Proverbs

Proverbs 7:21–27

²¹With her great persuasion she entices him;

with her flattering lips she lures him.

²²He follows her on impulse,

like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer bounding into a trap,^b

²³until an arrow pierces his liver,

like a bird darting into a snare—

not knowing it will cost him his life.

²⁴Now, my sons, listen to me,

and attend to the words of my mouth.

²⁵Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths.

²⁶For she has brought many down to death;

her slain are many in number.

²⁷Her house is the road to Sheol,

descending to the chambers of death.

Footnotes

b 7:22 Probable reading (see LXX, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew like fetters to discipline a fool

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
With her great	בְּרֹ֣ב	bə·rōḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
persuasion	לִקְחָ֑הּ	liq·ḥāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H3948 learning, teaching
she entices him	הִ֭טַּתּוּ	hiṭ·ṭat·tū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine singular	H5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
with her flattering	בְּחֵ֥לֶק	bə·ḥê·leq	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2506 portion, tract, territory
lips	שְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יהָ	śə·p̲ā·t̲ê·hā	Noun - feminine dual construct; third person feminine singular	H8193 lip, speech, edge
she lures him	תַּדִּיחֶֽנּוּ׃	tad·dî·ḥen·nū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine singular	H5080 impel, thrust, banish

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He follows her	ה֤וֹלֵ֥ךְ	hō·w·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
on impulse	פִּ֫תְאֹ֥ם	piṯ·’ōm	Adverb	H6597 suddenness
like an ox	כְּ֭שׁוֹר	kə·šō·wr	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H7794 head of cattle
going	יָב֑וֹא	yā·ḇō·w	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the slaughter	טָ֣בַח	ṭå̄·ḇaḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H2874 slaughtering, slaughter
like a deer	אֱוִֽיל׃	’ĕ·wîl	Noun - masculine singular	H191 foolish
bounding	וּ֝כְעֶ֗כֶס	ū·ḵə·‘e·ḵes	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H5914 anklet, bangle
into	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
a trap	מוּסַ֥ר	mū·sar	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4148 discipline

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
until	עַ֤ד	‘aḏ	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
an arrow	חֵ֡ץ	ḥêṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H2671 arrow
pierces	יְפַלַּ֪ח	yə·p̄al·laḥ	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6398 cleave
his liver	כְּֽבֵד֗וֹ	kə·ḇê·ḏōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3516 liver
like a bird	צִפּ֣וֹר	ṣip·pō·wr	Noun - common singular	H6833 bird
darting	כְּמַהֵ֣ר	kə·ma·hêr	Preposition-k; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H4116 hasten
into	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
a snare	פָּ֑ח	pāḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H6341 bird-trap
not	וְלֹֽא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
knowing	יָ֝דַ֗ע	yā·ḏa‘	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
it	הֽוּא׃פ	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
will cost him his life	בְנַפְשׁ֥וֹ	ḇə·nap̄·šōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now	וְעַתָּ֣ה	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
my sons	בָ֭נִים	ḇā·nîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1121 son
listen	שִׁמְעוּ־	šim·‘ū-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H8085 hear
to me	לִ֑י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
and attend	וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבוּ	wə·haq·šî·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural	H7181 incline, attend
to the words	לְאִמְרֵי־	lə·’im·rê-	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct	H561 something said
of my mouth	פִֽי׃	p̄î	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6310 mouth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
let your heart	לִבֶּ֑ךָ	lib·be·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
turn aside	יֵ֣שְׂטְ	yê·śəṭ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H7847 turn aside
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
her ways	דְּרָכֶ֣יהָ	də·rā·ḵe·hā	Noun - common plural construct; third person feminine singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
stray	תֵּ֝תַע	tê·ṯa‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular	H8582 err
into her paths	בִּנְתִיבוֹתֶֽיהָ׃	bin·ṯî·ḇō·w·ṯe·hā	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H5410 path, pathway

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
she has brought many	רַבִּ֣ים	rab·bîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great
down	הִפִּ֑ילָה	hip·pî·lāh	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H5307 fall, lie
to death	חֲלָלִ֣ים	ḥă·lā·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H2491 pierced
her slain	הֲרֻגֶֽיהָ׃	hă·ru·ḡe·hā	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H2026 kill, slay
are many	וַ֝עֲצֻמִ֗ים	wa·‘ă·ṣu·mîm	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine plural	H6099 mighty, numerous
in number	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Her house	בֵּיתָ֑הּ	bê·ṯāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H1004 house
is the road	דַּרְכֵ֣י	dar·ḵê	Noun - common plural construct	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
to Sheol	שְׁא֣וֹל	šə·’ō·wl	Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld
descending	יֹ֝רְד֗וֹת	yō·rə·ḏō·wṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural	H3381 come or go down, descend
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the chambers	חַדְרֵי־	ḥaḏ·rê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H2315 chamber, room
of death	מָֽוֶת׃פ	mā·weṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H4194 death