Proverbs 23:27 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 23:27 mean?

Proverbs 23:27 warns that a prostitute is like a deep ditch and a “strange woman” (meaning a woman outside one’s marriage or community) is like a narrow pit, both images suggesting danger and entrapment. The verse uses these comparisons to caution readers about the real risks and consequences of getting involved with such women.

In the setting of Proverbs, a father is speaking to his son, offering practical advice about avoiding sexual immorality. The “deep ditch” and “narrow pit” are vivid images from everyday life in ancient Israel, where falling into such places could mean injury or death. The verse is part of a larger section warning against temptations that can ruin a person’s life.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 23:27

• The word “whore” is זֹנָה (zonah), which refers to a prostitute or someone who is sexually promiscuous. This word carries a strong warning about the dangers associated with such relationships.
• “Deep” is עָמֹק (amok), meaning something hard to escape from or get out of, emphasizing the seriousness of the danger.
• “Ditch” is שַׁחַת (shachat), which often means a pit or a trap, not just a hole in the ground but something set to ensnare.
• “Strange woman” is נָכְרִיָּה (nokhriyah), meaning a foreign or outsider woman, often used in Proverbs to describe a woman who is not one’s wife and whose ways are unfamiliar and risky.
• “Narrow” is צַר (tsar), meaning tight or confining, which adds to the sense of being trapped.
• “Pit” is בּוֹר (bor), a word for a cistern or a deep hole, again suggesting a place where escape is difficult.

Why Proverbs 23:27 matters

• Proverbs 23:27 clears up that the warnings are not just about morality but about real-life consequences, using physical dangers as metaphors for personal ruin.
• The verse highlights the seriousness with which ancient wisdom literature treats sexual temptation, showing it as something that can entrap and destroy.
• This verse connects to the broader theme in Proverbs of a father guiding his son away from choices that lead to harm, using everyday images his audience would understand.