The Meaning of Proverbs 22:14 Explained

Proverbs 22:14

KJV: The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

YLT: A deep pit is the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.

Darby: The mouth of strange women is a deep ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.

ASV: The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: He that is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall therein.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The mouth  of strange women  [is] a deep  pit:  he that is abhorred  of the LORD  shall fall  therein. 

What does Proverbs 22:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 22:1-16 - "he That Loveth Pureness Of Heart"
Great riches are not always a great blessing. When they are held in trust for God, they afford the opportunity of giving a vast amount of happiness to the benefactor as well as to those benefited. But we recall other riches, which do not consist in what a man has, but in what he is. There are four levels of human experience-to have, to do, to know, and to be-and these in their order are like iron, silver, gold, precious stones.
Some of these riches are enumerated here: a good name and loving favor, Proverbs 22:1; the faith that hides in God, Proverbs 22:3; true humility and godly fear, Proverbs 22:4; the child-heart, Proverbs 22:6; the beautiful eye and open hand, Proverbs 22:9; purity of heart and thought, Proverbs 22:11; alacrity and diligence, Proverbs 22:13. If only we would cultivate the inward graces and gifts of our soul-life, all who feel our influence would be proportionately enriched. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 22

1  A good name is more desirable than great wealth

What do the individual words in Proverbs 22:14 mean?

[is] a pit deep the mouth of an immoral woman He who is abhorred by Yahweh - will fall there
שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲ֭מֻקָּה פִּ֣י זָר֑וֹת זְע֥וּם יְ֝הוָ֗ה [יפול־] (יִפָּל־) שָֽׁם

שׁוּחָ֣ה  [is]  a  pit 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שׁוּחָה  
Sense: pit.
עֲ֭מֻקָּה  deep 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: עָמֹק  
Sense: deep, mysterious, depths.
פִּ֣י  the  mouth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
זָר֑וֹת  of  an  immoral  woman 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: זוּר 
Sense: to be strange, be a stranger.
זְע֥וּם  He  who  is  abhorred  by 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular construct
Root: זָעַם  
Sense: to denounce, express indignation, be indignant.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
[יפול־]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
(יִפָּל־)  will  fall 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.