Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 7:14
[I have] peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows.
14. with me ] Lit. upon me, as A.V. marg., which may either and more probably mean, I am, as it were, loaded with them, you have come just when I wanted you, because there is abundance of good cheer in my house; or, they were incumbent upon me, due from me (R.V. marg.).
The flesh of “peace-offerings for thanksgiving” was to be eaten on the day on which it was offered; but if it were “a vow, or a freewill offering,” what remained might be eaten on the morrow (Lev 7:15-16). She would represent him therefore as having happily lighted on her feast-day, when she was looking out and longing for his company.
It is most unnatural to suppose that a foreign woman would thus accommodate herself to Jewish religious customs and seasons, especially when it is remembered that the example of accommodation set by the Court was quite the other way (1Ki 11:1-8). On the other hand, the desecration of sacred Seasons and religious Festivals to secular or even sinful purposes, which was only too common in Israel (Isa 1:11-15; Amo 5:21-22), might only too easily find a parallel in Christian times and countries.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
This pretence of a religious feast gives us an insight into some strange features of popular religion under the monarchy of Judah. The harlot uses the technical word Lev 3:1 for the peace-offerings, and makes them the starting-point for her sin. They have to be eaten on the same day that they are offered Lev 7:15-16, and she invites her victim to the feast. She who speaks is a foreigner who, under a show of conformity to the religion of Israel, still retains her old notions (see Pro 2:16 note), and a feast-day to her is nothing but a time of self-indulgence, which she may invite another to share with her. If we assume, as probable, that these harlots of Jerusalem were mainly of Phoenician origin, the connection of their worship with their sin would be but the continuation of their original cultus.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. I have peace-offerings with me] More literally, “the sacrifices of the peace-offerings are with me.” Peace-offerings, shelamim, were offerings the spiritual design of which was to make peace between God and man, to make up the breach between them which sin had occasioned; See Clarke on Le 7:38, where every kind of sacrifice offered under the law is explained. When the blood of these was poured out at the altar, and the fat burnt there, the breast and right shoulder were the priest’s portion; but the rest of the carcass belonged to the sacrificer, who might carry it home, and make a feast to his friends. See Le 3:1-11. Much light is cast on this place by the fact that the gods in many parts of the East are actually worshipped in brothels, and fragments of the offerings are divided among the wretches who fall into the snare of the prostitutes.-WARD’S Customs.
Have I payed my vows] She seems to insinuate that she had made a vow for the health and safety of this young man; and having done so, and prepared the sacrificial banquet, came actually out to seek him, that he might partake of it with her, Pr 7:15. But, as she intended to proceed farther than mere friendship, she was obliged to avail herself of the night season, and the absence of her husband.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I have paid my peace-offerings which I had vowed; whereby she signifies, either,
1. That she was no common harlot, but one of good repute for religion. Or rather,
2. That she had plentiful and excellent provisions at her house for his entertainment. For the peace-offerings were to be of the best flesh, Lev 22:21, and a considerable part of these offerings fell to the offerers share, wherewith they used to feast themselves and their friends; see Lev 2:3, &c.; Lev 7:31, &c.; Lev 19:6, &c.; Lev 22:30, &c.; whereas the burnt-offerings where wholly consumed, and the flesh of the sin-offerings and trespass-offerings belonged to the priest.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
[I have] peace offerings with me,…. Meaning at her house. These peace offerings were of the eucharistic kind; they were offered by way of thanksgiving for favours received; the greatest part of which, all excepting the fat on the kidneys, the rump of the sheep, the breast and right shoulder, which were the priest’s, were returned to the offerers to feast upon with their friends, and were to be eaten the same day, Le 7:11. This she said to show that she was no common strumpet, or that prostituted herself for gain; that she was a sufficient housewife, had a considerable affluence of life, her substance greatly increased, for which she had made her thank offering that day; that she wanted nothing of him but his company, and the enjoyment of him; and that she had good cheer to regale him with. She was properly , “a holy” religious harlot, as the word sometimes signifies; and such is the church of Rome, which makes great pretensions to devotion and religion, yet is the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth, Re 17:5;
this day have I paid my vows; not on account of the young man, and for his health, and for meeting with him; for those vows were not now made to be paid, but were made and paid already: but her vows of peace offerings and thanksgivings, which, as she had promised, she had performed. Under this point may be reckoned the vows of virginity and celibacy, through a show of which the most shocking iniquities are committed by the members of the church of Rome.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
She laid hold on him and kissed him, both of which actions were shameless, and then, assuming the passivity and modesty befitting the woman, and disregarding morality and the law, she said to the youth:
14 “To bring peace-offerings was binding upon me,
To-day have I redeemed my vows.
15 Therefore am I come out to meet thee,
To seek thy face, and have found thee.”
We have translated “peace-offerings,” proceeding on the principle that (sing. only Amo 5:22, and on the Phoenician altar at Marseilles) denotes contracting friendship with one (from , to hold friendly relationship), and then the gifts having this in view; for the idea of this kind of offering is the attestation and confirmation of communion with God. But in view of the derivatives and , it is perhaps more appropriate to combine with , to discharge perfectly, and to translate it thank-payment-offering, or with v. Hofmann, a due-offering, where not directly thank-offering; for the proper eucharistic offering, which is the expression of thanks on a particular occasion, is removed from the species of the Shelamim by the addition of the words (Lev 7:12-25). The characteristic of the Shelamim is the division of the flesh of the sacrifice between Jahve and His priests on the one side, and the person (or persons) bringing it on the other side: only one part of the flesh of the sacrifice was Jahve’s, consumed by fire (Lev 3:16); the priests received one part; those who brought the offering received back another part as it were from the altar of God, that they might eat it with holy joy along with their household. So here the adulteress says that there was binding upon her, in consequence of a vow she had taken, the duty of presenting peace-offerings, or offerings that were due; to-day (she reckons the day in the sense of the dies civilis from night to night) she has performed her duties, and the have yielded much to her that she might therewith regale him, her true lover; for with she means to say that even the prospect of the gay festival which she can prepare for him moved her thus to meet him. This address of the woman affords us a glimpse into the history of the customs of those times. The Shelamim meals degenerated in the same manner as our Kirmsen .
(Note: Kirmse = anniversary of the dedication of a church, village fte.)
Secularization lies doubly near to merrymaking when the law sanctions this, and it can conceal itself behind the mask of piety. Regarding , a more exact word for , vid., at Pro 1:28. To seek the countenance of one is equivalent to to seek his person, himself, but yet not without reference to the wished-for look [ aspectus ] of the person.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(14) I have peace offerings with me.Rather, upon me, i.e., I had vowed them, and to-day I have accomplished my vow. The peace-, or thank-offering as it is also rendered, was purely voluntary, in token of thanksgiving for some mercy. The breast and right shoulder of the victim were given to the priest, and the rest belonged to the offerer, who was thus admitted, as it were, to feast with God (Leviticus 3, 7), profanation of this privilege being punished with death. Peace-offerings were accordingly offered on occasions of national rejoicing, as at the inauguration of the covenant (Exo. 24:5), at the accession of Saul (1Sa. 11:15), and at the bringing up of the ark to Zion (2Sa. 6:17), &c. This turning of what should have been a religious festival for the family into an occasion for license, is paralleled by the desecration of the Agap at Corinth (1Co. 11:20 sqq.) and the history of Church-feasts among ourselves. (For the spiritual interpretation of this passage as symbolising false doctrine, see Bishop Wordsworth; and also Notes on Pro. 2:16-19 above.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Peace offerings with me Most critics prefer, are upon me, or, have been upon me; that is, are due, or have been due, in the fulfillment of vows. Comp. Lev 3:1; Lev 3:3; Lev 3:6; Lev 3:9. Conant prefers peace offerings are by me; the feast is already prepared. Of these peace sacrifices the worshipper partook. The breast and the right shoulder belonged to the priest; the rest of the carcass the worshipper might carry home to enjoy with his friends. It had to be eaten the same day. (See Lev 7:15-16.) This vile woman, whether Hebrew, or, as others suppose, Phoenician, pretends to piety and religious vows; that she had that day offered sacrifices, with a portion of which she had made a rich feast in token of her joy and gratitude for the blessings of providence, and only waited some good company to participate in her pleasant cheer.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Capturing the Mind – After she gets the man’s attention by arousing his five sense-gates (Pro 7:10-13) she then has access to his mind (Pro 7:14-21). She now uses reason in an attempt to gain access to his heart. She stimulates his imagination in order to manipulate his reason. This is because our reason follows our imagination. If she can just get him into her bed and spend time with him, she knows that she can win his heart over to her and bring him into bondage with his passion for her. She gains control over his mind in the street, but she wins his heart in the bed. This is why she had prepared her bed so carefully. For this is where the final and most decisive part of her seduction will take place. Once she captures his heart, she gains access to his strength, which will yield up its wealth to her; for this material gain was her destination.
Just as wisdom teaches us that we must first renew our mind and let God’s Word be hidden in our hearts so that we have the wisdom to direct our bodies to walk down the path of life and godliness, so does the adulteress follow the same method of capturing her victim. She first enters his sense gates and captures his mind and imagination on the street. She then captures his heart in the bed. They she is able to direct his body to yield up its strength and wealth to her. For this process of renewing the mind, transforming the heart, and directing the body is how we are created, and it works for the purpose of doing good, or for doing evil.
Pro 7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
Pro 7:14
Mat 23:23, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
Pro 7:15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
Pro 7:15
Pro 7:16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
Pro 7:17 Pro 7:16-17
Pro 7:18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
Pro 7:16-18
Son 4:16 to Son 5:1, “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.”
Pro 7:19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
Pro 7:20 Pro 7:21 Pro 7:21
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Pro 7:14. I have peace-offerings with me This woman was the more abominable, as she covered her lewdness with the mask of piety and devotion. There were three sorts of peace-offerings. See Lev 7:11; Lev 12:8. Bishop Patrick takes these mentioned here to have been the last of them; offerings of thanksgiving for blessings already obtained; not of prayer for blessings not yet received: and his reason is, because she was so solicitous to have company at her feast upon this very day. Every body knows that such sacrifices were to be of the best; either of bullocks, sheep, or goats (Lev 6:12.); and that the greatest part of them fell to the share of the person who offered them, that he might feast with God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 7:14 [I have] peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
Ver. 14. I have peace offerings. ] Sacris abutitur, ut sceleratis mos est; a she pretends religion to her filthy practices. So did those wicked women that lay with Eli’s sons at the door of the tabernacle. 1Sa 2:22 So did King Edward IV’s holy whore, as he used to call her, b that came to him out of a nunnery when he used to call for her. And such were those kedesheth, or common whores, so called in Hebrew, because such abomination was committed under a pretext of religion. Gen 38:21 Deu 23:17 But what an odd thing was that of David, that would not lie with Bathsheba till purified! Doth he make conscience of ceremonial, and none of moral purity?
This day have I paid my vows.
a Mercer.
b Speed.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I have peace offerings with me: Heb. Peace-offerings are upon me, Pro 15:8, Pro 17:1, Pro 21:27, Lev 7:15, Deu 12:6, Deu 12:7
this: 2Sa 15:7-9, 1Ki 21:9, 1Ki 21:10, Joh 18:28
Reciprocal: Lev 3:1 – a sacrifice Lev 22:21 – to accomplish Num 7:23 – General Jer 7:10 – come Jam 5:5 – as in
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pro 7:14. I have peace-offerings with me I am a woman happy in many blessings, which God hath bestowed upon me, and for which I have given him solemn thanks this very day; and, as religion and custom bind me, I have provided as good a feast as those sacrifices, which I formerly vowed, and have now paid, would afford, having no want of any thing, but of some good company at home to rejoice with me. This womans conduct was the more abominable, as she covered her lewdness with the mask of piety and devotion. There were three sorts of peace-offerings, as appears by Lev 7:11-16; and Bishop Patrick is of opinion that those here mentioned were offerings of thanksgiving for blessings already obtained, and not of prayer for blessings not yet received, because the woman was so solicitous to have company at her feast upon this very day. It is well known that such sacrifices were to be of the best, either of bullocks, or sheep, or goats, (Lev 3:1; Lev 3:6; Lev 3:12,) and that the greatest part of them fell to the share of the person who offered them that he might feast with God. It will not appear wonderful, says Mr. Scott, that these sacred ordinances should give occasion to carnal feasts attended with every vice, when we reflect how all kinds of sensuality are indulged in, among professing Christians in our day, under pretence of commemorating the nativity of Christ, who was manifested to destroy the works of the devil.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7:14 [I have] {e} peace offerings with me; this {f} day have I paid my vows.
(e) Because in peace offerings a portion is returned to them that offered, she shows him that she has meat at home to make good cheer with or else she would use some cloak of holiness till she had gotten him in her snares.
(f) Which declares that harlots outwardly will seem holy and religious: both because they may better deceive others, and also thinking to observe ceremonies and offerings to make satisfaction for their sins.