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EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

Proverbs 6:1-35

Lessons about wisdom

Proverbs

Keith Simons

Chapter 6

v1 My son, follow this advice when you make a mistake.

Perhaps you promised to pay a neighbour’s debt.

You thought that your neighbour would return your money.

v2 But your plan failed.

So your words became like a trap for an animal.

v3 Follow my advice, and free yourself!

Since your neighbour can hurt you, be humble!

Ask your neighbour to free you!

v4 Do not delay! Do not wait! Do not sleep!

v5 Free yourself! Run, as a wild animal runs from its hunter!

Escape, as a bird flies from a trap!

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See also Proverbs 6:1-35 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER VI _Exhortations against becoming surety for others_, 1-5; _against idleness, from the example of the ant_, 6-11; _description of a worthless person_, 12-15; _seven things hateful to God_,...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SURETY - The “pledge,” or security for payment, which, for example, David was to bring back from his brothers 1 Samuel 17:18. So the word was used in the primitive trade transactions of the early Isra...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The surety (Proverbs 6:1)_ 2. The sluggard (Proverbs 6:6) 3. The naughty, good-for-nothing person (Proverbs 6:12) 4. The strange woman ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    A section totally dissimilar from the rest of this division of Pr. It consists of four short subsections Proverbs 6:1 against suretyship, Proverbs 6:6 against sloth, Proverbs 6:12 against talebearing,...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MY SON. See note on Proverbs 1:8. IF. This word should be supplied at the beginning of each line in Proverbs 6:2, as well as in Proverbs 6:1. FRIEND. neighbour. STRICKEN THY HAND. Idiom for making....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _be surety_ Better, ART BECOME SURETY, R.V. The frequent mention of suretiship in this Book, and the strong terms of warning and reprobation in which it is invariably spoken of, accord well with what...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Eleventh Address. Chap. 6. Proverbs 6:1. _The Surety_ "From the solemn principle announced at the close of the last chapter (Proverbs 6:23) the teacher passes … to illustrate the truth by three exampl...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    MY SON, IF THOU BE SURETY— This and the ten following verses contain precepts oeconomical. The wise man recommends first, not to become surety for another; and, secondly, to avoid idleness: he inculca...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER 6 TEXT Proverbs 6:1-11 1. My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor, If thou hast striken thy hands for a stranger; 2. Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, Thou art tak...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Proverbs 6:1.-Warning against suretiship (Proverbs 6:1); against indolence, by the example of the ant (Prov...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    6:1 friend, (e-10) Or 'neighbour.' so in ver. 3....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    The surety appears to have taken the creditor's hand in the presence of witnesses: cp. 2 Kings 10:15....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DISSUASIVES FROM HURTFUL THINGS Proverbs 6:1 are inserted here from some other collection, and contain warnings against suretyships (1-5), sloth (6-11), falseness (12-15), evils which the Lordhates (1...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    VI. (i)._ Ninth Discourse:_ — _Against Suretyship_ (Proverbs 6:1). (1) IF THOU BE SURETY FOR THY FRIEND. — When the Mosaic Law was instituted, commerce had not been taken up by the Israelites, and th...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    בְּ֭נִי אִם ־עָרַ֣בְתָּ לְ רֵעֶ֑ךָ תָּקַ֖עְתָּ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 7 CERTAIN EXAMPLES OF THE BINDING CHARACTER OF OUR OWN ACTIONS "The surety the sluggard and the worthless person." Proverbs 6:1; Proverbs 6:6; Proverbs 6:12 FROM the solemn principle announc...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    AVOID SURETYSHIP AND SLOTH Proverbs 6:1 A young man, being entreated by his friend to go bond for him, consents, in an easy-going way to become his surety. He promises to be responsible for the other...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The parental exhortations are continued. In this section they are directed against suretyship, indolence, the evil man, and certain specific things which Jehovah hates. The warnings against becoming s...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Hand. Agreements were made by shaking hands, Isaias lxii. 8. (Xenophon, Anab. iii.) --- Stranger. Septuagint, "enemy." He will presently be such, or thy friend's creditor will soon lay hold on thee. B...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS Under the similitude of a surety Solomon opens this chapter, with shewing the consequence of such engagements. He follows up the chapter with divers cautions, which are founded in much wisdo...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1 THROUGH 9. There are two very distinct parts in this book. The first nine Chapter s, which give the great general principles; and the proverbs, properly so...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    MY SON, IF THOU BE SURETY FOR THY FRIEND,.... To another; hast engaged thyself by promise or bond, or both, to pay a debt for him, if he is not able, or if required; or hast laid thyself under obligat...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Ver. 1. _My son, if thou be surety._] The wise man, having exhorted his son to marry, rather than burn, and...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _My son, if thou be surety for_, or _to, thy friend_ Namely, rashly and unadvisedly, without considering for whom, or how the thou dost oblige thyself, or how thou shalt discharge the debt if occasion...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    WARNING AGAINST FOOLISH SURETYSHIP, IDLENESS, AND MALICE...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, pledging himself or giving security for the debts of another, IF THOU HAST STRICKEN THY HAND WITH A STRANGER, giving his hand to any neighbor in need, to any...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 If we live as directed by the word of God, we shall find it profitable even in this present world. We are stewards of our worldly substance, and have to answer to the Lord for our disposal of it;...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PROVERBS CHAPTER 6 A dehortation against suretiship, PROVERBS 6:1. The danger of it, PROVERBS 6:2; and the way of delivery, PROVERBS 6:3. Sluggards reproved by a similitude of the ant,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Proverbs 6:1 son H1121 surety H6148 (H8804) friend H7453 shaken H8628 (H8804) hands H3709 stranger H2114 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    IF HIS SON HAS BECOME SURETY FOR ANOTHER HE SHOULD SEEK TO OBTAIN RELEASE FROM HIS OBLIGATION AT ALL COSTS (PROVERBS 6:1). To become a surety is to guarantee to pay someone else's debts if that person...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Caution against rash suretiship, slothfulness, forwardness, and whoredom. CHARACTERS: God, Solomon, his son. CONCLUSION: Suretiship is to be avoided, because by it poverty and ruin are ofte...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Proverbs 6:1. _If thou be surety for thy friend._ If charity has gained an ascendancy over the judgment, prepare to perform thy covenant. To aid a friend in poverty is a generous deed, it is lending w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _If thou be surety for thy friend._ SOCIAL SURETYSHIPS The principles of domestic, social, and political economy in the Bible are far more wise, as well as righteous, than can be found in human book...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PROVERBS—NOTE ON PROVERBS 6:1 SECURITY. Promising to pay someone else’s debt if he does not pay it is described as a trap in which one’s life is endangered. A person should not put himself in a positi...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES,— Proverbs 6:1. With a stranger, rather, “for” a stranger. PROVERBS 6:3. WHEN THOU ART COME, rather, “for thou hast come.” HUMBLE THYSELF, literally “let thyself be trodden under foot...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION PROVERBS 6:1 The sixth chapter embraces four distinct discourses, each of which is a warning. The subjects treated of are (1) suretyship (Proverbs 6:1); (2) sloth ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    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 b...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 43:9; Genesis 44:32; Genesis 44:33; Hebrews 7:22; Job 17:3;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Surety — Rashly, without considering how thou shalt discharge the debt as occasion require. Otherwise suretyship in some cases may be not only lawful, but an act of justice and charity. Stricken thy h...

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