impacts many individuals.
Word-group analysis
- "She also lies in wait as for a prey": This phrase paints a clear picture of deliberate, aggressive pursuit. The immoral woman is not merely an object of temptation, but an agent actively hunting victims. Her methods involve cunning and deceit, setting a trap rather than simply being a passive option for indulgence. This highlights the proactive evil inherent in her character, contrasting with simply being available or seductive; she targets.
- "and increaseth the transgressors among men": This crucial phrase reveals the broad and systemic impact of her actions. Her influence goes beyond one-on-one seduction; she is a catalyst for moral decay in society. By ensnaring men, she not only corrupts them individually but also contributes to the proliferation of treachery and unfaithfulness. She is a source that multiplies those who rebel against divine and social order, indicating a contagious and damaging effect on the broader community.
Proverbs 23 28 Bonus section
- The personification of sin or folly as a "strange woman" throughout Proverbs (e.g., Chapters 2, 5, 7, 9) allows for a tangible understanding of abstract dangers. She is presented as the direct antithesis to Lady Wisdom, offering destruction where Wisdom offers life.
- This verse underscores the idea that sin is not a private matter but has relational and societal consequences. The act of giving in to immorality perpetuates a cycle, making one both a victim and a participant in the expansion of wickedness.
- The warning implicitly connects moral purity with social stability and warns against those who undermine the foundational values of fidelity and uprightness. Such "transgressors" ultimately threaten the very fabric of covenant relationships, both with God and within the community.
Proverbs 23 28 Commentary
Proverbs 23:28 serves as a stark warning within the father's counsel, revealing the destructive agency of the immoral woman. This verse emphasizes her cunning and predatory nature: she does not merely tempt passively, but actively "lies in wait as for a prey," employing strategic deception to ensnare unsuspecting men. The powerful imagery evokes a hunter's deliberate pursuit, highlighting her malicious intent to trap and ruin. More significantly, her actions are portrayed as having a widespread corrosive effect. She "increaseth the transgressors among men," meaning she acts as a corrupting force that multiplies the number of faithless and rebellious individuals in society. This is a crucial point, showing that indulgence in this sin not only harms the individual but also contributes to the moral decay of the community. The wisdom presented here calls for vigilance and self-control to avoid becoming prey to such a perilous influence, lest one contribute to the very increase of unrighteousness that God's wisdom seeks to counteract.