Proverbs 9:13-18--The Way of Folly

Proverbs 9:13-18
English Standard Version
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The Way of Folly
13 The woman Folly is loud;
    she is seductive and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
    who are going straight on their way,
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
    and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

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Last time, we talked about the way of Wisdom, today we will talk about the way of Folly and contras them.  Folly (or Foolishness) is loud, seductive, and ignorant.  Unlike Wisdom that is found at the city gate engaging in business and discourse, Folly sits by the door of her house doing nothing but sitting there waiting to seduce people who can see her.  Folly makes sure everyone can see her too--making sure that she takes her seat in the highest places in town (pride and arrogance) so that everyone who passes by can see and hear her.  She calls to those on the straight and narrow path that they might turn aside to her crooked ways.

Her call is like this, "Whoever is dimple, let him turn in here."  The simple-minded man is the man who lacks wisdom and understanding that comes from the LORD.  She also calls out to those without sense, telling them, "Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."  This probably refers back to sexual sin as Solomon used water as a metaphor for his wife at home verses that adulterous woman and tells his son, "Drink water from your own cistern."  There is no such thing as secret sin that God does not see, even if you commit the sin in the shadows of the deepest, darkest, moonless night.  God can see everything not only done in secret, but though and fanaticized about in secret.

Those who turn aside to the woman Folly does not know that the way she calls him to is the way of death, destruction, condemnation, and damnation.   Her guests are in the depts of Sheol, the Grave, the holding place for the unrighteous who are awaiting final judgment.