Proverbs 7 27

Proverbs 7:27 kjv

Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 7:27 nkjv

Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 7:27 niv

Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 7:27 esv

Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 7:27 nlt

Her house is the road to the grave.
Her bedroom is the den of death.

Proverbs 7 27 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Deut 30:19I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life...Choosing paths: life vs. death consequences.
Ps 1:6For the Lord knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.God discerns ways, the wicked's path leads to ruin.
Ps 49:14Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them...Death's dominion over those without wisdom.
Ps 116:3The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me...Describing the anguish of approaching Sheol.
Prov 2:18For her house inclines unto death, and her paths unto the dead.Earlier warning against the same woman and path.
Prov 5:5Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.Further reinforces the downward trajectory to destruction.
Prov 5:23He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.Death due to rejection of wisdom.
Prov 9:18But he knows not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.Folly's invitation leads to guests of Sheol.
Eccl 9:10Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device... in the grave...Finality and irreversibility of death.
Isa 5:14Therefore Sheol has enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure...Sheol's insatiable nature, consuming many.
Matt 7:13-14Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction...Two paths, one to life, one to destruction.
Rom 1:32Who knowing the judgment of God... commit such things, are worthy of death...God's judgment against ungodliness leads to death.
Rom 6:21What fruit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.Sin's ultimate fruit and consequence is death.
Rom 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life...The ultimate payment for sin is death.
Gal 6:8For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption...Sowing to the flesh (immorality) yields destruction.
Eph 5:5For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person... has any inheritance...No inheritance in God's kingdom for the immoral.
Heb 13:4Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.God's judgment against sexual immorality.
Jas 1:15Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.The progression of sin to death.
Rev 21:8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable... shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire...Final spiritual death and judgment for the wicked.

Proverbs 7 verses

Proverbs 7 27 Meaning

Proverbs 7:27 provides a stark and ultimate warning: the alluring, immoral woman's entire domain and way of life directly lead to destruction. Her "house" represents her sphere of influence and the path she offers, which ultimately descends into the realm of the dead (Sheol) and its deepest confines. It signifies not merely physical death, but a profound and inescapable spiritual and existential ruin, emphasizing the fatal consequence of yielding to sexual temptation and ungodly folly.

Proverbs 7 27 Context

Proverbs 7 is a vivid and extended warning from a father to his son against the perils of the "strange woman," a personification of seductive folly and sexual immorality. The chapter intricately details her methods: her cunning speech, her flattering lips, her impudence, her deceptive promises, and her calculated lures. The verse 7:27 serves as the climactic conclusion to this cautionary narrative, stripping away the initial appeal of her proposition and revealing the absolute, destructive reality that lies beyond. Historically and culturally, this instruction was vital in a society where fidelity and the purity of the family lineage were paramount, and where idolatrous practices sometimes involved ritual prostitution. The wisdom imparted is a direct challenge to the superficial allure of sin, drawing a clear boundary between the way of life found in obedience to God's commands and the path of destruction taken by those who succumb to worldly desires.

Proverbs 7 27 Word analysis

  • Her house (בֵּיתָהּ, beitah): This refers not only to a literal dwelling place but signifies her entire way of life, her domain, her sphere of influence, and the corrupt environment she cultivates. It is the core of her identity and the place where her destructive influence is exercised. The structure implies a fixed destination and a system she operates within.
  • Is the way (דֶּרֶךְ, derekh): Derekh means "road," "path," or "course." It indicates a journey or a lifestyle. It implies a chosen direction or habituated progression. It is not an accidental detour but the inherent nature of where her influence leads.
  • To hell (שְׁאוֹל, Sheol): In this Old Testament context, Sheol typically refers to the grave, the underworld, the realm of the dead, or cessation of life. It is a place of no return, where both righteous and wicked go upon death. Here, in a wisdom text contrasting paths of life and death, it emphatically represents ultimate destruction, decay, and the absolute termination of earthly existence and human flourishing. It implies finality and absence from the land of the living, which in turn means absence from God's active presence.
  • Going down (יוֹרְדֹות, yoredot): An active participle, denoting a continuous or habitual descent. This highlights the gradual, insidious nature of falling into sin's traps. It's not a sudden plunge, but a steady, progressive lowering from the heights of wisdom and life to the depths of destruction. It suggests a progressive deterioration.
  • To the chambers (חַדְרֵי, chadrey): Plural of cheder, meaning "room" or "inner chamber." This evokes a sense of confinement, privacy, and inescapable intimacy with destruction. It suggests deep, hidden places, beyond mere accessibility, reinforcing the inescapable nature of the destination.
  • Of death (מָוֶת, mavet): This refers to ultimate mortality, lifelessness, and ruin. When combined with "chambers," it paints a picture of being deeply and perpetually confined within death's domain, beyond recovery or escape. It speaks to a profound and irreversible destruction of one's life.

Proverbs 7 27 Bonus section

The verse effectively functions as a sharp, unavoidable culmination to the seduction narrative, cutting through all the preceding deceptive flattery. It emphasizes that while folly may seem to offer pleasure and excitement, its true identity is death's escort. This direct confrontation with the ultimate consequence reveals the moral argument's depth in Proverbs: not merely against bad behavior, but against a way of life fundamentally opposed to God's order and design, a path that invariably leads to desolation. It reinforces the wisdom teacher's core message that discerning wisdom means recognizing the hidden end of paths that appear pleasant but are truly destructive.

Proverbs 7 27 Commentary

Proverbs 7:27 serves as a grave summary of the preceding narrative's warning against sexual immorality. The verse graphically unveils the ultimate destination hidden beneath the veneer of seduction: the adulterous woman's tempting offers lead inevitably to Sheol, the realm of the dead. This isn't merely a threat of physical demise, but signifies spiritual death, moral ruin, and utter destruction of one's potential and well-being. The "way" emphasizes a chosen lifestyle or a progressive journey that begins subtly but culminates in utter ruin. The "chambers of death" vividly portray a profound, inescapable entrapment, a hidden and terrible end where life is suffocated. This chilling conclusion underscores the father's fervent plea: every step into sin, however seemingly minor or alluring, is a step closer to irretrievable loss. It warns that superficial charm masks deep, fatal consequences, teaching the listener that the true cost of ungodly indulgence is a life forfeited to eternal barrenness and separation from divine blessing. For the young man, the lesson is clear: turn away immediately, for there is no partial surrender; to enter her house is to embark on a path that descends only to death.