What does Proverbs 7:25 mean?
Solomon understood that obedience or disobedience is a matter of the heart. If his sons loved his teachings, they would obey them and not go astray. He mentions specifically the sins of turning aside to the prostitute's ways and straying into her paths. The foolish young man he had described earlier had done both. He turned aside from the street near her corner and took the road to her house (Proverbs 7:7–8). After succumbing to her smooth, flattering words and appealing looks (Proverbs 7:10–20), he went astray, and followed her to her boudoir (Proverbs 7:21–23), resulting in all the disasters which accompany adultery. While adultery is the thematic element of this passage, the general concept of sin—whether it's greed, anger, or idolatry—comes with the same dangers.If we receive Jesus' words into our hearts, we will follow Him wherever He leads. Christ referred to His sheep in John 10:3 as hearing His voice. In verse 4 He declared that He goes before His sheep, and His sheep follow Him. The Lord, the Good Shepherd, never leads His people astray. He always leads them by the still waters, in the paths of righteousness; and even when they walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with them (Psalm 23:2–5).
Proverbs 7:24–27 concludes another plea from Solomon, urging his sons to heed and keep his words. Most recently, he described a specific situation in which the wisdom of his words should have been applied. He referred to the temptation of being drawn into an adulterous relationship. Now he concludes Proverbs 7 as he began: urging his son to heed his words. He explains that failure to do so leads to a fall into adultery with its devastating consequences.
Repeating a theme common to the early chapters of Proverbs, Solomon once again presents a dire warning about the dangers of adultery. This comes in the form of a story about a foolish young man being seduced by a predatory woman. Solomon says this is something he has seen—meaning this is likely a summary of many such examples he has witnessed in his life. The result of these reckless sins is misery and death, for both men and women alike.
