Proverbs 7:11 kjv
(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
Proverbs 7:11 nkjv
She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home.
Proverbs 7:11 niv
(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
Proverbs 7:11 esv
She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home;
Proverbs 7:11 nlt
She was the brash, rebellious type,
never content to stay at home.
Proverbs 7 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:3 | For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end, she is bitter as wormwood... | Introduction to the deceptive nature of the forbidden woman. |
| Prov 6:26 | ...because of a harlot a man is reduced to a loaf of bread, and an adulteress hunts for the precious life. | Highlights her predatory nature, "hunts for the precious life." |
| Prov 7:12 | Now in the street, now in the squares, lurking at every corner. | Directly continues, detailing her public presence, confirming her street-roaming. |
| Prov 9:13 | The woman Folly is loud; she is ignorant and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house on a seat in the high places of the city... | Direct parallel: Lady Folly shares "loud" characteristic, sits publically. |
| Prov 11:22 | A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout. | Links physical beauty with a lack of good sense/character, similar lack of order. |
| Prov 21:9 | Better to live on a corner of a housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. | Relates to the domestic disorder and strife caused by unruly women. |
| Prov 25:24 | It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house with a quarrelsome wife. | Repetition of the preference for peace over quarrelsome cohabitation. |
| Prov 27:15 | A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike... | Describes the relentless trouble caused by an unruly woman. |
| 1 Sam 25:3 | Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings; he was a Calebite. | Contrast: Abigail is "discerning" and "beautiful," representing wise behavior. |
| Isa 3:16-17 | The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go... | Prophetic warning against ostentatious and unrestrained public female behavior. |
| Jer 2:33 | "How gracefully you direct your steps to seek love! So even to wicked women you have taught your ways." | Figuratively refers to Israel's unfaithful pursuit of idols as spiritual adultery. |
| Hos 4:12-14 | "My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles... Therefore your daughters commit whoredom, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery." | Shows how spiritual idolatry leads to physical promiscuity and unrestrained behavior. |
| Mt 5:28 | But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. | Expands on the internal nature of sin related to lust, relevant to avoiding the snare. |
| 1 Cor 6:18 | Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. | General command to avoid immorality, highlighting its destructive nature. |
| 1 Cor 7:34 | And there is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit; but she who is married cares about the things of the world... | Contrasts focus: dedicated vs. worldly. Indirectly supports a focused, modest lifestyle. |
| Eph 5:22-24 | Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church... | Emphasizes order and submission within the home, contrasting the rebellious spirit. |
| 1 Tim 2:9-10 | Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control... not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness... | Instruction on modesty and proper attire, which contrasts with the showy display of the strange woman. |
| 1 Tim 5:13-14 | Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. So I would have younger widows marry... | Warns against idleness and wandering outside the home, leading to harmful activities. |
| Tit 2:3-5 | Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home... | Direct instruction for women to be "working at home" and "self-controlled," direct antithesis to Prov 7:11. |
| 1 Pet 3:1-4 | Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands... Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit... | Emphasizes inner spiritual beauty and a "gentle and quiet spirit" over external show and boisterousness. |
Proverbs 7 verses
Proverbs 7 11 Meaning
Proverbs 7:11 vividly describes the characteristics of the "strange woman" or adulteress, highlighting her boisterous, rebellious nature and her restless inclination to be away from her home. This portrayal signifies her moral disorder, disregard for societal and divine order, and her constant availability in public spaces to ensnare the unsuspecting. Her loud and unruly demeanor sets her apart from a woman of modesty and virtue, while her aversion to domesticity reveals her true intent as a huntress of victims in the streets.
Proverbs 7 11 Context
Proverbs chapter 7 is a vivid cautionary tale from a father to his son, warning him against the deceptive allure of the adulteress. This chapter is part of a larger section in Proverbs (chapters 1-9) which personifies Wisdom as a virtuous woman inviting young men to life, and Folly as a harlot luring them to death. Verse 11 introduces the physical and behavioral characteristics of this dangerous woman, setting the stage for the graphic encounter detailed in the following verses (Prov 7:13-27). Her "loud and rebellious" nature contrasts sharply with the quiet wisdom promoted throughout the book. Historically and culturally, in ancient Near Eastern society, a virtuous woman's domain was largely her household. Public spaces, especially after dark, were often the domain of women of loose morals, making her street-roaming a clear indicator of her character and intentions. The polemic is against any behavior that disrupts societal order, familial integrity, and personal piety.
Proverbs 7 11 Word analysis
- She: Refers to the "strange woman," also translated as "adulteress," "foreigner," or "forbidden woman" (Prov 5:3; 6:24; 7:5). She represents a destructive influence, embodying Folly in contrast to Lady Wisdom (Prov 9:13).
- is loud (הוּמִיָּה - hômîyyâ): From a root meaning to make a loud noise, confuse, disturb. Describes her as boisterous, tumultuous, clamorous, lacking in self-control and modesty. It suggests an attention-seeking behavior, inappropriate for a virtuous woman, whose beauty should be a "gentle and quiet spirit" (1 Pet 3:4).
- and rebellious (סוֹרֵרָה - sōrērâ): From the root sarar, meaning to be stubborn, refractory, wayward, disobedient. This signifies an untamed spirit, a defiant nature that rejects order, restraint, and established authority (familial, societal, and divine). Such a spirit indicates a heart unwilling to submit to God's ways or human order.
- her feet (רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ - ragleihā): Emphasizes her actions and movements. Her literal mobility highlights her metaphorical straying from the path of righteousness and discretion.
- do not remain (לֹא־יִשְׁקֹט֖וּ - lō'-yišqōṭû): From shaqat, meaning to be quiet, at peace, settled, or resting. The negation indicates restlessness, inability to settle down, constantly on the move. Her life is characterized by instability and lack of domesticity.
- at home / in her house (בְּבֵיתָהּ - bĕḇêṯāh): Her proper sphere of influence and activity according to the societal norms of the time. This phrase implies she forsakes her duties and protection within her own dwelling to roam publicly, making herself available for immoral purposes. Her absence from the home underscores her pursuit of illicit encounters, in direct contrast to the virtuous woman who manages her household (Prov 31:27, Tit 2:5).
Words-group analysis
- "She is loud and rebellious": This pairing depicts a person whose character is fundamentally disordered. "Loud" speaks to external behavior – a lack of feminine grace and self-control. "Rebellious" points to an internal attitude – a stubborn unwillingness to submit to appropriate boundaries or divine standards. This double description reveals her open defiance and lack of virtue, making her conspicuous and dangerous.
- "her feet do not remain at home": This phrase directly describes her actions. Her constant wandering illustrates her unavailability for domestic duties and her persistent presence in public spaces, making her accessible and inviting to potential victims. It reveals a lifestyle of seeking external engagement, particularly illicit ones, rather than tending to internal responsibilities, which was culturally normative for a woman of good repute.
Proverbs 7 11 Bonus section
The description of the "strange woman" in Proverbs 7 serves not only as a warning against sexual sin but also as a powerful allegorical portrayal of "Folly" herself. Lady Folly, like the adulteress, is also depicted as "loud" (Prov 9:13) and publicly accessible, inviting the simple-minded to a path that leads to death. This allegorical link elevates the warning beyond mere physical adultery to encompass spiritual apostasy—departing from God's wisdom and choosing rebellion against His established ways. The domestic sphere, abandoned by the "strange woman," represents order, protection, and right living within God's covenant, while her wandering signifies a spiritual journey into chaos and moral compromise. Thus, this verse implicitly reinforces the importance of spiritual rootedness, humility, and submission to divine order for all believers.
Proverbs 7 11 Commentary
Proverbs 7:11 presents a striking contrast to the quiet dignity and domestic stability expected of a virtuous woman. The adulteress is characterized by an absence of inner tranquility and a contempt for established boundaries. Her "loudness" indicates a lack of modesty and discretion, betraying a boisterous and perhaps brazen public persona. Her "rebellious" spirit signifies an unwillingness to conform to divine or social order, demonstrating an obstinate pursuit of self-will. This spiritual unrest manifests physically: her feet "do not remain at home." The home, for a virtuous woman, was her primary domain of responsibility, safety, and reputation. Her restless feet denote her absence from this sphere, her pursuit of life outside, in places where she can carry out her predatory designs, contrasting sharply with the diligence of the Proverbs 31 woman. This verse, therefore, does not just describe behavior but exposes a deep moral and spiritual corruption—a soul untethered from wisdom, order, and righteousness, actively seeking to lead others astray. Practically, this teaches that unrestrained living and abandonment of proper spheres of influence often lead to destructive paths.