Proverbs 9:13-18

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about the woman Folly:

Proverbs 9:13-18 (ESV Strong's)

The woman Folly is loud;

she is seductive and knows nothing.

She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,

calling to those who pass by,

who are going straight on their way,

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”

And to him who lacks sense she says,

“Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

But he does not know that the dead are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

To sum up this proverb we could say:   Folly Calls As Loud As Wisdom - But with Different Results

The theme of chapters eight and nine of Proverbs is that Wisdom is calling out to all who want to lay hold over her.  Wisdom is personified as a woman who is calling to the simply and naive, asking them to turn into her.  She (wisdom) has laid out her instruction and understanding for all who, by faith, seek her.  But, this section closes with Folly (also personified as a woman ... a harlot) who is calling to all who pass by.    She, too, is making herself available.   Folly however, seeks different results.  Folly wishes to trap us.   Folly’s end is destruction and death.   This fits the New Testament message of Paul who states:

Romans 6:23 (ESV Strong's)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The way of folly is known to all, but her seductive speech brings many a naive into her trap.   That is because she makes sin taste so sweet.   It is not, but she makes it sound sweet.   We have to beware of Folly’s allure.  It starts out sweet and desirable but ends in sadness and death.